Gray Early, Sunny Now

Congratulations To Our Grandson Nick, On His Graduation From The University Of Arkansas

7:27

8:01

8:04

It's 7:50 and Evie and I are up, listening to NPR talk about Christmas lights in certain Buffalo neighborhoods.  They seem to be a dearth of lights in this area and nothing we have seen over the years compares with some Dallas neighborhoods. 

Long Point

Victoria/Wells Bay

Monday was back to yoga with a new teacher, who just moved to the area from California.  Go figure.  The class was more like restorative but that was fine with me.  After class, I stopped for a coffee, dropped off some returns to Amazon, hit the liquor store, then Wegman's.  It seems we need to shop almost every day during the holidays.  I ended up getting my car washed, waiting in line as many seemed to have the same idea.

Monday At Noon

It was a beautiful morning when I returned, the sky and lake blue, the lake frozen, and our neighbors were back out skating, enjoying the sun, Evie was making more Buffalo chicken eggrolls using phyllo dough this time instead of egg roll wrappers.  I had a couple for lunch with the last of my white beans stew and I think I like them better than with the wrappers.  I watched Season Two of Peaky Blinders, finished my Michael Connelly novel and napped.  After my nap, we went upstairs and worked on getting the bedrooms ready for our granddaughters and rearranged the attic some, always a mess. 

Skating On Thin Ice

We then took it easy before dinner, either reading or watching some TV.  Evie had put together our dinner earlier, chicken, mushrooms and a masala simmer sauce.  With rice, we had an Indian dinner, topped with yogurt of course.  And we decided to rewatch the movie Spotlight, about the Boston Globe uncovering of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.  It reminded us how most institutions will lie, intimidate, lean on victims to avoid the truth.  This, of course, includes Congress and the Presidency.  It's depressing but highlights the need for journalists, their quest to find the truth, or as the Washinton Post motto suggests, "Democracy Dies In Darkness."  Right now, there's too much darkness. 

Clear, Cold, And Sunny

7:28

8:16

It's 7:50, Evie just got up but I have been up since 6:30.  The sun is peeking out from behind the trees to the south, will rise in five minutes or so. The lake is a patchwork of smooth and choppy ice and most likely, we will begin the big melt over the next couple of days as it warms up.

Yesterday began with sun and clear skies but clouded up during the afternoon.  So we had a morning to enjoy, having coffee, writing the blog, in no hurry because we had nothing we had to do. We were sitting in the living room debating whether to get a faux Xmas tree.  So we decided to call a few places, like Home Depot and J.C Penny's.  Penny's had one for eight hundred dollars so we decided on Home Depot's eighty-nine dollar tree with lights and drove off to pick it up.  It looked good so we bought it, then did more grocery shopping at Wegman's before getting home, an expensive Sunday morning jaunt. 

Bestor Plaza

By 11:00, however, we decided it was too nice out to sit in the house so we drove over to the Chautauqua Institution for a walk, a good choice.  The road was decent, some ice but mostly safe and we enjoyed the snow on the houses, the trees and bushes, so different from the fall.  We were out for just short of an hour and we were surprised to see the action in Bestor Plaza, as many were gathered to enjoy the food trucks, the reindeer, the tent with princesses.  We were tempted by the tacos but decided we would prefer our big breakfast at home. 

A Gathering At The CI

A Well Lit Dining Tent

Sunny At Noon

We were home by 12:30 and were shocked to see our neighbors, John and Maryanne, and their grown kids out on the ice skating with abandon, past our house, down to the reeds. They even had chairs out on the ice to enjoy the afternoon.  We were jealous, tempted to join them, but smart enough to just stay in the house, and keep the skates in the attic.  Evie, then, got busy in the kitchen, fried up a couple of eggs and bacon, toasted a bagel and we had our usual Sunday breakfast and watched CBS Sunday Morning, always excellent and informative. 

Neighbors Enjoying The Frozen Lake

Ice Skating With Poles

The rest of the afternoon was one of rest for me, of making more appetizers for Evie, our new favorite, Buffalo chicken eggrolls.  They are time-consuming to make but much quicker if you use a couple of rotisserie chickens.  I watched the Browns boot away another game, occasionally helped Evie by cleaning up the dishes.  By 4:00, all was finished,  both the Browns and the egg rolls, ready to freeze.

