Day 851: A touch of green!

Last year on this day, our new pool was installed.  On May 1, I took a dip in the chilly water without discomfort.  No such luck this year!  It rained all day so I worked on editing the photos for Bye, Bye Birdie.  There are still many more to finish and I must become more selective.

The Japanese Willow

Hosta and mint sprouts

Pink hyacinth

Day 850: High winds

I hope the high winds will cease before the hike begins on Friday.  A huge front is moving through the country and spinning off fierce tornadoes.  The forecast is for rain and 50s.  The kids will learn how to set up camp and hike in the rain.  Tim asked me in class, "How do we cook in the rain?"  Oh, that brought back memories of preparing meals in horrible weather.  One year it was raining so hard all through dinner prep that when we went to eat the cheesecake, an inch of water covered it.  Challenging circumstances always produce more growth opportunities and I hope our campers do learn and have a great time doing so.

Day 849: Happy birthday to me!

65!  Now I'm officially an "old lady"!  Where did the years go?  We married when I was 22, so we've had far more years together than apart.  My children are 37, 34 and 30 and I was 27, 30 and 34 when they were born.  Giving birth and raising children seems so long ago.

I remember the assassination of JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.  The Civil rights movement.  I remember the space program and moon landings.  One small step for man, one giant step for mankind.  And the explosion of the Challenger.  And all the disturbing years of the Vietnam War.  And Kent State.  I saw the Beatles perform!  I heard nothing but screaming in that huge theater in Toronto, but I could see them in the distance from the top row of seats.  I remember when Alaska and Hawaii became states and two stars were added to our flag.

Such a rich and privileged life!  I am so fortunate to have a devoted family, great health and a loving spouse.  I've had a career of satisfying and challenging work, friends for my entire lifetime, and of course, two kitties. One sitting next to me and the other crying at my feet.

My very best gift: All of our children are now happy, healthy, employed and insured.  Yes, Evan started his new job today and is beyond ecstatic!  We are so very proud and happy for him.  Colin called first thing this morning.  Flowers arrived first from my sister Nancy, then from Justin.  Evan called at the end of his first day and bubbled over with excitement.  Friends and family joined us for a delicious dinner and lots of laughs at Whiskey Hill.

I spent most of the day outside raking and trimming in my gardens.  This weekend we'll be backpacking with students and dear friends.  I am so very grateful for the strength for these adventures!  So, tomorrow will not be any different.  I will continue to give thanks and forget about how many years have passed and simply enjoy the days before me and the people who have so enriched my life.

Day 848: Planting pansies

Mary arrived bearing a flat of pansies, all in my favorite purples, blues and yellows.   I love their rich colors and cheerful little faces.  Pansies are the only flowers I can plant now that will survive the cold nights.  My husband says I am an optimist cause I put my winter parka and sweaters away today, but I think the pansies are a sign that finally this miserable winter is over.  Gray is now banished from the landscape and my wardrobe!

Steve patiently drove me around Blasdell and Hamburg so I could hunt for spring accessories for the house.  We didn't have much luck, but I did get some ideas and we had quiet time away from the phone and radios.

Tomorrow, our Evan starts his new job!  We are so excited for him and so very proud of how he has handled the adversity of the past year.  Best wishes, Evan!

Brigitte, MaryAnn and Clare

Brigitte, Brie, Sean and Kevin

Day 847: Quest 2014 One Day Hike

Completed: a highly successful one day hike!  No injuries, drama or serious problems.  Four more kids didn't show up than we expected.  Lots of the tents had inadequate rain flies.  It rained during the equipment check and was windy and cold throughout the day.  But these are minor troubles in the great scheme of things.  Brie and Brigitte led the games and activities with great skill and strength.  The campers do whatever they say!

One of the neatest things that was unique today was that Tyler and Tim came wearing their re-enactment garb.  Tim re-enacts the Revolutionary War and Tyler re-enacts the Civil War.  Both gave the campers a bit of history and described the traits of their uniforms and how difficult it was to be a soldier in those time.  

