Sunny, Warm, and Everyone's at the Lake

Four Graces 

Everyone has arrived, though I have not seen Rami yet, as he most likely got in last night around 2:00 after a flight to Buffalo.  Tommy and family arrived about 3:30, Jill and Drew around 8:00 because of heavy traffic, but we held dinner till they got here.  We chowed down on Linda's sloppy joes, all gone, and hot dogs, salad and chips, after heavy appetizers before dinner.  After eating, the boys and girls got their presents, the girls their dresses and other assorted things, the boys FBI tees which Lloyd Buck was able to get me.  Of course, the girls ran immediately to put on their dresses, as the picture shows.  Then, all the kids went swimming with Evie in the dark, loved jumping into the lake, with glow sticks, also a present, and by the time we got them settled in bed, ready to go to sleep(Hayden asked if it was alright if they whispered), it was 11:00.  The adults stayed up, everyone on their IPAD playing Words With Friends with each other, a kind of scrabble on line.  I was the first to go to bed, around 11:30 and I am not sure how long the rest stayed up.  No one heard Rami get in, so let's hope he's upstairs in bed.

I was up at 6:00 though Drew beat me up by about 5 minutes; we sat and talked politics for awhile till we got sick of talking about their ineptness.  Marlena was the first up, around 7:30, then Halle, about 8:00, and as of now, Marisa and Hayden are still sleeping.  The other two are in the treasure chest, picking out their gifts.

We have decided to just relax here at the lake, instead of going to the Gorge, as it just sounded like it would be too much, since the girls were up so late.  It sounds like a good plan.  We can go any time this week, so it's no big deal.

Everyone is out of the dock, except the girls who are playing dolls on blankets on the lawn.   They are all dressed in their purple dresses and they seem to move from one thing to another, whether it's swimming, playing dolls, going to the playground, playing restaurant in the water, or just going up to our bedroom where all their mattresses are, and coming up with something to play up there.  They sure get along well with each other.  I took the boys tubing, Tommy went windsurfing, Drew's swimming, so all are taking advantage of a great day.

Great dinner of brisket, mashed potatoes, stuffed shells, salad, garlic bread, with a vicious game of spud following.  We also got the high pressure family pictures done on the first day, so that's over with, thank goodness, with no melt downs for the first time in years.  I think I should have invested in Apple years a go; we have at least four Macs here, and six IPADs, inconstant use, and 8 iphones, I think, as the boys all have one.

Misty, Humid, Gray, Some Rain: Tommy and Jill and Families Arrive

Pizza Queen and her Boys

A muggy morning, 71 degrees, the outside seems to be dripping moisture, though we have not had that much rain so far, about 3/10ths of an inch over the last 24 hours.  It was comfortable enough for us last night with just a fan, but we may need the air conditioners tonight, especially for the wimps from VA and KC, who are used to it full time.  Why cannot they be tough like we were in our youth on Edgecliff, laying in our beds, sweating, hoping we could get to sleep.

As I mentioned, yesterday was a throw away day, shopping, getting ready, not doing much exciting though the kids swam quite a bit and fished, typical for a gray rainy day.  We did make our own pizzas last night, dough and all, and they turned out really good.  Evie would roll the dough, put on the various toppings, put it on a rounded, cut piece of parchment, send it outside to me.  I have a 14" pizza stone on the grill, slide it on for two minutes, then using a spatula, pick the pizza up slightly, and Mitch would slide the parchment paper out.  I cooked them for a little over 5 minutes, then slid them out on to a pan, and Tyler would bring the next one out, and we would do the same process over again.  The grill was very hot, reading about 600 degrees, which accounted for the quick cooking.  Everyone loved it, the crust and all, but a few suggested I could cook the crust a bit longer, maybe six minutes.  It depends on how thick it is, ours was very thin actually.  I usually just check the bottom to see that it has browned up some what.  The favorite, by far, was the Neapolitan, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil.  So simple, so good.

Evie's getting the brisket ready for tomorrow night's dinner.  Because the kids will be in late tonight, we are having a casual dinner, Linda's sloppy Joe's, hot dogs, cole slaw, so that it can be eaten at any time.  Tomorrow, we hope to hit the Chautauqua Gorge for a few hours, have lunch, explore, then come home to a dinner already made of brisket, corn, slaw, and other goodies.  I am getting hungry already.

Just walked down to our neighbors houses, the Foxes and Schultz's, and a huge tree fell down in their front yards, not hurting anyone but damaging the porch on one house, the gutters and side of house on the others.  I guess they had an arborist out this week, and he said it should be taken down in the next six months, as it was rotten inside.  He was only six months off.  The storm last night seemed brief, but it must have had some strong winds.  We still have not gotten a lot of rain, despite the clouds, the humidity, the lack of wind and gray skies, as if the Gods are playing with us  "Like flies to wanton boys/Are we to the Gods(King Lear)."  It's only 75 outside right now, but the humidity is 87%.  It's time to go jump in the lake and figure out where to park six cars.

Cloudy, Gray, Showers All Day!

Dinner and Music at Pine Junction

I woke to a gray sky, a southerly wind, and rain, which I have to admit, I am enjoying after four weeks of sun and heat.  It's supposed to be this way for the next two days, clear up over the weekend.  Unfortunately, Tom is going to be at Cedar Point today and tomorrow, so they might now have ideal weather in that part  of Ohio.  Beth, Evie and I are sitting here trying to plan the next few days, what to do, what to have, and as usual, we end up with so many choices that we are all going nuts with trying to make a decision, kind of like the Congress trying to arrive at a debt ceiling proposal.  At the moment, it looks like salmon and garlic spinach, a visit to the Chautauqua Gorge on Saturday, when every one's here, and the Casino on Sunday for wings.  Tommy and Jill and families arrive on Friday afternoon, and Rami will be flying in as well, so for the first time in a couple of years, all the Dad's will be here.

Last night we went to Pine Junction, a biker/snowmobiler/yuppie bar out in the middle of nowhere(near Findley Lake), which we like.  On Wednesdays, they have a band from 6-9, we got there at 6:00, met Ron and Linda, and we all had a good time, and good dinners, mostly burgers for the guys, steak salads for the gals, some wings, and raspberry pies for dessert.  It was a lovely evening to eat outside on the patio, with the band playing about 45 feet away in the Pavilion.  They were quite good, able to play anything from Bruce Springsteen to Eric Clapton, to Credence.  Interestingly, a number of families were there with small children, probably because of the music, and a number of little 3-4 year old girls were out on the patio dancing to the music.  We stayed till just about 9:00 and drove home at dusk.  Marisa was really tired, so Evie took her up to bed, read her some Edward Learn, and I told her a 'bad boy' story before she fell asleep.

Kind of a nothing day, getting ready for everyone's arrival tomorrow; Beth and I did the  shopping at Sam's and Weggies and because she had a flat tire, we took it in and found that with car, because of the all wheel drive, you have to get four new tires, just putting on a new one won't do.  So we ordered for new ones, which we hard to find, but they got, so we will pick it up tomorrow.  Evie and girls swam, then I took Tyler to the gym for a work out, then home, and now we are all in the kitchen making pizzas, while the Beth and Marisa are making bracelets.

