Friday, last day at the lake

I began the day with a romantic early morning excursion in the boat, Chip at the oars. He rowed us to the center of the lake, beyond the point of land, and we kissed surrounded by the beauty of the glassy lake waters. We returned to find Julianne and Owen on the dock. I made eggs for breakfast and ate at the picnic table as Chip continued to fish for perch from the dock. Soon others awakened to join me at the table with their breakfast plates or trays of watercolor paints. I finished my lakeside landscape and gifted it to Zachary, who commissioned it.

Jennifer and Elizabeth (sisters-in-law)didn't have to ask me twice to accompany them for a wine tasting at Ravines, even though it was only 10:30 a.m.! Our host John allowed us to sample every wine once, then repeat four to accompany the decadent chocolate and cheese plates. I got a bit more wine than I needed at that hour! I left with a bottle of Cabernet Franc.

We did not stop at the cottage before meeting the family in a Penn Yan theatre for the showing of Harry Potter 7:2. I managed to keep awake throughout the movie, and without any popcorn or lunch, left in our car to meet my bros in Auburn. I especially enjoyed the gorgeous day as I drove to Auburn, because I was mellow on wine and open to taking in all the interesting things along the way. Like fields of green cabbage, a truck made to look like Mater at the "Chop Shop," the Memorial Day Museum, crane nests atop power line scaffolds, the Seneca Knitting Mills, the Finger Lakes drive-in theatre, square bales of golden straw, "the Hollywood Restaurant, serving Indian and American cuisine," the Starlite Motel (doesn't every po-dunk town have one?)the golden harvest moon rising and reflecting on the big lake...

My brother Guy, and brother Bret and his family enjoyed a picnic lunch, conversation and a game of Trac Ball before being forced to leave the park to find a restroom. We toured the gardens and estate of William H. Seward, said our goodbyes and returned to our respective lodgings. Short, but sweet.

By the time I returned to our cottage on our final night, most of the family was still at the bonfire. I joined them, but felt as though I had already "checked out" of lake life.