We are surprisingly tired tonight, more because we slept so little last night than the exercise.  Actually, the hiking is not difficult.  It's the constant barrage of questions and expectations that are exhausting.

12 Kenny Award Nominations!  We got more nominations than any other school!  We scored in every category except best supporting actor.  Michaela- best actress, Matt-best actor, Graciela - best supporting actress and then every technical and performance category!  We are thrilled and so very proud.  Our success is due to the efforts and dedication of hundreds of people and all the preceding productions that taught us so much.

Our fearless leaders!

Denali, Molly, Maddy and Corey

A killdeer on her nest

Tyler, Steve, Shane, Alycia, Mike and Robert

Day 846: Ready, set, go!

Jerry was ready with a stack of groceries when we arrived at Tops.  One hundred ten bagels, 54 chunks of cheese, with a few boxes of butterfly bandages on the side.  Jerry has become a good friend and an important member of the Quest team.  He always gets us deals that will save the club money.  This week the special was buy one bagel, get one free!

When we placed the order a few months ago, he was very worried about his daughter.  After a concussion, doctors discovered three small spots during a brain scan and they feared she had a brain tumor.  Today, he told us the good news.  No tumor, just three small calcium deposits.  While they were driving home from seeing the doctor, Jerry told his daughter.  You know the doctor was really nice and didn't tell you the whole truth.  You have rocks in your head!

A bit of raking and a long walk were possible before the rain came and dropped the temperature into the forties.  It's supposed to stop before morning, but the cold will remain.  Perfect hypothermia weather.  The great advantage of backpacking in the rain and cold is that we wear all of our clothes and don't have to carry them!

Day 845: Nearly ready for Quest!

A few more hours of sorting and organizing this morning brought us closer to being ready.  Equipment checklists for each camper and their health forms were sorted into cook groups and hike groups. Then we sorted all the t-shirts into cook and hike groups.  Next, we made a trip to Brocton to meet with their school nurse, pick up health forms and deliver equipment that a few kids needed to borrow.

Early this morning, we got an email from a mom who wanted to confirm that she should drop her daughter off at the middle school tomorrow morning for the hike.  YIKES!  How many times have we communicated the schedule?   Notices and classes and meetings and schedules and announcements!  It's like the kids and parents never talk.

Then later this afternoon, Steve got a call from a mom who was shopping for a sleeping bag.  She had two in her hands and had to decide: a 30 degree bag in synthetic fibers or a 32 degree bag with some down.  He went with the first.  Nothing like waiting to the last minute.

Mark called and is very excited that he will be able to backpack with us for most of the hikes after all!  That's good news.  He has such a demanding schedule and his wife is very ill, so we are fortunate that he can steal away for a few days to be with the kids.

I cut back the tall grasses and then raked in the backyard for hours. I hauled about ten loads of leaves, grass and branches out to the compost pile.  Now the garden looks terrific!

A magnolia on Chestnut St. 

Day 844: More backpacking chores

I typed the rosters for the hike groups which means we're close to finality for Saturday.  It's always a challenge to find the best environment for every participant.  Besides balancing the genders, levels of experience and first aid skills,  we also consider personalities and personal needs.  Fortunately, there are no serious medical conditions to contend with this season.  A few allergies and asthma are the main issues.  We hope to help the kids make new friends, so the Brocton and Silver Creek students are mixed in.

It's wonderful to arrive in Silver Creek on Wednesday afternoons to find Jake and Brigitte there to help teach the class.  They are so knowledgeable and confident that they convey the information to our new campers very effectively.  For ten weeks, they've taken time out of their busy days to help out.    I have greatly appreciated their contributions and I will miss them terribly next year.  More importantly, they've made a tremendous impression on our rookie backpackers.  They are the epitome of dedication and loyalty.

Yesterday, I bought the first seeds for our garden: kale, mustard and two kinds of lettuce.  Jeremy introduced us to mustard greens at our first dinner at his house.  This summer,  I want to include more greens in our diet.  Today, I bought colorful lime green pots to add to my collection of container gardens.   Now, all we need is warmth!  I want to garden!  The forecast for the next ten days is not good and planting is still far off.  We will certainly have very different conditions for Quest this year compared to the 80s of last year.