Dad's Birthday, July 27th, 1914

Clambake at Lake Chautauqua

It's hard to understand how easy it is to forget about anyone after they die, even your parents.  I do think of both of them fairly often, however, especially on special days like holidays, birthdays, and occasions which they might have loved.  The cliche you don't appreciate something until it's gone seems very true for Mom and Dad.  Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to talk to them one more time, to tell them how you feel about them!  Dad was such a easy going guy, happy enough, so it seemed with his life, wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  He kept  his emotions inside, rarely allowing any of us children a peek inside.  But you knew he cared, loved being around his family, Linda's deck, our yard at Chautauqua, especially with a martini in hand.  We miss him and promise to think of him more often and celebrate his being a great father.

An amazing morning, cool, about 59 degrees, with a high of 80, and sunny all day.  We meet with Nan Cohen at 10:00, the only thing planned other than boating, tubing, enjoying the water and sun.  It amazes me how much the grandchildren love playing in the water, on the various inflatable water toys.  They played tag with Evie for at least two hours yesterday.  Then, after our dinner of barbecued chicken, corn, and noodles, we went out and fished. It was a beautifully cool night, even had to go inside and get my jean jacket.  Marisa just kept dropping her line, with or without a worm, off the dock and would catch either a sunfish, white bass, perch or bass, almost instantly.  She must have caught at least 25 fish in little over an hour.  Neither Tyler nor Mitch had similar luck, catching only three or four a piece.  It was fun to watch, though I spent most of my time taking the fish off the hook.  All three are able to put a worm on albeit, without trying to touch the worm...they put the worm on the deck and work the hook  through it without touch.

After the fish off, Evie took the kids to the playground, then put Marisa to bed, as Tyler and I watched a movie PUSH CART MAN, a film set in NYC about a Pakistani immigrant, who works in a push cart selling coffee, donuts, and bagels.  We get the feel of what it's like to pick up your cart each morning about 4:00 AM, take it out into the streets, push it to your corner, at least at mile or two away, sell your wares, push it back, take the train, for an hour, to your apartment, probably a squatters, then do the same thing the next day.  He does befriend a young woman, who works in a similar kiosk, a  couple successful Pakistani business men and we learn he once was a famous pop singer back in Lahore, who left Pakistani to flee to the US with his wife and child, or just come here, but she died a year ago and his son now lives with his mother in law, who blames him for his wife's death and won't let him see his son.  We live the routine of his life, are not allowed into his interior, and don't find out much about why he now pushes a cart instead of trying to remake his career.  The movie just ends, nothing tied together, as his cart is stolen, his woman friend goes back to Spain, and his connection with a couple of caring Pakistanis is ruined by his asking for money.  As the film ends, he's sitting  on a stoop, looking out at the night life of the city.  Slow moving, but poignant, as you have to admire his gumption in sticking to a simple task, saving his money to buy the cart, and regain his son.  Sometimes, though, things do not work out.

A great day of tubing in the morning, then fishing, while Evie got lunch ready.  We took a cruise toward Bemus, eating our lunch in the boat, and ended up towing a Baja speed boat to the Long Point Marina.  The guy was so grateful that he wanted to give us money.  We said, forget about it, and went back to cruising.  We then spent the afternoon on the dock, kids and Evie playing in the water, and Beth and I took a long kayak ride up almost to Snug Harbor and back, about an hour  I would say.

The Fun Begins: The Albarrans Have Arrived!

Groovy Acoustic Guitar

Beth and kids arrived yesterday about 3:30, earlier then expected as the hour detour we hit in May no longer applies.  I was out cutting weeds, so everyone came out on the dock, then we unpacked the car and the peanut butter M & M's were put in the glass jar.  It was easy unpacking, as all the kids pitched in, so we were on the dock, swimming within a half hour.  It was a beautiful afternoon, great for swimming, and we all just relaxed and cooled off in the water, playing on the windsurfer and mattresses.  The kids seemed to love being here, at last.  It would a beautiful night to eat outside, cool and breezy, a great sun set, a good food, English Cut, twice baked potatoes, and salad, and home made strawberry pie.

So far it's a delightful day, cooler, with low in 60's overnight, about 76 right now, at 11:00.  It's breezy, churning up the lake, so it may be a nice day to swim, go for a boat ride, and just enjoy being outdoors.  Marisa and Evie have been kayaking already, are now swimming, and the boys are inside, hanging out, watching a movie.

Night swimming

Albarrans Arrive Today, The Good Life!

Summer, 2010

I had a major computer problem yesterday, as I downloaded a highly praised new operating system for my Mac, making it somewhat like the IPAD.  well, there's a glitch in the system and it keeps throwing me off my Internet connection.  I spent at least an hour with Apple, another 30 minutes with Time Warner, each blaming the other for the problem.  From what I can tell, others who have downloaded LION are having the same problem.  So for now, I am writing on my old Netbook, thus I will have no pictures until I can figure out what to do.  It may involve driving to an Apple store, wiping my computer clean, and putting a new system on it.  I hope this doesn't have to happen.

It's cooler this morning, about 73, with calls for some showers today, I doubt it, and then sunny latter in the day, high in the 80's and humid, of course.  The lake is motionless, not a boat, just three silent kayaks, out in the distance, a perfect morning in late July, as summer ebbs, a month since the Summer Solstice, an signs of autumn are beginning to show, the thinning of bird songs in the morning, berries appearing on some bushes, some plants beginning to turn brown, as the dog day's of summer continue.

We still have quite a  bit to do today, though Evie got lots done yesterday, the rooms made up, the meals ready, the album done, the lawn cut, some weeds cut, but we will have to go to the store sometime today, just to pick up a few things to ready ourselves for the Albarrans.  I just hope it's comfortable enough to sit outside, to eat outside, and sleep at night, even without air conditioning.  Fat chance.  

Tonight's dinner, marinated English Cut grilled, sweet corn, salad, twice baked potatoes, sweet corn and homemade strawberry pie.  Yum

After an hour on the phone with Apple and reconfiguring the security on my router, I 'think' all is well in the computer/internet world.  Time will tell but for now, I am back on my Mac and a happy camper.  Long live!

An INCH OF RAIN LAST NIGHT---There is a God!

Finalizing the New Photo Album

I woke up at 5:00, came downstairs, walked outside to find our walk was damp.  I figured, as usual, we got a spot of rain and it was too dark to tell how much, even though I walked out on the dock as well, so I went inside, got my coffee, computer, and started my morning perusal of the Wall Street Journal, NYTimes, Hurriyet (Turkish) and the Washington Post, as well as Facebook updates, then The Daily Beast.  When it became light, I went outside, checked how the ditches I filled in with stones handled the water and checked the rain gauge.  To my utter surprise, it measured 1 inch!  Hallelujah...my prayers, my skepticism, was squashed by the rain gods.  Maybe I won't have to water the new lawn for a couple of days.  And now, maybe, we can take a shower occasionally (3 minutes only), wash dishes and clothes...what most of us take for granted with city water and sewer.  Alas, we are dependent on our well, never a problem so far, but if it doesn't rain for four weeks, you have to wonder how much water it holds.

