Back In The Saddle, Again

My Sister Ellen And Her First Grandchild, Anna

Sunrise On Chautauqua Lake

Sunset On Lake Erie

It's 6:50 and I have been up for a good hour, as dawn is just beginning, as darkness fades.  It's 30ºs out, the lawn's white with snow, the lake open, it's surface wrinkled.  A few dark clouds hang over Bemus but the sky is clear, a washed denim blue with a touch of pink above the tree line to the south. I made it to breakfast in Bemus, just two of us as a couple of guys are in Florida, the others busy.

9:05

Yesterday, Sunday, the day after the big bash, a fun wedding and  New Year, was more relaxed of course, with my sisters and their family much of the day.  We started the day in our room at Glidden House, surprisingly chipper despite having gotten home at 2:30, after a night of Manhattans, wine, and beer.  Ugh.  I enjoyed the breakfast buffet with many of the wedding guests and brought Evie up a plate and coffee so she could have breakfast in bed, a good way to start a New Year.  We left the hotel at noon and took a trip down memory lane to my sister's home, driving through Bratenahl and Lake Shore Blvd, the way we used to drive when we were dating back in the day. And we drove down Edgecliff, to see the home I grew up in before arriving at my sister's home, on the shores of Lake Erie.

Kickin' Back In The Family Room

"Leave Me Alone"

Grand Nephews, Connor And Vince

We spent the day there because we were invited to stay for Linda's famous pork and sauerkraut dinner, the way they always celebrate the New Year.  We were there early, so we spent much of the afternoon relaxing in their living room, talking about the wedding, our families, of course, munching on appetizers and having a bloody mary around 4:00.

Bloody Mary Time With Walt And Rich

Linda and Rich's kids and grandchildren started to arrive at about 5:00 and by dinner time, at 6:15, there were twenty-two of us, ready to polish off two pork roasts, sauerkraut, potatoes, and applesauce.

Kitchen Crew With Two Pork Roasts

Dinner was great, the pork tender and juicy, the sauerkraut mildly sour, both highlighted by the applesauce.  We adults sat around the dining room table while the grandkids ate in the family room.  For dessert, the mayor made her famous apple cake with cream cheese frosting, to die for.

My Brother In Law Rich And Helper

The Grand Kids

Reluctantly, we decided to head home to the lake at 7:30, saying goodbye to everyone, vowing to see each other more often. What a great family my sister and brother in law have and they all live within twenty minutes.  The drive home was easy as traffic heading east was light, fairly heavy from the west as families headed home.  We were home by 10:00, happy to see all was well with our house.  We unpacked, organized a few things and went to bed early after one of the best New Year's Eve in our lives, thanks to our family, especially the newlyweds, Claire and Corey.

Happy  New Year