A little bit of green along the creek!

More progress around the new science center.

Today, they announced that Bill Nye, the Science Guy, will speak at the dedication of the new science center and at the convocation in the fall.  What a thrill!  

Day 843: Packing up for the one day hike

A backpacking Tuesday:

Packing for the one and two day hikes today:
Check all med kits and resupply with bandaids, rubber gloves, sanitary pads, moleskin and gauze
Bag utensils in sets of three
Make sets of four maps: Hamlet, Dunkirk, Forestville, Cassadaga, bag and add compass
Put pancake mix and brown sugar bags into small pots, put small pots in large pots, place in stuff sacks.
Make four sets of one insect repellant and one tick clothing spray, place in bag
Copy all health forms and place in bags for each hike group leader
Sort and label 22 cook bags
Organize store room by grouping all food for one day hike, two day hike and four day hike.

Continue work on hike groups, assigning adults and student leaders to create 22 cook groups
Pair rookies with veteran leaders, distribute males and females fairly equally

Teach class in Brocton.  Answer their questions and address concerns about the first hike.  Verify attendance at all events.  Counsel them on finding remaining equipment.  One student is having serious financial problems so we talked about what items she still needs and how we can get them to her before Friday.

Call student and discuss his attendance.  Unfortunately, he decided to drop out.  I had that feeling a few weeks ago when baseball season started and he stopped coming to class.

Packing up

Hike groups:

Blue slips for the 8th graders, Yellow for the student leaders, orange for adults, light blue for hike group leaders, purple for running totals.

This year, it's all about teaching new leaders.  We're quite top heavy, but who knows what will happen in the next few weeks.  Every year, people drop out for one reason or another.  We will shift personnel around as needed.  

Day 842: Dirt under my fingernails!

We were so very happy to work outside today!  We hauled the outdoor furniture out and set it up on the back deck.  I cleaned up the patio gardens and put away the pots I had left near the garage all winter.  Then I raked and trimmed in the back yard for a couple hours.  But most importantly, Steve put away the snowblower!  Of course, the forecast says we may get some snow tomorrow night, but we'll take the risk.

All over town, flowers are beginning to bloom finally.  As we walked, we encountered several groups of runners out enjoying this gorgeous day.  And many of them were running in honor of the people killed or injured in the Boston Marathon bombings that took place exactly one year ago.  Millions of spectators provided tremendous support.  The race was a great success and for the first time in many years, an American man won the men's race.  The female winner has won two years in a row.

Day 841: Happy Easter!

2067 miles!  Home again after a very long drive over two days.  It was gorgeous today which made for easy driving compared to yesterday, but we would have preferred to be out in the yard.   We got home at 6:00 and immediately went for a long walk.

Traffic was heavy as all the northerners had to return home after vacationing in the south.  North of Pittsburg, we came upon an accident that had just happened.  We pulled over to help and found a family of four who had been in an SUV and a woman who was driving a truck.  A seventeen year old girl was driving the SUV and her dad was next to her.  In the back seat, grandma and mom.  Fortunately, none of them were badly hurt, but they were very shaken.   All the airbags had deployed so they had sore necks, bruises and scrapes.  The girl sobbed and shook in her mother's arms.  She only has a permit and her grandmother fears that she will never want to drive again.  Steve checked out all the victims and we stayed with them till the rescue squad arrived.

Daffodils are finally blooming in our yard!  Hooray!  

It was a strange Easter.  We are not religious people, so church is not a part of this day, but I very much miss the rituals of the past.  Our family always loved coloring eggs.  The kids competed to see who could make the darkest purple egg or the brightest yellow.  They loved to make stripes or add designs.   We enjoyed preparing baskets for them packed with little trucks and candy.  Usually, on Easter day we went for a walk in Arkwright and had a picnic at the creek in Burnham's Hollow.

