Day 486: Spring glories

Flowering trees all over town were blooming today.  I could not capture the dazzling scenes from a distance with so many power lines, road signs and vehicles interfering, so I went for close ups.  The tulips were glorious.  Everywhere we walked, they were exploding with intense color.  The flowers provide such joy after our long, dismal winter.  

After running the hose all day, the pool is nearly full.  The water was calling to me, so I couldn't wait to go in.  April 30 may be a new record.    It was chilling, despite the warmth today.  Only 55 degrees.  This pool is so much taller that it was a challenge to put the solar cover on.   With temps in the 70s all week, the pool should be ready for swimming very soon!

Day 485: Hello new pool!

We broke ground for our house in early May, 1988, and labored through a long, hot summer till we could move our family into it in October.  It wasn't really finished, though, cause there are always a million small jobs that do-it-yourselfers never get around to.  I had spent months drawing floor plans that were then turned into architectural drawings.  My parents worked with us nearly every day.  They had built their first house on Chestnut Street back in 1955 and Dad had done lots of construction work on the side.  They were far more experienced than we were. What do a nurse and a history teacher know about house construction?  Very little.  At least today, people can search the internet and get a youtube video to show them how to do everything.  We listened and learned and pressed on.  

The one thing that was missing was a pool!  Ever since I was a little girl, I had wanted my own swimming pool.  When we were kids, Mom had bought us a little 6 ft wide, 1 ft. deep baby pool that I spent hours in.  I told everyone that our pool was for the kids, but it was really for me.  In the summer of 1991 or 1992, I decided we had waited long enough.  We spent a full summer mortgage payment on it and then had to figure out how to repay the mortgage account before the payment came due on September 1.    No problem.  I spent all of July cleaning out the basement, attic and closets to find things to sell at a yard sale.  I made all the money back plus extra.  

The pool has been the center of my summer life ever since.  We held the summer Olympics in it and devised a series of events using the long, foam noodles as horses or as poles for the pole vault event. Steve and the boys played ferocious basketball games with the boys all piling on top of him.  They taught me how proper breathing techniques.  They, of course, were taking swim lesson with Hammerhead, but I had never learned the correct way to breath between strokes.  

 While I was still teaching at both the college and the HS, I would run home at 3:00, change, swim for twenty minutes, shower, change and be at the college a 4:00.  In the five last years, I have become obsessed with racking up the miles.  I love the serenity of swimming, dipping my feverish body in cool water on hot days, the birds over head as I backstroke across the laps.  

It's really a miracle the pool lasted as long as it did with the original liner.  The first pool and the new one are worth every penny.  Great exercise, fun, family time, and solitude, all in our own backyard.

 The old pool before demolition

Demolition

Setting up the supports

Unrolling the new frame

Adding the liner

A tanker full of water- 6000 gallons

But it holds 18,000 gallons!

All set up!  It will take several days to finish filling it.

Day 484: When I'm 64....

When I get older, losing my hair

Many years from now,

Will you still be sending me a valentine

Birthday greetings bottle of wine?.....

"Doing the garden, digging the weeds,

Who could ask for more?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm 64?"

Paul McCartney, 1967

Paul was my favorite Beatle right from the moment they first appeared on the music scene in the 1960's.  One of the most exciting events of high school was when our sorority went to see them perform in Toronto in 1964 or 65.  Screaming filled the entire auditorium and obscured all the singing, but we didn't care.  

Paul wrote "When I'm 64" when he was 16 and it was released June 1, 1967, just a few weeks before I graduated.  At the time, aging to 64 seemed impossibly distant.  I never imagined myself as 64, not because I expected to die sooner, but because 64 was ancient.  Now, here I am.  

I'm living in my eighth decade and have seen so many changes in the world.  As a a historian, I often marveled at how many transformations people witnessed if they lived from 1900 to 2000, but I've seen so much.  The fall of the Berlin Wall, the Civil Rights movement, the assassinations of JFK, RFK and Martin Luther King, the moon landings, Title IX.  I remember when we girls couldn't play competitive sports and I wanted so much to.  I remember when the Post Office finally accepted women.  I remember being asked at job interviews if I could coach football or baseball and if I planned to have children.  Lots of advances for women.  

And so many wars, but Vietnam colored my whole generation. I argued with my parents about Vietnam, the draft and just about everything else.    I remember our first tv as a little girl and watching Roy Rogers and Mickey Mouse Club, the first time tv programs were broadcast in color, and our first commodore 64 computer.  

My personal journey has been simple, but rich.  Family, growing up, college, marriage, children, teaching, friends, students, retirement, travel, gardens, writing.   What lies ahead?  How much time do I have left?  Every day is full and fleeting.  Our children have grown and moved away, our parents are gone, our friend move south.  We travel, eager to see as much as the world can offer, to renew and maintain friendships and relationships.  Each day is precious.  

I

Birthday flowers

Goodbye to the old pool!

