Winter Rain

8:40

It's a gray morning, with rain expected much of the day. We are up listening to the Laura Coates show on Sirius Radio, waiting for the Michael Smerconish, our morning fix. It's 36º at the moment with a light drizzle. 

Ice Fishermen Back On The Lake

Woodlawn

Thursday is always a good day because Evie has kindergarten and I have breakfast in Bemus. So we were both up at 7:00 and I was in Bemus at 8:00, having breakfast at Lake Life Cafe. By 9:10, I was home finishing the blog so Evie could edit it and head to class by 9:30. I wasn't sure what to do with my day but decided to get in some cross-country skiing. So I went out around 10:00 and was out for a good forty-five minutes, skiing down to Sandy Bottom and back. Again, the lake was slush at the north end of Woodlawn for some reason, so I stayed away and skied with the wind to Sandy Bottom.  When we have a few warm days, the cracks appear in the lake and we hear the lake moan. They are not dangerous at least not yet as the ice is still six of seven inches thick if not more, Although it was not a sunny, blue sky morning, I still loved being out there. 

Cracks On Lake

Scary But Safe

I drove off to Mayville at 11:45, to pick up a prescription for Evie, stopping at the hardware store for some Ice Melt and then at Tops for a few things. I stopped at the lakefront where volunteers were building the ice castle for the Mayville Winter Festival. It was neat watching them cut ice from the lake, then placing it on a device that sends it up to the shoreline where they can set it on the castle. I talked with one of the guys who raved about the students from BOCEs who were helping out. BOCEe is a public organization, created in 1948, "From culinary arts and automotive technology to nursing and computer science, BOCES programs provide students with hands-on learning experiences and industry-relevant skills." 

Building At Ice Castle

Volunteers 

Pulling The Ice Out Of The Lake

When I returned home, it was 12:45 so I had the second half of my veggie burrito and watched my show. I started a new book, The Note, by Alafair Burke, and fell asleep while reading. By 2:30, I was putting together our dinner. It was a Greek Chicken dinner called Chicken Kapama. It has lots of onions, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon, wine, and brandy so it sounded good. I put it all together and then let it simmer for an hour in the oven so it was ready when Evie got home.

She was really tired from school so it was a good thing she did not have to make dinner. She relaxed until happy hour at 5:00 and we made the mistake of listening to the news, raising Evie's BP. We ate earlier than usual, at 6:00, and served the chicken kapama over spaghetti. Unfortunately, it was mediocre at best, tasteless, so I don't think I will make it again. We made the mistake of watching  Trump's news conference on CNN. "Our" President, blamed the crash on DEI and Biden and Obama, lying and politicizing his response.  After that, it was a relief to watch three episodes of a new series on Hulu, Doc, and I really liked it, Evie not so much. I ended the night watching some basketball as usual before going up to read and sleep, 

Orange Sky in The Morning

7:15

7:23

7:23

It's 7:30 and we are both up with our coffee and silence, watching the sky change from orange to pink.to lavender, Yesterdays wind gusts have ebbed and the temperature has dropped to 14º, with a toasty high of 35º later in the day. It's 9:15 and I just returned from breakfast in Bemus as the sun is just coming out and the ice fishing tents are on the lake. 

Wednesday went quickly because I was up early and off to the dentist for a crown at 9:00. On my way home, I stopped for veggie wrap at the Labrinth Press Coffee shop, at Sav A Lot to see if they had spumoni ice cream but failed. It was strange to be home at 11:45 knowing I would have to leave again at 12:30 for my eye appointment.  I had my veggie wrap at noon, watched my show then drove off to Jamestown for my annual eye appointment. All's well with my eyes and I didn't even need a new pair of spectacles.

I was home by 2:00 and I decided to see if I could nap. By 5:00, we were both getting ready to go out to the Viking Club, meeting Linda and Ron at 6:15. We took our time because the road still had some snow on it and were surprised at how empty the Viking parking lot was. Linda and Ron already had a table so we sat in the bar, and ordered our beers in cans because the taps were out of order. Our neighbors also walked in so Woodlawn was well represented. Both Evie and I hankered after wings, so we got to orders and they were really tasty. I finished mine and Evie took some home for lunch. 

