A Christmas Sojourn In Virginia

6:50

I am up at 6:00 lots of darkness, what else, as we are getting ready to head to northern Virginia for Christmas with my daughter Jill and her family. We are in no great hurry to be off this morning, just so we are on the road by 8:00 at the latest.  A light snow is forecast but I don't think it will be a problem.

First Ice Fishermen Of The Year

Yesterday was a day of waiting, for me, but a busy one of Evie.  Since we are going to Virginia, she decided to bring dinner, a baked ziti, after making cutout cookies yesterday afternoon for the girls to decorate.  Then, I mentioned that Hayden loved her vegetable soup, so that was next on the agenda. And, of course, we had some bananas and wouldn't want them to go to waste so she made a banana  cream pie to take for dessert.  Needless to say, she was in the kitchen until late afternoon, getting everything done and packed up for our trip.  And was the dish and pan washer, then dish dryer, skating into the kitchen every hour or so after another dish was done.  That way I could keep up with the mess.  And in between dishes, Evie would disappear upstairs and begin packing for our trip, breaking it up into manageable parts.

Ice Fishing In Bemus Bay

For lunch, it was squash bisque which Evie made a couple of days ago and a cheese sandwich with Wegman's jam.  I think I have had it everyday this week.  I tried to find a movie to watch but ended up watching the Kentucky/North Carolina game I save from Saturday.  One of the Kentucky players scored 47 points so it was a fun game to watch.

Dinner was eggs cooked in a bed or garlic spinach and home fries, using up most of what we had leftover in the refrigerator.  We froze the meatloaf, so we have dinner when we return home next week.

In The Middle

I forgot  to mention that around noon, yesterday, the ice fishermen began to appear on the lake.  I have no idea how thick the ice is but they are still out there at 4:30.  They started out close to shore but by 3:00, a couple of guys were out in the middle of the lake, brave souls or madness.  The lake has only been frozen now for four or five days.

Early in the week, I decided to rejoin Netflix's DVD program so we watched an awfully bad  DVD last night, BAD MOMS.  It was recommended by a couple of friends who obviously have different taste from us.  It's predictable, silly, coarse, and vulgar and not at all funny.  How is that for a recommendation.

Winter Solstice: Shortest Day, Longest Night

7:20

8:11

It's another mostly gray morning at the lake, with brushes of pink at the horizon, light above some of the trees.  The silence of winter mornings on the lake is deafening.  No lawn mowers, leaf blowers, weed whackers, in fact, no bird songs, no people talking.

Yesterday was a day of decision, whether we felt energetic and healthy enough, to go to my daughter Jill's for Christmas.  I had another doctor's appointment at 1:30 and if I got the ok from the doctor, we were going, which I did.  So by 2:30, when I returned, chaos returned to our house as we had literally a day to get ready for our trip to Virginia.  Maybe it's a good thing that we only have a day; at least we don't have to worry about what to bring, what to pack, etc, for a week, just a day.  And we decided to just enjoy the afternoon and evening, not worry about our packing until today.  And we had dinner already made, the leftover Indian chicken from Monday, so we lounged most of the afternoon.

At dusk, being the Christmas Scrooge's that were are, we  had our first modest cocktail hour in a month in an unusual way,  by listening to many versions of my favorite Christmas song, "I'll Be Home for Christmas," first popularized by Bing Crosby in 1943, supposedly about a a soldier writing a letter home during WW II.  We listened to various versions on Apple music, from the best, by Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, or Perry Como, the worst by moderns like Kelly Clarkson, Whitney Houston, Blue Grass bands, et al. We ended with a Dixie Land version which my Dad would have loved but then took it one step too far, listening to a dog and cat version. Yep.  We ended the evening listening to Jingle Bell Rock, another favorite, a song Evie's majorettes used to dance to during the half time of a Euclid basketball game. Of course, I was in the locker room at half time so I couldn't watch.  With our miniature wooden Christmas trees, garlanded with tiny lights, we has a very Christmasy evening.
We ate dinner around 7:00 and watched the last two episodes of HBO's DIVORCE, with Sarah Jessica Parker.  It has its moments but overall, it is disappointing.  I wonder if it will have a second season.

We ended the evening watching another VICE news but we are beginning to realize that though its quite different from the 6:30 news, it's also very depressing, as it looks at all that's wrong with much of the world, not just the U.S.

And The Sun Also Shines

7:39

7:46

7:57

It's 8:20 and I am listening to MSNBC replay the Turkish attack on the Russian Ambassador.  Tragic like what happened in Berlin. And the American Embassy in Ankara was also attacked by a militant brandishing a shot gun this morning.  Fortunately, no one was hurt.  And yet, here on the lake, it's a beautiful morning, only the news mars the day.  It's a chilly 9º and it may get up to double digits later in the day.  But we may have some sun for the next couple of days. And it's about time winter begins, as the winter solstice is tomorrow.