I forgot to mention yesterday we watched another prep school film called THE EMPERORS CLUB, reminiscent of DEAD POETS SOCIETY.  Set at a beautiful prep school in the states (Emma Willard and Union Theological Seminary), it traced the life and influence of a history teacher, played by Kevin Kline.  Lots of cliches, silly situations, especially the bad boy who the history teacher tries to save.  The virtue of the movie is that 'he fails,' but only this one boy.  He saves numerous others and that's the beauty of the movie, the epiphany he has at the end of the film.  It was much better than what I first thought, and worth seeing.  Kline is amazingly good and it does get some things right about prep schools, especially if you can ignore the cliches.

Today we finalize the house, get ready for Beth and her family's arrival, perhaps cut some weeds, do some final shopping and let the fun begin.

IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS: TIM O'BRIEN

I had read that this was one of the best American mysteries ever written, though I had never heard of it.  O'Brien, I knew, was famous for a couple of books on Vietnam, GOING AFTER CACCIATO and THE THINGS THEY CARRIED.   I remember reading CACCIATO, not particularly taken with it, though it won many awards.  So, it seemed odd to me that he had also written a mystery, a mystery to me, one I had to explore.  The book is mostly about John Wade, a needy, somewhat introverted, young kid, or so we learn as the novel progresses, his pursuit and marriage to Kathy, beginning in college, his career, as he moves up the political ladder, to run, eventually for Governor of Minnesota, his devastating loss, their retreat to a cabin in the woods on  the Lake of the Woods, and her mysterious disappearance two days after their arrival.  The book mostly begins with the disappearance and through flashbacks, to his early years, especially his skill as a magician, much to his father's dismay, but his delight, as he gains the respect and affection of friends and adults alike, something he desperately seeks.  The parallels between politicians and magicians, their sleight of hand, making reality seem unreal, is developed throughout.  I found the book extremely insightful into the minds of politicians, why they seek office, what they must do to stay in office, and how they justify their actions to their inner selves.  And, of course, this book is about Vietnam, as we find out later, how it effects John's career.  I will mention only one name, John's Lieutenant, a William Calley.  If you were conscious during any part of the Vietnam War, you will recognize the name.  The book offers no answers; life is a mystery, as is the disappearance of Kathy Wade, though there are many hypotheses throughout the book, many endings as it were.  O'Brien seems to be saying we can never really know anyone for certain, John Wade being an example. Is he a saint or a sinner?  We, the reader, must decide, using only the facts given.  I liked it enough to keep reading, got a little bored towards the end, perhaps because I wanted, like most people, more closure.  But it was an interesting read, especially the political insights, how the effects of war never end, and ultimately the mystery of life.

More Heat, No Rain---Outrage in Norway

Another sunrise

A bit cooler this morning, about 73 degrees outside when I got up, though it's going up into the high 80's later in the day but not 90's like earlier in the week.  Still no rain though some scares last evening when we thought it looked cloudy and thought, my god, it might rain...it did not.  I watered for about 20 minutes about 6:30 this morning, when it was still cool, and Evie is watering her garden as I write.  It's a bit hazy, the lake shimmery, though more gray than blue, and I can feel the heat building outside.  We are continuing to get the house ready for next week, especially the upstairs, so all can sleep comfortably.  I am worried about our well, how abundant the water supply will be next week when all arrive unless it rains.  So far, we have been fine but I have to assume there's a finite amount of water in our well, and if it does not rain, any well eventually will go dry.  Just another something to worry about; at least the septic tank should be fine.

The horrible news from Norway just confirms my prejudice towards religious zealots, the kind written about in the last book I read, UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD, which emphasized how people (some) have used religion/God to justify the most atrocious actions and if you doubt it, just look at history.  Most organized religions are or have been guilty as well.  The bombing seems to have been motivated a fanatic, angry at Norway's involvement in Afghanistan, and the killings on the island resort seem to be the same person, a deranged right wing, Christian fundamentalist though this has not been confirmed(I think Michelle Bachmann will describe herself the same way, a right wing Christian fundamentalist).  He probably heard God tell him to kill these innocent people, like the Lafferty brothers in the Krakhauer novel.  How different are these people from someone like Michelle Bachman or George Bush, who also say that God has spoken to them, told them what to do.  True, they have not acted violently though Bush's war seems to have been sanctioned by his personal relationship with God, but where do we draw the line and say yes, this is God talking (Bush or Bachmann) or no, this is just the illusion that God has spoken (Lafferty brothers).  The blurring between politics and religion over the past twenty five or thirty years has been one of the single most disturbing influences on our governmental policies.  If you are a politician and think God stands behind something, there's no compromising because it's God's will.  Enough.  I almost got literally sick last night listening to John Boehner speak (lie and dissemble) about the debt ceiling problem.  Many of these guys would prefer to see the Republic go down in flames rather than raise one iota of tax on the rich o, sorry, I mean job creators, the newspeak for the rich.  Obama is not much better, droning on...I would love to see him just get pissed, say what he really feels about the opposition, rather than being controlled and Presidential.  I know he cannot do it, but you can feel his frustration....how do you work with a party that's goal, stated, seems to be making sure you are a one term President.  If that involves destroying the Republic, so be it.  At least Obama will be gone.

A lazy, hot afternoon, after spending the morning shopping for goodies for next week.  The house is muggy because we are just using fans today, as it's not as hot as previously, about 86 outside, 80 inside with the fans.  Maybe I will turn the AC on, live it up.  Sitting outside on the dock or sun has no appeal, maybe in the yard if there is a breeze.

Nothing New---Sun, Heat, No Rain

So Warm, We Ate Inside

Well, we have started breaking down my study to get ready for next week when all the kids come.  We moved out lots of my stuff, my desk, books, things like that, and moved in a bed from the attic.  Not a big deal except that it's awfully hot upstairs, especially in the attic.  This afternoon, Evie is off to Walmart to print pictures for last summer's album, a herculean task, to put them in order and try to make sure everyone is included.  Obviously, the kids dominate, probably the girls because they are so cute, but she finds that there are not enough pictures of the adults at times.  Most of them don't like having their picture taken anyways, like me.  I have to take the Accord in for new brakes, not something I want to do right now but it must be done before everyone gets here.

Last night we had Joe and Betsy Bergen over for dinner, finally, after six years of being neighbors.  They are both lawyers, live in Buffalo, love the lake like us, and have two Dachshunds.  Joe has his own law firm, and  Betsy works for a large law firm in Buffalo, and mostly represents large clients like Ford in personal injury suits.  We really got along well, and found we have lots in common, politics, interest in movies, with similar tastes, and books.  Like us, they dislike Bush, are liberal, so it was nice to talk to someone up here who thinks the way we do.  There are not many around, as the locals seem to be conservative,  but a  group of younger home owners from out of state all seem to be liberal.  They brought a couple bottles of wine, Joe made a great coconut pie and brought some ice cream, unexpectedly I might add, so we had a great meal, Turkish mostly, with a great dessert and wine.  Betsy grew up in Hamburg, just outside of Buffalo, but Joe is from the Bronx.  They met at the University of Buffalo law school, liked the area, and decided to stay and settle in the downtown areas.  I think there are some really neat areas in Buffalo's downtown, perhaps a bit like Little Italy, University Circle, but nicer.  It was a really fun night, despite the heat and having to stay inside.

