The End To A Great Three Day Weekend

Sunday At The Chautauqua Institution

My Sister Linda and Her Husband, Rich

My Sister Ellen And Her Husband, Walt

6:10

7:00

I first looked at my watch at 5:59, decided that was too early and waited until 6: 05 to get up.  I was surprised that there was no sunrise, just a heavy cloud cover, no sun in sight.  I guess we have been used to sunny days.  It looks like it will be mostly cloudy the rest of the day and cooler, with a high of 73º.

As my title suggests, yesterday was a perfect day with my sisters and their husbands, the end of our anniversary celebration as they leave this morning for home.  We started the day with a leisurely coffee and bagel, nothing extravagant.  At 10:00, we cruised down to the Chautauqua Institution, a blue on blue morning on the lake, with blue lake, blue sky.  We docked with a number of other boats, and took a forty five minute walk around the grounds, ending up at the Ampithteater for its church service.  It drew quite a crowd because the featured speaker was Martin Luther King's youngest daughter, Bernice King.  We had to wade through the various announcements, prayers, hymns and, of course, the offering before she stepped to the podium.  Sitting there impatiently, waiting for this prelude to end, reminded me of my youth, sitting in church with my mother (my Dad stayed home), bored, impatient, paying absolutely no attention to the sermon, only wanting to get this dreaded hour over.  Ms. King had moments of near greatness, especially when she quoted her father and her voice seemed to sing.   Her message was that we are the light of the world; only we can change it through seeking the truth, using it as a guide, and action. The service ended with everyone singing 'This Little Light of Mine,' a nice touch.

Bernice King

We were home by 1:00, hungry and anxious for Evie's Sunday morning big breakfast, of home fries, pea meal bacon (pork loin cured in corn meal and vinegar), bagels and free range eggs.  We all helped, lingered in the kitchen, trying to hurry up the home fries.

Hurrying Up The Home Fries

Finally, everything was done and we ate outside on another spectacular morning.  Everything was 'super, primo, extra', as the monks used to say on my excursion to Mt. Athos in Greece.  By the time we were through eating, it was getting really warm, so we did the dishes and went out to the dock to enjoy the warm afternoon in the sun.  

Evie's Breakfast Is Ready

Like the previous two days, we read, talked, swam, and dozed, most of us still full from breakfast. The lake started to calm down and empty about 5:00, as the weekenders headed home.  We luxuriated in good fortune, in spending another night at the lake.

Readying For Another Triathlon

Ellen Of The Lake

Around 6:30, we grabbed a beer or glass of wine, jumped in the boat and took a booze cruise down to the south end of the lake beyond the bridge, taking our time, looking at all the interesting and different lakefront homes, from Mc Mansions to small cottages.  We the headed back to the Casino for wings, something all of us having been doing over the past 34 years.  In fact, all of us had our first wings at the Casino in the summer of 1981 when we bought our house.  We were lucky to have a fun and efficient waiter, got our wings quickly, despite the fact that the Casino was crowded even though it was a Sunday.  Scottie was outgoing and fun, mentioned he was getting married in October at the Chautauqua Institution.  His wife, a choral director at Maple Grove, also worked at the Casino, so he brought her over, introduced her and we took their picture, a cute couple.  We then meandered home along the shoreline, as the last vestiges of the sun disappeared.  By the time we docked, the sky was dark, only the moon visible.

Julia and Scottie, Servers at The Village Casino

We then played a card game called Telefunky, which we used to play with my parents until 11:30. Evie and I finished second, my sister Ellen and Rich were first.  All of us complain about playing but we always have fun.

This morning Evie's making banana pancakes for the gang before they head up to Virginia and Ohio.