Another Saturday Clambake

Clambake

7:37

7:54

Well, it's a miserable morning outside at the moment, 44º and pouring rain. The bass boats were out earlier but none are in sight at the moment and I have yet to get in a paddle although I am hoping the rain will abate. Well, it's almost 9:00 and still raining so I don't think I will be kayaking this morning. 

Saturday was a bizarre day weather-wise. I thought it was going to be a good day for a clambake and it started out that way at least in the morning. I kayaked, enjoyed breakfast, and wrote the blog to mostly sunshine. We had a leisurely coffee until Evie got busy in the kitchen, making an apple pie and an appetizer for the clambake. By 10:30, I was off to the Transfer Station with the trash, job one was done. When I returned, I got a couple more items checked off on my to-do list for the fall, moving some logs to the front yard, and readying for the storing of the dock pieces. It felt good to take a bite of the elephant.

Around noon, I finished up and had lunch, a couple of leftover Sahlen hot dogs with Stadium mustard, not the healthiest of lunches. I decided to watch a few minutes of two college games, Ohio State/Maryland and Texas/Oklahoma. Both were worth watching but I had enough after twenty minutes and returned to the couch and my book. And the day started to deteriorate, as it would rain, then clear up, giving us hope for the clambake but then rain again and it stayed that well the rest of the day.

Evie And The Guys

Julie(who grew up on Woodlawn) And Our Host, Bud

Jen And Ethan, The Clambake Masters

We left for the clambake just after 4:00 and the bake was already on the fire. About twenty of us gathered in our friends's garage, to enjoy the bake. Fortunately, we had a canopy over the bake in their backyard so most guys would stand outside, listening to the rain, enjoying a beer and watching the bake, waiting for it to steam which took a while, and adding more charcoal. The bake, by the way, has to steam so that the chicken and potatoes get done. We enjoyed loads of appetizers for a couple of hours,  then clam broth around 6:30, and caught up with the neighbors and friends we had not seen in a while. Summers usually mean we see relatives, saving the neighbors for spring and fall. 

The Presenting Of The Trophy To Elizabeth And Barb

Debi, Bud, And Daughters In Law and Friend

Drinking In The Rain

Earlier, Jen and Ethan organized a trivia contest using our iPhones. It was great fun and Barb and Elizabeth won and were given a rotating trophy, All questions were about the Chaautauq area.  

Debi And Bud's Three Sons

Sons And Wives

By 7:30, all twenty-two of us were sitting down in the garage, feasting on clams, sweet potatoes, corn, chicken, and various sides provided by everyone.  Everything was delicious, and the chicken was grilled after being taken out of the bake. 

Evie And Pam

The Girls And Tom Relax After Dinner

We then sat around the table and finished our dinner with desserts like pumpkin cheesecake and brownies.  The party began to break up around 9:15 when most of us said our goodbyes and walked home in the rain. Evie had maybe too much wine and was ready for bed but I stayed up for a while, watching some TV, 

Arlo And Louie