Man, I feel you on this one because I've had that same moment where you look up and just freeze with a wrench in your hand. Those grooved rows are called undulatus or wave clouds, and they form when stable air gets pushed up over something and starts rippling like water, usually when there's a big temp difference between the air and the lake below. Your guy was right that Erie loves doing this in spring, cold water plus warm air moving over it is the perfect setup. The good news is it doesn't always mean a storm is coming, sometimes it's just the atmosphere showing off. But yeah, wind is almost always part of the deal with those, so I'd keep an eye on the forecast either way.

Did you ever notice how the words we use sort of train us without us even knowing? I had a buddy who kept calling his stepdad "my mom's husband" until one day it just felt wrong, like he was lying to himself. Funny how a small change in what you say can shift something big inside your head.