visitors and a bit of work

We continue to enjoy friends and family visits.

Cousin Bill and his wife Patty

Cindy and Norm K

We continue to stress our friendly and patient post office employees with numerous packages.    Now that we're in one spot for awhile we've both been ordering things we have held off on while on the road these past few years.

Dave bought a new grill and he's getting the hang of it.   Last weekend he grilled with overhead entertainment provided by Geneseo's National Warplane Museum.
The burgers were only slightly overcooked, it was hard to keep his attention focused you know.

We bought a new kayak and returned Lisa's with our thanks.   Dave slips away often for a quiet glide along the lake's shoreline.

Nina and Paul et al have brought "the beast" and settled into Beluga's driveway spot for a few weeks.   Both motorhomes fit nicely in the driveway and it's so pleasant to visit with them on a relaxed schedule.   We haven't seen them for a year so we have lots to catch up on.

Our buddy sites with a view

everyone likes sitting in the ivy, even Taggart

Lewis is enjoying his visitors enormously (they've come specifically to see him, haven't they?) and it's fun to see how he and Polly relate to each other as adults.  They play a bit but mostly just walk around and sniff things together. Occasionally they lift their heads and bark (in unison) at nothing in particular.      Mostly Lewis wants to go inside the beast.   It has kitties.

In their younger days they were insane, playing and romping and running together.    They kept us in stitches!

in Quartzsite, Polly would wait outside Beluga until Lewis noticed her and came out to play

Nina had their attention at White Water Draw

they used to be darn hard to photograph, just a black blur...

Sometimes Polly will come into the cottage on her own, if I leave the door open.  She knows where the treats are and enjoys receiving them but politely waits until someone notices her.

She also enjoys her daily swims.   When Paul swims, she races him.  He lets her win, she likes that.

he's gaining on her!

Lewis participates by flying along on the dock next to them, or encouraging from the shore.    Different strokes for different folks.

Dave and Paul have kept busy working on their mobile homes.   Dave really has a great time with Paul and they get lots of work done together.   Later on I think they'll find some time to play some golf.

this day they're taking Beluga's washer out and tomorrow the refrigerator goes, oh dear....

Dave and Paul kindly allow Lewis to help

Thursday night we had a good dinner at the Rabbit Room and have shared second cup and happy hours together most every day.

Life is good when friends visit.

relaxing and entertaining

Most of the work around here is finished.   We've been continuing the entertaining and visiting part of our stay.   Sometimes I remember to take pictures, sometimes I completely forget.   I'm not as good photographing people as I am "things" - and Lewis of course.

He wanted that floating stick soooo bad,   Well, not bad enough to swim out for it.

After the busy time of Jesse and Erin's visit and the Lake of Fire we all spent a bit of time resting and recharging.

they're not resting...the ball is under the dresser and they're discussing the
best way to retrieve it.

Dave took a few hours to enjoy a few of the floating things we have managed to accumulate this summer.  

we borrowed Lisa's kayak

It makes Lewis very nervous when we go for a swim.   That translates into a screaming poodle following as far as he feels he can and then racing up and down the dock trying to "save" us.    Its funny at first, but wears thin quickly.

come back!

We ran errands, had lunches at some of our favorite restaurants and began to order things for some Beluga upgrades.   Before we went refrigerator (Beluga) shopping we ate at our favorite Greek restaurant, Olives, and then walked across the parking lot to browse in one of Dave's favorite stores, Pittsford Lumber.

He so much loves walking the rows of exotic woods, running his hands down the different grains, inhaling their fragrance, remembering his time at the School for American Craftsmen at R.I.T., chafing under the hand of Wendell Castle.   He loves looking at the racks and shelves of woodworking tools, antique and state of the art.

isn't nature beautiful!

Dave did spend a little time cutting up some of the left over bonfire wood into pieces that would fit the chiminea.   He had some nice oak skids in the pile and they make a hot and long lasting fire.

We had a bit of excitement the other night when our friend Barb came for an overnight visit (keep your comments to yourselves.....)  We were sitting by the fire, enjoying moon rise on one of our rare clear nights.

The chiminea was burning merrily, hotly, and we noticed smoke coming from behind it.    Dave told me that the spot I had chosen to locate the chiminea wasn't a good one.   It was too close to the deck railing post and probably would cause it to burn.    What does he know!   We had a few fires in it previously and all was well, he was just overthinking it.

Soon the smoke became a bit more obvious and when we looked behind the chiminea we saw that the post was, indeed, catching fire.    Mea Culpa Dave, you were right, I was wrong.  It was probably due to the hard oak burning so hot, but his prophecy had come true regardless.   We will be moving it this week.

