Fog, Sleet, Snow On A Pink Sky Morning

6:59

7:00

7:00

We are both up at 6:30, in time to watch a band of pink appear on the Eastern shore, then blur as the fog rolled in, disappear when it started to sleet, then snow.  It's 28º and they expect more rain or wet snow later in the day.  At the moment, Long Point has disappeared behind the heavy fog.

Redpoll/House Finch?

Yesterday was an unsettling morning for me, no yoga and I had a dentist appointment to check out a bum tooth later in the day.  Thus, the morning seemed bumpy, as I am used to yoga, rushing off after breakfast and coffee at 9:00.  Instead, I settled in, like a Sunday though we had lots to do, to get ready for our new mattress which is arriving this afternoon.  We both are in the cleaning, tidying up, and getting rid of things mood, so we spent most of the morning upstairs in the three bedrooms.  I have been winnowing down my books, getting rid of those that I have not looked at in five years.  Why keep them if almost everything is available on line or at a library.  It killed me to get rid of some of them, especially the large coffee table sort but we never look at them, never have them out, just put them away in a back bedroom.  I filled up two blue IKEA bags, and a couple of boxes and drove to the Ashville Library around 11:30.  Tabby, the librarian, was excited to get them because we also got rid of at least half of the cookbooks we have collected over the years.  Since I was in Ashville, I stopped at the Ashville General Store and picked up a sub, the Bangtail, roast beef, bacon, mushrooms, onions, Swiss, provolone, ranch dressing, and hot sauce, quite a combination.  Evie and I devoured it as we watched The Daily Show, two thirds for me, a third for her, as she took time off from working upstairs on the trim, roughing it up with sand paper, getting it ready to paint.

5:37

After lunch, Evie continued with the readying of the bedrooms for painting, and I continued to go through my books.  I had two more IKEA bags of books, so on my way to Jamestown, I stopped at the library again, to drop off the books, as the cat, Libby looked on.  I waited for an hour at the dentist, to find out I may need a new crown, the best scenario.  Why didn't I get my father's teeth, and why didn't I start brushing more consistently and flossing earlier in life.  At my age, there seems always to be a dental problem and a hefty bill.  No wonder dentists are not much liked.  They rarely have good news yet charge you for it.  I should stop complaining, go with the flow, and move on, right.

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

When I got home, Evie had had it with work, so we sat down and Evie enjoyed a glass of wine and for some reason, a bloody mary sounded good, so I had two, with Clamato, horseradish, lemon, vodka and hot sauce. It's one drink that always seems healthy.  We had scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner, reminding me of dinners when I was a boy, and we finally watched a great movie, BOYHOOD.  It's an amazing film, and chronicles a family, a mom, dad, a son and daughter, as they change and grow over twelve years.  Richard Linklater, the writer and director, took time each year, for twelve years, to film the change/growth in the family, using the same actors throughout.   The major focus was the six year old, Mason, who we watched grow up over a twelve year period, to a thoughtful, interesting teenager.  We see the parents and kids deal with divorce, lack of money, a mixed family when the mother gets married again, then another divorce.  Through all this, the father stays involved, and we see both parents enduring love for their two children despite their troubles. The film was close to three hours long and neither one of us were bored, almost in tears by the end because of the verisimilitude of the film.  The mother, played by Patricia Arquette, won best supporting actress for her role, and Ethan Hawke was equally good as the father. But Ellar Coltrane, the young boy/man who played Mason, stole the film.  Watching him grow up on screen, from a five year old to a freshmen in college, was the joy, the core, of the film.  Although I have not seen BIRDMAN yet, which one of the Academy Award for Best Picture, I cannot believe that it's better than  BOYHOOD.

A Windy, Gray Day, With Rain And Snow Showers - Steener's Pub

7:03

7:40

I was up around 6:30, just as the gray sky was becoming visible.  At the moment, it's 7:15 and the lake and sky are 50 shades of gray, hardly any white, the gray no painter could copy.  Even a camera does not do it justice.  There appear to be small patches of water, sitting on top of the still quite thick ice, at least the snow mobiliers who flew by yesterday must think so.   It's 38º, relatively mild compared to yesterday mornings 12º.

Sundays here are usually days of rest, with a walk at the Chautauqua Institution but not yesterday, as Evie had other plans.  Whether it was because we are painting or my reading of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, she was determined to begin the process of musical beds (we are getting a new mattress tomorrow), ready each bedroom for painting, and begin the painting of trim.  All of this made me tired, ready for a nap but like a good trooper, I hung in there most of the day and must say, by the end of the day, my life had changed?   The beds and frames are moved, ready for our new mattress and two of the bedrooms are ready to be painted.  And Evie has made progress on the trim, so by the end of the day, we could look back and see that we had accomplished something, a good feeling.  I admit, however, to taking much of the afternoon off, to watch Wisconsin eek out a victory over Louisville, the only team left in the tournament I care about now that Gonzaga also lost.