We then began the fairly easy task of setting up our fake Christmas tree.  It went together pretty well although it looked scrawnier then it did at Home Depot.  And the lights were a bit of a mystery, with five choices on the remote.  Yep, our tree has a remote.  Finally, Evie figured out the remote and we tweaked the branches so the tree looks decent in the dark with lights on.  This morning, however, wit with the sun out, I can see right through it to the lake.  I guess I should have gotten the eight hundred dollar tree.

We ate dinner at 6:30, after enjoying a glass of wine and looking at our tree, listening to Christmas carols by assorted artists, from old favorites like Perry Como to more recent folks like Mariah Carey.  Dinner was the leftover Greek lemon chicken with rice, a salad, and brussel sprouts.  We watched a decent SNL, then a couple of episodes of Mrs. Fletcher before going to bed.  It turned out to be a pretty good Sunday,

A Sunny Winter Sunday

Hiking Tom's Point

7:37

7:59

9:09

It's 8:40 and Evie and I are both up now.  I actually slept in until 7:30, in time to watch the sunrise and hear voices when I walked out on the porch to take a photograph.  I looked around, saw no one then realized it was fishing guys gabbing on the ice off of Long Point, the first of the year.

First Of The Year

Yesterday was cold and overcast when we woke up but around 10:30, it cleared up and we had blue skies much of the day.  We had our usual Saturday morning, writing the blog, breakfast, then doing a quick clean up, gathering the trash and off to the Transfer Station.  By the time I returned, the sky was blue, the sun was out and I suggested we take a walkout to Tom's Point.  Evie agreed and we were on our way to Tom's Point State Park, the entrance just behind Hogans Hut.

Not An Easy Hike

Bridge From Tom's Point

We had to step through the two-foot berm of snow and started our hike, hoping it would get easier.  It didn't.  We more or less had to blaze a trail through 8 -10 inches of snow, an onerous workout, one neither of us much enjoyed but we stuck with it to the tip of Tom's Point and back, just under two miles and it took us over an hour. We were both happy to get it over with and get back to our warm house and couch. At least we did it.

Tip Of Tom's Point

The Trail

Evie had leftover filling from her stuffed shells, so she heated up some pasta, added the creamed spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella, and I had a restaurant-quality lunch. I finished Season One of Peaky Blinders and am ready for Season Two.  Because I was up so early, ar 5:00, I took a great nap, falling asleep while reading my novel.  I was up by 3:30, in time to sit down and watch the Bills/Patriots game, a bore for the most part, with the Bills almost pulling it out at the end.

Around 5:00, we pulled out the wine, poured a couple of glasses and Evie started dinner, one of our favorites, lemon chicken with rice, broccoli, and a salad.  We sat down to eat at 7:00, watched a Colbert, then the finals of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.  Stanford was clearly the best team and easily disposed of Wisconsin.  It was fun to watch and the kills and digs continue to amaze any spectator.  These girls are so good.  We went up to bed happy with our day, a walk, great dinner, and volleyball but mostly, no Trump.

Winter Solstice, Finally

Woodlawn, Friday Afternoon

8:05

Well, it's been a long morning since I have been up since 5:00.  It's now 8:15 as I start this.  I have read both the NYTimes and Washington Post, listened to a podcast discussing The Morning
Show and wondered why someone was using a chainsaw at 5:30 in the morning over towards Tom's Point? The lake is frozen although not thick enough yet for any fishermen.  The geese are gone from in front of our house although I could hear them honking over towards Tom's Point.  It's still cold out there, 18º, with a gray-blue morning sky.

Yesterday was cold, mostly cloudy until mid-afternoon, with no snowfall.  I had a busy morning, with yoga at 9:30, a doctor's appointment in Jamestown at 11:00, then shopping at Aldi's on the way home.  I was in and out at doctor's office, the same at Aldi's, so I was home by 12:15 to a kitchen that looked like a disaster.  Evie had been busy making appetizers for the next week and had four or five trays out on the porch ready to freeze.  She is amazing, as I play, she bakes and cooks.