Barb and I enjoyed the rest of the evening by the fire and Dave stood behind it with my sprinkling can, pouring water on the post in between sips of wine.   What would we do without him.


Wednesday night we had a great four hour dinner with a lovely couple who are considering getting "on the road" in their motor home after retirement.   They are acquaintances of our dear friend Tom and he suggested they call us to talk about our experiences.    They did and we did and we are happy to have two new friends in this wonderful traveling community.   No pictures, sorry.


Last night Don and Carol came down for dinner.   The weather didn't cooperate and allow us to eat outside, but we did manage to get a decent happy hour in under Beluga's awning.

That's pretty much all for now!

Happy visit and fireworks

Jesse and Erin arrived last Friday - in the wee hours of Saturday actually - and we've all had a very busy weekend.    They were returning from a much needed, very perfect vacation to Costa Rica and topped it off with a good visit and some dandy fireworks.

The weather has been very unsettled since we arrived home.   We've seen periods of rain most every day and often during the most inconvenient times....i.e. second cup, happy hour or dinner time.

You've seen plenty of pictures of our lake and dock in the rain.....here are a few more.   So you'll appreciate your nice weather.

our umbrella couldn't keep up with the rain

at least the leaves looked pretty and shiny in the rain

On Saturday Jesse and Erin drove in to Rochester for a visit with Erin's brother, sister-in-law and their three kids.   It rained.

They came back in time for dinner and we were able to actually eat outside, the water works had turned off and the sun came out to dry off the chairs and table!

Erin helps prep

Earlier in the week we bought an assortment of sausages from a new butcher shop in the city.    We were looking forward to a taste test of fresh bratwurst, chorizo, rapini sausage, parsley and Parmesan, kielbasa and a link of Korean sausage.   Mmmmm.     We settled on a clever method of keeping track of which was which and out to the grill they went.

aren't they beautiful?

Best laid plans.    The temperature of our grill evidently doesn't go low enough for the sausage's liking and they rebelled by promptly splitting open and setting a merry fire.    Jesse whisked them into a frying pan and finished them on the stove at a more agreeable temperature but they never really recovered.    We lost our organization and didn't know which one we were eating.   They tasted good, but definitely didn't look their best.

.  
Sunday we all drove up to the big lake (Lake Ontario) for a short visit to Dave's brother and sister-in-law Mike and Arline.    Jesse spend a good amount of time working with Mike when he was young and they hadn't met Erin yet.    The rain held off once more.

We drove home along route 104 to show Erin all the cobblestone homes along that route.   Hurd Orchards was on our way so we stopped to buy some strawberries, cherries and a couple loaves of their sweet bread (strawberry and cherry almond).     Hurd is a lovely little place owned by two sisters.   They have many varieties of fruit trees, flowers (dried and fresh), fresh baked goods, flavored vinegars, fresh produce, jams, jellies, canned fruits, lovely linens, etc. and a large rustic barn for lunches and weddings.

Jesse couldn't wait to eat his strawberry bread -
so he didn't wait......

Again, the rain held off and we were able to eat outside and enjoy dessert and wine in front of the little chimminea.

"faces"

Monday morning (July 3) we all got busy hanging up lanterns, icing the wine and beer, inflating the zodiac, picking up the pulled pork, setting up chairs, putting the finishing touches on the bonfire, tweeking the dock, etc. etc., you get the picture.   Guests arrived at dinner time.

Lewis tried his best to help but a large, floating stick kept distracting him.

I "encouraged" him to swim out and get it eventually so he could keep his mind on his work.

Our guests began to arrive around 6, the bonfire started just before dark, fireworks all around the lake began shortly thereafter and the ring of red flares were set off at promptly 10 p.m.    Another great Lake of Fire celebration.    We were so happy to have Jesse and Erin with us this year.

Jesse relates to Tracy (his first babysitter) on an adult level
Dave and Barb chat
Fabulous Fred eats

Hi Fred, we see you up there!

Jonathan, one of Jesse's oldest friends, stopped by with his girlfriend

Steven (from next door's party) walked over with his wonderfully industrious daughter

Natalie kept very busy organizing the driveway stones on Beluga's steps

Dave's bonfire
not as enormous as some year's, but respectable nonetheless

Jesse lights the flares

Jesse and Erin enjoy the fireworks from the dock

Jesse and Erin left on the 4th of July but before they did a few more friends dropped by to say hello.    I didn't get a picture of them all.......

Lewis was exhausted from his busy weekend.   He found smiling and entertaining exhausting.    He slept in the ivy.