We knew early morning that we would not feel like cooking dinner after our day of tidying up.  So, we decided to try a new restaurant in Greenhurst, Steeners Pub,  highly recommended by our friend, Barb.  So we called the Ron and Linda, who are leaving this morning for Murrysville,  and they agreed to join us.  They stopped by at 6:00,  came in to see a couple of our newly painted rooms and properly oohed and awed over the colors, as both of us sighed with relief.  It's always good to know that others approve of your taste.

A Fun Night At Steener's Irish Pub

The Pub is a 15 minute drive from our house, on the southeastern side of the lake.  We have driven by it many times, never stopped.   The bar is welcoming, with an Irish flavor, and amazingly, we knew the bartender, Jill, who has worked in bars around the lake.  Also, Robin, the manager of our favorite bar/restaurant, was sitting at the bar, along with Jeff another regular from the Seezurh House.  So it was like old home week.  All the other patrons were welcoming, talking about how good the food was because they had a new Chef who had worked at Guppy's for ten years.  We sat at the counter with a beer, devouring the free popcorn, then moved to the modest, no frills dining room, with a pool table off to the side.  It was empty at first, but a couple and a single woman and her kids came in later for dinner.  Evie and I split the special, a 16 ounce Delmonico steak, with salad, fries, and a draft beer.  It was great, especially the french fries, freshly cut and deep fried.  The McClures liked their burgers, the beer flowed easily, so we will be back.  The bar, especially, seemed welcoming as there were regulars from Greenhurst/Fluvanna, coming and going, even on a Sunday.

We were home just before 9:00, in time to watch The Daily Show, then The Good Wife, which seems to be taking off in a new direction, with Alicia leaving the firm, having won an election.  We assume the new 'trouble' will be the conflict between Alicia and her old colleagues.  And it's already begun as they are bickering over her partner's share, how much it's worth.

Yoga is cancelled this morning as all schools have spring or winter break, whatever they call it here. And I am nervous as Evie already has that gleam in her eyes, thinking about things she wants me to do around the house.  Scary.

Antarctica Sets Record High, 50 Degrees Warmer Than Here At Chautauqua Lake

7:15

7:16

7:16

Another morning of cold, a cloudless sky, frost on car windows, bird songs, a blinding sun rise at 7:20 and, of course, a 13 degree morning.

House Finch

I did not go to yoga yesterday, deciding rather to just hang out, enjoy the morning cold, by sitting inside, admiring the frozen lake, gray sky.  We both worked on getting the downstairs in order, lots of little things to do since the ceiling was painted.  By 10:30, we had made a dent in it, and I then went off to the transfer station, dropping off our trash, and mega paint cans, empty of course. It was cold, cold out, but the guys were out helping with the trash.

The Madness Of Choosing Paint Colors

Early afternoon, we were still talking about paint colors, wondering if the swatches we painted on the bedroom walls were right.  Because we were still undecided on colors, we decided to head off to Lakewood,  stop at Sherwin Williams again, and because we were painting, we thought we would stop at Jamestown Mattress.  We have been putting off getting a new mattress for years and because we were painting the upstairs, it seemed like a good time to buy one.   So we stopped at Jamestown Mattress, made here in Jamestown, the equal, so they say of any made in the world!  Anyways, we had been there two other times, left confused and discouraged. This time we were not coming out without a new mattress.  We hesitated for about 15 minutes, then bit the bullet and bought a king sized  mattress, fairly firm, plush tops, and flippable, and we even got a 10% discount.  It will arrive on Tuesday afternoon, so we will be playing musical mattress, moving our old king size into Bedroom #2, moving the Queen in to Bedroom #4, moving the double into Bedroom # 3.  You will understand this only if you have stayed the night.

We then hit Sherwin Williams, browsed more paints, then bought a sample of another orange, Baked Clay.  Evie put it on the wall when we got home and we have another orange to confuse us.  After the paint store, we stopped at Wegmans, did a mega shopping because we had not been there in a week. We are ready for the next week easily, as we bought  three half gallons of ice cream, to tide us over, for desserts, blue berries for our breakfasts.

Chickadee

We returned to a clean house,  newly painted rooms and decided it was time for a couple of Manhattans, cheese and crackers, and listen to Garrison Keillor, then Madison on Alt-Nation. The dusk sky was slate gray, and all of the fishermen had returned to their homes, ready no doubt for a fish fry.  We reheated Linda Hepp's eggplant pasta for dinner, Evie made a salad and garlic bread, and we watched the DVR-ed Wisconsin/Arizona game, commercial free, while we ate. Around 10:15, I went up to read mid way through the second half of the Kentucky/Notre Dame game, saturated with basketball.  I intend on watching the rest of the game this morning.