We were home by 8:30 and because Evie has school today, she went up to bed, leaving me to watch TV alone. So I watched my usual, a combination of basketball and my noon time show until I was tired enough to go to bed. It ended up being a good day.

Wednesday

8:00

Why Walk When You Can Ride

It's early 7:00 and supreisisngly warm, 30º although with the wind the weather app says it 16º. For the first time in a couple of days, an ice fisherman is out in the middle of the lake.  Today's not going to be my favorite of days, because I get a new crown in Jamestown at 9:00, then have an eye appointment at 1:00.

Yesterday ended up being another good day. I was up early, around 7:15, followed by Evie an hour later. I had an appointment with my mechanic at 9:30 for an inspection. He mentioned that several people have said they were stopped by the police because their inspection was out of date. Now I am legal and can safely drive my 2023 Kia. After my appointment, I stopped at Ryders and talked with Paul and his wife Ellen for a good forty-five minutes. They head to Myrtle Beach tomorrow for three weeks so I was lucky to see them before they left. After coffee, I stopped at the bank to cash a check, then for gas and finally, came home. 

Untouched White

Sking In To Blue Skies

It was only 12:30 and another beautiful lake day so I strapped on my skis and went out again for a good half hour. Once again, I had the lake to myself, no tents, no ice fishermen and best of all, because of the snowfall overnight, the lake was untouched by skis, hikers, or snowmobiles, just an untouched sheet of white. Of course, as the photos show, I ruined the canvas with my skiing, carving cross-country ski trails down to the reeds and back. 

Woodlawn

North

Shadows On The Lake

Evie made me a wrap with nard-boiled eggs and veggies to go along with chicken noodle soup. I watched another episode of my show, finishing when she left for a doctor's appointment in Westfield. After my series, I read, and then decided to take a brief nap. Evie came home around 2:45, after stopping at Tops for some pork chops for our dinner. Her appointment went well and he is modifying her prescriptions, hopefully helping lower her blood pressure some more. As usual, it is always at its best when he checks it in the office which is the opposite of most people.  I read the rest of the afternoon and watched a hawk harass our bird feeder, flying into our window. At  5:00, Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters.

On the way home from the doctor's office, Evie picked up a couple of pork chops from 'Tops and breaded them. At 6:00, she browned them, then put them in the oven for 20 minutes and we had delicious pork chops with salad and baked potatoes. We started a film we didn't like, and, surprise, then spent the rest of the evening watching the SNL Music Show. We loved it, as they literally followed the trends in music since 1977, featuring all the big-name groups and singers. When they moved into the 90s, with the beginning of Rap and Hip Hop, I felt like my Dad, brought up with Big Band and Dixieland, who never liked Rock and Roll. I like Big Band and Dixieland!

Another Winter Snow Advisory

7:36

Buddha In The Snow

12:24 PM

It's 8:15 and I have been up for an hour, to a couple more inches of snow overnight. It's 20º and may get up to 30º later in the day. Once again, no ice fishermen are out as the wind whips up the snow on the lake. 

Cross Country Skiing

Southern Sky

Yesterday was a busy day for both of us. We were up at 7:00, had our coffee and breakfast and Evie showered so by 9:30, she was on her way to kindergarten. I soon follow for my Melt Yoga class at 10:30 in Lakewood. After class, I stopped at Wegmans to pick up some chicken soup for Evie and other things.  It was a beautiful sunny, blue sky day so when I returned home at 12:30, I couldn't resist the lake and went out cross-country skiing for 35 minutes. It was amazing: the sun, the lake's whiteness, and the blue sky's brilliance. I skied down to Sandy Bottom and back and as I looked around, I realized I was the only one on the lake. I had my lunch, soup and chicken salad on toast and watched another episode of Person Of Interest. Evie returned home around 2:00 and I had enough reading and decided to take a good nap since I was up early.

