After returning from Ohio and Ontario, we resumed life in the Village; I played golf almost every day until my back finally gave out, and Kay kept busy with social engagements.  Notable activities were as follows.

Our older granddaughter, Harper, started pre-kindergarten this month—They grow up and we grow old way too fast.  

We joined Ron and Kathy Felger as a team in a couple’s scramble on Sunday afternoon, September 11, and won low gross score.  I joined the Hot Springs Village Ageless Bicycle Club on September 14 for a 30+ mile ride on the Arkansas River Trail and other routes in and around North Little Rock and Little Rock.  The rode at a quick pace, and rested too little for my taste, but I really enjoyed the ride. Kay, as Care Zone Co-Leader for our Care Zone, hosted a small get together at our house on September 15.  Our team of Mike Cigleman, Don Atchley, Jim Piersol, and myself played in the United Methodist Men’s golf tournament on September 19 at Diamante Golf Club.  We had a good time, and scored well, but didn’t win, though Mike won closest to the line on a drive, and lost the putting contest in a “Putt Off”.  The Zoysia fairways at Diamante are very nice and provide nice lies, but the rest of the course is average; I’d rather play any of ours.  Also, they ran out of beans, potato salad, and cobbler before we made it to the buffet line, and that was a big disappointment. 

Though the daytime heat continues with highs in the low 90s and heat indices in the low 100s, mornings began to cool down to the high 60s—comfortable enough for enjoying hot coffee and tea on the deck after awaking—shortly after mid-September. 

Kay had a long birthday, stretching some 5 days!  She and I celebrated on Thursday, September 22, with a trip to the Apple store in Little Rock for a new iPad and an Apple watch, followed by dinner at Vesuvio Bistro.  Vesuvio Bistro is a very highly rated restaurant, but our experience was not good.  First, Kay ordered a glass of wine and it came about 1/4 full, $10; the expensive G&Ts were so so, but nothing compared to those made by Jim Passe.  The Caesar salads were small, the dressing good, but sparse, and the croutons too large to eat.  The pasta, at $18, was average at best.  Kay’s entree of grouper, at $32, was good, but the Osso Buco (braised pork shanks) was less than average—the meat was too crispy,  on the outside, and chewy, i.e. tough, otherwise.  We shared a small dish of spumoni, at $8, and it was okay.  Our total bill, including taxes and tip, was over $170.  We expected more, much more, and won’t eat there again!.  On her actual birthday, she spent the morning shopping and having lunch with daughter Karyn in Little Rock, and in the evening had dinner with Ron and Cheryl in Hot Springs.

The high temperatures of summer finally broke on Monday, September 26 as a cold front ushered in daytime temperatures in the 70s. 

Kay wrapped up the month, attending a Women’s Conference with Karyn at Karyn’s church, New Life Church.

We never tire of the view from the sunroom, deck, and master bedroom.

On Wednesday morning we loaded the bicycles and drove to Queenston Heights Park, approximately midway between Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake. The Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada.  Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River. The promontory forms a cliff face of approximately 300 feet (100 meters).  It was the site of the famous Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812, when Sir Isaac Brock fell while planning a charge on the American Forces; a photo of a statue of Sir Isaac Brock is included below.  Incidentally, the War of 1812 is very important to the Canadians, and they tell a more “complete” version than what was presented to us in American history books!

Arrangements were made to meet Van and Bonnie at Queenston Heights Park for a bike ride to Niagara on the Lake. Van and Bonnie, close friends from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, had driven down from their home in Haliburton, Ontario, to visit/ride with us.  They were waiting in the parking lot when we arrived, and we all unloaded bicycles, donned helmets, and began the ride by coasting down the Escarpment—wow, was it ever fun!  We rode the relatively flat path along the Niagara River stopping occasionally to visit, and rest our butts.  The Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario, and Niagara on the Lake is at the confluence of the two.  It is a quaint village of shops and eateries, and we should have spent more time there.  Kay and Bonnie opted to only ride part of the way back, sending us to get the vehicles and pick them up.  Van and I did fine until we hit the Escarpment.  We both almost made it without walking, but the steep rise of 300 feet was a bit too much.  Back at the vehicles, Van found his missing camera on the bumper of his truck, after which we loaded and picked up the ladies and their bicycles.

Kay and I returned to the rental to unload the bicycles and pick up a change of clothes.  We met Van and Bonnie, Al and Sharon, and Sue at a local hotel, and had a grand reunion, similar to a small happy hour at the palapa in the RGV.  It was so good to see Sue, but Chuck was missed by all.  A late dinner together followed, after which we called it a night.

We all met again Thursday morning for breakfast at Betty’s, a well-known restaurant near the rental.  We said goodbye to Van and Bonnie, and continued visiting with Al, Sharon, and Sue at the rental.  We once again said goodbye to longtime friends; it will not be the same in the RGV this winter without Al and Sharon who may opt to winter somewhere else, or without Chuck! 

Kay and I debated our next few days, and we both agreed that we had seen what we came to see, and were both ready to return home.