Thursday was another "no fishing" day.......but we were able to get out for a short time Friday morning, before we began our cleaning and packing. We caught 23 fish; Rich getting 11 Crappie, including one, well over 10 inches, and a small mouth bass - but at just over 14 inches, not a keeper. I caught 11 - 10 crappie and one perch. At the end of week 7 - we'd caught 79 more fish, bringing our total over the seven weeks to 437. Not as good as last year - but still pretty good - and a lot of fun!
We got the majority of stuff packed into the car on Friday afternoon, and took all the left over food over to Bill................ Finished packing early Saturday morning , said our good-byes and were on our way to Elmira just a few minutes after 8:00 am.
The rain started about 9 o'clock and continued on and off for the rest of the day. Took route 13 from 81 south that goes through Cortland and through Ithaca, NY, then over to route 14 that took us just south of Watkins Glen. Despite the rain, I managed to get a couple of pictures of "old memories. The Hickory House Restaurant, which used to be a very popular place for drinking and dining, looked so old. We spend many many a night here after working on building the garage. Our dinner most often consisted of a Brandy Alexander, and a bowl of French Onion Soup! Rambling Brook was a place to enjoy a few drinks and dancing, and where they often held the wild game dinners.
We headed up Johnson Hollow Road, to see the first single family home that we lived in after we were married. After all these years, it looked very much the way we remembered it. The house on the bottom left was the Besley's, our next door neighbor, and the second house our neighbors down the road on the other side.
The house actually looked about the same as when we left back in 1985. They had replaced the roof, and built that little shed off the side of the garage. That's the garage that Rich and I built back in 1982. They also have planted some trees in the front yard, which hides the brick on the lower part of the house. Off to the left of the house was the path that Rich always kept cut and plowed that went up the hill behind the house. And the bottom left picture is pretty close to the view across the road, from the living room window.
We still had some time before we could check in to the hotel, so we wandered around Elmira for a while, checking out the Murray Athletic Center/aka The Domes, where Rich, in the past had done some HVAC work, and where we went to see Donna Fargo!!! Yes, there really is a town called "Horseheads". We checked out Brand Park Pool, where all the kids used to go and swim, and we'd all lay up on that top deck to get our sun tans. Rumor has it that they may be refurbishing the building! And we had to make a stop at Dunkin Donunts on the corner of Church and Madison Ave. Spent a lot of time here - but it's a whole new building now. Back then they made the donuts right there.........now it's a combination Baskin Robbins.
Not far from Brand Park Pool is Riverside School, Both Rich and I went to school here. Rich from kindergarten through 6th or 7th grade. Me - only kindergarten, then I went to Catholic School. The other building, is Dun Field Park, where the Elmira Pioneers always played. Pioneers were a farm team for the Red Sox and the Orioles.
Of course we had to check out a few of the places we used to live. Top left, is where Rich and his first wife lived, and where Dennis was born.... the next one is Rich's Mom's house, and where Rich lived until he married. The next one is where I lived with my brother Dave and Mom during my high school days. The house on Church St, and Harriett St, where I grew up were no longer there!!!
The building on the bottom left used to be the Fairway Spring Factory, and is where Rich and I first met......The last picture is one of my favorites in Elmira, the Christmas House.
Saturday afternoon we visited my sister-in-law, Gloria Benjamin ( my oldest brother Jim's wife). She's well into her 80's, and starting to fail a little bit, but she was doing well that day. With her is my niece (her daughter) Kathy Benjamin Bell and her husband Bill. Kathy lives just across the street, so is close by to keep an eye on Gloria. Enjoyed our visit so much with her.
From there we headed over to Curley's Chicken House in Elmira Heights, to meet up with Rich's cousin Tracy La Deu and her husband. They both had the famous Chicken and Biscuits, and Rich and I had the 1/2 Chicken. Just as good as we remembered! Again - so nice to be able to get together with family, even if it's just for a short while. As we were leaving the restaurant - we were very surprised when we say my niece, Cheryl Benjamin Farr! Have not seen her in probably 25 years or more - but recognized her right away. She was there with her grand-daughter, Sage. ( That would make Rich and I her great, great aunt and uncle.
Wow - a long day, but lots of fun.............Tomorrow is the Benjamin Family Picnic at Harris Hill. Not expecting a real big crowd, as it was last minute planning...........and some were out of town or working..............but even if it's only 10 or 15 people, it will be wonderful to spend time with them.
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