Molly and Paddy were happy to see us.  They spent way too much time inside while we were gone.  The house is thick with fur!  I vacuumed the carpets three times already tonight!

West Virginia blossoms

I'll start uploading pictures for the week tonight and continue over the next few days to fill in the past week's entries.

Day 840: traveling home

I am so very grateful for the opportunity to vacation in such a beautiful place as Hilton Head and to have a week with my sister and her family.  It didn't rank high on our list of destinations, though.  The two days on the beach restored our strength and we loved the Pinckney Island Nature Preserve, but the rest of it was so over developed and crowded.  We like to be able to walk or use public transportation, but HH required driving for just about everything.

We realized that one month from today, Quest 2014 will be all over.  The next few weeks are going to be very intense with so much to do to prepare.  I'll be so glad to get on the trail again.  Pigpen promises that he is going to do his skits again this year.  It just hasn't been the same without him!

There's so much to look forward to over the coming months: gardening, biking, traveling to Scotland, seeing our boys, summer picnics, swimming in our pool again!  

Day 839: Flash floods

Sprinkles started around noon when we picked up Nancy in Bluffton.   Rain continued gently for our trip to Beaufort and through a delightful lunch at Panini's.  We booked a tour of the historic district on a horse drawn wagon, hoping it would hold off.  It didn't.  We got soaked!  For 50 minutes, Barney the horse hauled us past gorgeous antebellum houses and 700 year old oak trees draped in Spanish moss.  Rain dripped through holes in the roof and ran down my nose.   Despite the downpour, Debbie, our guide was entertaining.  A real character, we could barely understand anything she was saying.

Back at Jeremy's house, we bundled up in blankets to warm up.  It was raining so hard, the dog wouldn't go out.  Jeremy and Kendall prepared a magnificent meal for our final dinner together.  They made a delicious mango salsa that included red onion, jalapeño peppers, lime and seasoning.  Jeremy pan fried grouper that was dusted with a little flour in coconut oil.  The presentation was so pretty cause they started with a base of kale, then a mound of rice flavored with coconut, then the grouper and salsa.  Blue corn chips nestled next to the fish.  It was a delicious mix of textures, flavor sand colors.  A fantastic meal!


It was hard to say goodbye to them, especially Nancy.  We really joyed spending our vacation with family!  Early tomorrow morning, we will brave the floods and begin our northward trek.  The rest of the country is dry, but of course we have to be in a flood zone.  An abnormally high tide tonight is making the flooding worse.  No more worrying, it's time to sleep!

Day 838: Ibis, egrets and storks, oh my!

Our visit to Ibis Pond at the Pinckney Island Nature Preserve was extraordinary!  Thousands of wading birds were mating and nesting.  Several types of herons, snowy egrets, wood storks and white ibis screeched, cackled and gargled.  Feathers flew when little territorial conflicts broke out among the branches.  Nests were stacked within a few feet of each other.  An ibis rested on her nest while blue or green herons jostled for space.  The pond was maybe two or three acres, but teeming with life.  At the base of the trees, small alligators were sunning while turtles, wood ducks scrabbled around in search of food.

The wind was bitterly cold on the beach today.  Walking this morning, wind whipped the sand till it stung our faces.  We tried to sit in the sun after lunch, but couldn't stand it for long.

After our trip to the preserve, we had dinner at the Raun Thai Restaurant.  Nancy loved it!  She was excited because she is not usually adventurous in food.  She even texted a picture of her meal to her daughter!

Day 837: Nancy and Jeremy

Jeremy took the day off from his work as a CFO to spend time with us and his mom.  None of us realized that a major golf tournament called the Heritage started today.  It was not the best day to go explore the east end of island and see the lighthouse.  Instead, we saw alligators and played mini golf.  So fun!  We had considered a zip line course, but decided that was not accessible to all.  The golf course was arranged on a pirate theme, no doubt to entertain youngsters, but we laughed and laughed as we repeatedly found ourselves in the rough.