New Think:  "Pass by that which you do not love." Evan S. Connell, author of Mr and Mrs. Bridge.

THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP: MARIE KONDO

Not sure why this book piqued my interest, but it did and especially the fact that it's #2 on the Wall Street Journal's Non Fiction List.  I guess I am curious about how other cultures organize their lives, especially their homes.  I have always been attracted to the simplicity of Japanese homes, the spareness, the lack of stuff, of things, and so I picked up this book.

My 'Tidy' Tee Shirt Drawer

Kondo, briefly, shows us how to tidy our house, our lives, the major thesis being: decide what you want, what makes you feel good (brings you joy in her words), and throw the rest away or give it away.  Simple. She goes through every room in the house, our clothes, how to arrange them, how to get rid of things we don't love, and most interestingly to me, she showed me how to organize my boxers and tee shirts, so they are easy to see, don't wrinkle, and easy to keep organized.

So, she has changed my life, not really, but I do like her ideas.  Other hints like turn the hanger when you wear a shirt, so you know you have worn it once, or arrange clothes that hang from tall to small so you can see them more easily.  She also suggests how to deal with all the papers, warranties, etc, that we tend to save.  Her advice, throw it all out.  Everything can be found on line.

Keep the obvious, deeds, legal documents, but most of the hanging files that I own, three cabinets of them, could be pared down easily to one if I have the heart to throw most away.  And if you haven't worn something in a couple of years, it has to go to some one who might wear it.  We have to overcome our reluctance, our nostalgia for that letter sweater, the top coat I wore in college, that high school letter jacket.  Let it go.

Boxer Shorts, Drawer, The Kondo Way

The key to all self help books is doing what they recommend, which is the hard part.  I will let you know how I am doing occasionally.  I bought the Kindle edition so I cannot pass it on, but if I had a paperback, I would certainly pass it on to my children to read.  Jill would love it.

A few of her tips:

* Start with clothes, then books, miscellany, then things with sentimental value: tidy by category. not    by location
* Arrange clothes in your closet as follows: coats, jackets, pants, skirts, and blouses (really?).
* Roll socks and place them in drawer so they can be seen, easily taken out.
* Designate a spot for every item, like keys, or purses, or shoes and stick to it.
* Never piles things...store vertically anything that can be stood up, like tee shirts (so you can see at a    glance what's there).
* Tidying dramatically changes one's life. This is true for everyone, 100%. I am waiting!
* We learn what we can do without.
* Through tidying, we come to know contentment.
* Have a shrine in your house for items you love (like some of our copper/object/figures from          Turkey)
* When you enter your house, it should invite you in, bring contentment, and joy.
* Contentment comes from being surrounded by things you love.
* Life truly begins after you have put your house in order.

Dreaming Of A White Easter

6:55

8:16

Woke up at 6:50, to a white lake and yard, an inch of snow, just enough to paint the yard.  It's 14º out and more snow flurries this morning, a high later in the day of 23º but it should drop to single digits overnight.  It makes me wonder what kind of spring we will have, a brief or lengthy one, one of unusually warm weather, or more cold days.

Yesterday morning was much worse on the roads than I thought.  Barb arrived at 9:00 and saw two accidents on the way to our house, one on the bridge where a truck had hit the center divider, the other just above us on #394.  I was tempted to just stay home, but decided to take the Pilot and roads were decent, most people slowing down and taking their time.  And as I got closer to Lakewood, there was less snow, the roads wet not icy.  Yoga was uncomfortable because a bout of acid reflux hit me just as we began.  I dropped four Tums, continued with class, and slowly it disappeared.  By the end of class, I was fine, ready for the day.

A Fat And Happy Sparrow In The Rhododendrons

When I got home, Evie and Barb were busy finishing up various areas, the kitchen ceiling, closet doors, touching up areas in the bedroom and TV room.  The downstairs was a mess, of paint cans, drop cloths, moved furniture, newspaper, the sort of detritus when you paint.  For lunch, Evie made tuna sandwiches, on home made bread, and we watched Jon Stewart.  We then tackled the tangle of cords emanating from our TV, trying to organize them, so they were more organized.  We pulled all the plugs from the power strip, then followed them back to each device, like the router, or modem or Apple TV.  We then tried to separate and untangle the mess, then plug the cords back in.  After we were done, we had an extra cord? How could that happen?  So I went back through each device, made sure each had a cord which led to the power strip and decided it was just an extra cord.  I plugged in the power source, waiting five minutes, and viola, I was right, the TV and WiFi were working.  What a relief.

