Way Too Early

7:22

7:46

Well, it's 6:56 and I have been up since 5:45, having been awakened at 5:00 by our smoke alarm, chanting carbon monoxide.  I managed to turn off the alarm, checked around the house to see if there was a problem, and then tried to go back to sleep with no success. I guess I will have to change the batteries and make sure that was the problem. 

Wednesday went quickly, perhaps because I was home alone much of the afternoon. The morning went as usual, with kayaking, the blog, and breakfast.  We got a late start and before I knew it, Evie was getting ready to head off to shop at various stores and get her hair trimmed in Lakewood. She suggested I wash the windows, to give me something to do, so when she left, that's what I did.  It takes me a half-hour, so it's no big deal to get it done.  They look better but there always seems to be some streaks, especially when the sun hits them in the morning. 

Lunch was the last of the lamb curry with rice, still tasty after two dinners. I watched my show, finished up my book, and briefly napped.  I read two Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) Parker novels in the past three days.  Parker is a thief, a ruthless career criminal, a pro, the best of them all.  There are 24 Parker novels so I have a long way to go if I want to finish the series. They are quick and easy reads and I just recently discovered the series, a recommendation by Amor Towels in the NY Times "From The Book," column. 

I read in the yard, warmed by the afternoon sun until Evie returned home with lots of goodies. She soon joined me and we stayed out until it became too cold.  Around 5:00, we both showered and got ready to go out to dinner with friends, Jim and Barb.  At 6:00, we drove to Jamestown for dinner at the Tokyo Bejing restaurant on Foote Avenue.  Although it's been a takeout since Covid, they agreed to set a table for the four of us.  We were the only ones in the restaurant which was strange but also comforting.  

Thai Night With Barb And Jim

We were quickly taken care of by the two owners in between numerous take-outs and they seemed happy to have us there. Our dinners were great, Thai dishes with soup and salad and we even were able to get a beer. It turned out to be a fun night, with the best Asian food around.  We drove home in the dark, of course, arriving around 8:30. We had time to watch our two shows, Colbert and Jeopardy,  before bed. 

Sun Rising Over Fog

7:27

7:28

7:41

8:21

It's a brilliant morning of sun, filling the living room, somewhat veiled by the fog rising.  It's chilly, 45º, on what looks like to be a fine Autumn day.  I paddled for forty minutes, with fog off towards Bemus and to the north but clear where I kayaked. It was a good morning on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Fog Fishing

Heron Cruising Bemus Bay

Yesterday, Tuesday, was similar to today.  I kayaked for about forty-five minutes on a chilly and windy morning.  After blog and breakfast, I drove to Eight Limbs for a yoga class.  It was a good class and there were only ten of us so it was not crowded like on Thursday. Julie, our teacher, and I were the only ones wearing masks. We discussed the rational approach to Covid would be to require vaccinations but that is not allowed for some reason.  My sense is that everyone in the class was vaccinated because they did not seem to disagree with requiring vaccinations. After class, I stopped at the bank, then Wegman's to pick up a few things for dinner.

When I returned, I heard the mower roaring and Evie was cutting our neighbor's yard since they have a busy couple of days ahead with their daughter getting married tomorrow. They appreciated it because relatives were arriving and the house needed to be ready for their arrival. She did take time out to make my lunch, a quesadilla with salsa and sour cream on top.  I still am hooked by Prime Suspect even though each case seems to be similar, with all the males doubting the Chief Inspector played by Helen Mirren.

Once lunch was done and the lawn was cut, we both took it easy, happy to be doing nothing other than reading either in the yard or house when it became too cool.  It was pleasant in the yard when we were in the sun and we kept moving our lounges to stay in the sun until it became too windy.  At 5:00, Evie had her Zoom call with her sisters in Arizona, Colorado, and Chicago, quite a crew. Around 6:30, Evie popped the leftover lamb curry in the oven and made a salad and we had another tasty dinner.  We decided that this curry could be made with any meat or vegetable and it would be good.  We watched Colbert and Jeopardy, then the first episode of the fourth season of Goliath on Prime Video. We were not taken by the first episode as it appeared too artsy and we wanted them to just get on with the story, with the conflict, not Billy Bob's dreams.

