Day 425: Day off

No work party or rehearsal tonight due to the string concert, so we relaxed beside a roaring fire and ate pizza.  Delightful!

I'm working on the chapter on how to organize the personnel in an expedition, starting with tent partners, then composing cook groups and then constituting hike groups.  I was having a difficult time giving it some life until we had the students fill out their tent and cook group request forms today.  Then the drama began.

It's always a challenge to navigate the process of creating groups when the teens have such fears and insecurities.  A girl dissolved into tears when her four friends paired up and left her out, despite the fact that she has a three person tent.  One boy reported to me that he could not get anyone to tent with him.  After I went through the forms, I found another lone boy, but the first boy refused to tent with him.  Over the coming months we will work on helping kids become kinder and more considerate of each other and hopefully build friendships with more of their classmates.

Day 424: Twelfth Floor

Kate as Mrs. Meerse

Keely as Muzzy

We made lots of progress on the 12th floor today, but still have a few more details to complete.

Nick and Josh, the Chinese men in their reversible jackets.

Day 423: Titmice

Thirteen hours of effort by Steve, Don, Josh and Tom but the scrim is still not working.  What a job!  On the other hand, the vests are nearly done and we made great headway on the jackets for Nick and Josh.  Two more volunteers came in to help and sewed snaps for hours.  With seventeen days left till the show opens, we have to move into high gear.  Unfortunately, we will lose production time because there's a concert on Thursday and we have to clear the stage and hide everything tomorrow night.  It's going to be a wild ride!

Day 422: Home from NYC

After a fabulous weekend with our family, we traveled across NY state along the Hudson to reach home.  Molly was thrilled to see us, but Paddy just wanted to go out.  

Day 421: Aunt Jane

When I stand beside my aunt Jane, I feel a bit closer to my mom.  Although they were very different people, Jane resembles mom more as she ages, although mom never got so gray.  Mom would have been 85 this year and Jane is 74, I think.  She is lively, energetic and talks a mile a minute!  We had a lovely visit with her and my cousin Alison over brunch at a historic inn where George Washington may have slept.  Or not.

We had a final dinner with Colin and April at Jack Doyle's Pub on 35th and said goodbye on the subway platform.  It will be many months before we see them again.  Now I guess we have to go home.

Jane and I at her new house

Jane, Allison and I at the Grain House

Jane and Lulu

Day 420: Family Time

Quiet family time.  Walking, visiting, exploring, eating together.  It doesn't matter what we do.  I so miss meal times from the past.  All the years of lively dinner discussions, excited reports on the day's activities, questions, laughter.  That's the way it is now when we get together.  Four conversations going on all at the same time,  lots of stuff that Steve and I don't understand, each of them laughing and joking.  Delightful!

We had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant called An Choi on Orchard St., about a ten minute walk from Colin's work neighborhood.  He and April and Justin all said it was the best Vietnamese food in the city and it was!  I love how they are willing and eager to try new things and then share their recommendations.  I had a lemongrass chicken sandwich on a baguette with chicken noodle soup, but it was not like Campbell's soup.  It came with a platter of crunchy bean sprouts, cilantro and jalapeno peppers to add to the sandwich or the soup.

One of Fredonia's many success stories is our friend Kiel Mead, designer and entrepreneur.  To reach South Street, we walked in the pouring rain till our shoes were soaked and rain ran down our faces. Then finally we stopped to buy a couple more umbrellas. We visited him at a show where designers had put their fashions, jewelry, shoes and accessories on display for buyers.  Hundreds of vendors set up shop and their reps were dressed in the coolest, sleekest fashions.  Kiel looked very hip, but also down to earth.

We spent a couple hours visiting with Justin in his favorite neighborhood establishment.  It was very satisfying to have time to catch up with each of the kids.  Tomorrow morning, we are off to NJ to visit with more relatives and then catch up with Colin and April for one more dinner.

Day 419: Once and MOMA

This day revitalized us!  Spending time with our family, touring the Museum of Modern Art and seeing an incredible Broadway show was just the solution for the winter blahs.  I don't know why we have never been to the MoMA and it was big mistake. We viewed some of the most famous pieces of art ever created and then moved on to an incredible musical called Once.

Andy Warhol's Campell's Soup Cans

Evan and I at Once

Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Colin and April, after the show

Day 418: Sunny Hudson

How wonderful to see our kids again!  After a great train journey, April and Evan met us at Penn Station and then we toured April's new office which is right next door.   She took us to Harrington's, a place her colleagues call Cheers.  Tomorrow we'll see everyone at the musical.  Tonight, we must sleep.  It's been a long day.

Day 417: Keely

Keely took center stage today as she performed a knock out number in a bad eighties silver prom dress.  She looks adorable and is so excited about her costumes.  We'll add long white gloves, a cloche, strappy shoes, and a boa to transport her back to 1922.

I finished cutting out the final 13 vests and then Jody and I sewed many together. We taught Rory how to pin pieces and turn the finished vests right side out.  She learns quickly and is so eager to help in any way.

Tomorrow, NYC here we come!

Keely

Michaela

Day 416: Finished!

Finished!  

Nutty Cracker Suite at the Speakeasy

Day 415: Last day of mess

I am so glad that I'll have a chance to take photos of something new later this week!  Enough of the creek, backyard and bathroom construction.  Off to NYC for a couple days!

Floating toilet that will be reinstalled tomorrow!