Around 2:30, I called an electrician who Barb recommended, Vern Johnson, talked with him and he happened to be finishing a job about ten minutes away.  He asked if we would mind if he came right over and of course, we said yes.  So, he stayed for an hour and a half, talking with us at least half of the time, but hung our 13 inch hammered pewter light/pendant over our island.

Around 3:30,  Evie decided she really disliked the burnt orange sample she had painted on our bedroom wall, too loud,  which meant back to the paint samples on the various websites.  She came up with two more choices, so off I went to Chautauqua Brick, to pick up two more small cans of paint.  She will paint them on the walls this morning and there's a good chance I will be driving off to Chautauqua Brick this afternoon but I hope not!

The Happy Chef And The Boys

We were both exhausted by 5:00, from putting things back together and a busy day but, fortunately, the Ron and Linda had invited us over to their house for dinner so all we had to do was clean up and drive over, through a heavy, wet snow.  We relaxed with beers, then had a great dinner of eggplant rigatoni, sauteed lemon shrimp, salad with creamy Italian, and rolls.  Yum.  The guys had seconds, of course.  We finished the evening with wine, watching some basketball, as the snowplow was out, clearing their road twice.  We were home just before 10:00, with goodies, always, as Linda gave us enough rigatoni for our dinner and, because she has a new Cadillac of a espresso machine, we got her small boat motor, to whipping up the milk in my coffee.  I tried it this morning and loved it.  Why didn't I get one sooner.

Not  sure what today will bring, no plans other than painting some samples on the walls, and no yoga. It sounds too good to just stay here on my couch and have another cup of coffee, waiting for Dennis Webster's Saturday Breakfast Party to come on the radio.

I just finished and will write a review of a book called THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP BY MARIE KONDO, # 2 on the Wall Street Journals best seller list.  I know, it's sounds like a 'girly man' book. I  enjoyed it, found her theories interesting, especially its Japanese point of view, but I am still waiting for my life to change.  It did, however, change my tee short drawer.

 One of her mantras: never stack clothes; they just wrinkle, so fold and place them sideways in the drawer.  Cool, I love it!

My Nifty Organized Tee Shirts

Wet and Icy Morning, Some Snow Flakes

Early Morning Snow Showers 

We were both up at 5:30, thinking about colors for the bedroom.  I even dreamed about them, could not get my mind off of a burnt orange color for a bedroom.  Pathetic how we often fixate on an idea and no matter how hard we try, we cannot get it out of our mind.  It's 30º outside, and the walk and driveway both are icy.  We did not get snow yet but it's predicted for today and tomorrow but only an inch or two.  It's bizarre to step outside and hear birds singing as it snows.

7:21

Yesterday, Thursday, began with breakfast with Stan and Charlie though the snow birds ought to be back next week, having been in Florida for three months.  We talked about books and March Madness.  When I got home, Evie and Barb were already working on getting our bedroom ready for painting.  I forgot how much prep is necessary before painting can begin, like moving furniture, taking pictures off the walls, taking down the blinds, removing our electrical plates, etc.  And then, once the room is done, the whole process is reversed.  While the ladies worked, I played, driving to yoga in Lakewood, then stopped at the bank.  After that, I had the urge to shop for some reason, perhaps because I was alone, so I stopped in Bon Ton for the first time in a year.  They have amazing sales on winter things at this  time of the year, usually 60 to 70% off of items.  I was tempted but resisted, bought a sub at Subway for lunch, then headed home, and shared it with Evie.  I got crap from both ladies for being a 'girly man', off shopping and to yoga while the ladies worked.

Barb finished the upstairs bedroom around 3:00  and it looks great,  the cascade green quite a difference from our buff.  I liked it so much, the darker color, that I had in my mind the idea of painting the other front bedroom a burnt orange.  So I started looking at colors, both in the brochures and online and found one I liked, Evie too, from Benjamin Moore, called pilgrimage foliage.  The name alone is enough to buy it.  So, I drove across the lake to Chautauqua Brick, to pick up samples of shades of orange as well as the pilgrimage foliage.  When I got back, we continued with our search for just the right color, then went upstairs and it  took us, mostly Evie, about an hour to get our bedroom back together, floor vacuumed, furniture back in place but no pictures on the wall yet.  It looks like a new room. As a result, we are now contemplating buying a new mattress, something we have been putting off for years.  Once this process of redoing begins, we cannot stop.

