Enjoying Black Lake........

Sunday, Father's Day, was our first full day.  Unlike yesterday, when we first arrived, it was a beautiful day.  In the morning we still needed our jacket or sweatshirt, but by mid day the sun was glistening over the water and it was a perfect day for fishing.

A little history - Black Lake is located in upstate NY, not far from the Saint Lawrence River/Alexandria Bay, Thousand Islands, and just a few miles from the Canadian Border.  When our son was young (probably 35 years ago) we visited this area many many summers.   My nephew, the same age as Denny, often traveled with us.  At that time we had a 13 ft travel trailer, then a truck camper with an extended bumper and a 14 ft row boat!!!   We put the row boat on the car and towed the trailer.  Then we upgraded to a 15 ft Marquis Runabout/open bow and towed that behind the truck camper.    Or we sometimes stayed in one of the cabins at Camp Whippoorwill where there was no indoor plumbing, just an outhouse!   But we have some great memories..... it's where we first learned to water ski, and where we could catch enough crappie or frogs for dinner any day.   There is no Camp Whippoorwill anymore - so we are located a bit further north on the lake.

We actually went out fishing twice on Sunday.  In the afternoon and again about 6:30 or 7:00.  Below Rich takes us out for the first time. .......

We moved around to several different areas, trying to find where the fish were biting.  Rich caught the first fish - a very very small perch!  I had a nice small mouth bass on the line, but I guess  I didn't have him hooked real good.  When he broke the water's surface and jumped ...... I lost him!!!  But my "official" first fist was a small catfish.  At the end of the day  we had caught a total of 10 fish.....a  couple of Sunny and Bluegill, Crappie and Rich caught a small mouth bass.  Nothing worth keeping.  But we had fun!

While on the lake, I took a minute to take a couple of shots of the lake and shoreline.   The top left picture is a shot of where we are staying, Rogers Camps.  Black Lake is full of small islands, and the picture on the bottom right is a small one that we fished along side of most of the day. And of course - we always have our "rednecks"!   Want to stay out of the sun while you're fishing?  Use an umbrella!!

 And since this was Father's Day we Extend a Happy Father's Day!    This was my wish to Rich.......

Below are the fathers in our family.   Top left is Rich's Dad.  Bottom Left is my Dad.  We have such fond memories and miss them both.  Top left is our Son, Dennis with grand kids, Chauna and Dalton.    And Bottom left is Dad/Rich with son Dennis.  We could not be more proud of Dennis and his family and his accomplishments, and his family values.    The best father's day gift is yet to come.  Dennis, Crystal and the kids will be here at the lake Saturday!  

The Final Leg - PA to Hammond, NY/Black Lake

Saturday would be the last leg of our trip north.  We didn't need a real early start today, so we relaxed and had morning coffee with Deiter and Helen before saying our goodbyes.  It was about 8:15 when we pulled out and headed for Black Lake in Hammond, NY.

Columbia Crossroads/Sayre, PA is located just a few miles across the NY/PA state line.  So once again, this area reminded me so much of when we lived here.  Our home was less than an hour from here in the little town of Beaver Dams, NY.  We had 5 acres of land, with our home located in the hollow between to hills.  So Rich could go up the hill out back to hunt, and in the winter we could watch the deer walking through the trees on the snow covered hills.  

Below are a few pictures of familiar areas.  Rich's mom lived just a few blocks from the Chemung River, and when Hurricane Agnes passed in 1972, the river flooded and her home had water two feet from the second floor.   And as we traveled US 17 East ( the road Rich traveled every day to work in Binghamton) we passed the Lounsberry Truck Stop, where we often stopped to eat.  Great home cooking and the best Strawberry Shortcake in the area.

We continued along US 17E to Owego where we picked up US 69 and 37 N which would take us to Dryden and Cortland and on to 81 N.  As we passed through Dryden they were having a parade, which meant the main roads were closed.  We had to detour ONE block before our exit  - and to make a LONG story short we were delayed on back roads for about 45 minutes!   We finally found 81 and traveled north through Syracuse and then Watertown where we stopped for a late breakfast at Bob Evans!  This time however our eggs were well done, and the toast crumbled when you touched it!  We did complain (nicely) and they did not charge us at all for the meal.