8:48

Yesterday was another cold, gray day here at Chautauqua.  It's nice to be able to stay warm and cozy in our living room.  I am getting better everyday, coughing less and gaining more strength.  It's going to take some time before I get my mojo back but I am optimistic.  So my day was mostly relaxing, occasionally doing some dishes, watching lots of TV, heating up my lunch or taking a nap.

9:03

Evie, however, drove off to Lakewood to get some things done, stopping at Wegman's to pick up a few things.  Neither of us were sure what to have for dinner, as nothing sounded good.  We finally settled on meatloaf so she picked up some ground round and Lipton's onion soup mix.  We both like the old tried and true meatloaf from our childhood none of these modern meatloafs with vegetables or other bizarro ingredients.  So she was gone for a couple of hours and luckily, the roads were fine and it did not snow.  She also picked up another bird feeder to feed her newest obsession,  but once we hung it, we decided it was not the right size so it's going back.

Evie put together the meatloaf, cleaned the brussel sprouts and put the potatoes in the oven around 5:00 and we both then were able to sit down and enjoy dusk with a glass of wine.  It felt good to feel good again.  Dinner was great, nothing like meatloaf and ketchup, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, braised and tasty brussel sprouts and a salad.  And best of all, we have enough meatloaf left for sandwiches and a dinner.  We watched another episode of HBO's THE AFFAIR and it seems like all our favorite series are hitting low spots.  Too much dialogue, not enough action.  We ended the night with Vice news, some junk TV before going up to bed.

Gale Warning

Those Were The Days...Summer, 1975

8:04

It's another solemn morning on the lake, no bird calls, no action on the lake, as we wait for winds of 35 knots and waves of 10-13 feet.  I think the weather gods are talking about Lake Erie, not Chautauqua Lake since it's frozen at the moment.  It looks like the snow has abated for a couple of days and if we do get precipitation, it will likely be rain.  Snow is not predicted until Thursday.  I was up around 7:20, Evie a short time later and we both had pretty good nights of sleep.  My codeine laced cough syrup does a good job.

Sunday was Sunday for us except for our not taking a walk around the Chautauqua Institution.  We had a relaxing morning, listening to the news, sipping coffee, wondering what to do with our days. Evie got out our trackers for her boots so she could safely walk outside, get our paper, and move our car.  It was so icy, so dangerous that neither of us ventured out again.  I did about 20 minutes of yoga which made me feel good that I at least have done something physical for the first time in a week. We had our big breakfast, eggs, bacon and bagels and watched CBS Sunday morning.  What a great show, so interesting, eclectic in topics and we were wowed by a choir director in Columbus who leads choirs all over the city but also in the Marysville Woman's prison. He's magnetic and selfless, pulling together people of all cultures and faiths into a harmonious whole, a great episode.  And best of all, there was nary a mention of Trump or politics.  For an hour, we were transfixed into a world of wonder.

I spent the afternoon watching football even though I had little interest in the teams.  If it's on TV, I watch it until I fall asleep.  While I was watching football or sleeping, Evie was busy, unable to just sit down and relax.  She put together our Indian dinner, then started organizing a closet that has bothered her, not me obviously.  And it's been strange not having any neighbors up the past two weekends.  We really are isolated and alone, or so it seems because our only sighting of others is the paper boy or Shane, who plows our road.  Other than those two, we have not seen a soul.

Dinner was good, as we really like the Marsala sauce from Trader Joe's, which we add to the chicken, mushrooms, and broccoli and we have a tasty dinner.  We watched an old movie, sort of a mistake because it seemed dated and slow, THE VERDICT, with Paul Newman.  It was predictable and overacted, like many of the films from the early 1980's.  But it passed the time until we could, in good conscience, think about going up to bed.

Winter Wonderland Turns Nasty

8:04

Long Point In December

 I was up just before 7:00, thinking that I was hearing a snow plow clearing the road.  But when I looked outside my window, I did not see anything.  Must have imagined it.  The weather has turned in the last 24 hours, warming up, melting some of the roads and driveways, water dripping from the roofs, packing down the snow drifts.  And, of course, the temperature is dropping as I write, turning rain to ice, eventually to more snow. Ah Chautauqua weather.  Why can't you make up your mind. We looked out to see if the paper was here and our stoop is pure ice.

Female Cardinal 

Yesterday was a lazy day for me, even though I think I am over the hump, feeling much better, with only an annoying cough left to bother me.  We did make it to the Transfer Station in one trip,  two trash cans and lots of recyclables.  It actually felt good to get out of the house, to imbibe some cold fresh air although by the time we returned home,  I was ready to hit the couch.  My endurance is not quite what it was 10 days ago.

Here's Looking At You

Buddies

Evie stayed outside for close to an hour, working on our parking area, moving cars around like musical chairs, so that now we are pretty well set for more snow, at least we think we can handle it now.  And the warm weather has helped as some of the areas are beginning to melt.  Unfortunately, in a couple of hours, they will turn to ice, then the snow will come, covering the ice, demanding that we drive carefully.  We are still well stocked, compliments of Evie's bargain hunting and a big freezer.  