Fortunately, we had lots of cabbage rolls leftover from the previous night's dinner, so all we had to do was heat it up, make a salad and we had dinner, in our newly painted TV room.  Four basketball games were on but we DVR-ed them, and watched The Americans till about 8:30.  That way I could then watch the Wisconsin/North Carolina game, racing through the time outs/commercials, the only way we enjoy watching television these days.  I also watched the first eight minutes of the Kentucky game, a bore as they were killing West Virginia, so I went up to bed and finished my Matt Rapp thriller.  Like Jack Reacher, he ends up disposing of four guys by himself, despite the fact they are all armed.  What a guy!  Wish I could be more like him.

Today will be the last day for painting for awhile, and the downstairs and one upstairs bedroom will be complete.  We will have the other three bedrooms painted in a couple of weeks, when Barb is free. It's now 7:00 and I don't have to head to yoga for two hours, the advantage or disadvantage of getting up at 5:30.

RULES OF PREY: JOHN SANFORD

The third or fourth Lucas Davenport thriller I have read, set in Minnesota's twin cities.  This time Lucas is after a clever serial killer.  This time he's a lawyer, Louis Vullion, who does research on his victims to make sure he makes no mistakes.  He always wears gloves, rarely puts himself in danger, and always leaves a note to aggravate the police, to build up his ego.  He's nicknamed the Maddog by the newspapers, and Lucas has quite a hassle finding him, going up against the media, some antagonistic and jealous peers, but of course, in the end, as always, he succeeds.

Fortunately, one of Vullion's victims was able to fight him off, sending him on his way with some injuries.  She's the key to the solving of the case, as Lucas befriends, then beds her, then unknowingly uses her as bait.  This novel differs also in that Sandford lets us into the mind of the serial killer, his thinking, how he picks the 'chosen,' how his emotions, when he finds a prey, overpower him, forcing him to act, to luxuriate in the thrill of power, of his victim's powerlessness, and eventual death.

This thriller follows his other novels, like most of this genre, and the reason we like the book is that we like Lucas Davenport, his understated machismo, his way with women, and his 'I could care less' attitude towards those who don't like him.  My only criticism was the way his boss depended on Lucas, despite the fact that he's often been suspended.  When the chips are down, he ignores the rest of his department and pulls in Lucas to solve the case.  No wonder he's hated by his peers.  A quick read, a nice change from anything heavy.

Fog City

7:00

7:26

Up at 7:00 and can hardly see the lake, let along Long Point, as the fog is so heavy.  It's 37º out at the moment but the weather gods on the radio expect a couple of inches of snow tonight,  Yippee.  Not a whiff of wind, just the bones of our tree visible out our window.

Yesterday I was off at 9:15, leaving the house to Evie and Barb, to begin painting the upstairs.  I had to pick up my buddy Stan at a mechanics house on Potter Road, and we then drove to Lakewood to another good yoga class.  The two of us are becoming master yogis!  Stan is starting to fit in, not feel silly.  Afterwards, it was off to Sherwin Williams, again, to pick up another two hundred dollars worth of paint (but I save 90 bucks with 30% off), came home, dropped off the paint, then took Stan back to pick up his car.  I finally came home for good around 12:30.

The house was a mess, but our downstairs TV room was finished, so we could begin to move the furniture back in position.  I was able to watch Sports Center, while eating my lunch, leftover eggplant and pasta from Rocco's.  Because we had to move the TV, with all its cords, one of them was loose so Evie just plugged it in what she thought was the proper device.  Well, it wasn't and we were unable to get WiFi.  When we tried to remove the plug, it would not release.  No matter what we did, it was stuck.  So, I jumped in my car, drove to Fluvanna, to the Computer Den, and the specialist was able to release it without ruining my modem.  On the way home, I stopped in at Shultz Suburu, just to sit in a Forrester and Outback.  They only had a Forrester, which seemed comfortable, but no Outbacks in the Show Room.  I continue to think about getting a new car but now that the weather is changing, I may wait until next fall, just before the snow flies, when the 2016 cars are out.

When I got home, Evie was much relieved to find that the router was not ruined, and I plugged it in the modem and viola, we had WiFi again.  While I was gone, both Evie and Barb were busy painting, Evie doing the downstairs doors, some trim, Barb the ceiling in our bedroom and prepping for today's painting.  Things are beginning to shape up and by the end of Friday, our downstairs and bedroom will be finished.  We will get to the other bedrooms at the end of April when Barb is free again.

7:30 PM

7:59 PM

We relaxed around 6:00, with a couple of glasses of wine, and treated ourselves to another one of our favorite cheeses, St. Andre.  It was amazing, having sat out for at least four hours; what a difference in cheese flavor when it's allowed to come to room temperature.  It was another interesting dusk on the lake, all blacks and grays, Long Point barely visible, and lots of picture taking. For dinner, we had our final batch of pigs in a blanket, or cabbage rolls, which we froze a couple of months ago.  They were just as good as the day we made them, and I was a happy camper, because we had them with mashed potatoes.  Why are mashed potatoes so good?  We watched some junk TV, nothing interesting on a Wednesday evening, then went to bed in a room with no shades, drop cloths on all the furniture. Strange.