We stopped at Walmart to pick up enough groceries for a day or so and about 35 miles later we pulled into Rogers Old Oak Cabins on Black Lake.  Below is a view as we arrived and the fire pit that is available to everyone staying here.  Our little Cabin #5  with a view of the lake and the boat we would be using for our daily fishing trips.

When we decided to come to Black Lake we knew that we would probably be "roughing" it for our duration - but this was a  little more "rough" than we had anticipated.  It was probably better than 30 years since we'd vacationed here at Camp Whippoorwill each summer with our Son - when he was still in grammar school!   This cabin DOES have inside plumbing and a Window Air Conditioner - but other than that it could be the same cabin we stayed in many years ago.   It's like going back in time!!!

Below is the inside.............The kitchen cupboards have curtains for doors....... as do the bedrooms.  And the living room is on the glass/screened porch, as is the bathroom.  The bathroom has a REAL door. 

We had debated the rest of the day whether or not we wanted to stay, look for another place, stay for just a week, since we had paid our deposit........... Denny and the family were scheduled to come in for three or four days - would they be satisfied?  We really wanted to see the kids - so as long as he wanted to come we would stay  - for at least two weeks.  By the next day, the weather was much nicer and things looked a lot better...........and we decided we'd stay as planned.   

We made a quick trip just down the road to the Bait Shop - so we could go fishing on Sunday.  I am going to snap some pictures of some of these old country farm houses/barns when I get a chance - but on this trip we saw the Amish with their carriage riding along the road in the rain. 

  

And our first meal at the cabin?  Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Chicken Noodle Soup.   Not used to this cold weather. We were in pants and  jackets/sweatshirts.  

Day 2 - Columbia Crossroads, PA

Helen had some prior commitments with her rental property etc. so she stayed in Sayre the night before. She would be finished by late morning, so plans were to pick her up around noon and stop in town for lunch before we headed back to the house.  One of the highlights planned for Friday was the visit from my brother Dave.  I called Thursday evening and left him a message that we had arrived, and asked if he could plan to arrive at Dieter's around 2:00.   We would all spend the afternoon/evening together and have dinner together.

That morning I took the time to get some pictures of their home.  I can't remember how many acres encompasses their property, but the location is beautiful.   Below is the front of their country home with a shot of the North porch (bottom left) and the East Porch (bottom right).  

The inside is just as lovely and reminds me so much of the time we lived in upstate NY.  Inside these northern country homes you always feel welcome and warm!  The darker colors, that contrast so much with our Florida homes, and the larger furniture are typical of this area. 

u can see in the pictures above that their home is surrounded by the beauty of the forest and the hills in the back.  The picture below provides a couple of views from the porches.  In the top left you can see just how far their home sits back from the road.  The top right and the bottom left are views from the east porch (side yard) where we saw the deer the night before, and from the north porch (front yard).  In the bottom right, Rich snapped a shot of Helen and I walking back from getting the mail from the mail box later that day. 

About 11:30 we took off for Sayre, PA to pick up Helen and then we stopped at Reese's Restaurant for lunch.    Typical of these country restaurants is the decor - generally the wildlife and the local scenery.  And as the sign indicates - the food was excellent.  Dieter had the liver and onions, Rich, the Country Fried Steak and Helen and I had a sandwich.  My fish sandwich was excellent.  

We headed back to the house, making a few out of the way turns to check out the town of Sayre, other old country homes, including the one Helen was born in, and the town park.   But the picture in the top left is my favorite.  I took this from the North porch of their house.  It is located just across the road from them, and the picture in the bottom left can also be seen in the distance from their porch. 

I was anxious to get back to the house.  Brother Dave should be arriving soon.   It was a beautiful spring day........so we sat on the north porch.  On the east porch is the sugared water left out for the Hummers (humming birds).  I took my camera, sat quietly in the chair and waited and watched.  I got a few pretty good shots.  

Several hours later, when my brother had not arrived, I check for messages from him and unfortunately he had sent me a message that he would not be able to make it.  I was sooooooooo  disappointed.  