Woodlawn

Woodlawn

Snow Mobile Tracks

Southern Sky

We had our glass of wine at 5:00, listened to the always depressing news, and Evie regaled me with stories from her kindergarten class. For dinner, we had chicken pot pies, compliments of our generous neighbors, and they were delicious.  We had brussel sprouts as well as beets, so we were happy. We watched Hometown and the last episode of Harlan Cobens Missing You, and wondered why we stuck with it because it was so stupid. We ended the night with SNL's 50 Years Of Music, a three-hour extravaganza and it was amazing. We only got through an hour but cannot wait to watch the rest tonight. If you are a music buff, it's a must see. 

A Bright Sunny Day

7:40

7:44

It's 8:20 and we both have been up for an hour on a sun-filled, blue sky morning. Interestingly, for some reason, no ice fishermen are out yet. It's a chilly 17º but may get up to 30º later in the day.

Cross Country Skiing

Sunday was another football Sunday and thank goodness, we only have one more in two weeks. We had our usual relaxing Sunday morning because we had nothing to do. By 10:30, however, Evie had a couple of projects in mind and that took a half hour or so, nothing big. By 11:00, I had shoveled the parking area, then donned my ski boots and went cross-country skiing for thirty-five minutes. For the most part, the lake was great but when I skied to northern Woodlawn, the lake, for some reason, was slushy and I was lucky to turn around and get back to snow and ice. The rest of the day, the lake was busy and neighbors were out walking across to Long Point and back. 

Late Morning Sky

Northern Sky

Moi

Cross Country Skiing

At noon, I went on a fool's errand, looking for a Buffalo Bills hat to wear during the Bills/Chiefs playoff game, stopping at three stores until I found one. By the time I got home, I couldn't care less about the hat and never wore it. Fortunately, Evie had pancakes ready for a late brunch and I devoured two stacks with butter and Red's maple syrup. 

Threatening Sky

After brunch, I read some, then napped and read again until 4:00 when we both started watching the Eagles/Commander game. Our daughter Jill had six couples over for the game in Northern Virginia. Sadly, the Commander's lost. The big game, between Buffalo and Kansas City was on at 6:30, just as we were having dinner, the leftover pork carnitas on rice with cheese, sour cream, onions and avocados. It was a good game if you were my son Tom and daughter Jill's families, avid KC fans. We wanted the Bills to win but were not unhappy with the Chiefs winning either. We just feel bad for Buffalo fans. And that was it for Sunday

A Quotation From CONCLAVE Novelist Richard Harris: "I used to think of politics as essentially driven by rationality. Now I recognize that the processes of the human mind are much more emotional and complicated. It feels as though the era of the Enlightenment has ended; we are back in a time of superstition and conspiracy theories."

Chautauqua Gray And A Toasty 22º

Kite Skiing In Bemus Bay

7:43

It's 8:20 and we were both up earlier than usual for a Sunday, me at 7:45 and Evie at 6:00. It's warmer out this morning if you call 22º warm. Finally, there is no Winter Storm Advisory; instead, a High Wind Watch. Overnight, we received a couple of inches of snow so I will be shoveling again. 

Walking Out To Long Point

Happy Hikers

We had a good Saturday despite the cold. We both slept in some, had a relaxing morning, listened to the news, enjoyed a few cups of coffee, and finished the blog. After breakfast and getting a few housekeeping things done, we bundled up, put on our shoes with crampons, and stopped at the Transfer Station to get rid of trash then drove over to the Long Point Marina. It was a cold walk out to the point but we still enjoyed it, running into fat tire bikers, one who works at Lake Life Cafe. It looks like fun, biking in the snow, on trails, and even the lake. On the way home, we stopped in Bemus to take photos of a guy kite skiing on Bemus Bay, an amazing sight. 

Mom And Daughter Fat Tire Biking

Fat Tire Bikers 

Cruising On The Lake

We didn't get home until 12:30 and I was hungry so I pulled out the leftover Chinese food and watched my show. Evie was tired from the walk, so she kicked back most of the afternoon and watched some TV or joined me in the living room where I would usually be reading. I also napped, of course. 

