Mac's Ice Cream Parlor and Diner

Hot.  Soft Serve Coconut.  Mac's.  Keeseville. Must Go!

Putt-N-Play at the North Pole

We asked our friends to join us at Putt-N-Play at the North Pole Campground in Wilmington the other night.  This was a course I had never played on and was excited to try out.  We hadn't played mini golf with them since they were childless and I figured my chances of winning a game of mini golf against a couple of distracted parents with two kids would be pretty good.  

Cecilia had a good start, as did I when I only took two strokes on the first hole and then had a hole in one on the second!  Being only 3, she got distracted after a few holes and was more interested in the play part of "Putt-N-Play".  

We quickly discovered that there would be no need to keep score and became the team that held everyone up.  Fortunately, we are childless and find nights like this entertaining since we aren't the ones having to chase a toddler around the miniature golf course while they climb onto the obstacles.

Cecilia really liked the Castle hole just like any other 3 year old princess would.  

For most of the night Henry just sat peacefully in his stroller with a green golf ball, until he started screeching to be let out to play the retro hole.  

I really enjoyed this course and it reminded me of one my parents would take me to in Potsdam that has since been demolished for a Walmart.  Luckily this one has been spared by a bulldozer and remains a nice little slice of Americana.  At Putt-N-Play, you get the charm of a miniature golf course that probably hasn't changed in 30 years for only $4.50 where they allow you to drink a cold beverage as you play with sticky gripped clubs.  Happy Golfing!

Hanging On A Cliff

A rock climber I am not, but today I got to play the part for a friend.  Emilie, too modest to say so, is a rock climbing goddess in these neck of the woods and also a guide.  She has been guiding for years, but is taking an exam this weekend to bring her up a notch in the guiding world.   Lately, she has been taking her husband and owner of Cloudsplitter Mountain Guides out to practice the skills she will be tested on.  However, he is off guiding in France, so I told her I'd be her "dummy."

She needed to lower me over a rock wall and practice her "knot pass."  I'm not sure what that means, but I was game.  Hanging sixty feet in the air, I waited.  

This exercise didn't take too long since she needs to accomplish this in less than five minutes. She did it in four.  After she was through, she lowered me down and I untied myself from the harness and walked back up to her.  

The next task was going to take much longer because there were a few things she had to practice before she would do her "Rescue Mission" on me.  She lowered me again on a 5.9 climb that is appropriately named, "Live, Free or Die."  Emilie worked on her knots, lifted and lowered me three meters and patiently I waited dangling over the cliff. 

(Mom, please don't pay attention to the lack of helmet)

Hanging there I contemplated many things.  For instance, the peregrine we heard in the distance...I wondered if it was going to swoop down and poke me in the eye.  I thought about having to go to the bathroom since my harness was a little too large for me, shifting around and wreaking havoc on my innards.  I was thinking about why she would have to rescue me in the first place, probably because I would be dehydrated and have low blood sugar which would cause me to faint, turning me into a true dangling dummy.

Alas, Emilie came to my rescue!  

She passed the trial exam with flying colors today, completing the "Rescue Mission" ten minutes before the 45 minute cut off.  Way to go Emilie!  I hope your skills this weekend are just as good as they were today, except for the whipping me in the face with the rope part. ;)

Oozeball Tournament

Finally, the second weekend in August arrived for me to discover what the Oozeball Tournament in Upper Jay is all about.  I had dropped by before work yesterday morning when things were just getting started and from a distance it looked like a bunch of sunburned men playing volleyball in water.  I was sitting at work contemplating all this and knew I needed to return.  After all, the sign said "Come Join the Fun!"

I walked up to a few young ladies to get the lowdown and immediately they offered me a beer. I was glad I waited until after work for the scoop on oozeball since it became apparent that an icy cold beverage is a necessity at this tournament.  The ladies were there to watch their husbands compete against other oozeball teams for a chance to win a t-shirt and trophy.

The water didn't really seem ooze-like to me, it was just some water on top of a sand pit.  I happened to look up what ye old Merriam-Webster would say, ooze: a soft deposit (as of mud, slime, or shells) on the bottom of a body of water.  I really thought it would be more slimy or muddy than it was.  Perhaps the longer the tournament is played, the more ooze-like it gets.  At one point I actually heard a mother tell her son who was playing in the sideline waters, to stop drinking the ooze water!  That statement jolted me into realizing this wasn' t just water they were playing in, but indeed it was very ooze-like.

Finally after living on this earth for 30 plus years, I was able to watch my first Oozeball Tournament with some fried bread dough and a free can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.  