Later, we went to a marina to walk and look at the boats, but the wind was so cold.  With temps in the 50s, the wind dropped the temp even more. We visited a dockside bar in hopes of getting a tropical drink with a tiny umbrella, but the grumpy bartender had no umbrellas.  It was while we were visiting quietly that Nancy was overcome with grief.  Glenn would have so enjoyed this day with his wife and son.

Kendall, Jason and his girlfriend joined us for dinner at the boathouse.  It was mobbed and we waited along the shoreline for an hour to be seated.  Jeremy keeps his boat at the marina so they eat there often.  The menu offered a huge assortment of seafood, so again it was hard to choose.   Steve got clam strips, while I had a gumbo, coconut shrimp and a salad.  Nancy dug into a mound of crab legs.

It had been many years since we spent any significant time with Jeremy, so this trip has been a good opportunity to come to know our nephew and his family.   I hope we have helped Nancy.  At least with us, she doesn't have to pretend.   I choke up just seeing her walk alone without Glenn by her side.  He had a huge, big-bellied laugh and would have teased us mercilously all day.

Tonight the wind is raging again, but at least it is not snowing like it is at home!

Day 836: Savannah

A huge cold front swept across the country over night and dropped snow on our hometowns.  Funny that both Louisville and Fredonia got a couple inches of snow.  Here in Hilton Head, we had heavy rain and wind.  Fortunately, we were still able to have a long walk on the beach before it hit.

The rain only interfered a bit with our day in Savannah a little.  We booked seats on the hop on/hop off trolley to tour the city.  We listened to the guide's commentary, but couldn't see the sites she was describing.  We exited at the Savannah River to find a place for lunch and escape the downpour.  Our choice was The Shrimp Factory and it was delightful.

Steve had the pine bark stew with flounder, shrimp, oysters and scallops.  My choice was the shrimp and sausage creole while Nancy had the fried shrimp dinner.  We don't have access to great seafood in Fredonia or creole food, so lunch was a treat.   So glad Steve had that opportunity.

The Ships of the Sea Museum had displays of  models and paintings of ships of all types, from those powered by wind to nuclear power.  Interesting, but I wish we had taken  time to visit the Savannah School of Art and Design.   One afternoon was simply not enough time to explore Savannah.

Day 835: Baklava and chicken soup

A migraine?  Really?  On vacation?  Heat, over exposure to the sun, heavy pollen and who knows what else triggered a terrible headache that I battled all day.  Finally, a nap, an ice pack, several bottles of water and a quiet walk worked.  We found a Greek restaurant where I had a fabulous chicken rice soup and baklava.

We had a wonderful walk along the beach this morning while it was still coolish.  Jelly fish and sand dollars floundered on the beach.  I think I saw our MS principal's family walking in the opposite direction.  We did not expect to know anyone here and then these familiar faces appeared.

Nancy, Steve and I had lunch nearby at a restaurant that specialized in flatbread pizzas.  For hours this afternoon, we sat on the beach and visited.  How difficult it is for her to be here again without Glenn.  In October, they were here for their 30th anniversary.  A month later, he was dead.

They sat on the beach while I let the waves carry me, dipping and plunging in 70 degree water.  It was so invigorating!  Why would anyone sit when they could be playing?

Children squealed and laughed while they rode skimmers and boogie boards.  The best entertainment was a little girl in a pink ruffled two piece swim suit.  She pranced and skipped, scooped sand, splashed in shallow pools, and ran into the waves with abandon.  Her mom and dad split supervision duty, but she completely ignored them and played alone happily.

Astrum solar has agreed to amicably settle our dispute and remove all the components they have installed and repair the house.  The project is nearly over and that's a great relief.   I know Steve is disappointed, but I am very glad.

Day 834: Moonlight on the waves

Watching children play on the beach today transported me back to the years when the kids and I spent our summer days at the beach in Van Buren Bay.   Grandma Betty lived in the bay when they were small, while Steve worked days as a nurse and we enjoyed long days playing together.  She so loved spending time with them.  She always had bubbles with double wands, play dough and finger paints.  But the very best toy for our boys was a set of PVC pipes and elbows.  They constructed dams and water filtration plants, cityscapes and tunnels.  In late afternoon, we drove home, three little boys nodding off in the backseat, sunburned and grimy.  They were so happy!