After helping some with the kitchen, I had lunch, the leftover rice, and stir fry and watched my show.   I was happy to get back to the newest Michael Connelly thriller, with Bosch, perfect for a pre-nap read.  By 2:30, Evie was ready to relax, the living room finished, the appetizers and soup made, all ready to freeze for next week.

Blue Skies Through The Trees

Around 4:00, I pushed myself off the couch and donned hiking boots and went for a forty-five-minute walk through the Woodlawn/Victoria woods.  Although I would have preferred to stay on the couch, I always feel better after my hike. The woods were filled with tracks, from deer, rabbits, squirrels, perhaps a coyote or fox.

 A Path Well Travelled

Victoria Creek At Dusk

By 6:00, we were showered, dressed and ready to drive for a fish fry at Rod And Gun Club in Lakewood.  We were lucky to find a parking spot and a place at the bar, a good omen.  We ended up talking with John from the Chautauqua Conservancy.  We were seated quickly because the club was not that busy.  We had Carol, our favorite waitress, ordered fish fries and both were hot and nicely battered.  Looking around, I realized why we like the club.  We feel young there with the average age of most diners would be in their 80s.

We were looking forward to getting home because the final episode of The Morning Show was on Apple TV.  It left the viewer with many questions, obviously, because there will be another season.  Yet is was satisfying too, making us want to go back and watch it again, like reliving a car crash.

Pink Sky Morning And 12º

7:11 

7:58

7:59

It's a spectacular morning here on the frozen lake, a sky that's pink and eventually gives way to light blue, without a cloud in sight.  The sun is still 40 minutes away. And for the last 24 hours in front of our house, we have had a small opening in the frozen lake, filled with Canadian geese, perhaps 50 to a 100 yesterday, maybe 50 this morning.  By the way, tomorrow is the shortest day of the year, the 21st, the winter solstice, the longest night.

Canadian Geese This Morning

Yesterday was back to normal, with our new furniture and carpet, no waiting for the guys.  The day began with the blog, then breakfast with the guys at the Bemus Point Inn, a good way to start the day although it does make my morning hectic if I want to go to yoga.  After yoga, I got back into my routine and went to Wegmans, to begin our shopping for the holidays when our daughter Jill's family arrives.  Evie wants to have some of their favorite foods made so she can enjoy doing things with our granddaughters rather than worry about cooking.  So I filled up my shopping cart, emptied my bank account and headed home.  Evie was busy all morning working on a deep cleaning of our living room, dusty from the ripping out of our old carpet, putting in the new one. It's quite a task and she was at it until 4:30 when she was finished.  I cannot say I was much help, sitting on the couch having lunch, watching my show, then taking a nap feeling guilty. 

Geese Hunkering Down

A Huddle Of Geese

I did help out some after my nap and made dinner which was a help.  It was a recipe I found on the web for cabbage and ground beef with Asian flavors, soy, ginger, Siracha, and garlic.  Once that was done, the rice cooked, we both relaxed in our new living room and celebrated with Manhattans and a great cheese. 

Our New Furniture And Capet

It was a nice way to end the day and initiate our new couch and loveseat.  The stir fry was actually pretty good although I had my doubts and we have just enough leftover for my lunch today.  We watched a couple of Colberts, maybe 15 minutes of the debate before going up to bed, tired but happy with our week of change. 

14º And A Partialy Frozen Lake

Christmas Gathering At Barb And Jim's

7:36

It's just after 7:00 as I start this, having slept in some.  The coffee is brewing and dawn is just beginning as I am able to make out the whiteness of our yard, the gray lake and sky.  And it's as cold as its ever been this fall, the lake mostly frozen.

Swans Still A Swimming

Yesterday was cold and snowy and we loved it.  The only hitch, having to clean off my car before yoga but it was not too bad.  Evie was excited because we were getting our furniture, so she was up early, beginning her deep cleaning of our living room, getting it ready for the couch and loveseat.  I drove to yoga at 9:30, a class with lots of different poses so it was fun.  Afterward, I stopped at the hardware to pick up bags for our Shopvac, then at Save A Lot for some cabbage and ground beef for an Asian dinner either tonight or tomorrow.  I don't know how the store makes it because there are rarely people waiting at the checkout line.