Darkness In The Morning

7:04

8:22

I woke just before 6:00, came downstairs, and was surprised at how dark it was. Welcome to fall and the coming of pitch-black early mornings.  Now, at 7:00, the sky is overcast, a dark gray and threatening but at least I can see Long Point and our yard. It's 8:30 and I just returned from a short, nasty paddle.  The sky was overcast, the northern wind picked up as I got out there and I struggled to get home because of the wind and chop.  Not fun.

Kayak Morning

Into The Gray

Monday turned out to be a good day, with great weather, some exercise, a swim, and dinner with friends.  It was a good morning for a paddle and I was in no hurry. After breakfast and the blog, I drove to Jamestown for a 10:15 doctor's appointment and was on my way to Bemus Point to ride my bike within 15 minutes.  I wanted to get in a bike ride but my body didn't seem to agree so for the first 15 minutes, it was tough going.  By the time I got to Long Point State Park, I was fine and enjoyed the rest of the ride, out to Long Point, and back to Bemus where I parked my car.  

Long Point With A Friend

As I drove home, I had this premonition that Evie would be out mowing the yard and there she was when I drove in. She paused her mowing to make my lunch, a quesadilla, then got back to mowing, taking her time with an occasional break for water and to read.  I helped by moving our table and chairs to the garage and store for the winter. It's nice to mow without having to move tables and chairs.

I enjoyed my lunch, watched another episode of Prime Suspect and began my Parker book, The Hunter by Richard Stark, a new series for me. I read and napped, nothing new, and around 3:30, Evie finally finished up the yard after a hiatus to read and relax.  She wanted to cool off by going for a swim, so I went out on the dock with her, to fire up my boat motor, making sure the battery was still working.  The water was cold but so inviting that I joined her by stripping down to my boxers and joining her. Once we got used to the cold, it was delicious and we could see why the crazies enjoyed jumping into frozen lakes.  I sunbathed on the dock until I was dry, then joined Evie as we started to get ready for our dinner with Marjorie and Ken.  

For once, it was an easy prep because we were having the leftover lamb as the meat for our lamb curry. It's a  curry recipe we have used since our days in Istanbul.  It combines the lamb with apples, bananas, tomatoes, celery and cream and is easily our favorite French-inspired curry. Our neighbors arrived just after 6:00 in time for a glass of wine and appetizers on our porch, still pleasant because the temperatures were still in the low 70's. We got caught up on their weekend on the East Coast with family as we enjoyed our dinner.  The curry was just as good as we expected and with a salad, the four of us were happy.  For dessert, we had lemon squares and by the time we finished, it was after 9:00 and we said our goodbyes. We rinsed the dishes, put them in the dishwasher, and had enough curry to save for tonight's dinner.  Yippee.  We watched Jeopardy before bed.

Occasional Sunshine And Strong Southerly Winds

7:09

7:26

It's 8:50 and I paddled for 50 minutes, fighting the wind to begin with, then sailing home with the wind at my back.  Action at the lake is slowed down as it usually does this time of the year with few guys out fishing.  The temperature is warmer than yesterday's 46º, a balmy 61º at the moment.

Kayak Morning

Great Blue

A Buddy

Sunday was a beautiful day once again, with lots of sun and blue skies but the wind picked up late morning so we had to forget a boat ride. After the blog and breakfast, we got in a good walk at the Chautauqua Institution and it was good to be back there on a Sunday.  It's a community of porches and I counted only six houses in the Institution without a porch. It was a pleasant day for a walk, temperatures in the 50's although we saw very few people out for a walk like us.  We stopped in a couple of the shops to browse but saw nothing that we needed or liked.  

Thunder Bridge

We were home by 12:30, in time for Evie to make me a Western omelet sandwich for lunch.  We were having Linda and Ron over for dinner so Evie had some prepping to do during the afternoon and I was a minor help. I finished my Val Mc Dermid novel, watched some football, and napped while Evie worked. We both were able to relax late afternoon, however, and enjoy some leisure.