Day 483: One day hike 2013

We had an awesome day and I have much to say about our adventures, but we are so tired.  The weather was perfect, 60 - 70 with bright sunshine and a little breeze.  The kids had many equipment issues including a girl who brought a fourteen pound four person tent for herself and her partner.  Many  kids wore packs that did not fit and many more did not have the proper clothing.  Several neglected to bring their water bottles and whistles.  It's like we never held class or the equipment seminar or very few listened to any thing we said.

It was a joy nevertheless and we saw lots of growth.  I told Steve at the end of the busy day that all the floundering makes me believe that it is all the more important to continue.

2013 Backpackers

Student leader pyramid

Day 482: Harvestview

Pansies.  I love pansies...cheerful little faces in brilliant colors.  We made the first of many trips to Harvestview, to get a flat of pansies to brighten the front yard.  As I wander the yard, there are so many jobs to complete before the garden show.  Plus, the west side of the house needs a coat of wood preservative.

Packed and ready to go!

Surprisingly, we fielded only one call for backpacking today.  I'm glad, cause it was a pleasure to have a day off, except for packing our own gear.  Most is so organized that we just pull items from different bins and stuff it in the pack.  The colorful cap that my mom crocheted for me is tucked safely in the pack for cold nights.  It's the one item that has been on every trip with me.  

It's so exciting to start a new adventure, 25 times!  

Day 481: Penelope supper

The succulent garden on Temple St. is renewed.  Now that the trunk is removed, the branches and sawdust have been swept up, the plants are reviving.  In fact, they could expand the garden into the hollow core.

Susan and Philip are visiting from their new home in North Carolina and we have missed them so much.  They've been here a week, but we were away and missed the fun.  Sarah provided supper so we could visit and catch up.  The group photo is so typical of us.  Three separate conversations going on and only two actually looking at the camera.  How I love these dear ladies.  

All the gear is packed and we are nearly ready for the one day hike.  The kids were quite attentive to all the directions, but at least a third of them left their instruction sheets on the tables.  I rented out a dozen packs and we've fielded lots of calls, including one parent asking about toilet paper and another wondering if they should pack underwear.  I do believe the program is good for parents too.  It seems many of them have no common sense at all.

Day 480: Turkey time

We completed lots of Quest tasks this morning and the set breakdown is almost finished thanks to Jake.  It was a good thing it turned cold and rained so we could get everything done.  The turkeys entertained me as I sat at my desk and wrote.  A small new flock has emerged with two hens and one male.  He strutted around the yard and stood guard over his ladies as they pecked at seed under the bird feeders.

Day 479: Kick off meeting #25!

The 25th season of Quest is underway!  We met tonight to renew our friendships and prepare for the hikes.  It's such a joyful time because we are all bound by our love and dedication to Quest.  The new student leaders were bursting with excitement and they are all so proud to be part of the team.

The school nurse updated us on student medical issues and we are lucky this year that the problems are minimal.  Lots of asthma and allergies.  Then I discussed the importance of the leave no trace principles since our kids dumped macaroni on the ground during cook classes and did not clean it up.

Everyone loves the new t-shirts, especially the 25 years of memories on the back.

Day 478: Forsythia and pussy willows

We spent ten hours plunked in the car on our way home from Kentucky.  A terrible accident on I-71 on the outskirts of Columbus closed both lanes for hours.  We got off and diverted along Rt. 3 along with a million other people.

While driving, Nancy texted us that a match was found for Glenn's sister so her double lung transplant was to start at 6 pm tonight.  She now has a second chance at life.   Sadly, someone lost their life today, but the organs will give new life to several people.

We were so glad to get home and find sunshine, forsythia and tulips blooming, people walking and enjoying the evening.

Day 477: Mystical pizza

Nancy's house

White horse

Day 476: Kentucky vacation

A bright sunny day beckoned us outside and though it was cooler than usual for late April in Kentucky, it was perfect for a trip to the Starview Nursery.  I have been starving for the luscious colors and textures of gazania, begonias, and dahlias.  A beautifully tended nursery, we wandered for a couple hours through greenhouses filled with neat rows of brilliantly colored flowers.  I wished that we had not come in the Prius, because I could have filled a van with hostas and perennials.

While Nancy rested, my brother, Steve and I walked the neighborhood and looked for the farm with the long horn cattle and peacocks.  The cattle were not to be found, but the peacocks were resting in a barn with a dozen burros nearby.  One curious little brown burro came over to the fence and serenaded us.

Then we tackled the weeding in one of Nancy's lily beds.  An especially stubborn weed with webs of roots was strangling her lilies.  It took three of us over an hour to weed one little bed because the weed had to be dug, chopped and shaken.

Thunder Over Louisville marks the opening two weeks of events leading up to the Kentucky Derby. An air show today was followed by spectacular fireworks off the bridges.  