I could not wait to get home and see the furniture.  I was not disappointed, in fact, I like the couches and loveseat even more than I thought.  It is always scary to pick out material with only a swatch but this time, it worked out.  Evie loves it, too, so we are both excited but also relieved because both the carpet and furniture met our hopes.  I had lunch, a bagel, and white beans and watched my show and took a brief nap, 

Meanwhile, Evie kept busy with the living room, wiping down the walls, polishing the wood trim around the windows, getting the house ready for the holidays.  Around 3:00, she took a brief hiatus but then began the onerous task of making Turkish boreks, with feta cheese and parsley filled phyllo dough triangles.  It's a time-consuming and delicate process as the phyllo dough easily tears.  We were going to a neighbor's home for a gathering and everyone was bringing an appetizer, I suggested boreks, one of our favorite Turkish appetizers, difficult to make but tasty.

Santa And Me

At 5:00 we walked down five houses, carrying the boreks, a bottle of wine, and our indoor shoes.  It was cold, snow falling, perfect weather for a party. There were eleven of us, all locals, enjoying a table filled with great appetizers and each other.  We don't get to see one another as much as we would like, especially in summer when we are busy with family so it was really fun.  We stayed till 9:30 and left full and happy, a really fun night at Barb and Jim's.

9:56 PM

A Few Inches Of Snow Overnight, More To Come

8:38

It's still pitch black here at 7:00, a chilly 23º.  and on this historic day, the vote on whether to impeach the President will take place.  Hypocrites will be lining up to vote.  I sit here waiting for the light, hoping it will come soon.

Yesterday was a bizarre day, funny in retrospect although, at times, it was maddening.  I was up and out early because I had an appointment with my dermatologist in Jamestown at 9:15, leaving Evie at home, waiting for the carpet installers.  We were supposed to get our carpet from Home Depot a month ago but the carpet and rooms measurements were flawed and wrong so we had to wait for another carpet to be sent from the South.  The guys arrived to install the carpet just as Evie received a phone call from Home Depot telling her that the measurements for our den were incorrect once again so that they would not be able to carpet our den.  The guys were flummoxed and apologetic, unlike Home Depot who only seemed to want to assess blame and showed no sympathy for us, with a screwed up installation once again. 

The guys got busy, moving furniture, and happily put our old couch and loveseat on the back porch because Helping Hands was coming to pick our donation. About 10:00, when they were supposed to arrive, Evie received another phone call, this time from Helping Hands, telling her that their driver had not shown up so they might not be able to pick up the furniture.  This, then, was what I arrived home to, no furniture pick up, a carpet installation only partially being done.  At this point, all Evie could do was a laugh. I had my lunch, warmed up pizza, sitting in the kitchen with Evie because there was nowhere else to sit because our furniture was stacked in order to lay the carpet.

When all was said and done, the furniture was eventually picked up and we love the carpet, both downstairs, and the upstairs hall and steps.  By 3:00, the carpet was down except for our den and our couch and loveseat were gone. After everything was finished, Evie got busy cleaning the corner of the downstairs where are new couch and loveseat, which supposedly will be arriving this morning, will go.  I started bringing downstairs many of the things we took upstairs and we hope by this evening, our downstair will be back in order.

Fortunately, Linda and Ron called earlier in the day to see if we wanted to go to the Seezurh House for dinner.  It made for an easy night for Evie after a nerve-racking day.  She did not have to worry about dinner, just enjoy the late afternoon before we were picked up at 6:30.  The Seezurh House was practically empty, just us and one other table, depressing because we don't want to see this place closed.  It's been our go-to destination for a beer and burger for thirty-eight years.  Three of us had beers and burgers (Evie grilled chicken sandwich, her go to), the best around in our estimation. We talked about our preparations for the holidays, our families,  avoiding politics for once. We were home by 8:30, in time to watch a couple of Colbert's and part of an SNL before going up to bed.