I watched quite a bit of basketball yesterday afternoon when I was not napping.  Evie was busy organizing photographs on Google Photo until she got restless and went outside again, shoveling some of the damage done by the snowplow, as the plow always leaves a foot or two wall of snow in front of our car.

For dinner, we were having one of our Turkish favorites, tas kebab, a simple stew of meat, tomato paste, onion and allspice.  It does not sound that good but it is.  It's served  on mashed potatoes and that was our dinner along with cauliflower au gratin.  We finished it off easily, none left for tonight's dinner alas.  We watched a C- film called DOUGH, about a Jewish baker who hires a young African Muslim as his helper.  Obviously complications occur because 'a bad guy' wants to buy the building and turn it into a business complex but all's well that ends well, right.

At 9:00, we then watched the NCAA woman's volleyball finals from Columbus until 11:00, the decided to watch the rest this morning.  Stanford was playing Texas in a couple of amazing matches. And we stopped, watching with Stanford up 2-1.  We were rooting for Texas because our grandson, Mitchell, is at the University of Texas, Austin.

Winter White

7:41

I was up at 6:30, my used to be usual time, so I got up to a chilly house,  59º, so I turned up the heat to a toasty 62º and got out my blanket.  It's 18º outside, may warm up to the high 20's later in the day, with a forecast of a wintry mix.  The lake is not only mostly frozen but now it's a vast whiteness, somewhat hazy at the moment either from snow or fog.  It makes me want to get my cross country skis out of the attic.

Trying To Keeping Warm

I am beginning to feel better, hallelujah, a long time coming.  I still have a persistent cough but I am not as stuffed up, nor do I have headaches.  So the antibiotics seem to be making some progress.  I am not, however, very peppy, preferring to lie around all day, reading watching TV or napping.  But as I start to feel better, this leisure does not sound as tempting, a good sign.  I want to start doing something.  So I looked up yoga for colds and flu so I will do some yoga today, not too much, but enough to get me moving again.

Sparrow On A Rhododendron Branch

And we are going to have an adventure today, a trip, to the Transfer Station, a two mile drive.  We are going have to get up our courage to venture forth into the real world, leave our pod of warmth.  Our trash overfloweth since we have not been to the Transfer Station since before Thanksgiving. We are going to travel together to the Transfer station, a first, kind of romantic really.

Tufted Titmouse Perched

So not much went on yesterday.  Evie relaxed much of the day occasionally photographing the bires at our feeder until she went out, mid afternoon to free out car from being snow bound and though there's a dusting on the mighty Subaru this morning, we should be in good shape.   She was out a good half hour and came in only when the wind started to pick up. While she shoveled, I watched another Wallender, some women's semi final volleyball and read.

Black Capped Chickadee Checking Us Out

After Evie's snow shoveling,  she did not  feel much like making dinner, so it was fine with me if we had chicken and biscuits again.  We watched another Danish film, Adler-Olsen's A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH, a tad too violent and extreme for us, but we stuck with it.  There's a darkness in the Northern European crime novels  (Nesbo, Mankell, Larson, and Indridasonthat that is not apparent in either English or American novelists.  

Posing

It's after 8:00, birds aflutter on the feeder and Evie's still sleeping, lucky gal.

All Quiet On A Frozen Lake

9:03

9:05

I slept until 6:00 when I woke coughing, so I just decided to get up.  I hunkered down in our TV room, watching the news, drinking coffee, reading on my computer, and falling asleep, my modus operandi recently.  It was 8º when I woke and it's now, at 9:00 , a toasty 11º.  Best of all, Evie is still sleeping, something she really needed.

It took me awhile to realize something had changed when I moved to the living room, that the lake froze, all the ducks, swans, and geese have gone.  I assume this is close to a a record setting freeze for the lake.  It looks like it would be great for ice skating since there's little snow on its smooth surface but it's no doubt too thin.  And even the sun has been trying to break through  the clouds, making it almost a sunny morning despite the mostly gray sky.

The best part of yesterday was Evie's chicken and biscuits for dinner.  It took quite a bit of time to put together (because of a few missteps) but it was worth it.  Other than that, the day was the same as the past few, laying around the house, coughing, napping, reading, taking pills, occasionally having a cup of tea or juice, or some breakfast or lunch.  It snowed on and off and was bitterly cold so Evie smartly did not venture outside to clear off our drive way.  That can wait.

I did find myself enjoying a couple of episodes of Wallander, the Swedish version, and I really like the detective's gentle character.  I am looking forward to watching more today.

Long Point, Mid Afternoon

Nothing much happened otherwise. Evie kept busy somehow, probably taking care of me and making my breakfasts and lunches and dinner.  Fortunately, she seems to have gotten over most of her pneumonia but she has to take it easy and not push herself.

After our great dinner we watched the last episode of RECTIFY, a bit too saccharin for both us, but who is going to argue with a happy ending.  And we watched Designated Survivor which ended on an assassination attempt on the President but we won't know if he survived (I am sure he did) until March when the series continues.  I was ready for bed at 10:00 but Evie stayed up for another hour going down memory lane looking at old photos on our recently installed iGoogle.