My brother-in-law is in Pittsburgh with his dad and sister.  She is in ICU waiting for a double lung transplant because a rare disease destroyed her lungs.   She is number one on the list, but since she is a very small woman, she knows that for her to live, a teen or child must die.  She has been struggling with that realization for months, but now, it appears that the new lungs may come too late because she is in very serious condition.

A scene near my sister's house

A neighbor's peacocks

Day 475: Thunder over Louisville

Four bridges over the Ohio River.  The nearest one is an old railroad bridge that has been converted now to a pedestrian bridge.  We had hoped to cross it, but they closed it in advance of the Thunder Over Louisville event on Saturday.

Practice session of the air show just for us! 

It was freezing cold and very windy, not at all what we expected in Kentucky.

Day 474: Columbus time

After the julienne potato class, we drove with my brother to Columbus, where we are spending the night with my sister.  We expected to encounter an intense storm that is barreling across the nation, but it slowed down and we did not have a drop of rain.

A devastating explosion in a fertilizer factory in a small town called West, Texas, killed at least thirty-five people.  It was so huge that it registered 2.1 on the Richter scale.  Homes, businesses and a nursing home were all leveled.  The President spoke at the memorial in Boston and now will be called to again act as pastor-in-chief to another grieving town and state.  So many tragedies!  No time tonight to post pictures.

Cocoa group

Learning to light the stove

Day 473: Spaghetti class

A beautiful sunny day!

Spaghetti class ran very smoothly and we packed raisins, drink mixes and the M & Ms.  We discovered that two groups dumped pasta outside yesterday when they were draining it.  We will have to reteach the principle of low-impact hiking and LEAVE NO TRACE!

Day 472: Mac and Cheese class

The pretzel team!  

I completely forgot to do the blog last night!  Cook class was wild because we had over thirty of the kids participate.  Fortunately, seven student leaders showed up and did a terrific job supervising, teaching and guiding the packaging of the bulk foods.  We packed the brown sugar, pretzels, powdered milk and cracklin' oats.   

All of our time this week has been devoted to backpacking.  Lily finished the drawing for the alumni t-shirt and we delivered it for production.   We picked up the student t-shirts; I restocked the first aid kits; Steve oiled all the stoves.  We revised the cook and hike groups again.  It seems every day that someone else decides they have another commitment.  

Day 471: Daffodils bloom, terrorists attack

Daffodil time

Pink tulip

Terrorists attacked the Boston Marathon today.  Two bombs exploded near the finish line and killed at least two people and injured about a hundred.  Why?  People running, cheering, celebrating and now bloodied and maimed.  Mike and his daughter Kate ran the race and we heard they are safe.  Thank goodness.  So much pain and sadness tonight.  

Day 470: First hike in Burnhams

Dibble Hill in April

On the other side of the road, logging has nearly cleared out the woods.

At least this view is still lovely!

Steve and Mary along one of our favorite trails in Arkwright

One of the earliest spring wildflowers

Day 469: Clearing paths

Between episodes of wind and rain, we put in a few hours clearing brush, fallen branches, tree trunks and grape vines from the paths in the woods.  Three times we had problems with the chain saw, but it still performed brilliantly and made our tasks easier.  Once the chain came off and it took some time to get it back on.  The path along the property line is now clear so we can spray the poison ivy, mow weeds and perhaps plant some hostas.  I hope to transplant ferns so that native species begin to take over now that there's more sunlight in the woods.  

Day 468: Birds and textiles

Birds and textiles are two of my favorite things and to find them combined is a real treat!

The weather continues to be gloomy and cold, so we shopped and went to the movies.  I really want to put away my winter coat, boots, scarf and gloves, but I wore them again today!  We need sun!

Day 467: Composing Hike Groups

Composing hike groups takes us a few weeks because it's a complicated process. It's important to get it right so that all needs are met and everyone has a great time.  The board stays on our dining room table for a month and we adjust it as new information is added or schedules change.  

We start with hike group leaders, then add a second adult who will be the back up leader in case of an emergency.  The first aiders are assigned next, followed by the remaining adults.  Always, we seek a balance between experienced and novice leaders, male and female, easy-going and more intense.

Student leaders are assigned provisionally, based on their experience, gender, first aid skills, management abilities and confidence level.  Each hike group will have a mix of veteran and novice student leaders.   The other big complication is that student leaders have so many other commitments like AP exams, softball games, concerts, trips or track competitions.  They may be traveling in and out or they might miss a whole trip.  We have to provide a back up or partner supervisor.

Next, we examine all the health forms carefully.  All the students with major medical issues or medications are assigned to my group so Steve can tend to them if necessary.  Secondary medical issues go to Kathy who is also an EMT.   Often we put the more emotionally fragile or lonely students with Mike or Jackie.

If we have information that students may pose discipline problems, have social anxieties or have handicapping conditions, we put our strongest student leaders with them along with an adult.

Every group gets juggled around a several times.  I enjoy the process because it's like a huge puzzle.

Yellow notes = Hike group leaders

Blue notes = adults

Purple notes = student leaders

Pink notes = 8th grade cook groups