Eleven Below, Clear Skies, Little Snow Overnight

7:15

8:00

Up at 6:00 to a record low outside, nice and cozy inside however, as we have turned up the heat to a toasty 63ª, thinking we want to keep the crawl space warmer than usual because of the cold.  We still are on a lake effect snow alert but most of heavy snow seems to be in Erie County, the Buffalo area, or east of that city.

Because of yesterday's cold and snow, we hoped to stay in most of the day.  Evie's cough, however, has not improved much so we decided to see the doctor in Mayville, just in case there's a problem.  Of course, it was snowing quite hard when we went, typical, so I dropped her off to the avoid the always unhealthy doctor's office, I went to the reopened diner in Mayville, Bonar's, for a coffee and bagel. Evie called about an hour later to come and get her, after breathing therapy.  The doctor suggested the antibiotics had not worked, gave her another prescription and wanted a chest X ray.  So, off we went to Westfield, in blinding snow around 11:00.  Fortunately, the hospital was practically empty and we were in and out in about 15 minutes.  The ride home was not bad, as the snow had abated and if you took your time, it was not a problem.  I was passed only once!

We had soup for lunch, what else, watched the previous night's The Good Wife, and relaxed the rest of the afternoon, afraid to go outside as the temperatures were dropping to zero.  About 4:30, the doctor's office called to say 'there were no broken bones.'  Evie tried to tell the nurse that's not what the Xray's were for, but got no where.  So she emailed the doctor, got a reply about a half hour later to say she her lungs were clear (good news), it was not pneumonia as he thought, but a bad case of bronchitis, and to stay on the same drugs.  Some relief, I suppose, that it's not pneumonia but the experience does not give us a lot of confidence in the Health Center.

Around 4:30, I took the garbage out to the garage, to see what it was like to be outside, and stayed out long enough to shovel the parking area.  The cold was not bad unless the wind gusted, then it was bitterly cold, sending me inside. This cold wind did not deter the intrepid ice fishermen, as we watched some hike out to mid lake around 4:30, not returning until it was dark, around 6:30.

Chautauqua Ice Fishing Fanatics at Dusk

For dinner, Evie put together one of my father's favorite dinners because it had hominy in it, Santa Fe chicken, a stew like dish with chicken thighs, green chilies, bottled green chile sauce, and hominy.  On rice with a salad, we had a dinner to keeps us warm on a very cold night.  We watched a fairly new movie recommended by critics as one of the year's forgotten 'best movies,' called Drinking Buddies.  A fairly low budget film, it took place in an original setting, a brewery, much like our local Southern Tier Brewery.  Luke, one of the guys who works in the  brewery becomes good friends with the PR gal, Kate.  Both have significant others though neither is married, but that does not stop them from being friends, going off as couples for a weekend together.  For the entire film, we can sense the attraction the two have for each other and they drink together, go out for dinner, and Luke even helps Kate move into a new apartment when his girl is off in Puerto Rico. Finally, things come to a head when, after moving, Kate wants to go out for a beer with fellow workers, not Luke, angering him because they were supposed to have dinner together. We think that's the end but the film concludes where it began,  with them sitting in the brewery's lunch room, sharing food, joking,  just good friends, both happy with their lives.  Simple yet worth watching.

We went to bed around 11:00 and when I looked outside, I could see the moon, casting its spell though light clouds.

Freezing Rain, Now Snow, Tonight Record Setting Lows

7:30

Sunday Morning at 8:00

It's almost 7:00 and I have been up for forty five minutes, a miserable combination of snow, rain, and ice outside, the roads no doubt treacherous. I hoped to start yoga this morning but if the weather does not abate, I'll wait until Thursday.  At the moment, it's 25º, thus the snow rather than rain which we had much of the night.  It's windy as well, a good day to hunker up, read a book, sip tea and think about summer.  And it's not just cold here at Chautauqua; I checked on the weather in Kansas City where my son lives and it's sunny and clear but eight below zero.  We are supposed to get 3-5 inches of snow tonight, more tomorrow but not a blizzard.

Chautauqua Institution

Prendergast Point from Bell Tower

Yesterday was unseasonably warm, in the 30's but it did not deter the ice fishermen, as groups were on the lake most of the day, not like late January but still, at least ten or fifteen hardy souls, braving the melting ice.  Around 10:00, I decided to walk the CI though Evie still was not up to it.  It was a good time to walk, no rain and comfortable, with my ice stabilizers, so I won't slip, a great invention for old guys like me.  Action is slowing down at the CI, as many residents head to warmer climates after the holidays. After my walk, I drove to Mayville, to Tops, to pick up a few things so we are well prepared for the next two polar days.  And I washed my car at the power wash in Mayville, taking off much of the ice, dirt and grime though by the time I got home, it was dirty again because of the slush and wet snow. When I returned, Evie made a great breakfast, this time eggs with maple glazed bacon from Trader Joe's, a new favorite, thick and great tasting.  Next time we go, we are going to buy four or five packages and freeze it.