8:00

It's now 9:30 and I have just returned from breakfast with the guys in Bemus Point and finished off my blog.  Time to head to Lakewood for yoga.

Another Spectacular Morning, Rocco's in Fredonia

6:24

6:36

6:53

I did not get up until 7:00 and Evie was already up, a first, and she has already taken at least 30 photographs of the amazing sky.  It's actually supposedly to be spring like today, some sun, rain later, the high near 50º until it begins to drop again tomorrow and Friday, with snow possible.  The weather gods must be stuck in winter, no other explanation.

6:54

Yesterday was sunny but cool out, perfect for a hike or walk which we did not take.  I did get to yoga at 9:30, however, a good boy,  but came straight home to a house a total mess.  I had forgotten what painting a room does to the rest of the house, as you have to move things and put them somewhere, thus all the rooms, kitchen, living room, are are mess.  The ceiling in the kitchen and dining room were redone from when I did them in 2011 but left the surface somewhat rough in places,  Now it looks professionally done.  And our TV room at its first coat and Evie, of course, is having second thoughts about colors because it never looks the same as the swatch and the color changes as the day goes, depending on the light.  And at night, with just a simple lamp and TV on, the color, a silver sage, was hardly noticeable.  The verdict this morning from Evie: 'it looks better but I don't know if I love it.'  O, know, another day of angst, trying to decide if the paint we decided on should be the paint we decide on.

7:00

And I don't know if I mentioned it yesterday, but Evie drove to the CI and picked up an enormously heavy door that was being thrown away.  She thought we might be able to use it in some imaginative way.  Well, we have no imagination, obviously, so when I got home, we drove back to the CI and left the door by the dumpster.

I was able to eat up the leftover spaghetti carbonara for lunch, eat in the living room, and read among the painting detritus.  Since I was up at 5:00, I was able to go upstairs and take a energizing hour nap while the good women painted and kibitzed.  Barb left around 3:00 and because we had the ceiling in the kitchen repainted, it made us think once again about getting a more interesting light, perhaps a hanging one, above our kitchen island.  So we checked around and the nearest lighting store was in Fredonia, about 35 minutes away.  We could not make up our minds whether to take off for Fredonia or put it off, then decided what the heck, let's just do it.  The store, Pattons Lighting, Furniture and Appliances is along the strip of chain stores in Fredonia, just before you get on Interstate 90.  The store had an amazing inventory of lighting, but not a lot that fit our needs.  And some of the choices were mega expensive, up into the five hundreds, depending on how many small hanging lights you wanted,  We finally found one, a hammered, antique pewter, 13 inches wide, at a decent price.  We were able to take it home and if we don't like it, we can return it within a week.

Since we were in Fredonia, we stopped in Tuscany, a cool Italian deli and meat market, browsed the goodies and Evie found a timer which she could either pin or wear around her neck on a chain, perfect for being outside playing beanbag while the casserole cooked inside.  She's thinking summer. By the time we were through shopping, it was 5:45, both of us were getting thirsty and we realized we were five minutes away from one of our favorite restaurants, Rocco's, so we decided to go have a  beer at the bar before heading home.  Well, once I get Evie to a bar, it's hard to get her out, as we quickly struck up conversations with the bartender and patrons.  So we stayed, sat at the bar, and ordered our dinners, both amazingly good, mine a pasta with homemade bolognese sauce, and Evie, the two inch thick, eggplant parmesan, what she always orders.  We got to find out a little about Rocco's, that it's part of what used to be called 'Little Italy,' and the bar was originally a barber shop and numbers parlor. I think every town had it's 'Little Italy,' many having disappeared as the Italians moved out and neighborhoods changed.

Phil And Sherry, At Rocco', Fredonia

Anyways, we were talking with one of the regulars, when another couple sat down, and we struck up a conversation with them as well, Phil and Sherry, both from Fredonia.  Phil had ordered a Red Stripe and Evie asked what that was, and I said, "A Jamaican beer.  We, then, started talking with them and found that they had just returned from a marvelous eight day stay in Jamaica, thus the Red Stripe.  As we talked, they had great stories to tell about their stay, the wonderful restaurants, the views, and the stumbles of traveling, like arriving at a Toronto hotel the night before their flight to Jamaica, only to realize their charge card did not work and they had little cash. Fortunately, a guy standing in line at the hotel overheard their problems, and just gave them 160 bucks, no strings attached.  Amazing. They were then able to pay for the hotel, but when they got to the airport the next morning, they realized Phil had left his wallet at the hotel.  No problem, as Sherry had  their passports so all was well.