Betsy and Joe Bergen

It's really hot out side though I went for a nice kayak ride this morning; whenever I got too hot, I just paddled into shallow water, got out, and laid in the water.  I did it twice, so I was never really that hot.  The hillside at Giarizzo's is now filled with large gravel or stones, and the new bottom, jutting out into the lake, was covered with dirt and hydroseeded a couple days ago.  According to one of the workers, this wall of stone will do the trick, so they won't have to worry about it moving again but, on either side of the stones, there's also steep, treeless sides, so they are not completely safe.

Record Setting High, Again, No Rain in Sight

Definitely a warm morning, discernible humidity and heat at 7:00, as it went down to only 74 last night so leaving the windows open did little good to cool the house.  The air feels thick with humidity as well, so it's going to be an uncomfortable day and unfortunately, we are having our neighbors, Joe and Betsy Bergen(the red barn like house) for dinner.  Evie has most of it made already, so it should not be too hard; we are having iskender kebab (spicy lamb koftes with pita, tomato sauce, and yogurt), tabbouleh salad, cold eggplant salad, and ice cream with fresh peaches.  Sounds good but not if it's going to be 90 degrees in the shade.  We are going to bring an air conditioner downstairs and try it, to see if it cools the downstairs a bit.  We will have to wait and see.  It could be cooler outside, too, if there is a breeze, which there might be, but it could be a hot breeze, the kind I always remember from camping on the south shore of Crete, the breeze coming from Africa was wilting.

We went to a restaurant last night called Rios, recommended by my dentist of all people, about 30 minutes away in the town of Frewsburg.  A small, non descriptive building on a back road, we were not inspired as we stopped, as only two cars were in the lot.  We went in, two people at the bar, two couples eating.  We sat down at the bar, ordered beers, great ones on tap, and had a good time, talking with the owner, bar tender, and two women, both of whom taught at Jamestown Community College.  We enjoyed talking with them, one was the trainer for the athletic teams, the other I am not sure what she did.  The lure of the bar is they have 41 different burgers, each named for a different country.  I got the South American, a burger with chimichurri sauce, manchego cheese, and red onions.  Evie got the Eiffel Tower, Gruyere, walnuts, and mustard mayo, though she substituted a portabello for the burger.  We also got tumbleweeds, thin, stick like onions rings, really good.  My burger was a bit overdone but I'll come back and Evie loved hers.  They have a special...if you eat  14 different burgers in 80 days, you get a discount and a tee shirt for finishing it. They encourage patrons to take pictures of them wearing the tee shirt when they travel, and he pulled out his photo book, and one of the patrons had the shirt on, saying I ate 14 Burgers in 80 Days at Rios and they were in Istanbul, Turkey.  If it was closer, I would be tempted to stop by once a week and try a different burger, but its too far.  I will go back.  The inside is small, seating 50 at the most, and every square inch of the walls is covered with articles, newspaper clips, beer signs, posters, you name it giving it character.

We brought the air condition down from upstairs, and it's doing a good job of heating the downstairs.  It's 98 outside, 73 in side, quite a difference.  Outside, the heat and humidity is just energy draining, though Evie is cutting the lawn at the moment.  It's not bad outside if you jump in the water, get out, and just drip dry for the next ten or fifteen minutes.  Then it gets unbearable, so you jump in the water and do the same thing, over and over, and it's pretty nice outside.  I will stick inside, reading my book, with the comfort of air conditioning.

UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD: JOHN KRAKAUER

I have been wanting to read this book for a couple of years because I wanted to learn more about Mormonism and also, since both Romney and Huntsmen are Mormons running for President, I thought it was relevant.  Unfortunately, it's not as much about Mormonism as I thought, though I did get the rudiments of its founding by Joesph Smith, its stabilizing by Brigham Young, and its influence in contemporary US.  It's more about religious fanatics, generally, but specifically, about a couple of crazy Mormons, two brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who killed their brother's wife and baby because God told them to do this.  The rest of the book goes into their background, how these two crazies ended up believing God talked through them, to their trial, retrial, and their stories.  They are certainly not mainstream Mormons, rather the fringe, the fundamental Mormons, who want to go back to the Mormonism of Joseph Smith, when it was pure...sound familiar, this idea that something was pure and good in the past but has now been corrupted.

I was most interested in Joseph Smith, enough to maybe read Fawn Brodie's biography of him.  It's hard to believe that anyone took him seriously...finding golden tablets with God's words and commandments on it, that disappear miraculously once Joseph copies them down.  I guess Christianity must have seemed just as silly at its beginnings.  But once people start believing, once more and more accept, on faith, the stories, a cult becomes a religion if enough people believe it.  Mormonism is quintessentially American, the only new religion to have taken hold anywhere in the world, I think in the past 150 years.  For sure, the only new religion to take hold in the US.  There most controversial tenet, polygamy or taking plural wives, was a belief that Joseph, in his later years, because of his need for younger women, especially virgins, made law when he was told by God that this was the way men and women were meant to live.  It sounds like the cart came before the horse, the lust before the sanctity of the belief but, hey, who am I to doubt a a religion, that has over 60,000 young people out all over the world trying to convert the world's people to their beliefs.  I cannot say I found out much about every day Mormons, the kind that I assume Huntsmen and Romney have become, but I do get the impression that they feel superior, the chosen, and are a bit clannish, preferring their fellow Mormons to people who are not Mormons.  Not so different I suppose from Judaism or Christianity I suppose.  I am glad I read it though I got tired of the two Lafferty's, their craziness, the justifying their actions.  One actually developed the idea in prison that he was the prophet who heralded the second coming, that prison was God's way of preparing him and others for the final judgment.  In fact, God told him this.  What a world.

Recording Setting High, Day 24 Without Rain

John DiAngelo and Biff

This is getting to be old as I was up early, spent an hour watering the lawn, from 6:30 to 7:20, then again, the other half, from 8:30-9:15.  We are getting nervous about our well, so we have decided to depend completely on pumping water out of the lake, which takes more time.  But the grass looks rich, luxuriant, and green, so maybe all this time is worth it.  I wonder what I would have been doing if I hadn't been out watering my lawn...probably nothing.  It gives corners to my day.

I talked with Beth yesterday and she was excited because Mitch, who has real talent as an artist, especially throwing pots, has been asked by his school to move to the adult class, and they want him to help out, eventually getting paid to guide/teach the younger kids with their pots during the summers.  He is excited, of course, and it will give him the chance to do something he likes and earn some money as well.  Tyler, too, seems to be doing well, as his teacher says he is so far ahead of his peers with his guitar that he ought to take up singing as well, because he would be in great demand by bands.  He's also learning to play the drums and his teacher thinks he's a natural.  And, of course, Marisa is playing pepper, honing her skills, getting ready from Chautauqua.

Jill and family spent a great week with friends at Bethany Beach in Delaware, then a week up at Drew's families cottage in Vermont for a week.  They are home now for close to two weeks before heading to Chautauqua for about 10 days.  We cannot wait to see everyone.