From Thunder Bridge

The rest of the day was a loss as I watched too much NFL football though the first game, the Bengals/Chargers, was a bore, so I  just listened to it on the radio as I read.  Around 5:00, I drove into Lakewood, to pick up some Chinese food, as Evie was hankering after some won ton soup and Chinese.  It was a pretty busy place for take out, and I ran into Ian again, a friend from yoga.  So, we sat in our TV room, happily eating our soup, egg rolls, pork and chicken dishes, fair to good I would say, not great.  We were, like much of PBS viewers, patiently waiting for Downton Abbey to begin at 9:00.  Unfortunately, it did not seem up to its past grandeur, as though it may have run its course.  The side stories seemed rather silly, rather forced, as the family struggles with the death of Matthew.  Rotten Tomatoes, the website for reviews of movies and TV usually gave Downton Abbey a 90% or higher...this season, a 60%, about right.  Sad.

Just saw two guys walking out on the lake to fish on this miserable morning...amazing.

Waiting For The Deep Freeze

7:05

7:40

It's almost 7:30 and I have been up an hour, strangely warm outside, around 28º, a slash of light early, now a dawn one might see in Arizona, blue skies, pink clouds off towards Bemus, overcast towards the north.  We might even have rain later today;  tomorrow, the deep freeze takes over, below zero temperatures and some snow.

Yesterday was actually pleasant out, in the 30's much of the day, quite a difference from the below zero temperatures from the day before.  We relaxed much of the morning, enjoying the clear skies, watching the fishermen trot out on the lake, picking out their 'sweet spot.'  Around 10:30, I drove off to the Transfer Station, then shopping,  On the way, I stopped at Ryder's Cup, ran into Ian and Yvonne, acquaintances who had just come from yoga and our Busti friends, Sam and Donna Nelson, who were at the bookstore. After chatting and catching up, I made the mistake of going to Wegmans like much of Lakewood.  The store was packed with shoppers stocking up after a couple of bitterly cold days. Every aisle was a traffic jam, though most were in good spirits and Wegman's had lots of their check out lines open.

Hungry Birds

When I got home, we had lunch, vegetable soup and tuna/egg salad sandwiches.  Evie is still not feeling energetic so we stayed inside most of the afternoon, taking it easy.  Around 3:00,  I had to get outside and do something, so I decided to cross country ski through the campground, an easy hike, with few hills.  It felt good to be out, even though there were a few snowmobiles also riding on the campground roads.  I was out for about an hour, dressed too warm, as usual.

By the way, at the far end of Woodlawn, a huge dumpster, filled with what appeared to be the innards of our neighbors, the Soffel's house.  It was not there a week ago.  Talking with their next door neighbor, I found that there had been extensive water  and mold damage to the house, water having sat for a few days to weeks before it was noticed.  From what they have heard, the entire inside is ruined and will have to redone.  How awful for them.  Fortunately, they have a son who lives nearby and I assume, will be able to help out with the rebuilding.  All of this is second hand so I am not sure  of the accuracy though looking at the dumpster, it sounds right.

Dusk Over Bemus Point

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the NFL game, sympathizing with my son Tom, son in law, Drew, who are avid Kansas City fans, depressed no doubt by the thrilling come behind victory by Indianapolis, a great  game by the way if you are not a Chiefs fan.  It's the first football game I have watched in a week.  For dinner, Evie put together a mushroom and tomato pie, with a corn meal crust (polenta), baked it, and with a salad, with had a nice vegetarian dinner.  We watched bits and pieces of the second NFL game, as well as some other TV before going to bed around 10:30.

Nine Degrees In The Shade---Warming Up

Buddha Boy Says: Let Go

7:30

8:00

Up at 6:30, warmer out than I expected because when I went to bed last night about 10:30, it was 7 below, as cold as I have seen it up here.  It's supposed to get in the 30's the next couple of days then drop precipitously on Tuesday, down to single digits again.  It's a blue sky at this time, 7:41, and a single ice fisherman sits out on the ice, about ten yards beyond the reeds, a hardy guy.  I did walk on the ice yesterday and there was a couple inches of slush, then ice, making it an unpleasant jaunt.

Fishing at 6:30 AM

Yesterday, like many places in both the Midwest and East, was bitterly cold, in the single digits all day long, making any kind of outdoor activity difficult if not dangerous.  We did not venture out in the car for that reason, though we had no need to.  I did shovel the parking area once again, staying out for about fifteen minutes and it did not seem too bad.

