Friends, part 1

Summer at the lake is a time for visiting with friends, old and new.   Summer has begun!

Laurel gives her driver parking instructions

Laurel and Eric arrived last Thursday for a short weekend visit.  Their time with us went by much to quickly.

The weather was less than stellar - rain, rain, rain.   Thursday night we had a good dinner at the Rabbit Room.    We ate and drank and enjoyed the meal and ourselves.   After dinner we went upstairs and looked at a small art exhibit before heading home and calling it a night.

Dave explains the finer points of encaustic painting to Eric

We had made outdoor plans for the next day, Friday, and the weather guessers didn't hold out much hope for a rain free day.    Being basically optimistic folks we all just put our heads down and forged ahead, assuming all would be dry.

While Laurel took care of some phone business in their trailer Dave, Eric and I sat outside and had our second cup together.   It was cloudy but warm enough and we decided that we would ignore the clouds.

Sunny Sucker Hole!

It worked!    A large. blue sucker hole opened above us and our beverages were consumed in beautiful, warm sunshine!

Laurel joined us shortly thereafter and we firmed our plans for the day.   Around 11:30 we piled into the Jeep and headed into a small suburb of Rochester, Pittsford, and lunch on the patio at Olives Restaurant.    No pictures.

After lunch we walked across the street and strolled along the Erie Canal to board a historic packet boat for our Canal tour.    These boats were originally used to carry bulk goods and passengers along the Canal's route.

Dave expertly fends off a Golden Retriever attack

Oh Dave.....Oh Eric

We boarded and claimed the best seats on the boat, but quickly left them to sit up front in the open bow, in the sunshine.  Cool, windy, but sunny!

outside for an up close look at the Lock mechanics

"Low bridge, everybody down, low bridge for we're comin to a town"
You know how that song goes don't you?

We went through one of the two locks located in the Rochester area, lock 32.

entering Lock 32

The Canal's hand dug construction took approximately 8 years to complete and was opened in 1825 to create a navigable route between New York City and the Great Lakes.    It runs over 360 miles from where Buffalo, NY meets Lake Erie to where Albany meets the Hudson River.   There is an elevation difference of about 565 feet across the state, necessitating the building and use of 34 Locks.

A lock is basically a large tank with huge doors on both ends.  A boat enters, the doors on both ends are closed, the water inside is filled or lowered depending on which way a boat needs to travel and then the doors at the proper end are opened and you're on your way.

another boat inside the lock as we enter

the gates close us in

out the other side to continue our cruise

After our Canal boat ride we took the long way home to enjoy the rest of the day lakeside. Once there we made our dinner out of assorted munchies (who's hungry after a big lunch out) and decided to cap the day off with a short boat ride around the lake.  Two boat rides in one day sounds pretty good to me!   The sun was setting and the wind was still howling but we knew it would be our only opportunity since rain was in the forecast for Saturday.   sigh

Despite his best efforts to keep Laurel warm, Lewis suggested we cut the tour short and tie up back at the dock before it got too dark and cold.   I know he was probably just scared to be out on the lake at night, but we humored him and concluded our ride just in time.

Our last day together was, as predicted, rainy and cool.   What to do?   Laundry, watch golf, laugh, eat and drink of course!

Lewis leads the way to the laundryroom

Happy Hour inside with Golfing entertainments

Our guests made the most scrumptious shrimp and grits you've ever eaten!

a few bottles may or may not have disappeared

Oh, and perhaps a little time to help a friend......

Laurel helps Lew retrieve his ball from under the dresser.....she threw it there.
Now, that's a good friend.

Our time absolutely flew by and before we knew it Sunday arrived and it was time for them to continue their travels.     Perhaps we'll run across them again along the east coast this fall???