Linda and Ron arrived at 6:00 and we had Palomas (squirt and tequila) on the front porch with cheese and crackers and a cup of cauliflower soup to warm us up.  It was pleasant enough on the porch for the appetizers but it felt good to sit down at the table to enjoy our dinner.  

Dinner With Friends

Evie roasted a leg of lamb, made a moussaka, roasted potatoes, and a salad with homemade blue cheese dressing so we were happy.  The lamb was great, easy to carve, and with the moussaka, we were reminded of living in Istanbul since leg of lamb was our go-to Sunday dinner. For dessert, we had a choice of lemon squares or apple pandowdy, reminiscent of apple dumplings or apple pie. It was a good way to welcome in the cooler weather.  Linda and Ron left around 9:30 and we quickly cleaned up the kitchen and went up to bed to read. 

What A Morning: Sunny, Blue Skies, Light Wind, 47º

A Rare Grebe

7:14

This is the kind of morning that we both love, lots of blue and sun and coolish. I did not get out onto the lake until just before 8:00 because I slept in some, till 7:00.  Because of the light wind, I decided to paddle over to Tom's Point, a good 25-minute paddle, then home.  I was out for an hour and a half and was able to get a few photos of a variety of wildlife but no eagles, alas.

Kayak Morning

Kayaking North Along Tom's Point

Grebe

Looking North

Yesterday was Saturday although we thought Friday was Saturday for a good part of the day.  Why, I don't know. After a paddle and breakfast, we gathered the trash and I was off to the Transfer Station and home in time to meet with our floor installer.  He brought a couple of samples of woods and we finally decided on hickory, thinking that a slight variation from our cherry cupboards would look nice.  Finally, we made a decision.  

Heron At Tom's Point

Cormorants

Heron Next To Wells Bay

Wood Ducks

Lunch was what's becoming a go-to lunch, avocado toast with egg.  As long as we have avocadoes, Evie can make that for lunch. The afternoon seemed to go quickly, the usual for me, watching my show, reading, and a nap. For Evie, she did some prepping for tonight's dinner, making a dessert and a marinade. For dinner, we decided on burgers so I decided to combine a trip to the Lighthouse Grocery for ground chuck with a bike ride.  As I drove off, I said to Evie, at least it won't rain on me like Thursday afternoon.  

Threatening Sky

Well. as I drove into Mayville, dark clouds were gathering.  The weather gods said no rain so I said the heck with the clouds and rode my bike on Webb's Trail, the Mayville concourse, and Sea Lion Drive, as the clouds gathered and the wind picked up.  

Webb's Trail

When I was within a quarter of a mile of my car, it started to rain but I made it to my car before it really started to come down.  I then drove to the Lighthouse, bought my ground chuck, and drove home in a rain.  

Late Afternoon Sky

It cleared up quickly so that we could have our wine time along with a blue sky. It was too cool to sit out on the porch, so we relaxed on our couches until we got hungry.  Evie then grilled a couple of burgers, heated up the Mac N Cheese and we had dinner.  At times, there's nothing like a good burger, with onions, pickles, tomatoes,  and some kind of sauce. We watched the usual, then the final episode of Clickbait with an improbable ending to be kind.  It's worth watching, however, and we were really into it.  

Saturday Morning Chill

6:46

7:01

7:23

I just returned from a chilly paddle and it's now just before 9:00.  Evie's up as well, enjoying her first cup of coffee. It's overcast slightly although the sun is bright enough to be reflected on the lake. a gleaning streak of light.  It was 48º when I started kayaking, windy on the way out, nice and easy on the way back with the wind at my back. 

Kayak Morning

We had an interesting Friday, ending with a fun dinner and a night with friends.  After the usual, kayaking, the blog, the breakfast, and the uncertainty as to what to do with our day, I suggested we drive to Gerry to the lumber yard and look at various woods for our kitchen floor. This was Evie's idea originally so she agreed and we were off by 10:30, a half-hour drive despite the holdup because RT 60 was being resurfaced.