Cosy Home

We obviously stayed inside most of the day, another 'do little' day at the lake.  Evie, however, is starting to feel more like herself though she tires quickly if she becomes too ambitious.  She is going to have to go slow, realizing that it's going to take awhile to get her mojo back.  Perhaps we can take a short walk today if it is not too cold.  I expanded my mid afternoon ritual of making a pot of tea by adding hot chocolate to the list of beverages to brighten the afternoon.  I don't know why I never think of making it because it is so good.  Now I have to find the top rated instant chocolate and see if Wegman's carries it.  Decadent!

White Capped Chickadee and Finch

Late afternoon, I ignored the cold and took a brief snow shoe hike through the Victoria woods, bushwhacking my way, walking on the lake as well.  It was bitterly cold, so that I cut my hike short because of it.  I did notice, for the first time, a group of ice fishermen walking out on to the lake in bright orange bibs, near the Victoria stream, but they did not stay long, obviously deciding the ice was not yet ready.

Checking Ice, Later Afternoon Off Of Victoria

For dinner, we had scallops on linguine, a dinner which is fast becoming one of our favorites.  Evie sears them, then makes a sauce with white wine, broth, garlic, parsley and shallots, tossing it with the scallops and linguine.  With a salad, of course, we had another great dinner, perfect for a cold, windy Friday night.  We watched another couple of episodes of Orange Is The New Black, none very interesting from the point of view of character development or story, just some gratuitous violence and sex, at least we thought so.  Still, we stick with it so we must like it.  I am getting pulled in to my new digital book, Wolf Hall, as Cardinal Woolsey had just been relieved of his title, forced to flee to Putney in disgrace with his friend, Thomas Cromwell.  

Less Than Zero (Almost)

7:15

8:00

8:01

8:40

Up at 6:30 to one of the coldest days of our five years retirement here at the lake, zero degrees and dropping, a slight wind, clear sky above, a few low hanging clouds over Bemus.  It does not look as if it's going to get much warmer during the day, the high in the single digits, truly an Arctic day here at the lake.

If you are still in suspense, wondering if I finished The Goldfinch before my digital loan expired yesterday, relax, I finished about 2:30 in the afternoon, an hour before it expired.  Hoo Waa. And I checked to see when the book disappeared from my Kindle, and it happened last night late, not as I thought, at 3:00 in the afternoon.   I loved the book, would recommend it to anyone but not the way I went about reading it, like I was a high school student, having to finish a book last minute before the exam, not fun.

Besides the anxiety of wondering if I would finish the book in time, I was out shoveling our parking space three times, in single digit cold, as it snowed most of the day and each  time I shoveled, another three or four inches had fallen.  Surprisingly, it was not that cold until the last time I was out, around 4:00 PM, when I really noticed the cold air.

Dinner at McClures

Not much else happened during the day.  Evie is feeling better but is still wiped out from her fever and coughs quite a bit both during the day and night.  It's going to take awhile for her to feel chipper again, I fear.  Late afternoon, she revived some, took a shower and we went over to the McClures for dinner though we were worried about how she would feel.  Fortunately, she felt good most of the evening, so we could enjoy their company.  And Linda's dinner, Ina Garten's 1770 House meat loaf, with garlic sauce, mashed potatoes, peas, and salad was just the panacea for Evie.  We had fun catching up with the McClures, who spent Christmas and New Year's at the lake.  Around 8:30, we decided to not press our luck and drove home in near zero weather, few cars on the road fortunately.

We stayed up till 10:00, watched another episode of Orange is the New Black, then went up to bed.  I just started the much acclaimed and celebrated Wolf Hall on my Kindle, so far, so good.  At the moment, the sun is blinding, rising over Wells Bay, a welcome change from the past few days of cloudy mornings.  "Hello Sunshine, My Old Friend, I've Come To Talk With You Again."

Hard to believe this will be the scene in six short months.  Love the seasons!

Arctic Temperatures, Five to Seven More Inches Of Snow

The Glow of Dawn In Winter, 7:25

Up at 6:10 because I remembered we have the last breakfast till spring with the boys over at the Bemus Point Inn at 8:00.  We had another four or five inches of snow last night and more to come, perhaps as much as seven or eight inches during the day.  It's 10º out side, toasty inside with a nice fire in the fire place. This is our fifth winter here at the lake since retiring and it's by far the most snow we have had at this time of the year.  And we have at least two, maybe three months of winter to go.

Linda and Ron, near Thunder Bridge

We both did little yesterday, Evie still not feeling well, me trying to finish my digital book until it disappears from my Kindle today at 3:00.  Yikes, better get reading.  Like the previous four or five days, I spent a good half hour clearing our parking area of snow, as it snowed on and off during the day.  It was in the teens but no wind to speak of so it was pleasant to be outside, a welcome change of scenery from my book and couch.