A Village

Lake Life

The lake was a virtual village of ice fishermen and hikers, even families, out on the ice enjoying the afternoon. We had a glass of wine and guacamole with Fritos at 5:30, listened to Chris Stapleton's album  (our favorite song "What Are Your Listening To?), and watched the sky slowly darken, as the fishermen headed home. Dinner was leftovers from the fridge and we watched our usual TV shows, another episode of the Harlan Coban series, but nothing new or interesting. Evie was tired early and went up to bed around 8:30. I watched some basketball and my series before joining here. It was another good day on the lake. 

Not The Best Of Days

8:05

This Morning at 8:05

It's 9:00 and we are both up on another chilly 7º morning. At least 20 ice fishermen are out despite the cold, a hearty group. The high may get up to the mid-20s later in the day.

Great Photo By Evie

Finches

Yesterday started like most days, waking around 7:30, then coffee, then breakfast. Neither of us was in a hurry but I knew I had to get a blood test sometime on Friday. So around 10:30, I decided to drive to Jamestown to Quest Diagnostics on Foote Avenue. I was not sure of my route to Jamestown so I decided to avoid #86 and take the back roads, a mistake. As I was about to take a right on Washington in downtown Jamestown, a police car waved me down. I had no idea why until he pointed to my safety inspection sticker which expired in 2024. So he gave me a ticket and I went on to the lab, got my blood taken, and stopped at Tokyo Bejing for some Chinese food for our dinner. I then drove home and just as I was a mile away from our house, another police car stopped me for the same reason, my expired safety sticker. She asked to see my license and then sent me on my way. What are the odds of being stopped twice in an hour? 

Heading Out, Late Afternoon

When I returned home, Evie was in bed upstairs, with a cold and stomachache. In fact, she spent most of the afternoon in bed. I made chicken salad for lunch and made a sandwich to go with the lentil soup. I watched my show, then returned to my book, John Gilstraps No Mercy, a thriller similar to the series I am watching at noon, Person Of Interest. They are so similar that I get the stories mixed up. I took a brief nap, watched another episode of my series (five seasons) and then Evie came down, feeling better and hungry, a good sign. We listened to the news, and then had our Asian dinners, decent but not great. We watched a couple of episodes of  Harlan Coben's Missing You. It kept our interest but we wouldn't recommend it. Evie went to bed around 8:30, and I stayed up until 10:00, watching some basketball and the news. 

Cold Again

Thursday Morning's Sunrise

7:54

I was up just before 8:00 to 10º and had another winter advisory for today. I looked out the front window and a few ice fishermen were out, the backdoor, to three or four more inches of snow. 

Yesterday, Thursday, was a busy day starting with both of us getting up at 7:00. I had breakfast at 8:00 in Bemus Point and returned home at 9:00. I found a recipe for pork carnitas in a cookbook that used the slow cooker, so I put it together before I left for yoga at 9:30. Evie left for class soon after me. Thursday yoga is always crowded because it's Yin Yoga. I keep hoping it will help my back but at least, it doesn't make it worse. I had enough shopping the last couple of days so I did not linger, no coffee, and drove home. 

Woodlawn Creek

When I returned home, I wanted to get in some exercise so I walked around our neighborhood for a half hour, running into Jim and Ripley, also out for some exercise. For lunch, I had Evie's delicious lentil soup, made some peanut butter and jelly toast, and watched my show. I finished my book, The Restless Wave and was disappointed with the way it ended. I napped briefly until Evie came home around 3:30. She was tired from kindergarten and just wanted to relax and have a bowl of soup. Around 4:00, I decided to get in another walk so I went for a half-hour walk on the frozen lake and again, ran in to Jim and Ripley. Fortunately, there was little wind so it was pleasant to be out on the lake and from what I could see, the lake beneath the snow was ice, not slush so I will try some cross-country skiing today.

Late Afternoon On The Lake

Victoria/Woodlawn

Dinner was the carnitas tortillas with cabbage, salsa, avocado, and sour cream. They were average and I doubt if I will make them again.  We started a couple of cop shows but ended up watching Colbert, then some basketball and I ended the evening with my noon series, Person Of Interest. 

Something happened to yesterday's blog, no photos and no editing although we added photos and edited the blog.  Puzzling.