Tonight, I hope,  I will finish the chapter called Trials and Triumphs along the Trail.  Bismarck's story was so heartwarming and compelling.  His experience reflects the essence of why we continue with Quest.

Day 414: Penelope and Painting

A Valentine's table for Penelope

One little bathroom took an entire day of vacuuming, dusting, washing, taping, priming and three coats of paint! 

Day 413: Costume Mayhem

Gowns, dresses, vests, skirts, shirts, suits, shoes, oh so many costumes.  Most of the girls need four outfits with several components each.  After making a few of the vests, we've streamlined the process to about 30 minutes.  Multiply by thirty!  I'm afraid the dresses will more resemble a prom in the sixties than a speakeasy.

Jody amidst the mayhem

Doors installed...tomorrow we paint!

Lots of adults turned out to work and a few reliable folks like Jake, Anna, Jake, Charlotte, Aubrey, Angela.  Jake drilled his thumb so he has joined the club.

Day 412: Shower details

The crew and I did lots of final detailing on the shower today.  So many shades of blue...which to pick?  Finally chose blue allure, a very neutral blue, that I will apply on Sunday.

Day 411: Expedition Behavior

The student leaders ran a series of scenarios that can happen on the expedition and the group was very responsive. They were a bit uncomfortable with the game.   After forming a circle, they had to turn and sit on the knees of the person behind them.  Fun, but maybe a bit early.

Sandy and Steve worked on building a new piano for Muzzie's party.  Jake and Jake cut braces while Bryson helped Sandy and me cut strips of cardboard to create the curves of the baby grand. 

My Valentine's presents: a dozen red roses and an hour of peace and quiet to take a nap!

Day 410: Hanging the Cyc

Oh Sean, we missed you today!  The cyc stunk when we hauled it out of the cabinet and draped it along the stage.  Cyc is short for cyclorama and it acts as a backdrop that reflects the light.   It weights a tonI grabbed a few kids from the hall to help hold the cyc while Steve rode the lift to tie it on the top bar.  Fifty knots were necessary, but he could only tie two or three at a time and then we'd have to move the lift.  We started with six kids, but they had to leave till only Anna and Clare were left.  The lift was so twitchy that we kept moving legs and twisting the handles trying to make the connection so the lift would raise.  Finally, we found that it would work if we tapped the wires.  The unit definitely needs serious maintenance.

I interviewed Bismarck today for the book and it was one of the most moving accounts yet.  He speaks with great difficulty, but he loved Quest so much that he conveyed his joy with real passion.  He said it changed him so much because he had always been very shy and lonely.  On Quest he made many friends and began to open up.  Kyle was the key.  Together they sang, drummed and talked.  Bismarck felt so comfortable with him that he now calls Kyle his brother.

Day 409: Brocton Crew

My Brocton crew had a great class on expedition behavior.  Tyler added so much to our discussions of the scenarios they will face.  They enjoyed the knots game and all the stories we used as illustrations.  When we were discussing why it's important not to keep candy in the tent at night, I related the story about the Ripley expedition.

They were on a canoe trip along the Allegheny River.  One of the mothers who chaperoned the trip left candy in her pack in the tent.  During the night, the entire camp was awakened by piercing screams.  A raccoon had torn a hole in the tent, crept in and was rummaging through the pack looking for food.  Even though they chased it off, it kept coming back.  They built up the campfire and pulled the tent closer, but it still snuck back. Finally, the mom and daughter went to sleep while Donna stood guard next to the tent with a stick.

Day 408: Mammo

Ahh... mammograms.  Such fun to be squeezed between metal plates!  But I am happy that such a test is even possible and the results.

The guys made more progress on the tile and I've narrowed the paint colors to four.  It won't be long now.

Day 407: Sparkling snow

Such a gorgeous day!   It was a busy morning at the feeders with bluejays, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, cardinals, doves, sparrows and a downy woodpecker were all competing for the seed and sunshine.   After I finished the weather chapter, we finally got out for a long walk in the sunshine.  The creek was sparkling and snow glistened on tree branches.  It smelled like spring and people were out without jackets!

Day 406: Equipment Seminar

The equipment seminar was a great success and we left feeling positive and renewed.  Of course, there were about ten kids missing for hockey, swimming, volleyball and a musical festival.  Kids are so over scheduled that they must choose between demanding options.   Why did those activities take priority?  At least twenty families came in late, some as late as 9:20 for a meeting that started at 9:00.

 I finally began to put the nasty incident from Thursday behind me.  However, when we got home at 6:30, there was a pleading message from another mother on our answering machine.  I couldn't call her back.  I just have to sleep tonight.  She at least admitted her mistake and asked politely if there was any way to remedy the situation.

That's number seven.  I can't help wondering if we are out of step with young families today.  We distributed the schedule four months in advance, provided at least twenty reminders and still people didn't follow through.  Should we change to accommodate this new way of doing things or lose kids to careless parents?  How can we teach the kids if we can't get them enrolled?

We have a wonderful paint crew and backstage crew, but we never know who will show up, much like the equipment seminar.  They are a delight, though.

Day 405: Nemo

Two storm fronts have collided over the east coast to create a superstorm nor'easter over NYC and Boston.  The northern front dropped about four inches of snow and ice over us and moved on.  Steve was out to a major fire in Brocton and two accidents nearby that were storm related.   I stayed inside and worked all day on the weather chapter.  It's nearly done.   Only the section on lightning is left to complete.

The guys installed half the tile today and it looks beautiful!  This photo is darker than the actual tile.