John DeAngelo stopped by, as he usually does each summer, as he rents a cottage on the other side of the lake for a week, brings up the kids and grand kids, and has been doing it for around five years now. We knew each other from playing on the playgrounds in high school and college, and he took over for me at Painesville Harvey when I left in 1967.  It's always fun to talk with John as he's clued in on the basketball scene, and knows what all the players from our generation are doing, where they have retired to, how many kids they have, and so forth.  He asked about Rich Holzheimer, as he remember seeing him play.  He also stopped by to see Stan last night, I think, and they are up for a week.  He and his wife Penny took a great vacation last fall, twenty five days in Croatia, Germany, Austria, and Italy.  Most of the time they stayed either with family or friends, which made it a really fun trip.  I can remember the first time John ever traveled, probably back in the late  80's, when he took his father back to his hometown in Italy.  Until then, he had never been abroad.

The kind of afternoon to stay inside and read, which I have been doing.  It's only 86 outside, 78 inside because we keep the windows shut after 9:00AM.  Evie's off at the Ladies of the Night Tea.  I hope it's  air conditioned at the house they are meeting.  A biologist from Jamestown Community College is speaking on the lake, its health, so Evie's really interested.  After I read for a few more minutes, I am going to go jump in the lake and cool off.  We are going out to dinner tonight to a bar I heard about that has 41 different kinds of burgers.  It's off in the hills, about 30 minutes from here, near the Nic L Inn where we used to go for dinner but haven't in the past ten years.  It's the place with lots of hummingbird feeders and Mom and Dad used to like going there because of the beautiful ride.  

Day Twenty Three Without Rain: Mary Lou and Joe Barry Visit

Relaxing on Dock

Breakfast

We haven't changed a bit.

Up early to water the lawn, before anyone by an hour.  Joe and Mary Lou Barry stayed with us last night, left this morning around 9:00 for Oxford.  We had a good time, catching up on our families, as both their children live in the East, one in Connecticut, the other New Jersey.  They have six grandchildren, ranging in ages from twelve to one.  There son's oldest son, unfortunately, has a form of autism and, at about two, just stopped talking.  He demands almost 24 hour supervision so, because they both work, they have a nanny and when one is gone on  business, the other needs help from either set of grandparents, which is why they headed East the past week.  Both are retired, enjoying it obviously, and Mary Lou, like me, does not miss teaching a bit.  She loved it, first graders, but has not looked back.  It's interesting that we do something we like for a good part of our life, then retire and don't miss it at all.  I wonder if we really did like it or just did it because it was a job, something you did with your life.  We had a great dinner, chicken picata, fresh peaches and blueberries on ice cream for dessert, and Mrs. Snavely's kuchen for breakfast, the good life.  They seem to travel quite a bit, have a group of friends with whom they rent a house on the North Carolina coast.  At one time, they had a condo down there but sold it to move into a new place in Oxford.  Joe was my roommate sophomore year in college, frat brother, teammate on the basketball team and we were in each others weddings.  We have seen each other five or ten times over the past 45 years, but not for long, so it was good to catch up, talk about the good old days, and our grandchildren of course.  They really loved our house, the inside as well as the lake, which always makes us feel good.  And we hope they will make it a regular stop on their way East, at least once or twice a year.

Hazy Morning, Thunder Storms to Come/Cruise Down Chadakoin

Jamestown livery on Chadakoin

I was up too early, I don't know why, around 5:00, perhaps because it was the first really warm night here at the lake.  The air conditioners will go in today, no doubt, though we hardly ever use them, more noise barriers than cooling.  We went to Linda and Ron's last night for a picnic, burgers, dogs, potato salad and beans.  It felt like summer, for sure, and it was a lovely night to sit outside and eat.  They back to Murraysville today.

Joe Barry called last night and he and Mary Lou are going to stop by today and spend the night, on their way home from New Jersey, where there son Jay lives. We have been trying to get them to stop by on their trip homes and so they will be in today, probably late afternoon, spend the night, then head home to Oxford tomorrow.  It will be fun to get to see them.

Crusin the Chadakoin

On Saturday, we took a long boat ride with the Mc Clures, to the southern end of the lake, then up the Chadakoin River into Jamestown, something we have always wanted to do but never did. We left about 10:00, with coolers and hoagies, and cruised up the west side of the lake, looking at homes and neighborhoods, really getting a feel for how built up this lake is.  There are few green areas left, as homes/cottages line the shoreline.  After Celeron, we entered the mouth of the Chadakoin and we cruised down it for about a half an hour.  It has the feel of the Florida Everglades, though not as jungle like.  There's no development or buildings, just woods and shorelines, lily pads, an occasional  boater, and two 8 man crew boats, practicing their rowing.  It's supposed to be a great place for bird watching, but we really did not notice much.  It was a spectacular day for this kind of trip, as Evie and Linda sat in the two fishing seats in front, as we cruised.  We spent about an hour going up and down the river, then wended our way down the east side of the lake, having lunch, swimming a bit, and enjoying the scenery and ride.  Though it was in the 80's by the  time we returned, about 1:30, we were never really hot on the trip.  This is something we must do again, especially in the fall, when the leaves are turning.

The Good Life

Eight man crew on Chadakoin

Today I hope to put down some grass seed in some of the bare spots, get more dirt, and then pray for rain, but not too much, later in the day.  Thunderstorms are predicted, perhaps heavy, later in the day.  It's been 21 days without rain, so we need it, our lawn needs it, but don't over do it.

Picked up some topsoil this morning at Tri James, came back and spread it over grass seed in some of the bare spots of our lawn, thinking that the predicted rain would really be good for the lawn.  Of course, it's now 3:30, no rain, and little in the forecast, as it passed south of us.  I did go off to the Lighthouse and their peaches are in, as is corn from Northeast, so the abundance of summer is about ready to show its face.  Evie's making chicken picata, rice, corn, ice cream with peaches/blueberries for dinner and for tomorrow's breakfast, she put together Mrs. Snavely's coffee cake.  Let's up Joe and Mary Lou Barry are good eaters!  I know Lou likes her red wine.  Because they are coming, Evie has spent the entire day cleaning the house, which was clean, or so I thought.  Fortunately, it's ten degrees cooler in the house, and we put two air conditioners in the big bedrooms because it's predicted to get into the 90's in the next couple of days.

Hot and Humid Sunday Sunday/Woodlawn Picnic

Evie and Margie Schultz

We just got back from a nice long kayak ride, along the shore to the end of Tom's Point, then across to Long Point, then back home, about an hour paddle, on a beautiful, hazy, warm and sunny morning, with hardly any boat traffic, other than a few fishermen anchored, tossing their lines.  A great way to start a Sunday morning.

Yesterday, I tried a new bread recipe, Jim Lehey's no knead bread. Basically, I added water, yeast, flour and salt to a bowl on Friday evening, stirred it for about 30 seconds, covered it, and let it sit until yesterday afternoon.  It's a sticky dough but manageable.  I then wrapped it in a tea cloth for about two hours, letting it rise a second time.  I then put a  5 quart dutch oven, in the oven, pre heated for half an hour, took it out, and kind of rolled the dough from the cloth into the pot, covered it, and baked it for 30 minutes, took the top off and baked it till the top was brown, another 25 minutes, then rolled it out and let it sit for an hour. The bread did not rise as much as I wanted, but it's got a tough chewy crust, the kind of wanted (perhaps a bit too hard), and the inside is airy and tasty. I would give it a B, much better than my efforts the past couple of weeks, and I am definitely going to work towards perfecting it because I like the crust...just more bread in between the crusts, and a rising should do it.  Right now I am enjoying two toasted pieces with butter and it's great but the crust may be a little to crusty!

