At The DMV

Hydrangea Blossom

6:23

A pleasantly cool morning on a quiet lake.  It feels more like a Saturday in September than the end of July. I kayaked for over an hour, my usual spin, to Long Point, across to Sandy Bottom and along Woodlawn.  I spotted three different herons so it was a good morning paddle.

Kayak Morning

Long Point

Friday was another leisurely day although the wind was fierce much of the day, making it impossible to get out on the lake.  I did try kayaking early but was out for only ten minutes.  I had no yoga so after a few chores, I drove to the DMV, to returned my plates from the Honda and to attempt to get an enhanced driver's license, which allows me into Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean without a passport.  Before I left I told Evie I know I will not have the proper identification cards and I was right although I brought four to prove my identity, just not my social security card.  I expected it so no hissy fit and will be back next week. 

From The Dock Friday Afternoon

When I returned Evie was finishing up her book, The Good Sister, so I decided it was a good day for a bike ride so I drove over to Bemus and biked through the village, Long Point State Park, and back, about an hour's ride on a windy day.  It felt good to be on my bike, in the woods.  When I got home, Evie had the chili ready to heat up, the last of it, so that was my lunch and I watched some of the Olympics and another episode of Bosch before taking a good nap.  The rest of the afternoon we lolled around, either reading in the yard or porched, depending on the wind, waiting for wine time at 5:00.  

We were looking forward to dinner because Evie had pulled a couple of nice fat pork chops out of the freezer and breaded them and I had picked up a dozen ears of corn in Ashville late afternoon.  We ate around 7:00 and both the corn, pork chops, and salad were scrumptious. We started a film after ten minutes turned it off and tried a new series on HBOMax called White Lotus, set in a destination hotel in the Pacific.  So far, we are sticking with it.  

Bees Lovin Dahlias

Windy And Cool

A View Of Evie's Garden

6:23

It's 7:30 and the winds howling, the lake choppy and I am not sure I will be able to kayak.  I was up at 6:00 as usual, as the wind was unsettling the blinds. I am listening to something different, Julie Mason on Potus Politics. I did attempt a paddle, lasting only ten minutes because the wind and lake waves were too much. 

A Brief Kayak Morning

Thursday was a bizarre day.  I had plans, none of which seemed to work out.  The morning went well with a good Yin Yoga class of twenty.  I am wondering if they ought to make it a vaccinated class only as the virus begins to rear its ugly head. I would be happy with it. After class, I did a quick shopping at Aldi, picking up the basics, milk, yogurt, and lettuce.  On the way home, I stopped and took a photo of a house on Locust where one of our blog viewers from Germany lived for a year on a teacher exchange program in 1970. It's a cute bungalow which I am sure has changed quite a bit over the years.

Lunch was avocado toast and the rest of the lentil soup and I started to watch some of the Olympics but nothing really interested me so I started the final season of Bosch on Prime Video. So far, it's one of the best seasons.  Around 2:00, I strapped my bike onto my car and drove to Chautauqua Estates, just outside the Chautauqua Institution, parked my car and rode my bike to the ticket office, picked up a destination pass, with two intentions.  One, to pick up a ticket for a Friday class a friend of mine has been teaching during the week.  Secondly, I was going to attend a discussion by Frederic Bachman, the novelist, of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People which was scheduled for 3:30.  Well, first of all, I found I could not purchase a single ticket for the class but would have to pay for the entire week.  So I forgot about that.  I then noticed nobody was walking towards the Ampitheater, checked with an information booth only to find out the lecture was via video because of Covid concerns.  Strike two.  So I managed my pique and spent the next half hour riding my bike around the CI, then heading home.  Evie was relaxing in the yard, giggled when I told her about my snafus, and suggested we go for a boat ride.  So we did, a good way to relax after a frustrating afternoon.  It was windy but soothing as the temperature was in the high '70s and we needed to put up the bimini top to escape the sun.  After our cruise, we relaxed on the dock and I went for a swim, wondering why I don't swim more often.  It felt so good, especially to dry off in the sun.

A View Of Evie's Garden

Dinner was more chili, this time Cinncinatti chili, with chickpea noodles, topped with cheese and sour cream, and a salad with cucumbers/avocado dressing.  Yum.  We have been wanting to rewatch the film Philadelphia and loved it, so emotional, two Academy Award-winning performances by Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, and two great songs, The Streets Of Philadelphia by Bruce and Philadelphia by Neil Young. Watch it if you haven't, again if you have.  It's one of the best films from the '90s. We ended the night with an exciting volleyball match between the US and Turkey.  The US dominated the first two games, the Turks the next two, and the US squeaked out a victory in the fifth game, 15-12.  We had a hard time deciding who we wanted to win as both teams were so amazing. 

Hawaiian Dahlias

Morning Gray

 

These Two Are Off To College In A Couple Of Weeks (2006)

5:45

6:52

It's 6:30 and I have been up for an hour, listening to the pundits talk about tonight's NBA draft.  It's a cloudy morning, with rain expected late morning and a cool 61º.  I got in a half hour paddle and breakfast before the rains,  good planning. 