We had a great time listening to their telling, fueled of course by a dirty martini and Red Stripes, but we ended up having a great time with them, a neat couple. We then got up to leave, started towards the door, when this guy walked in, looked at me and said.  "TD, what are you doing here?"  It was one of my former English students from when I was teaching English at Western Reserve Academy, in Hudson, Ohio, Nick Bentley.  He graduated in 2002, and we had not seen each other since then.  He was a great kid, from a farm in southern Ohio, an avid deer hunter even then,  rare among Reserve students.  Anyways, he has just moved here, to Jamestown, from Idaho where he had been working for eight years.  He was transferred to Blairs, a clothing company in Warren, PA.  What a coincidence, a good one.  We traded phone numbers and will no doubt get together.

Setting Sun: 8:24

We drove home, as the sun was setting over vast fields of snow covered corn stubble, lots of deer feeding on the remains.  We were home around 9:00, in time to move pictures and furniture from our bedroom because it is being painted today, and to watch some TV before going to bed. A boring day turned it to a really fun one.

A Morning of Spectacular Spring Chautauqua Sunrises

6:38

7:02

7:29

I was awake for some reason at 5:30, got up at 5:45, Evie followed at 6:15, reluctant early risers.  The sky at this hour is amazing, a band of changing colors hangs above the skyline.  We keep walking outside in the cold air and taking another photo.

Our painter, Barb Johnson, arrived yesterday morning at 9:00, just as I was leaving for yoga.  As I may have mentioned, with are painting, after 19 years, our upstairs again, our TV room, and all the bathrooms. She and Evie seem to really have hit it off, with lots of similar interests, grandchildren and gardens among them, so I wonder how much time will be wasted by the two of them gabbing (is that a sexist word?).  Just kidding, as she is extremely efficient and helpful, with picking out paints and trim.  As for me, yoga was more difficult than usual, just me and 17 women, a tough morning.  On the way home, I stopped at  Ryder's Cup, then Sherwin Williams, again, and picked up two six dollar sample cans of Muslin and Silver Sage.  When I got home, Evie had just returned from the Chautauqua Institution, where she picked up an old that door that was sitting next to the dumpster.  It weighs a ton and now we don't know what to do with it.  Back to the dumpster!

7:02

By lunch, our downstairs bathroom had its first coat, and it was time out to eat, get some advice from Barb, and then more painting.  I had soup and leftover pizza, then took off for Jamestown for a doctor's appointment, leaving the house to Evie and Barb.  First, I stopped at the Prendergast Library to pick up a book on reserve for Evie,  the sequel to THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, THE LOVE SONG OF MISS QUEENIE HENNESSY.  After my appointment, I stopped, once more, at Sherwin Williams and picked up two gallons of Silver Sage, one of Muslin as we had decided that they were both colors we really liked.  We would use the Silver Sage in both our TV room and bedroom, with the Muslim on the trim and ceilings.  If this does not sound right, don't write to tell me!  We finally made a decision.  When I returned home, the bathroom was done, the TV room was prepped.

7:09

The rest of the afternoon went quickly and before we knew it, it was 'wine time,' well deserved after a grueling day of watching someone else paint the interior of our house.  Neither one of us had much 'pep' as my Mom would say, but we gathered up enough 'want to' to make dinner, spaghetti carbonara but instead of bacon, we used the leftover ham.  The carbonara was easier than we thought and,with a salad, a perfect Monday night dinner.  We could not make up our minds what to watch, so we turned to our standbys, Stewart and The Nightly Show.  Then, since Mad Men will begin its last six episodes in April, we went back and watched the first two episodes, from close to ten years ago.  It's fun to watch, having seen all of the following seven seasons.  We forgot how sexist the 1960's were and we don't even discover Don is married until the end of the first episode, after he has slept with his artist friend.  And all the men smoke like fiends, drink during and after work, and generally act as sexist pigs, hitting on Peggy, the innocent, soon to become their boss.  I don't think we will stick with all of it but perhaps pick and choose and watch some of the shows from various seasons before the final season begins.

7:10

LEAVING BERLIN: JOSEPH KANON

Another book set in Berlin, perhaps the 15th I have read set in Germany during the years 1933-1950. In this one, it's1948, the Russian blockaid of West Berlin is on, forcing the Allies to airlift supplies to West Berlin.  Alex Meier, a famous German novelist, who fled to the US early in the 1940's, only to become a victim of the Mc Carthy witch hunts, which precipitates an invitation from the Russians to come live in East Berlin.  To get permission to leave the US, however, he is forced to agree to act as an agent for the CIA, allowing him to eventually visit his eight year old son in the States.  The bulk of the story revolves around his initiation into the world of spies, one he ends up being particularly good at and his increasing disenchantment with what is happening in East Berlin, as it has become a Russian satellite, not a part of the new Germany.