We waited until about 5:00 and ordered pizza from Dandy ( gas station, store, pizza parlor etc. ).  Dieter ordered  a garlic pizza, 1/2 with sausage, 1/2 with pepperoni.  Neither of us had ever had a garlic pizza, and not sure if we would order one again.  We both love garlic, but this pizza was quite greasy, a little heavy and very filling.  Later, Deiter and Helen  had a "surprise" desert.  My birthday was the day before - but they waited until Friday........wish Dave had been there to celebrate with me.     I do NOT like chocolate cake, but this was absolutely delicious.  And Dieter opened a bottle of Leonard Kreusch German wine/ Zeller Schwarez Katz - semi dry white wine.  

After dinner we all went back to the north porch for a while.  When you're in the country, there is no need to site see......especially when this place is like home to us.  Mother Nature always entertains.    Like this robin who found a perfect place under the north porch roof to nest and care for her new born. 

Or these butterflies that Rich and I saw on our walk up the road...............

It was early evening when we started watching this deer back in the trees.  He started to walk straight away from us so I figured we would not see any up close tonight.  It was just a few minutes later when Rich said " Stay Still - there are two deer just the other side of the road"   He continued to tell me not to move, but eventually he was able to grab my camera and I was able to turn around very slowly......... Again..........this is when I really wish I had a better camera.   I am definitely going to get one.   

  

I am realizing more and more how much I really miss being up north. Maybe we should consider again, a small summer place/cabin on the lake up here again.

This visit with Deiter and Helen was very relaxing, and very  very enjoyable.  We can't thank them enough for making us feel like family and sharing their home with us.  

Crumpler, SC to Columbia Crossroads, PA

After our day of sightseeing yesterday, we were tired out. And after the big lunch we had, we all decided to just eat in.  Rich and I called it a day, very early that evening, after just a turkey sandwich and a scoop of potato salad.  Kathy had left eclairs- in the fridge for Rich, so he had to indulge in a few (or more) before retiring for the night.

Thursday was my birthday, but there would be no celebrating today.  We were up early, got the car packed  and pulled away from our lovely little guest house in Crumpler, NC at exactly 6:58 A, M.

Today was going to be a LONG day on the road.  The longest leg of the trip; about 650 miles.  By 7:10 we had crossed into VA and filled the gas tank ( the prices were much better than NC)  and  a little later made a quick stop at McDonalds for a couple of breakfast burritos and to re-fill the coffee mugs.

Not long after that it started to rain, and we encountered rain on and off the remainder of the trip.   We stopped  once more in VA ( what a LONG state - we thought we would never get out!)  at a rest stop to stretch and then crossed into West VA at 12:15, then into Maryland just after 12:30 and crossed the state line into PA about 12:45.

Now we were getting back to familiar territory, close to where we both grew up.  The rivers and rolling hills of PA and NY.  Below are a few of those sights that brought back memories, especially for Rich and his days of river fishing and  bow hunting in PA.   Below are a few pictures as we traveled through VA and on into PA.  The Susquehanna River, the rolling hills and the rocky ledges along the country roads.  Another accident on US 22 W had traffic backed up.  We had been lucky so far that stopped traffic had been going in the opposite direction. Then we turned on US 11N and from there, through North Cumberland we hit bumper to bumper traffic for about 20 minutes.

We stopped again in PA at a Flying J for gas. Rich wanted to check the stock market, so we went next door to Dunkin Donuts.  This also gave me the opportunity to charge my phone while Rich was on the computer and we enjoyed a little more coffee and donuts!  

Just before 5:00 we decided to stop for dinner.  We found a nice restaurant along PA 220 just south of Towanda, PA; The Sullivan County Roadhouse Restaurant.   Nice place, good food.  Rich had the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and I had the Chicken Parm.  HUGE portions....... more than I could eat - and Rich helped himself to my garlic bread.    We had drank so much coffee on the way, that water was the beverage of choice for both of us.   I guess this is my Birthday Dinner!

At about 6:45 we turned down the driveway to Dieter and Helen's country home in Columbia Crossroads, PA.   Almost 12 hours from the time we left western North Carolina.  

It felt good to just sit and relax.  We just relaxed and talked while watching a couple of deer ( a doe and her fawn) out in the field near the salt block.  Rich enjoyed a Beer and I had TWO Gin and Tonic.   It felt good to lay down and just SLEEP.

