Visiting with Carolyn and Dayton

After Pat and I attended Hilary's wedding, we met up with my college roommate Carolyn and her husband Dayton. Pat had to fly home Sunday so he just had breakfast and a bloody Mary with us, and then headed for the airport. I took this picture of them in the Ithaca Commons, a nice pedestrian area.

Then we drove way, way out into the country to Dayton and Carolyn's house in Northern PA. Their house is beautiful but yet very comfortable. They had the house built several years ago, and they have added lots of thoughtful personal touches. And, what a place to be a guest! I had the entire upstairs to myself--a space that is probably bigger than our Long Beach apartment. I told them that if things ever go badly for Pat and I, we might just move in!

Here is a view of the back of the house.

And this is a view from the backyard. They have something like 25 acres of land (this might be a little off), and Dayton's uncle owns the 125 next door so they have lots of space.

One morning Carolyn and I took a walk down to the woods on their property. It was very beautiful, and I had a hankering to take some "artsy" pictures.

"What is this?" asked the Californian. "Why, it is the changing of the seasons," replied the Pennsylvanian.

They also have three really cute puppies: Bennie, Bacchus, and Barkley. They were really sweet and loved to cuddle up with me on the sofa. Carolyn and Dayton warned me that Barkley might eat me alive but he only barred his teeth once because I made the mistake of eye contact too early.

Carolyn and I went up to explore Watkins Glen one day. The Glen is beautiful--a one-mile canyon with a series of waterfalls along the way.

Pretty views.

Had it been summer, this would have made a great swimming hole. Forbidden, of course.

The trail was comprised of over 800 steps, and we felt every one of them by the end.

Here is Carolyn by one of the falls.

And here is another artsy picture--from behind the waterfall.

After our hike, we went up to one of the many wineries located on the Finger Lakes. We just looked at the scenery. We didn't even sample any wines. Who are we?

At the airport, I had to take one of my "close up" pictures of Carolyn and I. We haven't aged a bit in the last 16 years, have we?