He fits right in with other returning German intellectuals like Berthold Brecht but most importantly, he becomes reacquainted with his first love, Irene, a young woman he has never forgotten.  She is now living with a Russian official. She is a survivor, having lived through the Nazis, the Russian invasion, and now the Russian influence in Berlin. Alex uses her as a  unknown ally, learning about the Russians and there plans for East Germany.  Things become complicated when Irene's brother reappears, having been thought dead.  Actually, he was put to work as a slave laborer in a Russian mine.  Together, Irene and Alex figure out a  way to smuggle the brother out of East Germany, to the West, putting both at risk.  Alex comes up with a way to extricate himself from both the Russians and the Americans demands upon him, and sets up a means of escape for both him and Irene.  As they are about to board a plane, Irene refuses to leave, preferring the known, living in East Germany with another Russian official to the unknown, life in the West.  Alex finally realizes that she used him, too, and never loved him. And despite having been a prize winning novelist, he learns quickly how to survive, by killing, by lying, by out thinking both his enemies and supposed allies.  I think we may perhaps see him again in another novel.

This book reminds me of the  David Downing novels, all six set in Germany as well as Alan Furst novels, set just before WW II.

A Sunny Spring 12º Morning

7:25

8:00

A Spring Morning Sparrow's Aria

I was up just before 7:00, the sky virtually cloudless, thus the cold, a blush of color off towards the East.  The lake ice shines from the light, making it smooth and shiny.  No one is out fishing yet, perhaps because of the cold.  It will warm up to the 20's, so eat your heart out snowbirds!

Crossing Thunder Bridge

Yesterday was overcast early, with an hour or two of soft, fuzzy snowflakes, just enough to whiten the ground for a couple of hours.  We had a leisurely morning, getting our bathroom ready to paint before deciding to walk the Chautauqua Institution around 10:30, a good choice.  We dropped the film, WHIPLASH, off at our friends, the McClures, before parking and beginning our walk, circling the Institution.  It was good to get back into our Sunday routine, as we quite often walk here on Sunday mornings.  We wore stabilizers on our shoes, just in case we came across ice.  It was a cold walk, some wind when we walked north, but it was great to be outside once again.  A nest of fishing huts were just off the Bell Tower, the only action we could see as the entire community appeared desolate, no walkers, a few cars in front of Hurlburt Church but that was it.  We did, however, see a guy painting the interior of a newly renovated house, across the street from the Packard Manor.  He invited us in to see the house, showed us around, gave us more ideas for paint colors, and wanted to know if we needed a painter.  We told him we already had one, alas, because he was five dollars an hour cheaper than our painter.  He's a retired manual arts teacher from Chautauqua Lake, quite a talker, and we got his name and phone number in case we ever need another painter.  O, yea, we drove by a dumpster and a great looking, heavy front door was sitting there, leaning against it.  Evie quickly looked at it, wondering if we might do something with it.  Not sure, we continued on our way but may go back this morning to see it again---the attraction of free things, other people's junk or trash.

Ice Boating

We did not hurry home but I had my mind on a big breakfast, Evie's on paint colors.  As I continued to clear things from the bathroom, Evie fried up some ham, home fries, and eggs, and we had a 'man's breakfast,' with our special coffee and home made toast.  It was enough to keep me on the couch watching basketball and reading the rest of the afternoon, which I did.  Evie announced early in the morning that she had decided on our colors for the bedrooms, but made the mistake of looking at them once more, discovered more colors she liked, looked at more on-line, and we are back to where we started, still unsure as to what colors we want to use.  I watched bits and pieces of various games, again, non too thrilling.

Sunday Afternoon  At The Church Of The Piscine

Late afternoon, Linda and Ron called and wondered if we wanted to meet them at Guppy's, in Bemus, for dinner, and it sounded good so we drove over around 6:30.  Guppy's was half full, rare for them because they are usually busy but perhaps not on a Sunday night.  When we got there, McClures were sitting in our usual seats, in the bar, which made us happy.  No change.  Keep it the same.  Both Ron and Linda were fighting colds so they enjoyed getting out after a couple of days of sitting in.  We had our usual two beers and dinner.  I had an Asian chicken wrap with  fries, Evie a quesadilla with spinach, mushrooms and cheese, both quite good and healthier than the usual wings or burgers.  We were home by 8:45, in time to watch Wisconsin win, then watch The Good Wife, delayed because of sports.  It was good to get back to Mitch Wrap, rogue assassin for the CIA, and terrorists out to destroy the US.