Barb Fox, Flip Lauer, Evie

We had our second Woodlawn picnic of the summer, Saturday afternoon from 5:00 to 7:00, about 25 people showed up, a smaller gathering than usual though it's a busy time of the year. It's nice to get to talk with some of our neighbors that we don't see too often as they too are busy with family, picnics, and enjoying the lake, like us.  We had it at the Schultz/Fox's yard, and everyone brings an appetizer to share and their own drinks.  We were there for about an hour and a half.  One of the group is trying to put together a book of the history of the homes on Woodlawn, complete with pictures.  Some have very old family photos, a couple dating back to 1910 and you can still see the same houses on the lake today, though updated a bit.  We will see how this goes though many residents seem very interested in doing this.  Our oldest photo dates back to 1981 when we bought the house, and various configurations since then and, of course, our new home.

Today we are going to start getting organized for the arrival of our families; Beth will be the first to arrive, a week from tomorrow.  Not only do we need to get out all the toys, arrange the bedrooms, but also shop for the first couple of days.  At least our new lawn is looking pretty good, and Evie may even cut it for the first time tomorrow, which would make it three weeks without rain.

Ken Schultz, Bud Kinney, Paul Ostergaard, Jim Fox

Ron and Linda leave for Pittsburgh tomorrow, so they have invited us over for dinner tonight, around 5:00, for a booze cruise and then dinner.  It sounds good to not have to cook for a day.

Just cut some weeds for an hour, as Evie cut the lawn, the old part, though we she make take her first foray into the new grass tomorrow, depending on the weather.  It's very warm outside, in the 80's easily in the sun, and humid, but much nicer inside, as we tend to close our windows in the morning, which keeps it cool most of the day.  Now it's time to watch the US play Japan in the World Cup Finals.  I have not watched any of their matches so far but I thought I might see if I get into the final game.

Weedless Lake Morning

A mountain of weeds

Evie oversees the shore weed gathering

We hit the jack pot yesterday, as the weed cutters and barges came by and did a job on our swimming area as well as in front of our dock.  They actually worked out on the entire Woodlawn/Victoria area, much to all the neighbors delight, thanks to Evie's persistence with the CLA.  She worked with the CLA to get the weekly pick up of weeds, as well as encouraging all the neighbors to send in donations to the CLA, making sure they knew it was from our neighborhood.  It may affect how they take care of the waterfront; those neighbors who contribute to the CLA should get better care and service.  I would like to think that's true.

Getting the crew water and soft drinks

Yesterday I had to take the mower in again for a 75.00 buck fix it, as the throttle was broken; 10 dollar item, 60 dollar labor.  What a rip off, but what can you do.  Evie needs to cut the lawn!  Talking about lawns, the hydroseeder came over yesterday to look at our lawn and was totally impressed, in fact, he wished he had brought his camera to take pictures to show prospective customers.  I think my heavy watering paid off.  When are grandchildren arrive,  I think I will have to put up a fence around the lawn, as I don't want anyone playing/walking on it till next year.  Just kidding.

Evie made us a great omelet last night for dinner, with tomatoes, left over baked potatoes, spinach, Israeli feta, and mostly egg whites, from a carton.  We also warmed up some naan, and ate outside in our lawn chairs, something we have rarely done, preferring our porch or round table.  We then went kayaking around 8:40, as I had read that last night was a full moon, it was to rise at 9:01 and some of the kayaking clubs were going on a moonlit paddle.  "This month's full moon is known as the Hay Moon, Thunder Moon, Blood Moon, and Mead Moon, not to mention the Buck Moon.  And there are stories behind each lunar moniker." I think the 'blood moon' might best describe the moon, though last month's strawberry moon might be better.  We stayed out for about an hour, paddling north towards the CI and a slowly disappearing pink sky, then headed back home, as we watched a huge orange globe slowly rise in the southeast, seemingly over Bemus Point, lessening in size as it rose, and losing it's color, eventually shining brightly on the lake.  It was like kayaking in oil, moving slowly and easily through the darkened lake, staying close enough to the docks so we were not in danger of a crazy boater, and carrying a flashlight just in case.  We got back about 10:00, after talking with our neighbors, the Kinney's, at the end of their dock.  They had just gotten back from a week in France, mostly Paris and Normandy, so we sat in our kayaks, talking with them for 15 minutes.

Breezy, Sunny, and Warm

A Blast from the Past: Rich/Linda, February, 2010

Up at 5:30 to watch the sun peak over Long Point, slowly but surely, till it was so bright I had to get off the dock and seek some shade.  Our neighbor's having a stump dug out and they asked if it was all right if they started at 7:00.  No problem for me as I am up early, as usual.  They already have quite a bit out of the ground already and it's  just 8:00.    Right now it's 64 degrees out side, and a strong southerly breeze creates ripples on what was once a placid lake.  Southerly winds bring warm days, so it will be in the mid 80's today.

We expect the weed cutters back today, to cut more and pick up the weeds that have gathering along the shoreline, a result of yesterday's cutting.  They have gathered in masses at various pockets in the shoreline and, unless picked up, will rot, gather more weeds as well as dead fish, and smell.  Fortunately, because of our wall, the weeds just move on to other's shores, which lack a wall.

The Grass Continues to Cometh

We watched an acclaimed movie last night called GODS AND MEN, a film based on an actual incident,  about a small group of catholic monks, who live in a small village in Algeria, during the turmoil/terrorists of the 90's.  They have been an integral part of the village, offering health care as well as other services, without really proselytizing, or so it seems.  They are threaten by terrorists, as well as the corrupt government, which supposedly wants to protect them.  They have to decide whether to stay on or leave, and we see the inter turmoil of each of the eight monks, as they ultimately decide to stay, that to live, they must stay, as this, helping their villagers, is their life.  You know how the film will end, with their eventual deaths at the hands of the Islamicists, but it's really a story about moral courage, the willingness to stand up for your beliefs despite the consequences.  It reminded both Evie and I of Anne Marie Gustavson's brother, the Bishop of Algeria, who was assassinated along with his driver, in his car in Algeria in the late 90's.  Since then, a book has been written about him, Eric has edited his letters, and I remember them telling me about his refusal to leave, how they were worried about him because of this.   A sad but uplifting film, a bit long, but worth seeing.

I just got back from the CI; I drove to Chautauqua Shores, parked my car, and rode my bike to the CI, got in free on a library pass, then went to the Amphitheater to hear James Woolsey, former CIA director talk about security.  Interesting enough, as I sat outside the Amphitheater gate, reading a book and listening with others, mostly dog lovers, and yoga enthusiasts!  He says we are the major contributor to terrorism; we buy petroleum products that send dollars over to the OPEC, especially Saudi Arabia, and they sponsor most of the Islamic foundations, especially those that lead to terrorism.  He also suggested how vulnerable our electric grid is to a attack, how it could cripple the US, no food, gas, heat, water, sewer, transportation, etc, as a result of a electric attack.  Not good news.  He says we need to move away from having all circuits connected, to distributive networks, not those related to each other.  We are way behind in other technologies; one building in Germany has more solar power than the entire state of Texas.  It just reinforces my belief in the idiocy of our politicians, our nation, especially some tea partiers and most fundamentalists, as well as Texans.  Hey, let's elect Rick Perry for President!