After a lunch of Evie's vegetable soup, my bread toasted with tuna salad, I drove off to the Chautauqua Institute, to go for a walk with Ron and Linda McClure, who we have not seen for three weeks.  It was a good day for a walk at the CI, lots of snow of course, cold, a few flurries, as we made the loop in a little over an hour. And surprisingly, a group of residents had cleared the ice and were skating on the lake, at the north end. The Mc Clures have been up at the lake for both Christmas and New Year, a change for them but they have loved it, especially the snow.  We hope to go over to their house tonight for a meat loaf and mashed potatoes dinner if Evie feels up to it.  Tomorrow, they head home to PA so it's our last chance to have dinner together for a few weeks.

Skaters at CI Lake front

The rest of the afternoon differed little from the last few days, on my couch, reading, the only exception my shelving my Turkish tea, getting out some Assam tea from India, which I was first introduced to in India, in 1975, when I traveled around the world on Pan Am 1, stopping in India, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii, the Mainland, than back to Istanbul, Turkey.  I still remember being awakened at 6:00 AM in the town of Puri, at the Great  Eastern Railway Hotel, by a servant with a tray with tea, with milk and sweetened by sugar, a lovely way to wake up each morning, as I sipped it on my terrace looking at the Indian Ocean.

View of Indian Ocean From Terrace

Great Eastern Railway Hotel, Puri, India

For dinner, neither of us felt like cooking and we had a couple of pork chops leftover from the previous night, so we heated them up, along with a couple of baked potatoes, added a salad with blue cheese, and we had fine New Year's Day dinner.  We tried a couple of cheesy movies but ended up watching a couple of episodes of the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, not your family series, as it's set in a women's prison.  I had to laugh how much TV has changed since the 1950's when we were growing up, where Leave It To Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show were popular, good, clean family stuff. My parents would be appalled at this show, its violence, vulgarity, and sexuality but we sit here calmly, watching it while eating a pork chop dinner.  What will TV be like in twenty years?  Back to Leave It To Beaver types of shows, a reaction to today's stark, realistic TV?  We would like to be around to see.

A Whimper, Not A Bang

7:45

Up at 7:00 to a snowy wonderland, as everything is white, or appears to be, sky, lake, and snow covered yard.  I can barely make out Long Point, the snow outside 'silent and deep.' I am already thinking about snow shoeing somewhere this morning even if it's 14º out, no problem as long as there's no wind.

Yesterday was another quiet day, as Evie still felt poorly, so we did not do much, mostly read and watched some TV.  I did drive off in a snow storm, to get a coffee at Ryder's Cup, then do some last minute shopping at Wegman's, a madhouse, as half of Jamestown had the same idea, stock up for the New Year.  Cheerios and grapes were the only foods that appealed to Evie, so I picked them up for her, along with some medicine.  And, of course, some goodies for me, cinnamon ice cream, one of my favorites, some hummus, and veggies for our dinner.  Just as I got to Hogans,  a white out occured but fortunately, the road was not busy, and people were driving with great care.

When I got home, Evie had worn herself out making a pot of vegetable soup, so she was resting.  I pulled the bread dough out of the laundry room, where it had been rising for the past eighteen hours, shaped it, popped it into a heated dutch oven, and in less than an hour, I had a  great loaf of bread, at least from the outside.  We will see what it tastes like today.

No Knead Bread

The rest of the afternoon I read, trying to finish The Goldfinch by tomorrow at 3:00 and I still have 40% to go.  I alternated reading with shoveling our parking area, as we must have gotten close to twelve inches of snow yesterday, light and fluffy because of the cold and easy to shovel.  Around 4:45, I pulled on my snowshoes and went bushwhacking, making paths in the snow in the Woodlawn and Victoria woods, great fun.  It reminded me of my childhood when I would go out in the woods behind our house in the winter cold and imagine I was Hawkeye, from The Last of  the Mohicans,  making my way through unknown woods.

Woodlawn at 5:00 PM

Victoria Woods at Dusk

For dinner, we made breaded pork chops, potatoes, salad, and Brussels sprouts, the first meal that Evie has eaten since Sunday.  It tasted good to her, an optimistic sign.  Both of us were in bed by 11:00, me reading, Evie falling into a deep sleep immediately.

Today will be another easy day of reading, watching football for a few minutes, then going back to my book and I either cross country ski or snow shoe, for sure, enjoying the newly fallen snow.  And I hope Evie starts feeling better today.  We have cancelled out New Year's Day dinner with the McClure's, as Evie, understandably, did not feel up to it.