A Partly Cloudy Sky On A Windy Lake Erie Morning

View Of Lake Erie At 7:59 AM

It's 7:30 and I am sitting in my sister Linda's family room, looking out at a rough Lake Erie. It's getting cooler here in Euclid, quite a contrast to Friday's 86º. 

Saturday began as usual with a nice long paddle, down to Sandy Bottom and back. We were leaving for Euclid around 1:30, so we had all morning to get organized, clean the kitchen, gather the trash and take it to the Transfer Station. So it was a pleasant, leisurely morning. We both showered, packed an overnight bag, and were on our way by 1:45.

Euclid Patio

Rough Lake Erie  

It's an easy two-hour drive and we arrived just before 4:00. Once we got settled and started catching up, as usual, Linda and Rich's kids started arriving to say hello, which is wonderful. Richie, Sally, and their two boys, Richie and Vince, stayed for an hour. Then, the mayor, Kirsten, and her husband Kevin arrived and stayed until dinner time. And their son Patrick came, because his wife, Courtney, was out of town, and he helped make dinner, grilling steaks outside on the grill. Like us, they have grandchildren graduating this weekend, Shea from the University of New Hampshire, and Owen from St. Ignatius High this afternoon. So somehow, they were able to fit us in for a Saturday and Sunday morning. By the way, the highlight of the dinner was Patrick's crème brûlée, the best we have ever had. 

Dusk

View From Family Room

It's always fun to come to Euclid because of the hospitality of my sister Linda and her husband Rich and the visits of their kids and grandkids. We last visited for a night in November, on our way west to KC and also in September, for their annual clambake on the shore of Lake Erie. We stayed up until 10:30, talking about the good old days and all the friends, teammates, and relatives we have lost, the downside of living into the eighties. We four are so fortunate as we always keep reminding ourselves

Today, we will sit down to a great breakfast, a brother-in-law special, then drive to Trader Joe's to fill up on goodies and wine for the summer, then head home.