Day 3 - North Carolina

On Wednesday, Bob and Kathy took us on an incredible guided tour through the mountains and towns surrounding Jefferson that lasted about 5 hours!  We can't thank them enough for their hospitality and generosity and the great time we had visiting with them.  It's easy to understand when Bob says, more than once,  that he doesn't care if he EVER leaves Jefferson, NC.  You can tell they both love where they are and truly appreciate the beauty around them.

The day started with a visit to  the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.  Mount Jefferson is located in Ashe County in West Jefferson, NC and reaches an elevation 4,665 feet.  It rises more than 1600 feet above the surrounding towns and from it's peak you can actually see the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, and the peaks in Tennessee.  Breath Taking!

The forests of Mount Jefferson  are best described in the NC Division of Parks website as a "botanical paradise".    The picture below shows just a little of that, with the wild flowers, and we loved the tree that actually grew around a large rock. 

And the picture below better shows the elevation.  There is a very large rocky area that protrudes out from the side of the mountain, that you can actually walk on.  Scary - because there is no railing at all.  A nice shot of Kathy and Rich.......and those two pictures on the right show just how far down it is to the ground!  Rich was so surprised that I ( who has a terrible fear of heights) not only walked on the rocks, but got close enough to the edge to get a good picture!  This one really did take my breath away. 

 From here we traveled to the nearby town of Glendale Springs, NC to visit the historic Holy Trinity Church of the Fresco built in this small town in 1901.   Buon fresco is the art of painting on wet plaster.  The paint is absorbed into the plaster and actually becomes part of the wall.   It is a type of art mastered by painters in Italy.  Ben Long, a native of NC, apprenticed in Italy and mastered this art, and sometime around 1972 offered to paint the Last Supper as a gift to the church.  Other paintings and sculptures can be see in the basement.  The first picture shows the outside and inside of the church ( you can see the aging of the church benches).  And outside is a large area where baptisms are performed.  

Below is the inside of the church and the basement that displays this beautiful artwork.

From here we drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road that runs through the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and connects to the Sky Line Drive in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.   The parkway runs for over 469 miles, and offers scenic views, hiking and cycling.  No - we did not drive the 469 miles - just  a short trip where I was able to capture a few pictures.

The pictures below were taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway......and the other two were taken in Laurel Springs, NC, where we stopped for lunch before heading back to the cabins.  Freeborn's Eatery and Lodging is located right near one of the exits off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and is a favorite stop for bikers traveling through the area.  Friendly place to stop and very good food.  Across from the restaurant was this little white building that said Jail and Wedding Chapel!  Love it!

Bob and Karen showed us around the town of Jefferson and then we headed for home.  It was a very fun day, and a very educational day.  So glad we decided to stop here.  Definitely a place we will always remember.

Day 2 Continued

Bob and Kathy spend summer months at the cabin in Crumpler.  Only about 15-20 minutes away is their winter home, a townhouse in the community of Jefferson Landing, in Jefferson, NC.    It's a beautiful community, with fantastic views of the mountains, and is also located on the south end of the New River.  Kathy had a previous engagement at 6:00 that evening, so about 4:45 we headed over to Jefferson Landing where they had made reservations at the Country Club.  They don't serve meals every day at the Country Club, but this Tuesday evening was "comfort food" night.

A huge buffet was set up with Turkey, Ham, stuffing, mixed veggies, broccoli, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and a great arrangement for a green salad with an excellent house dressing.   For dessert that had a delicious blackberry cobbler with ice cream.  The food was delicious!

We dropped Kathy off at the county building for her meeting and Bob took us back to Jefferson Landing, showed us around the community and then took us to their home.  Like their cabin, this home is absolutely beautiful.

Bob was a great host, while we waited for Kathy, giving us the tour of the community, including the variety of beautiful homes, great views of the mountains and river park.  We all headed back to the cabins.  It was great seeing Bob and Kathy again, catching up on what's new in our lives, and enjoying the beauty of the NC mountains.

From SC to Jefferson/Crumpler, NC - Day TWO

We are already on Day Six and I am just now documenting Day TWO!  I guess that's a real good sign that we are having way too much fun and that we're way too tired in the evening to get on the computer.  Well we really are enjoying our adventure so far.

 On Tuesday morning we left Orangeburg, SC at 9:38 A.M.    It was going to be a short trip today, only about 4 hours and we would be at the home of our friends Bob and Kathy Hughes.

