What a great trip we had! Bud, Adler, Matey and I drove up to Western New York on June 28th, arriving at my brother and sister-in-law's place on the 29th. Jamie drove up by herself and drove straight through getting to my mom's on July 2nd.

It's been about 5 years since all of us have been back there together. My brother, Jim and his wife, Goody, hosted a party with all my immediate family (my mom, sister and brother, their kids, and kids' kids, etc.) who are still in the area. The only one who couldn't come was my sister's husband, Oren, who is now bed-bound. We did get to visit him later. Twenty of us were there representing 5 generations. Thanks to all of you for a great time and a great visit. Adler had a blast fishing and swimming with his cousins. None of them are first cousins, but it's easier just to use the term cousin than to figure out the exact relationship.

We did so many things with so many people. Adler and I went to the Buffalo Zoo with Goody, and rode the Maid of the Mist with Jamie, Goody and her two grandsons. Jamie and I took Adler to Old Fort Niagara.

I visited Buffalo's revitalized waterfront a half dozen times, and each time the waterfront and harbor were bustling with people. It was great to see. I went kayaking in the Buffalo River with my friend Erin and her brother John. Before the kayaking John took us on a quick tour of some of the up and coming places in Buffalo, including Larkinville, where every Tuesday 50 food trucks gather for an evening of crowds and eating. Bud and I rode the bike ferry, took the river history tour and the walking tour of the old grain elevators. Our friends Rick and Trace took Bud, Matey and me sailing on their restored boat, Silk Purse. This photo was taken by a friend on the schooner, Spirit of Buffalo (Rick captain's that boat once a week or so). It's of us on Silk Purse in front of the Buffalo skyline. The fog was rolling in and out that day, and you can see it wisping among the buildings of downtown Buffalo. Silk Purse sails like a dream, and Matey proved to be a good sailing dog (this was his first sail).

Matey and I walked and hiked a lot of places, including to the eternal flame in Chestnut Ridge Park. I'd never done that hike, despite having gone to Chestnut Ridge many, many times. Matey and I got to walk with my sister Joan around Youngstown. And Matey and I walked in Snyder, Lockport, Alden, Tonawanda, Buffalo and on Loon Lake in Wayland.

Bud and I went golfing one day and another day bicycling along the Erie Canal towpath from Holley to Brockport and back with Jim and Goody. The four of us visited the village of East Aurora a couple of times. Bud brought back some real garlic (not Elephant garlic) from their farmers' market.

At Rick and Tracey's cottage on Loon Lake I tried their kayak and Bud and I rode on Big Mabel (a towable tube with a back rest for us old folks), toured the lake on their pontoon boat and rode a jet ski. I wasn't enamored of the jet ski but Bud spent quite a bit of time on it and would get one if he knew how to stow it on Earendil.

Bud got to golf with friends he used to work with and I had breakfast with my work friend Joyce and supper with my old friend Sue. Erin had me over and I got to see Priscilla, Jackie and Sue and another time her neighbors, Larry and Gail. We visited the yacht club twice and saw many old friends. We had a nice dinner with Eileen and Martin, joined by Jeff and his kids Justin and Lauren. We didn't get to sail that night, no wind, but had a great visit. We also got to see our friends Pete and Sharon. Pete was in rehab for a neck operation. (Pete, we've got to stop seeing you in the hospital and start seeing you on a boat! Hopefully this winter that will happen.)

Bud and I made a point of trying to eat at some good restaurants. We had Thai food, Burmese food and fish fries and beef on weck as you can only get in Western New York. My mom had diet Vernor's Ginger Ale for me and even sent a twelve-pack home with us. Bud got a lot of good beer, including Flying Bison from Rick and Trace's keg-erator (another thing he'd put on the boat if it were possible).

It wouldn't be a trip home without games. I played a lot of rounds of Texas Rummy with my mom, most of which she won. Bud and I played some Sequence with Jim and Goody and many hilarious games of Mexican Train Dominoes with Rick and Trace.

All in all it was a wonderful time. There's really no place like Western New York in the summer, and we thank all of those we spent time with for sharing it with us. I'll make a new album for all the other photos.