THE SKOOG FARM JOURNAL: The Very Long and Short of It!

Yesterday morning I did chores, took a shower and then Gary and I were off to Jamestown, where we were to spend the day with several friends who were in town for a get-together.

Ariana and Jenny were in charge of the homefront.

Jamestown is a struggling city, but it sure has some beautiful architecture.

Gary grew up there and I lived a few miles away on Chautauqua Lake.

All 13 of us arrived at The Pub right at noon! Quite amazing.

This was the place to go when we were home for vacations during our college years.

I always ordered a pastrami sandwich and German potato salad (which they don't have anymore).

This is Mike. He and Gary have been pals since kindergarten

Sitting next to Gary are Curt and Susie. She and I went to the same High School

(Southwestern) and we have not seen each other since 1961! Catching up was terrific!

Below...Barb (who is married to Mike), Tina and Dave (visiting from California).

We all had lunch....

and outrageously LOUD conversations.

When we left The Pub, I rode with Susie so I could check out her house.

I love what used to be a play house...it would make a great studio.

Susie was an Interior Decorator and has such great taste.

Could not resist grabbing some shots of her shell collections that she brought up from Florida.

This house is full of cool spaces.

and needs to be shown off in a magazine!

This is their lower deck. There is also an upper one with an amazing view of the lake.

Phoebe would love her dog...."Captain."

After my tour, we drove over to Barb and Mikes....where Gary and I were staying.

They have a beautiful home on the Lake, and even tho it was very hot....the breeze kept us very comfortable.

The whole object of this meeting, was to get together with Dave (far right)

who was here with Tina for a visit. (They had stopped at the farm last Sunday).

These four guys played football together when they were in High School. 55 years later and they still are lookin' good. There is a reunion coming up.

Kay and Tom were up from Ohio.

You've seen Ted before...he visits when he is in town. Lives in North Carolina/Colorado

Dave and Tina via California.

Mike has a studio/workshop in the back of their garage. His latest thing is making wooden bowls.

They are beautiful.

A little after six, we all drove up to Bemus Point and ran into more people that went to school with these guys.

Have you ever been there? I would highly recommend it. Great shops and restaurants.

We chose to eat at a new and very trendy restaurant called The Ellicottville Brew House (or something like that). When we were teenagers and until not too long ago, it was the Surf Club and we went there and danced our brains out. The new owners have really changed it. They constructed two gorgeous outside eating areas and the interior is like an industrial loft you would find in New York. Not easy to get a table for 13 when they don't take reservations!

We ended up with two booths back to back. The men sat in one and the women in the other. Gave them a chance to talk about old times.

The food was pricey but delicious.

Below is a Caprice Salad.

I had a salad with chicken/apples/craisins/crumbly blue and an outstanding balsamic dressing.

Unfortunately the picture was not good enough to post.

As it got dark outside, they lit lanterns that were on each table.

The overhead light fixtures added a lot to the atmosphere.

This morning we were all up by 7:00. Barb had to work at Chautauqua and Mike had a breakfast meeting, so we were on our way home by 7:45.

You can't beat mornings on a Lake!

We stopped in Fredonia for breakfast at

The Upper Crust Bake House. Gary had been there before.

We both ordered this breakfast "sandwich" that was so fabulous I am going to start making them.

Scrambled eggs, tomato, onion, cheese and bacon on a tortilla folded in half... and it must have been put in a panini maker. We topped them off with salsa and sour cream.

OFF THE CHARTS!