More Heat, More Humidity...Where Did Chautauqua Weather Go?

Bosom Friends

Patriotic Leonards

Ron and Linda Mc Clure

Gene Heil and David Jones

Traudi and Gene Heil

Bean Bag Champs

Pat Jones and Linda Mc Clure

Enjoying dinner

Happy Fourth!

Well, a miracle,  I slept in till 8:10.  Perhaps too much to eat and drink, staying up till 12:30 with friends had something to do with it.  It's already hazy over the lake, humid inside, 74 degrees, and it may reach the 90's in the next three days, not my favorite kind of weather.  The humidity, especially, makes it uncomfortable for me.

Yesterday was supposed to be a simple picnic but somehow, to get things organized and ready, we both worked most of the day getting ready, till everyone arrived.  Not that it was that big of a group, a total of twelve, but still, there' lots to do for any gathering.  As my friend Ron said after having company for three days, "I don't want company anymore; I want to be company,"  I added the last line but I know what he means.

It was a fun group, as the combination of neighbors, the Leonard's and  Jones, and our friends, the Mc Clures and Heils, all got along well, enjoyed each others company, and had a good time.  As usual, bean bag was a big hit, with those who had never played before being surprisingly good, which makes it all the more fun.  Evie and our neighbor Joyce Leonard, emerged victorious against the odds I might add.   As I was playing Evie, she said, "I just cannot get my rhythm today."  She then proceeded to throw ringer after to ringer to beat everyone and Joyce played amazingly well.  No sore losers, just lots of fun, a warm but not unbearable afternoon under the the trees, and the beauty of the lake.

Dinner was traditional with great sides.  Kathy Leonard made tabbouleh, Joyce her homemade beans, Traudi Heil warm German potato salad, Linda salad and appetizers, and Pat Jones, her specialties, cookies and cupcakes.  We had the traditional burgers and dogs with a twist.  I read about spiral cut hot dogs on line, so I decided to try it.  You put a wooden skewer through the middle of a hot dog, then take a knife and slowly turn the dog, cutting a spiral around the length of the dog.  The wooden skewer stops you from cutting through the entire dog. Then,  take out the skewer and do the same thing with the next dog.  They brown nicely on the grill, cooking some of the insides, don't curl up or split because of the spiral cuts, and are attractive when you serve.  Some hot dog joint serve them this way, Ted's in Buffalo for example, Leonard's favorite.

Afternoon dinner, we sat in the yard, waited for the fire works at 10:00 and 'oohed and ahhhed" at the flares around the lake and the various displays, first Bemus, then Maple Springs, then Midway, quite a show.  Bemus Point' was amazing because there was a huge moon hanging over the horizon, so that the fireworks literally burst in front of it.  Unfortunately, I could not get a very good picture but our neighbors did so maybe I can get a digital copy.   Everyone left around 10:30, though the  Mc Clures stayed for one last beer on our porch.  A really fun fourth for all of us, worth the effort, Ron!