Lakenbeer

I went to the lake from 4:00 - 7:00 today. I had a nice Doppelbock beer (from a can!) from the Fort Hill Brewery in Easthampton, MA. I'd buy it again. I did some reading (Joel Rosenberg's "Guardians of the Flame: The Warriors", 3 books under one cover). I did some wading, mostly when I was taking photos or rinsing out the beer bottle and can. A nice peaceful day, with few boats and many geese, under a sunny blue sky...

3 Days Off: One

Due to the various weekly templates at work, I have the next 3 days off in a row. I had four, but I split yesterday's shift into Friday morning.

Today's existence:

• I slept until 9:30 (wow, I actually got 8 hours!), and then had shredded wheat, a banana and coffee for breakfast.
• I hung out online for awhile, pondering my travel options.
• I went to the lake from 3:30 to around 7:00. It's exactly 8.5 miles from my door to our Wyman Pond shore. While down there I had a great beer (Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style IPA) and a horrible beer (Wachusett Summer Ale). I inflated my latest float; I read some of the first "Dragonlance" novel; I floated with the crappy beer; I listened to my iPod as I air-dryed; and I took a bunch of great photos:

Bits of Autumn showing up...

This beer kicks ASS!

Alas, another tube too narrow inside...

Amazing cloud brush strokes!

Fantastic fiery sunset...

Lake Evening

I went to Niemi Cove from 5 to 8 pm tonight.

I dropped my goldish Red Sox coin into the water under the dock for the kids to 'discover'. It'll be interesting to see who snags it. Then I finished "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". I drank half of a mediocre Wachusett Summer Ale and two New Belgium Brewing Company 8 Hop Pale Ales. I ate some Santitas chips, some Jack Links bacon jerky, and an apple. And I tested my new green float ring, but it's only big enough to dangle from inside, and not paddle around from sitting atop.

It was sunny and warm, a bit humid, and there were various bugs all around, but not too bothersome. After getting out of the water I began "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". I left a little after 8 pm, having enjoyed three glorious hours alone outdoors.

Independence Day

I had to work 7:30 to noon, but it flew by. I hung out at home and reenergized for the family reunion down at the lake.

Cooper, Drew, Jared, Sawyer, Hayden.
Jackie, Georgia, Helena, Ryan, Celia.

In attendance (besides The Morris 6 and spouses/spawn):

• Uncle Martin, Aunt Kathy, and Dan & his wife
• Jean Marie & Judy
• Aunt June, Ginny & her new baby
• Uncle Tim & Aunt Debbie
• Wendy & Ted
• Jon's mom & her hubby, and Jehn
• Hayden's girlfriend Audrey, plus a bunch of his sisters' friends

I stayed from 3 pm to 6 pm, then fatigue sent me packing. It was a nice day, if a bit too crowded for my taste...

Me, Jason, Sarah, Ma, Dad, Kevin

Deflation

I went to the lake today from 2:30 - 5:30. I brought one beer (Lagunitas IPA), an apple, and a book (Ray Bradbury short stories). It was sunny and 70.

I was going to paddle out and float on the lake with my beer, but when I opened the shed, I discovered that someone had ripped a hole in it. I texted Sarah to see if she knew anything about it, and for some reason, despite her bringing large groups of teens there several times since my last visit, she couldn't even contemplate the idea that one of them might have done it. "We don't swim or float, we kayak." Yeah, no kidding, the tear is paddle-shaped, and there were several of them piled on my float. Give me a break. By the end of our text chain, her lack of willingness to even entertain the idea that one of the many kids did it, was actually more disappointing than the rip, and it cast a pall over the afternoon.

Lakeside Day

I went to the lake today from a little after 2:00 until a little before 7:00. 

When I got there Jon was hanging out with the dogs (Happy & Henley), so I offered him a beer and we caught up for a bit. I had a ham & cheese sandwich, chips and (over the course of the afternoon) 3 Lagunitas IPAs - good stuff! 

I read part of a story by Katherine Kurtz in "Flashing Swords!" #4. Then I inflated my clear & orange 'floatie chair', and paddled around & spaced out on the water for an hour or so. I finished the story on the dock. Then I hung out in a chair, ate an apple, and listened to a few songs by Ivy, Cocteau Twins and An April March. Holly & the kids came down after the Oakmont @ Quabbin softball game in which Jackie & the twins were playing. Jared grabbed the fishing gear, Drew jumped on the upright paddle board, and I chatted with the girls. Apparently Sarah was on her way with a truck full of kids, so I made sure to skedaddle before all of the cars & giggling junior high kids showed up.

What a great day. Staring up at the clouds & contrails, or lounging with my eyes closed facing the sun, it always feels great to be on Wyman Pond...

WPMF

Well, I held out as long as I could, but I don't see a Wyman's Pond Music Fest happening this year, so I officially put it to bed until next year...

That makes 4 years on, 4 years off. Maybe I'll host something smaller at the end of the summer, or in the early autumn.

Past lineup logos:

Lake Afternoon

It was 82 degrees and sunny today, so I gathered my things and headed down to the lake! I was there from 3:00 to 7:30, and I spent the time in the following ways:

• Had a late lunch of a homemade ham & Swiss on multi-grain bread sandwich, with Santitas chips and (over time) three Red Hook IPAs.
• Read 90 pages of "A Hard, Cruel Shore" on the dock.
• Flipped a few of Sarah's canoes & kayaks to get the rainwater out, injuring my back in the process (grrr...).
• Cleaned up a bunch of windblown brush & sticks.
• Listened to Cocteau Twins "The Moon and the Melodies", Rustica's "Sal's Paradise" EP and An April March's "Lessons in Vengeance" as the sun set.

SUCH a great afternoon of solitude...

Lake Time!

I went down to the lake today for about an hour. It was way too windy to stay much longer, and the sun disappeared halfway through my lunch (ham & cheese w/lettuce, tomato & pickles, w/a little oil on 9-grain wheat; Wachusett potato chips; and a Samuel Adams Hopscape).

The fresh air was great, and just being away from the city was nice.