We met Bob and Kathy about 4 or 5 years ago at the Thousand Trails RV Park in Wauchula, Fl.

The following winter we spent with them in Sebring, FL at the Tanglewood/Outback RV Park.

Then they sold their RV and now spend year round in either Jefferson or Crumpler NC at their Mountain Homes!

We stopped just once for lunch at Arby's and enjoyed the beauty of the trip the rest of the time.  It's been a long time since we've been this far north of Florida.  And I said to Rich, that I was enjoying the sights way too much......that he might regret bringing me north again.   Below is a shot of the mountains in the distance while on US 77......and the two at the bottom were taken as we headed up the mountain along NC 16.   We had told Kathy we would call her when we were on 16, since we'd be about 1/2 hour or so from their house.  BUT - my phone would not pick up a signal!  And so for the next couple of days I would be without a phone.

We arrived at their cabin in Crumpler just after 2:30.  They looked great!  Had not changed a bit since we last saw them.  Then we got the tour............  Bob and Kathy have been trying for years to get us to visit. This place is amazing!  First though - we remembered that Bob's hobby is working with metal.   These next few pictures of some of his unique landscaping creations. 

First on the agenda was to show us around the property.  So Kathy and I went on one golf cart with Bob and Rich on the other.  That is the New River, the second oldest River in the world ( the Nile is the oldest).  Even in the picture you can see how crystal clear the water is.  Beautiful!

That was just the front yard.  Below, as we head back, you'll see the neighbors cabin on the left.  The grey garage size building is Bob's workshop.  The guest house, where we will be staying (not in this picture).  In the center of the picture is the driveway that goes up the hill to Bob and Kathy's cabin. 

Below is the cabin at the top of the hill, the view looking down from their cabin.  Part way up the hill is a path that goes off to the left where they keep all their canoes.  And the picture on the bottom right is a view from the back of their cabin, where they patch continues up the hill. 

Now I'll take you inside Bob and Kathy's cabin.  My camera does NOT do this place justice at all.  It is so incredibly decorated. Really should be in a magazine!

Below is the cute little guest house where we would spend the next couple of days.  This used to be a garage.  The beautiful sliding glass doors now replace the garage doors, and inside the bedroom, bathroom and laundry area are additions.   The top two pictures are the view from the windows.

The inside is just as nice.  Very cleverly decorated........very homey......very comfortable.

Bob and Kathy are such great hosts........leaving us water and soda and beer, and even snacks and food for lunch. And since our phone could get no signal, they left us a walkie talkie to keep in touch.

Day One

Sunday between the finals of the French Open and the Ray's Baseball we managed to get most everything packed and much of it loaded in the car.  We checked off the To-Do list and the Packing Lists.  In case of any bad storms while we're gone, we moved the Grill and the Bistro set into the storage area and the patio furniture, wall hangings and plants inside the house. All the outdoor potted plants are moved closer to the house and situated in areas where they will get rain and/or water from the sprinklers while we're away.

And then we had one of those Florida thunder storms.......The wind came up and it rained very very hard.  And we sat on the lanai, as we usually do.....enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature - the wind, the rain, the music of thunder and the light show!

Monday morning we were up bright and early.  Finished packing up the car and did the final check of everything inside, making sure lights were off, air conditioning adjusted, water turned off, security set...... and  at exactly 8:17 we closed the garage door behind us and we were on our way.

We only made it as far as Haines City where, just before we got onto I-4 we stopped at Bob Evans for breakfast.  We both just opted for bacon and eggs this morning, and grabbed some coffee to go.  Rich pulled out the computer and did a quick check on the stock market and we were on our way.  

We travelled I-4 and then on to I-95.  We had not been here before, so I had to grab the camera as we approached the Dames Point Bridge, also known as the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge near Jacksonville.  What a beautiful bridge that spans the St. Johns River.  As we cam off the bridge the traffic was backed up for a couple of miles.  There was a very bad accident in the south bound lanes.

We stopped again  at the Fl/GA border for gas and then once again for about 10 minutes at the Welcome Center entering SC and then for gas a short distance from our hotel.  (The camary is getting great gas mileage - about 30.5 /gal.   We arrived at our destination, the Quality Inn, in Orangeburg, SC about 5:20.  After checking in - we just relaxed a bit and then freshened up for dinner.  We considered going to The Seafood Academy restaurant, which was right nest door next door.  It has some great reviews on Trip Advisor, and was recommended by the hotel - but we were tired from the drive, and the prices were pretty steep.