Life is good.

Cat Days of Summer

Our cats have been out all day long.  I just went to the field behind our house and I couldn't find them anywhere.  Can't say I blame them with a playground in the backyard like this. 

 Ahhhh, the cat days of summer!

Memories at Lisa G's

Selfishly, I have been putting off writing about Lisa G's because it is our favorite restaurant in the area and am always afraid that if too many people know about it, it might ruin a good thing. Alas, here I am blogging about it for the world to see.I have been going to Lisa G's for years and have had so many great memories here.  At this restaurant I have had some of the best dinner dates with Drew, drinks with good friends accompanied by fits of laughter, having our rehearsal dinner, and also a short lived career as a waitress.

Tonight we got together to share drinks and dinner with our great friend Jen before she leaves for graduate school out West.  Here is the guest of honor with the delicious Toni Basil.  

We tasted her drink of vodka, crushed basil, and lemonade and all agreed it was awesome (sipped with our own straws of course)!

I am confident in saying that Lisa G's has the best burger in town.  Jen and I both ordered Le Burger.  She ordered hers with a side of sweet potato fries, but I went for the regular fries with a side of horseradish mayo. 

Have you ever seen a more scrumptious burger?  Jen said it was, "Gooo-oood!"  Although we ordered different fries, we both thought they were addictive.

Amy ordered My Big Fat Greek Salad.  This is a dinner for one or a salad to share amongst many.  It comes with grilled chicken, tomatoes, pepperoncinis, kalamata olives, and a side of creamy feta dressing.

Amy said, "This is great, very fresh and delicious, but it's not the Isosceles Salad."  The Isosceles Salad hasn't been on the menu in a couple years, but it is still missed by many.  We asked Ms. Lisa G herself why the Isosceles Salad ever went off the menu and she said it wasn't that popular and it was very difficult to make with the spanakopita as the feature ingredient. It might not have been popular to other customers, but with my group of friends it was a favorite and always made an appearance at the table.  Another friend that sadly moved away loved that salad so much she has tried to re-create it in her kitchen.

Drew was the brave one out of the group tonight and ordered a couple new items.  He started with Carrot Ginger Soup and then had the Kielbasa and Polenta Plate.  Drew said the soup was "really good" and the grilled kielbasa with creamy cheddar polenta topped with onions and peppers was "spicy and creamy!  Also very good."

  

Ruby, my favorite five year old, ordered plain pasta with shaker cheese.  For those of you that aren't familiar, that would be parmesan.   Ruby must have really loved her dinner because never in all the years that I have known this child, has she ever been part of the "clean plate club."

We had yet another good dinner tonight at Lisa G's and recalled some great times shared here. Rest in peace beloved Isosceles Salad, we all loved you.  Courtesy of Drew, we have a picture of us wearing our sunglasses because we got a little teary eyed.  The tears that were shed had nothing to do with the salad, they were all for Jen and her upcoming absence.

We love you Jenny and can't wait to share dinner and drinks with you here again.

Ironman Signs

I left for work earlier than usual this morning because of road closures for the Ironman triathlon. Driving in, I passed several signs that fans made. The time I was allowed to be on the road was closing in on me and was not able to pull over and take pictures, so you’ll have to just trust me that some of the most memorable signs were, “Lions Eat Cheetahs for Breakfast”, and “Ninja’s Wear Weird Bike Shorts.” I admit I was a little confused by these and thought maybe the sign maker was just trying to give the triathletes something to think about for the rest of the bike ride. Another sign said, “Do It For the Bananas!” Personally, bananas wouldn’t motivate me.

For those of you that do not know, a full Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and ends with a 26.2 mile run. Volunteer and spectator support is crucial in an event of this caliber and the signs from friends and family can get you pumped and sometimes help you push through the hard times. 

Fans write with chalk on the roads in hope that their athlete sees their personal message to them. 
There are many signs that say, “Go Mom!” or “Go Dad!” 

Some do a play on the athletes’ name for inspiration. 
Other signs might have more of an inside story to them, like this sign for Elaine. I asked Elaine’s fan what was up with the sheep and he said it was a cartoon that he’s been drawing for years and that they were from Wales where she trains alongside sheep. 

The sign “Iron Crabs” made me wonder if their athlete started with a “handicap” and they were wishing the fan wasn’t announcing it to the world. 

Alas, it is just the name of their Triathlon Club down in Maryland. Phew! 

Whether or not the athletes even notice the signs is another question. I guess it depends on how fast or slow they are moving. For a slower paced gal like me, I definitely notice the signs!