A Quiet Monday, A Cloudy Sky, A Lake Of Slate

7:28 

Finding Balloons

Up around 6:40, no bass boats this morning, in fact, no action on the lake other than a fish jumping, a blue heron flying by.  Lots of cloud reflections on the lake, though no rising sun because of the heavy cloud bank to the east.  It looks like another cool but fine week here at the lake.

Yesterday we hope for sun but did not get it till late in the afternoon.  We started the day with a long kayak ride on the lake, calm and smooth except when a bass boat went by.  The lake still has pockets of algae, though Long Point Marina was better than usual.  We took our time, scouring the shoreline as is our want, looking for that treasure.  Evie found a pod of balloons, left over from yesterday' cross country meet and I found another boat cushion, the third or fourth I have found in the past couple of years.  We returned around 11:30 and Evie made Sunday breakfast as we appear to be back in our Sunday routine of eggs, bacon, toast and watching Sunday Morning on TV, something we have not done in months because of the summer weather I suppose.

We then read some, Evie out on the dock despite the lack of sun, came in around 2:30 to shower because the Mc Clure's were picking us up at 3:15, to hike part of Findley Lake.  We had hoped to hike the entire circumference but decided to cut it short and hike back the west side Shady Side.  It's a lovely walk, lots of trees, homes on one side of the walk and the lake, mostly forests on the other side. It was a lovely late afternoon for a walk and best of all, the sun came out, turning our gray walk into a Technicolor photo.  Nothing like the colors on a sunny afternoon.

Ready To Hike Findley Lake

The McClures

 Rows Of Zinnias and Marigolds

We walked for close to two hours, returned to our car, and drove ten minutes to one of our favorite haunts, Pine Junction, a neat bar and restaurant set in the boondocks of Chautauqua county, quickly becoming a favorite among locals and visitors alike.  Lots of cars in the parking lot despite it being a Sunday, and we found a table in the bar.  We had beers, fried pickles for an appetizer, burgers for the girls and Ron and I got chicken and biscuits.  It was a good time and we celebrated Evie's birthday a few days early because the McClure's are leaving tomorrow.  Linda knows Evie well, and presented her with a bag, filled with candy bars, like Mallo Cups and Mounds bars, as well as a bag of  Pringles, and  seven lotto tickets.  What could be better, more thoughtful.

We were home by 8:00 so Mc Clure's could watch the Ken Burns special on the Roosevelts.  We thought about it but the Miss America pageant was also on, so how could we pass on that, the bathing suit run, the talent, the questions and answers.  America at it's finest though we missed Bert Park's singing 'There she goes, Miss America.'  We dvr-ed the Roosevelts for another night.  I started a classic novel, The Thirty Nine Steps, written in 1913, the precursor of the modern spy novel, a book made in to film a number of times.  So far, so good.

As I write, Evie is scratching the lotto tickets to see how much, or if, we won.  I am optimistic.