Thursday Morning Quiet

Not much action on the lake, little noise except for a few chattering birds, an occasional duck, and no boats to speak of.  It looks like another beautiful, rain free day on the lake, not too hot either, though it sounds like the weekend could go into the 90's, which is unusual for this part of New York state.

Shooting Hoops at Bemus Park

We have no plans for the day, the joy of not working I suppose, but there is always something to do, regardless, whether inside or outside your home.  Once Evie gets up, I would like to go kayaking, as the lake is amazingly calm, and it would be a great morning to explore.  I did read in the newspaper that tomorrow is a full moon, rising at 9:01, and some kayakers are meeting to go out about that hour.  It would be fun but kayaking on the lake at night without a light could be dangerous, though if you stayed in close to shore, say within 30 or 30 feet of a dock, it would be fine. I would like to try to work something out, like paddle to the Swedish Club, from 8:30 to 9:30, put the kayaks on the car, which we had dropped off there earlier in the day, have a beer, then drive home.  Let's see if we can overcome the inertia to just stay put.

A big morning as the weed cutters finally came by, cut the weeds out in front of our dock for perhaps 40 feet or so, as they were peaking through the top of the water.  They are coming back tomorrow to finish things supposedly, so we will  have to see what kind of a job they did.  I picked up more gravel this morning, too, for my parking space, so hopefully now, if he rains (ever), there won't be puddles.  So far, it's been another peachy day, 76 outside, sunny with a nice breeze, perfect for sunning on the dock and reading a book.

Sunny and Windy and No Rain

Threatening Sky at Dawn

A lazy day, as I have not done much, just went to the store, did some watering and that's about it.  O, yea, our lawn mower is acting up, a crisis, so I took it in to get worked on.  Honda's are supposed to be reliable but this is the 4th time I have taken it in in a year.

Evie's out on the dock reading and relaxing, so I am going to head out as well, then do some watering.

We ended up going to Bemus tonight, with Ron and Linda.  We left about 6:00 and Ron and I shot hoops for about a half an hour, while the girls shopped.  We met them at the Lenhart Hotel porch for a beer, as the sun began to set.  It was a delightful evening to sit on the porch, a nice breeze,  beautiful sky, and not very crowded.  We then ate at he Seezhurn House for dinner.  It was practically empty when we got their about 7:15 but by the time we left, it was more crowded which was nice to see.  We all got the special, rib eye with salad and potato for 10 bucks, a deal.  It was not as good as the last time but we still enjoyed it.

We got home around 9:30, I watered the lawn for a bit, and now it's time to get back to my book.

Two Weeks with NO Rain!

Another Dawn Sky

A warm, humid night, but today it's supposed to cool off, with highs only in the 70's, although it was 71 degrees out when I got up at 5:15.  A cloudy morning and I was hoping for some rain, but to no avail, alas.  so, by 6:00, I was out watering the lawn till about 7:15, making sure it's damp but not soaked.  I am becoming an expert at this, perhaps it could be my future, a garden waterer.

There was actually a fishing boat out around 5:30 to my surprise, and a couple out now, towards Long Point though the lake has been unusually quiet the last few days.  I am not sure why, but I assume it's the economy, as people are cutting back on vacations, on boating, or just cannot afford it.  The cottages next door are half empty this week, a prime time.  Things will probably pick up in August when must people have vacations.

Ron and Linda came over last night for a dinner of baked ziti and grilled chicken breasts, both really good and ziti, my favorite, was extra good I thought.  We played bean bag for the first time this summer and Evie and Ron beat Linda and me, two out of three, though all games were close.  We ate out on our front porch, which we are enjoying more and more, and they stayed till about 10:00.

Today, we go shopping (5% off groceries for retirees!), then more weed cutting, watering, and relaxing on the dock, reading and occasionally swimming, to cool off.  Not a bad scenario for the day.

Not much happened today, a bit of heavy weeding, some reading and relaxing in the yard, as it was too hot on the dock.  It got as high a 81 degrees, though it's not much cooler now, at 7:00, as it's 80.  The weed guys came unexpectedly, much to Evie's delight, and they are going to be regulars,  coming every Tuesday to pick up the weeds of Woodlawn/Victoria.  Evie has organized it all, so she is pretty excited that it's working out.  We were too lazy to go shopping and didn't really need anything, so I lost 5% off my groceries at Wegman's.  Rats.  It's a beautiful night on the lake, comfortable both in and out, perfect for watering and eating outside, left over baked ziti, but that's fine.  I dig it.  I am enjoying my book on the Mormons, UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN, founds out they started in Palmyra, NY, fled to Kirtland, Ohio, then to Independence, MO, before moving west to Utah.

Warm and Humid, Still No Rain

A still morning, dew on the ground, about 65 degrees, highs expected in the upper 80's, and I have already watered the lawn.  It's coming in quite well, so both Evie and I are happy.  It will still be a couple of weeks before we can cut it, so Evie will just have to control her temptation to mow.

Bobcats

Lloyd and Vi Buck spent the day with us yesterday.  They arrived around 10:00, as usual, and it was a beautiful day for a visit.  Lloyd has difficulty getting around because of a bad back, so we didn't do a lot of walking, mostly relaxing in the yard, telling tall tales about our basketball prowess, and reliving the good old days when kids were still kids.  We did take a nice boat ride, over to Bemus, along Lake Side Drive, our usual, and it was really comfortable, a nice breeze and not too choppy.  We had lunch outside, hot dogs, cole slaw, broccoli salad, and of  course, some Turkish tea in between.

The girls came up with a great idea, going shopping without Lloyd and me.  We let them take off, we both took a nap while watching the Indians lose on TV, then we went outside and enjoyed the afternoon, waiting for the girls to return.  They had a good time, shopping both in a busy Bemus and Mayville, and Vi, of course, picked up a number of items, as she loves to shop up here.  Evie got some cool tee shirts as well, so it was a successful afternoon.

The Shoppers

For dinner, we usually go to the Seezhurn House, which Vi calls the 'cowboy' house, but I talked them into trying Pine Junction, the new restaurant we found just outside of Findley Lake, in the boonies as it were.  They loved it, great food and atmosphere, and it was closer to their home, so they did not have as far to drive.  We all had burgers of a sort, some beers,  wine for Vi, and ice tea for Lloyd.  We said aloha about 7:30 and both drove home.  I watered the lawn again last night for about an hour as I had not watered it all day, the problem when you have guests.
T
I started reading Jon Krakauer's UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN, A STUDY OF VIOLENT FAITH, which I am enjoying.  It looks at the crazies who use religion to justify their violent actions, concentrating so far on so of the violent fundamental Mormons.  Most of the book looks closely at the Mormon faith, and so far, it's maddening to read about them. especially a polygamist named John Green, who with 10 wives, maybe 25 children, was able to get over a million dollars from the govt through welfare, to raise his family.  Our govt is nuts some times, the way it gives a way money.  Because he could not marry the wives, they all were unwed mothers, thus qualifying for welfare and other govt goodies.  I must be becoming a  conservative.


