A Beautiful Weekend with my Sister and Her Dear Husband

It is far too early in the morning but my asthma is giving me fits with all the beautiful weather we have been having (no, I am not complaining). I do think I will spend the next few days indoors though!

Gail and Bill arrived in Rochester around eight on Saturday night after traveling from Colorado Springs, Colorado by way of Newark. Sunday we had arranged for a boat ride down Keuka Lake in the "wine country" of the New York Finger Lakes so that Gail and Bill could get an idea of what is was like. Before even that though, we headed along Lake Ontario over to Charlotte so that they could see Lake Ontario up close and personal! The weather was perfect. After the short boat ride (not too exciting), we stopped at the Constantine Frank winery on the way back where Gail picked out an excellent bottle of wine (she is quite the expert on wines although she says she was a very late starter).

Warren was extremely happy with her choice -- a meritage, something I had never heard of. He is not a big fan of NY wines but really liked this one.

Sunday was our "big" trip when we drove to Niagara Falls and first visited the American side. What a change from what it used to look like fifteen or twenty years ago -- the last time we have spent any real time there! I can remember there being lots of parking, graffiti and no people on the American side. Now there was a good sized crowd, lots of vendors and quite a cleanup.


The very first thing we did was to take a ride again on the Maid of the Mist which was a big hit with our guests. Of course you get soaking wet but even the slickers are different as now they give you blue plastic throwaway bags to put over yourself. I remember the old yellow slickers which were just rank and smelly!


The Canadian side was still the prettiest though as you can see the Falls from a distance. Bill was very impressed and had not thought he would be. Nothing looks quite the same in pictures. I think the noise is also a real part of the experience. Warren could find absolutely no parking on the Canadian side so he basically drove around while we visited the Falls. It got pretty warm by the time he picked us up as the sun was very bright.



Both days we stopped for quickie lunches at questionable restaurants that turned out to be quite good and certainly generous in their portions!

It was good to have Bill and Gail here for a visit and we are looking forward to them coming back to this part of the country!

We took a leisurely drive back along Lake Ontario.