We had some difficulty finding the lumber yard because it's not advertised and there's no sign.  Basically, it's a 200-acre farm with a number of buildings that house the lumber and machinery. We could not have asked for a better time. The owner, Denny Barmore, spent a good hour with us, taking us into his shop, pulling out various kinds of wood, explaining their plusses and minuses, even taking us into his house to show us his kitchen floor of ash.  His son also was able to show us what various floors would look like on his phone.  It was a fun and informational hour and we also got to meet his great dog, a Blue Heeler, who seemed to love Evie. We left still unsure as to what type of wood we wanted but will make that decision this morning so the wood can be ordered and we get it on time.

On the way home, we stopped at Wegman's and did some big shopping, getting us ready for the week ahead and a Sunday dinner with Linda and Ron.  We didn't get home until 1:00 which was fine because we had no other plans for the afternoon.  I heated up the chicken enchiladas for lunch, watched my show, and then returned to my serial killer novel.  We relaxed until 4:00 then showered and got ready to go out to dinner at a friend's house in Celeron.  

Enjoying The Setting Sun

We have gotten to know Jackie and Rick recently and this was the first time to visit their home. Like our house, it's on the lake with an expansive view of the lake.  They had mentioned that they bought the house for the porch and we can see why. It's all windows and huge, as big as our living room and dining room combined,  We sat outside and enjoyed a glass of wine as the sun began to set, then came in when it started to get cool, for appetizers and then dinner, Rick's families special beef stroganoff recipe with rice and a salad.  Both Evie and I had seconds of the stroganoff and once we were finished, we sat outside around a bonfire, enjoyed a Moscow mule, and watched the sunset. 

7:41 PM

Northwestern Sky

Unlike our house, which faces due east, their house looks towards the northwest and gets amazing sunsets. The evening ended inside with chocolate mousse topped with raspberries. Last night was the second time we have had dinner with them and it was fun to get to know both of them better.  They grew up in the area, moved around some before settling in Corning, NY, before moving to Chautauqua Lake a couple of years ago.  After dessert, we said our goodbyes and drove home in the dark, arriving around 9:45, and to bed shortly after bed.  It was another good day. 

A Gloomy Morning

7:00

7:24

7:56

It's 9:00 and the sun is brightly shining, its reflection filling the lake.  What a difference from this morning when I woke up to gray and gloom and drizzle.  I waited long enough for it to start to clear up and then went for a paddle, windy when heading south so I cut my kayaking short.  Still, it was good to be out there, nice and cool, fleece weather, and I photographed a heron on the way back to our dock.

Kayak Morning

Starting To Clear

Northern Sky

Paddling Into The Sun

Pondering

Thursday was the first really fall-like day we have had.  It was cool enough that we kept the windows closed part of the day and late afternoon and evening, we both wore fleece. My day started as usual, with a paddle, then Yin Yoga, a class of at least 20 of us packed in like sardines and only three or four of us were wearing masks. I don't get it.  I stopped at Ryders Cup for a coffee and because it was empty, I sat down and talked with Dave, a regular who I have not talked with since Covid started over a year ago.  He's my age, grew up in Lakewood, and rents an apartment around the corner from the coffee shop. 

I didn't get home until 12:30 and Evie, bless her soul, made a pot of Indian cauliflower soup at my suggestion. It's one of our favorites. So I had soup and leftover zucchini/basil pasta and watched another episode of Prime Suspect. We both then did little the rest of the afternoon, reading, napping and watching some TV until I decided to go for a bike ride in Bemus, a bad idea.  It was starting to get windy and cloud up as I started and as I got halfway down Lakeside Drive, it started to rain, pelting me in the face because of the wind. I made it to Bemus, parked my bike, and went inside a store for a few minutes.  It looked like it was letting up so I rode back to the car in a drizzle and just as I got there, it stopped, so I rode around the back streets for 15 minutes to get in some exercise.

When I returned, Evie had made dinner, chicken enchiladas, and they were ready to pop in the oven.  Because it was so gray out, we decided to break our rule and had a Manhattan with chips and dip, again, breaking a rule.  They, rules, are made to be broken.  Around 6:30, Evie put the enchiladas in the oven, pulled them out in 15 minutes, set them on a bed of lettuce, covered them with salsa, cheese, and sour cream and we had a great dinner. Our TV routine has not changed much in the last few days, Jeopardy, Colbert, and Clickbait.  Tonight, we will finish Clickbait and will have to find something else to watch.