Ron and Linda are coming over for baked ziti tonight.  We have not seen them since the 4th of July.

We went for an hour kayak ride early, getting home by 9:00, just as it was becoming warm.  As I write this it's 85 in the shade, probably close to 90 in the sun, and humid.  We both worked in the water gathering more weeds, then I spent some time watering the lawn, my constant, before lunch, and now I have been just relaxing in the shade, reading, waiting to get warm enough to jump in the water again.

Sunday, Sunday with Lloyd and Virpi Buck

Early Morning Kayaking

It's a beautiful morning, as once again, I was awakened by fishing boats, roaring off to their fishing spots. The sun was just peaking over the hills, the lawn was thick with dew, and it was 59 degrees outside, a bit of a chill in the air.  It's supposed to be sunny all day, again, with no rain, so I will spend a couple of hours watering the lawn, probably this evening after Lloyd and Vi leave for Painesville.

We had a simple dinner last night, pea meal bacon and eggs, my favorite breakfast meat, somewhat like Canadian bacon, but more like a pork chop with a crust of pea meal.  We spent most of yesterday on the dock reading, sunning, and took a long boat ride up the lake, to the Viking Club, though we did not dock, just drove by it.  The lake was busy but not as busy as one would expect on such a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  There seems to be no doubt that traffic and tourism is down this summer, a result, no doubt, of the economy.

We also took a long, early morning kayak trip down almost to Snug Harbor and back, a good direction to go in the morning because the sun is at your back most of the way, highlighting the coast line.  Lots of weeds as we paddled, it seems worst every year.  Some areas  I wonder how the people get their boats out off their docks.  The weeds are that thick, up to the surface, and there have been no cutters in sight on this part of the lake.  They seem to have been exclusively down at the south end.

UNBROKEN; LAURA HILLENBRAND

An amazing story of survival, of not giving up, and reads like myth, a fairy tale, not reality.  The biography tells the story of Louie Zamperini, the incorrigible son of Italian immigrants, growing up in Torrance, CA, in the 1920's.  Louie, from the start, listens to know one, breaks rules, defies his parents, siblings, does his own thing, often getting in trouble. He's on his way to becoming a juvenile delinquent when he discovers his gift for running.   In a two to three year period, he goes from a nobody to the best high school miler in California if not the US.  This success and the all the attention turn his life around, as he wins a scholarship to USC, trains for the Olympics, wins in a place in the 5000 meter run, goes to
Berlin, finishes 7th in an amazing finish, and meets Hitler in the stands.  Unfortunately, WWII intervenes, the story begins, as he becomes a bombardier, flies many missions over the Pacific, gets shot down, spends a month adrift on a raft, barely surviving, when he and two buddies are picked up by a Japanese boat. Here the story really begins as we witness the horrific treatment of Louie and his fellow POW's in various prisoner of war camps.  To five you an idea of these camps, in Germany 1% of the POW's died; in Japan, 30%, as they disdained Caucasians, thinking they(the Japanese) were the superior race.  I have to admit I could not wait to finish this part of the book, perhaps over half it, as it was excruciating to read the sadism, violence, hatred of the guards towards the prisoners, Louie especially since he was a famous runner.  He eventually survives, returns to the States a hero, but then falls prey, as expected, to Post Traumatic Stress, unknown back then. It's thought that at least 30% of the POW's from Japan committed suicide.  Louie was well on his way, turning to alcohol, abandoning his wife, becoming violent, still controlled by his hatred for the one guard who traumatized him, the Bird, when his wife finally convinces him to hear Billy Graham.  Like a miracle, Louie returns from one of Graham's talks, has an epiphany of sorts, throws out all the alcohol, returns to him wife and family, and never has any more nightmares about the war.  Hard to believe but true, I guess.  He ends up living a productive life, admired by many, and works with young boys like him who are potentially dangers to society.  A small part of the book is given to the last 50 years of his life, but it is an amazing story, and for someone to live as long as he is, he's 94 now, is a miracle, considering all the stress his body endured in Japan.  I did not love this book but read it because I did not think I should put it down unfinished.  It would be a disservice to Louie and the rest of the men who fought in WWII.

Some facts stood out, shocking me.  In WW II 35,933 Air Force planes were lost in combat and accidents.  The surprise of the attrition rate is that only a fraction of the ill-fated planes were lost in combat, most in training.    In Louie's Pacific area, for every one plane lost in combat, six were lost in accidents.  Combat losses never overtook noncombat losses.  In the air corps 35,946 personnel died in non combat situations, the vast majority accidental crashes.  In a report issues by the Air Force, between November 1st, 1943 and May 25, 1945, 70% of men listed as killed in action died in operational aircraft accidents, not as a result of enemy action.  The courage it took to go up in these air craft day after day, week after week, knowing the chance of your coming back alive was slim, boggles the mind of someone like me who worries about silly things like whether my lawn's coming in soon.  These pilots and the men in UNBROKEN certainly were 'the greatest generation.'

Sunny Saturday and Warm

The Grass Groweth

We were awaken around 6:00 by fishing boats, roaring north and south to their sweet spots, ready for another day of fishing on the lake.  The sun was brilliant, over Long Point, the lake gleaming in its wake. Because we got about a half hour of rain yesterday, I didn't have to water  but it looks like I will be back out there later today, as I see some of the ground drying up.  But, the lawn seems to coming along quite well, as you can see, so my constant watering helps.

I rode my bike yesterday afternoon through a very busy Bemus Point, into and around Long Point Park, a great ride, not to warm, the woods cooling, the main street shade by trees.  It took me about an hour to make the loop back to the bridge where I park.  When I returned, Evie was playing scrabble next door with Kathy Leonard, a great afternoon to sit outside in the shade and watch the sun begin to wane.  As a surprise, I bought her, from Amazon of course, thin, aluminum bud vases, five of them, about ten inches high, a half inch in diameter.  They have aluminum bases, are magnetized, so they stand up straight and strong, really cool and she loved them.  The girls will love picking flowers and organizing them in the aluminum towers.

We had portabello pizzas last night, something new but tasty.  You take large marinated portabellos, bake them in the oven until tender, about a half an hour, then take them out to cool.  When we were ready to eat, Evie covered them lightly with tomato sauce, some garlic spinach, made ahead, then some grated Romano, then tomatoes, then some mozzarella's and a bit more Romano.  Flip them in the oven until the cheese begins to melt and they are ready to eat.  Tasty, healthy and filling, with garlic toast and salad.  We also watched a movie I had been waiting to see, BARNEY'S VERSION, a film based on a Mordecai Richter novel.  A quirky love story, some interesting characters, a complicated, love crazed Barney, as we follow his early years in Rome, where he marries impulsively a women he hardly knows, who commits suicide, to his return to Montreal, his marriage, his falling in love with another women at his wedding(yes), through his divorce, his remarriage, his infidelity to Mariam, to her divorcing him, to his gradual decline in to dementia.  Sounds like a 'feel good' movie!  An interesting movie but one I just wanted to get over with by the end, as we knew things were not going to get any better.