the week

Dave continues to fiddle around with the myriad of jobs he has set for himself.  He enjoys being busy and keeping his skills sharp and, as a result, everything is looking good and working well in the cottage and in Beluga.

under Beluga he goes

His most recent job is replacing Beluga's slide motor, something he's been talking about for awhile now.    It should be a simple job he says, but it hasn't turned out that way.   He has the new motor, but getting the telescoping drive shaft off was another story all together.   It was so rusted that he had to hack saw it off and now begins the journey of finding another one.     To do the job he has been sliding around on the sharp stones under Beluga and consequently has a number of interestingly colored bruises everywhere.   He thinks this is fun!

I have every confidence that he'll prevail and we're not leaving until the end of September so he has plenty of time......

On a more relaxing note, Dave's former business partner and friend, Jerry, offered us the use of one of his boats for the rest of the season (and, if we play our cards right, perhaps next summer also!)  We've been having a ball with it, I didn't realize how much I'd missed our old boat.

what a great boat....thanks Jerry!

Last week our niece Lisa came down, delicious lunch in hand, and spent the afternoon with us.    We boated around the lake, floated in the lake, and had a little happy hour on the dock.   It was really good to spend some quiet time with her.

Dave's cousin, Dianna, and her family rented a cottage three south of us and we enjoyed a bit of time with them also.   One afternoon, when most of the other cousins (her siblings) were still in town after the wedding, they took us all for a laugh filled boat ride.

Cousins from Rochester, Phoenix and Virginia together on the lake

Last Thursday Dave and I drove over to nearby Silver Lake for a hot dog and an ice cream cone and to wander around the classic cars gathered at the Charcoal Corral's Super Cruise Night.    Afterward, we drove around the small lake, a trip down memory lane for Dave.  He spent much of his youth at his Uncle and Aunt's cottage there, boating, waterskiing, and just hanging around with the younger cousins (the ones renting practically next door to us last week).   We love the quaint little boat houses that line part of the East side.

The hot dogs (Sahlen's of course) were good, the ice cream yummy (sponge candy ice cream) and the cars went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

The eclipse was sort of a non-event here at our house.   It was to be only 70 percent but Dave made a little viewing contraption and we dutifully stood in the back yard and stared at it.   meh....

The atmosphere did dim somewhat, more like the way things look when there is a forest fire somewhere in the state....meh.    We enjoyed looking at other people's pictures.

The next one will be better, we'll be right in the path of totality (if we're still here then.....)

Yesterday we had exciting weather all day long.   Sunshine, hot and muggy.   Then a terrific storm would roll through with heavy rain, thunder/lightening and tornado watch warnings scrolling across the tv screen.   And....repeat three or four times throughout the day.    There was a tornado in the Dansville/Naples area, just south of us.

The bright spot in our day came at dinner time when new friends came by laden with pizza, wings and wine.    They wanted to pick our brains about the rv lifestyle having just sold their cottage and moved into their new gas motor home.  They didn't realize they didn't need to ply us with food and drink, we love to talk and share our experience with newcomers and will do so at the drop of a hat!
They came with lists in hand and I think we answered most of their questions.   Such fun to contemplate all the wonderful things they're getting ready to discover.

And then it rained all night long.

at least someone seems to enjoy this weather