Kayak Morning

Clouding Up

Yesterday was another easy day as we were happy getting a few things done but not going crazy about it.  I kayaked for over an hour, down to Whitney Bay, getting in a good workout.  After breakfast and the blog, I drove to my car guy and got rid of my 2000 Accord because it was becoming too expensive to keep it.  So we will be a one-car family for now and it should not be a problem.  I now have to turn in my plates to the DMV or will be fined eight bucks a day.  Thank you New York.  

For lunch, I had a salad with the leftover over sea trout, and watched more of the Olympics although there was not much I wanted to watch.  At 1:45, I drove to the Subaru dealer to get my car fixed.  I am not sure what was wrong but it needed a part for the emergency brake.  I  took a short walk along the Chadakoin River but waited for a couple of hours, basically because it sat for forty-five minutes before they started to work on it.  That's why I usually take my Subaru to Finn's in Niobe.  Afterwards, I picked up peaches and corn at Peterson's, both fresh off the field.

Evie spent much of the day reading and relaxing in the shade, either on the dock or in the yard, having had enough of the sun the previous day while cutting the lawn. We relaxed with wine and pretzels on our porch for a good hour, enjoying the beauty of a late afternoon on the lake. It was pleasantly cool, a perfect afternoon.

We had another easy dinner, chili that had been frozen, served over rice with corn on the cob and a salad. We watched a new series on Apple Plus called Physical starring Rose Byrne.  I am not crazy about it but we will give it one more try.  

Here Comes The Fog

6:21

6:22

6:56

I woke to a sun rising but now, at 7:21, the fog has arrived, obscuring much of the lake. I hope it disappears sooner rather than later so I can kayak. Well, it's after 9:00 and I kayaked for an hour and a half, down to Snug Harbor Marina and back, as the fog lifted. 

Kayak Morning/Long Point/Tom's Point

Three Herons

Snug Harbor

Wood Duck

Yesterday was another one of those days of 'large leisure', as the only thing we got done was Evie mowing the lawn, almost suffering heatstroke because of the humidity and heat.  Fortunately, she was smart enough to mow for ten minutes, then rest and hydrate. The morning was as usual on a Tuesday, kayaking, breakfast, and a good yoga class in Lakewood. Afterward, I did a quick run-through at Walmart, picking up a few things Evie needed for dinner. It was crowded as always, especially since so many other stores have closed in our Mall.

When I returned home, it was lunchtime.  I fried up pita in a frying pan, warmed up the koftes and tomato sauce, and had a great lunch, as we finally finished our Turkish leftovers.  I watched the men's volleyball team lose their final match to Russia, close but no cigar.  

Once Evie was finished with the lawn and I had lunch, we both hunkered down in our closed-up house, staying cool, happy to be doing nothing.  I watched more Olympics than I should have and read some until 5:00 when Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters.  While she zoomed, I watched the first episode of a classic TV series, Prime Suspect, with Helen Mirren, not sure why.  

After the Zoom call, Evie made a delicious salad, with a side of cucumbers and avocados in a lime/mayo/siracha sauce, along with corn fritters, rice, and a filet of sea trout.  We were not sure what to watch, realized with had not finished the series Hacks, and ending up watching the last five episodes, finishing the series.  It was a good way to end the night.

Dahlia Daze

Hazy and Lazy Days

6:21

It's 8:10 and I have been on the water for forty minutes after a spectacular morning, clear skies, an empty lake, and little wind. Evie's up and out already working in her garden as it's the perfect time of day to be out there, a garden mostly now in shade.

Kayak Morning

Preening By Campgournd

Yesterday was perhaps the laziest we have been recently, perhaps because we were going to the Chautauqua Institution at 1:00 for a lecture.  So after kayaking and the blog, we hung out much of the morning.  I was up too early and fell asleep watching the Olympic volleyball team play at 10:30.  I woke in time to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.  Evie, too, enjoyed the morning and by 12:15, we were ready to drive over to the CI for the lecture.  

Brick Walk

We were able to get both a destination pass, which allows you to enter the CI free of charge for four hours.  If you want to go to the lecture in the Amphitheater, it cost us 15 bucks apiece. A friend of mine from college (we lived on the same floor in our dorm, Lincoln Hall, my sophomore year at Ohio University). His name is Michael Krasny and he's a well-known commentator on Sirum Radio's/NPR Forum, as well as an English professor at San Francisco State University. He just retired this past Spring and San Francisco honored him with Michael Krasny Day.  

Michael Krasny

He spoke on Jewish humor, the theme this week at the CI being "The Authentic Comedic Voice."  His lecture was funny as well as interesting, the audience loving his telling and then analysis of Jewish jokes.  I was able to speak to him after the lecture for a few minutes and he remembered our days at Lincoln Hall, even singing Lincoln Hall's song.  It was good to see him and I forgot to mention that I had enjoyed his first book, Off Mike, having read it when it came out ten years ago,

When we returned him, it was uncomfortably hot and humid outside, so we stayed in, windows closed, reading or watching more Olympics until 5:00 when we went next door for cocktails and appetizers to celebrate the closing of Joyce and Bill's house in Philadephia. Pat and Dave, neighbors from Victoria were also there and we had a pleasant cocktail hour and a half until it was time for dinner.  We had steak, egg, and potatoes for dinner, with sweet corn, just right.  We watched a couple of more episodes of Lillehammer and are still not taken with it as the same sort of conflict develops over and over again.  The solution always seems to be some sort of violence or threat.  We may or may not stick with it.