The young lady at the desk at the hotel gave us directions to some restaurants in the area.  We saw a Shoney's Restaurant.  The first time we were ever in a Shoney's was with our son when he was still in grammar school.........and then those that were located in FL closed.  We had always loved the breakfast buffet and the dinner buffet - so we both agreed we'd be a little nostalgic and give it a try!

The buffet tonight was Wings...........  The variety of food and the quality of food on the buffet was no where near what we remembered.  But what we had was good and we were plenty full when we left.  We had a nice salad and bowl of potato soup, and then filled our dishes with various flavored wings.

We actually stayed up later than planned. The series 24/Live Another Day was on at 9:00 - so we watched that before calling it a night.

Off to Crumpler, NC tomorrow. 

Early Birthday Surprise..........

These past few days Rich and I have been getting some last minute things taken care of, like the 30,000 mile oil change and new tires, yard work and tree/shrub trimming and finalizing the  to-do and packing lists.  We'll be heading out for a vacation on Black Lake in just a few days.  Not a long stay, but long enough that we need a sitter for the indoor plants.  They need watering twice a week. 

 

So on Saturday, Nick and Tonyia came over.............   We planned a cookout; nothing fancy, just some grilled polish sausage and potato salad. Tonyia brought along a bottle of Riley's White Chocolate Liquor which we enjoyed along with a few snacks while we played a couple of games of Mexican Train.  The sausage was absolutely delicious!  Great job Rich!    I had fried up some onions and peppers which were the perfect topping.    A little while after dinner, we had dessert.  I know that Tonyia had brought a cake - but what I didn't know was that it was a Birthday Cake.   My birthday is not until Wednesday, but since we will be away, they decided to celebrate a few days early. 

 What great friends! 

And when they left, they packed the back of the truck with our plants from the sun room. 

 The room looks SO empty without them - but we know that they are in good hands while we're gone.  

Today, Sunday - we got the car almost packed.  Checked the list twice to make sure we forgot nothing!.  Hopefully - we'll be on our way early Monday morning.

Memorial Day Weekend

Friday was our last day at Ocean Landings in Cocoa Beach.  With the upgrade to the ocean unit we had to leave on Saturday morning instead of Sunday.

Friday was kind of a lazy day.  It was soooooo hot that day, and no breeze at all.  As you looked out over the water there just seemed to be a thick haze all day long.  Grabbed a few pictures........ Even they looked to be more black and white than color.  Most of the week we enjoyed the beach weather - but Friday was so hot  and with no breeze even sitting on the balcony was not real enjoyable.

I actually started to pack things up on Friday afternoon and we actually gave some thought to heading back home that evening. We just walked across the street to Denny's for dinner again, relaxed and got a good night's sleep.   

I could not resist checking out the sunrise one last time before leaving.  So I was up before 6:00 a.m., and took my camera and cup of coffee outside.   It was a nice morning, still some heavy haze and you could tell it was going to be another real hot day. 

Rich was up early too, and by 7:57 a.m. we were packed, checked out and on the road home.  We stopped in Fort Pierce at the Waffle House for breakfast, filled the tank with gas and we were home shortly after 11:00.   Backed to our regular schedule again.........For me a quick trip to the grocery store so we had some food in the house at least for the next few days.

On Monday Nick and Tonyia came over.  On Sunday evening Rich and I took the chicken livers out of the fridge and wrapped them in nylon (from ladies stockings) as bait for Catfish.  Nick and Rich pulled out from the dock just after 6:00 a.m. to see if the Catfish were biting.  Tonyia and I poured another cup of coffee and played Mexican Train until the guys returned. And while taking a break and sitting on the lanai - this White Ibis stood just outside the screen and had a pretty long conversation with Tonyia!  The guys came back with  NO FISH!!!  Said they had a few bites but that was it.

I had taken some Crappie and Blue Gill out of the freezer and Tonyia took over the deep fryer for cooking. I tossed together some baked macaroni and cheese and some Italian bread and we enjoyed an early afternoon meal before they headed home.  

We'll start making plans now for our next trip to New York.