A Gray, Overcast Monday Morning (Heil's0

8:20

Kayaking on a Sunday Morning

Dinner with Gene and Trouty Heil

Up later than usual, 7:15,  after a wild night of Mexican Train at the Heil's.  It's gray on gray outside, not much color and warm, 55 degrees already.  More of the same today, cloudy with rain showers most of the day, most of the week, if you believe the forecast, which I don't.

Yesterday morning, we went kayaking for the first time since our trip West.  It was a great day for paddling, the water a deep blue, no waves, in fact, no kayakers, just a number of fishermen anchored off of the reeds by Giarizzo's.   We slowly paddled along the shore, to Tom's Point, past the power boat club where members were putting in their dock system.  We then paddled across the bay to Long Point, the point still baren as the trees at the tip are not in bloom.  Then, across the lake, to our house, about an hour paddle if not more.

Sparrows at our Feeder

Later, Evie and I reseeded various parts of the new lawn from last June, especially the areas that did not come in as full as we expected.  We need rain now, so it probably won't rain!  Yesterday was a perfect day to be outside, so that's what we did, not taking our usual walk through the CI.  Evie did cut Leonard's lawn, did ours on Saturday, as well as weeded the beds.   I helped with the weeds, rescued my ripped boat cover from up on Carpenter Pringle Road.  It ripped where the polls hold up the cover, a result of the snow storm a couple of weeks ago.  Now I have see if someone can fix it without having to buy an entire new cover.  Boats nibble away at your pocket book.

At 4:00, we drove over to Trouty and Gene Hei's house, on the top of Ellery Rd, a few miles outside of Bemus Point.  We had them over for dinner a few months ago and they reciprocated.  Trouty was very funny, worried about the food, even calling Evie, telling her she had changed the theme from Mexican to Southern Hospitality, hoping we didnt' mind.  They live in a new home which Gene had built, on six acres, all of it lawn, few trees.  It takes Gene three hours to cut the grass, heaven for Evie, a nightmare for me.  He's got all the toys, two tractors, a truck, and a workshop, probably 24X24 with every tool and saw imaginable.  In his spare time, he makes books shelves, tables, bird houses, you name it, as he is slowly stepping back from building homes.  They gave us a grand tour of their house and they are very proud of it, as they should be.  It's actually a modular, home, and came in two parts, lowered into place, complete with fooring, carpeting, kitchen cabinets, even applicances.  All they needed to do was paint the walls.  Gene added the garage and work room, and a back porch, but it's amazing way of constructing a home and very econcomical.

We had a dinner of Carolina pulled pork (with vinegar), baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and a bourbon pie for dessert.  The are both great hosts, so we really felt very comfortable.  The dinner was a great succes, so Trouty was happy. I am not sure she has people over for dinner very often.

 From about 8:00 to 10:00, we played Mexican Train, a dominoes type of game we played last summer with Evie's Dad.  It's fast and fun, the object being to go our first.  The men played the women and we lost on the last hand by 30 points.  Gene and Trouty play it most evenings, a nice way to spend an evening without watching TV.  They are good people, and we will be sure to have them over again.  We had met them years ago at Bud's, lost touch, and have reconnected.  They seem to be regulars at The House of Petillo and Roberto's (the old Ironstone).  When we left, Trouty told Evie that we were the first peole to ever ask them over to their home for dinner.  We will do it again, for sure.