It was a Jamaican Me Crazy Play Day

NO Cook'n by the Creek today.  Even at 5 degrees and wind gusting with white outs Marcia and I bundled up to head an hour farther north.....I love having a brave ready for an adventure friend.  Truthfully quite a few friends are  ready to move it!  Marcia and I both like the Terra Cotta Cafe in Alfred, NY it was the final stop today, kinda the Grand Finale. Both Alfred University and Alfred State keep this little town active.  The University is on one side hill and across Main St. is the college  which is also on a hillside.  Slip and slide in the winter for the students.  Both  campuses are compact so walking is best another reason parking is not so good.  Two of my grands went to the University, what a treat for me.  Every two weeks a visit with them, lunch and coffee.  Often I would go to the Alfred Yarn Studio.  (That's for another blog one of these days).   Terra Cotta is an  interesting place with the students and staff coming in for a little food and coffee with books and laptops to keep them busy.   I like watching the young, their style and how they look so happy and free.  The artwork and pottery by students also lends to an  interesting  look at and  is changed often.  The real reason I get drawn back is for  my favorite coffee Jamaican Me Crazy (JMC).   They carry  the Great Lakes Brewing Co. brand which is my favorite.  The Giant Grocery Store  has a pretty good brand also and  they grind it fresh.  Other brands that I have tried are less than awful.  As much as I like to shop at Wegmans their JMC is not a go for me.

Like all girl talks we laughed,  remembered this and that and shared some precious memories, thoughts and wishes.  When you grow up in a small town the memories go way back.  When Marcia got in the car she handed me a picture of my youngest son when he was a year old "1977" at her house for a picnic.  This could have been a tear spitting moment, but I'm tough..or lucky.

Terre Cotta

Very interesting painting, several techniques blended together.  "REELING IT IN"

We split a wrap so we could split dessert.   Women have to think ahead :) Never do I split JMC with double 1/2&1/2

The weather was miserable but we only noticed going from the car to stores and back.  Nothing ruins a get together.  Besides it is winter and I refuse to wish it away.  That would be wishing time away, I spent years doing just that, waiting for vacation, school to be out or to see our sons that live away.  After all these years I have finally learned to accept and enjoy the day.  Now don't think there are days I wouldn't give a grizzly a run for his money.  The temper or "flightiness" as Dick calls it is just more short lived in my 60's than back in the 60's!

On the way home I stopped for a few pictures.  Coming home and on upper Eleven Mile made me think of  David Kemp (the school teacher)  he told me once  upper Eleven Mile is its own world when it comes to temperatures. Oh boy is that the truth, living proof of that statement today. I have never been on the Alaskan Tundra but this had to be its twin.  I'm thinking no way would I live up here with the wind swirling around the houses and looking so cold!  Nine when I left Wellsville and 3 at the top of Eleven Mile and 5 when I got home.   David also said it can be too cold to snow but never too cold to rain.  I just listened to that same reasoning on the weather channel a couple weeks ago. For once they might be right!  After all if a teacher from OVHS knew it years ago it must be true :)

 The roads were drifting in open areas with whiteouts.  What's a "little" drift or two when shopping awaits and I'm ready to get out of Dodge for the day ;)  Besides we had up to the minute weather reports!  Marcia's husband called to say it was snowing hard at home.  He did call back to let her know it had quit snowing........shop on!  I told her tell him not to worry, we will find a nice bar and hotel!  Again, those days are long gone but it was fun to dream.

Remember that Triple Mocha Chocolate Cake?  Hub had the last piece of 3 I had kept for him along with a big glass of milk for lunch.  Feeling guilty I stopped at our favorite pizzeria in Wellsville. The "Pizza King"  also has awesome subs.  The rolls make the sub. OK back to the pizza,  the dough is made fresh daily, hand tossed (in the air) and thickness at your request.  We are thin and crispy, light on the sauce and cheese.  If we do have a topping mushrooms and onions but just cheese is the favorite.  I love the crust, big bubbles bake up in it.  I see pizza in my weekend plans since I brought a sub home for hub and me nothing.  Lunch at the Terra Cotta was my treat no sense over doing, plus I have an excuse for a night time snack tonight I didn't eat supper.  Remember, women have to think ahead :)

The NY/PA line heading into upper Eleven Mile.

A mile down the road and heading into another weather world :)  The round spot is really the sun, peeking out to say see ya next summer!  The temp is now 3 degrees.

White out and this also is where the deer hang out, they jump off the bank at the right.  Lots of automobiles have had a deer dent or two at this place.

Yes it is 3 above.  The chill factor is -23..eeeek

Remember I mentioned not wanting to live way up 11 Mile where the wind whips around the houses?  Almost to my house in Clara and this is what welcomed me home!  There that sun is again in the top center of the photo.  I do believe it is teasing me!

Back to the kitchen tomorrow, I hope to have a post on using a pressure cooker, it will make cooking a whole lot easier if you decide to try one.

The day is gone never to be again, only a memory.  They come and go so fast, anticipation of another good time will make it all worth the wait.