A Full Day

My Uncle Tom. WW II Vet, Played Football for Western Reserve College

5:38

6:35

It looks like a warm but clear day on the lake as the sun rises over the clouds above Long Point.  I have been up since 5:30 alas.  It's already 63º with a slight breeze, the lake calm and mostly quiet. It's 8:30, Evie's still sleeping and I just returned from a long paddle, over to Long Point, then Tom's Point, and home.  It was starting to warm up as I headed home, the high today will be in the '80s.  

Kayaking To Tom's Point

Another Juvenile Bald Eagle

Sunday was a fun but busy day, one of our busier with a road trip and dinner out.  It started with a paddle and breakfast and then I left at 9:00 to join a group of Woodlawn neighbors who were working on clearing debris from our creek, to avoid flooding next time.  We had a large group working so that I joined another neighbor and we spent the next hour filling potholes on our road which needed it. I had to leave at 10:00, came home, and showered and we were off to Lyndhurst, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland for gathering to honor my Uncle Tom who died this past March at 97.  We gathered at the Lyndhurst Community Center and all of his six children and numerous grandchildren were there, some coming from both the West and East Coast.  

It was great to see my cousins and their kids, some for the first time in years.  We caught up on both of our lives and reminisced about my Uncle Tom, his passion for WW II where he served in the Pacific, his children, and his wife, Peggy, my mother's sister. We also were able to see my sister and her kids who were also there.  Tom's favorites were served, Amy Joy donuts, salami sandwiches, pecan rolls, and of course, Manhattans, his favorite and now his kid's favorite cocktail.  We fit right in.  

Uncle Tom, Following Doctor's Orders

We stayed for a couple of hours and left reluctantly.  We did not get home until 4:30, relaxed some, then drove over to Linda and Ron's for dinner.  We have not seen them since the fourth of July so we were looking forward to it.  

Sunday Afternoon At Linda And Ron's 

We relaxed in their yard with beers and appetizers on a pleasantly cool Sunday afternoon.  We decided to eat inside, however, as the bugs were beginning to bother us.  Ron grilled Delmonico steaks and corn on the grill and Linda made a salad so it was a simple, but delicious dinner.  We ended the evening with homemade cherry pie a la mode and a cherry liquor.  It was a great way to end the day.  We did not get home until 10:00 and went to bed, tired but happy from our day. 

 

A Lazy Day

 

6:40

8:23

It's 7:14 as I begin this, the sky partly cloudy although it looks as though the sun will be out soon. I am about ready to go kayaking and begin a busy day for us after yesterday's kicking back for much of the day.  Here comes the sun! I did get out for forty five minutes on a surprisingly windy day, the lake choppy, and I had to fight my way home.

Kayak Mornoing

Fishing Dock

Above The Reeds

We had two things we had to do yesterday, take a trip to the Transfer Station and attend our Woodlawn neighborhood meeting at 5:00.  We did both.  So most of the day was ours to enjoy, without worrying about something we had to do.  After kayaking, however, we did gather the trash, making sure we had everything we wanted to get rid of, and I drove off, waiting in a line of ten cars to get rid of trash and then drove to Lakewood, to pick up a few things at Aldi's for the week and filled up the car with gas, $3.19 a gallon.  When I returned, it was sunny and warm and Evie was already out on the dock enjoying the day but she came in to make me lunch, a potato and egg omelet with toast.  I watched the US Men's volleyball team dominate France which was fun but unlike years in the past, I knew no one on the men's team which was strange, a result of Covid and five years between the Olympics.  The last player I remember is the son of my friend Jon Stanley.  Jon played in the Olympics back in 1972 and visited us on the Greek Island of Naxos after the games. His son, Clay, was one of the mainstays of the Olympic team in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

Lake Crusing

Afternoon Sky

I wasted the afternoon, either reading, watching more of the Olympics or napping and joining Evie out on the dock.  By 5:00, however, we were ready to walk over to the Woodlawn right of way for a gathering of our neighbors, something we do three times a summer.  It's nice because we are a real neighborhood, where everyone knows each other and many families have lived here since the 1930s or earlier.  We love the comraderie of it where everyone seems to get along yet respect each others privacy.  Everyone brings an appetizer and their own libation and we eventually have a brief meeting to discuss dues, any problems, like the road needing fixing or the creek backed up from debris.  We even decided to have a work day this morning to clear the creek and fix some of the potholes in the road.

We got home around 7:00 and warmed up the leftover koftes, tomato sauce and pita bread for a quick dinner, with yogurt of course.  We watched a couple of hometown then started a series recommended by a Turkish friend called Lillehammer, set in Norway. We are not crazy about it but will stick with it for a few more episodes.  

Dahlia Time