January Flies By

7:33

It's 7:00 and darkness is just beginning to lift, as I can just make out Long Point.  It's 34º and should get up into the '40s later in the day.  The snow has melted, the lake is no longer frozen and it doesn't feel like winter or January. It's 8:50 as I finish this up.  I could not resist getting in a paddle because the lake, though gray, was so smooth, waveless and inviting. 

Kayaking Towards Long Point

A Gray Kayak Morning

Sunday was another Chautauqua gray day, as we never glimpsed the sun or a touch of blue.  We were both up early, enjoying the morning after a windy night.  Fortunately, we did not lose any power although lots of people did in the Buffalo area.  It was too windy to kayak so I did not do much until mid-morning.  Evie, of course, got busy, since we were having pot roast for dinner.  She wanted to get it started and let it slow cook for much of the late morning and afternoon.  First, however, we took down our Christmas tree, packed it up, put it in the attic and hope the lights still work next year. I was ready to do something, too, so I went out and worked in the yard, picking up the deadfall from the winds, filling two pails with twigs and branches, and taking them up the hill.

Chautauqua's Thunder Bridge In January

Evie decided to stay home and start the pot roast while I went for a short walk around the Chautauqua Institution, as far as the library where I picked up a book I had on reserve.  It was dreary and gray on the streets but it still felt good to be out, the wind cold, hitting my face occasionally, as I walked.

When I returned home, the pot roast was in the oven and we were both ready for our big breakfast.  Evie fried up the eggs and bacon, toasted the bagels and we were watching CBS Sunday Morning by 1:00, enjoying our breakfast and morning show.  After breakfast, neither of us had much we had to do other than wait for the Chiefs game at 3:00 and enjoy the pot roast after our wine time.  I took a brief nap after reading some, then because we had the Chiefs game saved, I went for a paddle because the wind had settled down, the lake was open, and I had not been out on the lake for a couple of days.  I paddled down past the reeds to Sandy Bottom and home.  It was not the best paddle because there was not much to see, no wildlife, barren trees, but still, it's always nice to be on the water.

Sunday Afternoon Paddle

Both of us were depressed watching the Chiefs fall behind 24-0 before mounting an amazing comeback to score 51 points and beat the Houston Texans, to our relief.  Because our son Tom lives in Kansas City, we have become Chiefs fans.  We celebrated their victory with a nice pinot noir until it was time for our pot roast dinner.  To accompany it, Evie made some buttermilk biscuits around 5;00 so we had something to dip in the pot roast gravy.  Dinner was just what we wanted, tender pot roast, gravy, veggies, biscuits, and a salad. 

We had had enough football so I suggested buying the film The Farewell on Apple TV.  It was a much-recommended film, up for numerous awards.  It's set mostly in China, as a family gathers ostensibly for a wedding but in reality, to see the grandma who is dying of cancer.  The rub, family tradition refuses to tell her that she is dying.  We had heard that it was a tear-jerker and were ready to be pulled in.  It never happened, at least for us.  We were rarely moved and never had much invested in the story, the family, their dilemma.  Awkwafina, who won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy, was the center of the film but neither of us was wowed by her performance.