Another Partly Cloudy, Fall Like Day

6:55

Main Street Bridge over Chadakoin River in Jamestown

Locks Which Raise and Lower the Depth of Lake Chautauqua

Up later than usual, at 6;45 and surprise, Evie was already up.  It's a cool morning, 61 degrees, great sleeping weather.  The lake is quiet this morning, as I hear only an occasional bird, no boat motors.

Yesterday, for me at least, was another car day, as  I dropped my Honda Pilot off to get fixed, new front and back brakes, broken tie rod, whatever that is, a major expense but still cheaper than buying a new car.  I spent three hours in Jamestown, on my bike, riding around for the first hour or so, around downtown, along the River Walk Path, then back.  The path was rather disappointing because of it's length.  It goes about a quarter of a mile each way, from Main Street.  It's asphalted, with an occasional table or bench set on grass along the river both ways, attractive and soothing as far as it goes.  Few people were  taking advantage of the park like atmosphere, the shade of the trees. Some boys were at the edge fishing, a couple older men were also wetting their lines but for the most part, it was empty.  I rode through the neighborhood surrounding WCA, the hospital, trying to follow the Chadakoin River but had little luck. I stopped at a Labyrinth Press Company,  a coffee shop on Fifth Street and people watched for a while and read my book.  It was fairly busy, with an assortment of young people, few my age.  It has couches, easy chairs, as well as tables and chairs.  I then went to the Prendergast Library for about a half hour, picked up Rodger Rosenblatt's JUST TOAST and Alan Furst's first novel, NIGHT SOLDIERS, and my car was about done just as I returned.

I was on my own for dinner, as Evie was going off to the Rod and Gun Club for a Chautauqua Lake Association meeting.  So I stopped at Brigottis on the way home, picked up some buns and Italian sausage for dinner.  I remember my neighbor Pat Jones talking about some great tomatoes and peppers which were made in Warren, PA, called Pellegrino's peppers.  Since she was going with Evie, we asked if she could spare a bottle, so she brought me over enough for my sausage.  They buy them by the case.  I really enjoyed them and will have to put in an order.

I watched an older movie, 1972,  from Netflix called Drive She Said, based on one of my favorite basketball books, which I read back in the 1960's when we were living in Honolulu.  It was the only movie I know of written and directed but not starring Jack Nicholson.  It is set at a small college, Ohio, during the Vietnam War, an angry time of protesting students.  It combines the love of the game with the era of hatred for the Establishment.  It seemed like a time piece for me, an era I remember but it was so long ago.  I would give it an average grade, not worth watching unless you are interested in that time.  It reminded me of Carnal Knowledge but not nearly as good.

Evie came home from the CLA meeting around 9:30, depressed and angry at the lack of specificity, the platitudes, and the 'attitudes' of all the CLA representatives.  After one of the audience had asked a question a number of times, never really getting an answer, the speaker asked, "Didn't I already answer this question," and the audience all responded with a loud "NO."  This gives you some idea of the mood of the meeting.  It sounds like the CLA feels put upon by all the neighborhoods, rarely satisfying anyone.  A few interesting facts.  The Chautauqua Institution is paying the CLA 45,000 to cut weeds and keep their beaches clear three times a week, all summer.  And the residents of Bemus, mostly from Lake Drive, have given 25,000 to keep their shoreline clear.  It looks like money from lake side residents will increasingly play a role in whether your lake front is cleared.  So lake front owners not only have to pay exorbitant taxes to live on the lake but may also have to pay to keep their lake front  clear and weedless. I am glad I did not attend the meeting!