Rochester Trip

I'm also finally getting around to posting about the impromptu trip I took to New York state to visit my friend Jodie with my other friends Ben, Mary, and their kids Navaeh and Silas. It was a great time! Jodie, Ben, Mary, and I took a trip to California for 8 days in 2004, so we go the "Fearsome Foursome" as Mary calls us back together for this trip, along with the kids. We had a great time! We walked down to the ice cream store at the end of Jodie's street for ice cream, we watched TV, we swam in the lake, we built sandcastles, we had great conversation, we had wonderful dinners every night, we had a campfire, and we managed to share one bathroom between 6 people! It was a terrific trip.

This is literally Jodie's backyard! Her patio is about 25 feet deep, and then it's about 100 yards of beach to the lake. So gorgeous! It was hot this week, but with the breeze off the lake (Lake Ontario), we were always comfortable!

This is the back of Jodie's house and another angle of the patio.

We spent the first two days just laying around the house and on the beach. The third day, we went to Port Rochester to ride the merry-go-round and play at the park.

Later, we walked down to the harbor. Vaeh fed the ducks and we checked out the beautiful sailboats as they went out on the lake.

On Wednesday of the trip, we drove north about an hour to spend the day at Jodie's family's lake house. Her aunt and uncle were great hosts! They took us out on their pontoon boat, and we had a LOVELY afternoon!

Jodie chatted with her Aunt Diane and Uncle Ron while we drove out to the swimming area.

Mary didn't opt to jump in the water like the rest of us did, so here's photographic evidence that she was there. :)

Her aunt and uncle's dog came on the boat, too. She laid on the back of it while we drove around. What a good dog! (I bet she never tries to escape her crate...)

I love this shot of Vaeh.

Here are some shots of the lake as we drove around.

We were actually on an inlet of Lake Ontario, which is also the lake on which Jodie's house sits. Translation: it's a big lake! We didn't go out on the lake itself since it looked pretty choppy.

Me! :)

Next, you'll see our competition for best jump off the deck. I did something I've never done before this day: jumped off a boat into a lake! First, it was Ben's turn. (We weren't actually competing, but we did use the sports mode on my camera to try to get us in very cool poses. You be the judge if it worked. ;))

Next up, Vaeh.

Ben again.

Jodie and Vaeh together.

Ben again. He wasn't being an attention-hog; none of us just felt the need to do it more than once (except Vaeh).

Lastly, me. Yes, I plugged my nose going in, but it was still fun!

Other shots of the day.

Silas enjoyed peering over the side of the boat while Diane kept watch.

Goofball.

Jodie bought us some amazing cheese at a local store, so she was our "chef" while out on the water. It was a delicious snack!!!

When we got back to their dock, Vaeh went fishing with Diane's help.

Meanwhile, Ben hit a whiffle ball for Silas to chase down. Silas seemed to have a blast with that.

If he doesn't look like his dad, then I don't know anything.

Back at her post, Vaeh persisted in getting a fish. She wasn't the best at letting the bait sit in the water for very long...

The neighbor boys seemed to need only to drop the line and blink before they'd catch a fish.

Eventually, though, Vaeh caught her very first fish - a good-sized one, too! :)

That day was the highlight of the trip. When we got home, we played Catchphrase (just the adults), and we all laughed until we cried. Some of those one-liners were so good that Ben wrote them down that night before we forgot them. It was a great day!

Last but not least, I let Vaeh play hairdresser for a while. She put every bow and barrette she owns in my hair.

Here's the finished product. What do you think? :)

We had a great time, and I'm so glad it worked out that I could go. Thanks for a wonderful time, Ben, Mary, and Jodie! We'll have to do something again in another 7 years! ;)