Then There Were Ten (Barcelona Beach)

SELFIE CRAZY

6:05

What a morning,  the garden rain washed and gray, clouds hovering below a gray sky, fog rising from the hills across Bemus Bay.  We received a couple of inches last night while we went out to dinner, then another inch and a half overnight.  So we have a soggy yard, but a garden that's loving it.  I had another great paddle, on a silent, empty, glass-like lake.  Just me, my kayak and some herons until I paddled in when the skiers came out.

Paddle Along Long Point

Hanging At Long Point

Good Old Reliable Henry

Yesterday, despite the predictions of thunderstorms, turned out to be a pretty good day.  I got my paddle in, finished the blog, and because the grandchildren were still sleeping, I went out and did an hours worth of weed cutting, working as they slept and it was already warm by 10:00.

Chautauqua Creek Path To Lake Erie

Around 10:30, the gang was up and well fed, so five of us drove off to Barcelona beach, parking alongside the Chautauqua Creek access to Lake Erie.  We were going rock hunting, something we do every year, then bring them home to paint.  It was my daughter, Beth's idea, and all of us have been painting rocks for the past five or six years, great fun.  The beach at the outlet to Chautauqua Creek had been battered by winter storms, so it was strewn with huge logs, lots of rocks, but very little sand.

Beaching It

Staying Cool

iPhone Ready

We hunted rocks, waded in the water, sat in the sun but finally, the annoying flies and heat, drove us back to our car with a few distinctive shaped rocks.  On the way home, we made two happy stops, one at Boxcar Barney's for ice cream for the girls, then at Webb's for a couple of boxes of their goat milk fudge, both Chautauqua traditions.  We have to have Webb's fudge, stop for ice cream after a trip to the lake or gorge.

Homeward Bound

While we were at Lake Erie, Tom was working, mostly on the phone, and Evie was organizing and straightening, then warming up Monday night's dinner for our lunches.  We ate up the pork chops, rice, and ratatouille, a great lunch, then most went out to enjoy the surprising sunshine and warm weather.  I was able to read some, get in a nap, then get some chores done late afternoon, as it was beginning to cloud up and the girls came in from the dock.  I gathered the weeds, cut down some tree branches, loaded the car with deadfall, weeds, and grasses, and took a couple trips up the hill to the wood/weed pile.

Steak Night At Steeners Irish Pub

By 6:00, everyone had either taken a shower or swim, to cool off and clean up and Tom was finally done with his work, some vacation for him.  We then drove over to Greenhurtst, to take advantage of Steener's Irish Pub's steak special, two steaks for twenty bucks. Surprisingly, it was practically empty although there were lots of people sitting outside, eating and drinking, watching the volleyball games.  Six of us ordered the special, Mary, a good girl, ordered a chicken salad.  The girls and Beth ordered filets, Tom, Evie, and I, Delmonico steaks.  All were great, tasty and perfectly cooked.  And the french fries met Evie's approval, so it was a good night at Steeners.  We are already thinking of returning next Tuesday.

We came home to a flooded road, having gotten two inches of rain although not a drop at Steeners in Greenhurst.  We decided to watch the hilarious and coarse BRIDESMAIDS, with much vulgar language and uncomfortable sex.  This seems to be de rigour when watching a film with our grandchildren.  Yet we laughed most of the way through it and the girls got an education.  I have a nice tame film for tonight, SING STREET, which should win the approval of all, adults and children.

We were in bed by 11:00 but I am not sure how well some slept, especially Evie as our daughter Jill and her daughters were flying into Buffalo around 11:30, taking a car from the airport, arriving sometime around 1:00 although I am not sure of the time because I did not hear them arrive.  I am sure Evie was trying to stay awake.