I saw it again today.   Little children played ball with their dads, dug holes in the sand, had sword fights with shovels, rode bikes with thick tires across the beach, flew kites and splashed in the surf.  Playing and laughing joyfully!

The ocean was 70 degrees and calm.  Low tide was at 12:30 so for the entire afternoon people played along the wide beach.   We lathered on sunscreen, but missed a lot of spots.  The tops of my feet are crispy.  Jeremy and Kendall prepared a lovely dinner of grilled chicken with a watermelon glaze, mustard greens, bread and homemade sangria!  Yum!  We talked about camping, rascally raccoons, adventures with Glen, baseball, proms, Table Rock in NC, lighthouses and appliances.  All the things that families talk about.

It was a wonderful day!

Day 833: Hilton Head arrival

What a long day! Route 95 was completely plugged up so we took back roads to Bluffton.  It was scenic, but so twisting and long!  Steve insisted on driving the whole way and he's totally exhausted.

Finally, silky sand between my toes!  It's so good to see Nancyr, Jeremy and Kendall.  We had dinner at restaurant down the beach.  The food wasn't good, but the company was.

There's no wifi in this condo so I'm typing on my phone.  It's a bit difficult.  Tomorrow will be better.

Day 832: New River Bridge

We stayed up far too late and slept poorly before our trip today.  Steve drove the whole way through thick fog from home to Erie, then heavy rain through all of Pennsylvania and most of West Virginia.  Half of New York was driving south today and the other half will travel tomorrow.  He had to concentrate so hard to keep us safe.

My job is to navigate, provide snacks and entertain the troops.  I started out with information on Scotland from two new guidebooks that arrived on Wednesday.  We've been counting on this trip with Mary for over a year, but we have  thought very little about what sites we'll visit.   The anecdotes and attractions in The Lonely Planet guide were too distracting during the rainstorm.  All our concentration had to be on the roads.  The temperature stayed at 53 degrees for most of the day till we drove out of the storm  near Birch River on rt. 19.  Then, zip, it shot up to 70.  That's where we finally spotted fruit trees in full flower, daffodils and forsythia.  Glorious!

Expenses in Scotland will be very high because of the exchange rate.  Each pound is equal to $1.67.  An average dinner is 30£ and a cab can run 25£!  I guess six days will be plenty.  One of the interesting things we'll have to contend with are midges.  Like black flies, they will devour any uncovered body parts.  The guides also said we don't have to worry about what we wear cause it's a very casual country.

We're camped out in a Best Western in Wytheville, Va and had a very mundane Chinese dinner.  It's ok, cause we're free.  Except, of course, from phone calls from fire squads complaining about ambulance drivers and parents who just realized the kids need to rent backpacks or they have soccer games or still need a physical.  It's been six months! Shouldn't this have been taken care of sooner?

I am still trying to figure out how to get photos emailed from my phone to upload to the blog.  I downloaded the camera photos to the iPad, but I don't know how to access them yet.  This week, I shall conquer that detail!

Day 831: National Siblings Day

Our rock band!

My favorite photo of our four kids, taken the day after Thanksgiving 2012.  

My siblings, two spouses and some of their children and grandchildren

Taken at Sky High Adventures in summer 2012

Laurie, me, Nancy in the front and Steve and Mike in the back

It's 10:30 and I still have an hour of packing to do. First,  we have to see what happens on Vikings.  

 I still have to do books, computers, cameras, DVDs and chargers.

We can hardly wait to escape to warmth!

Day 830: Spaghetti class

Cook class was awesome again.  Spaghetti is always a fan favorite.  Our two adventurous girls from Brocton and Silver Creek finally met and became friends.  One boy remains on the blue card and I escorted him to see his teacher.  Not one noodle was spilled while draining the pasta, but the floor was littered with raisins. Another boy's hair got singed because he was too close to the stove.   Brian and Alycia helped supervise the large, happy crowd.  Lots of laughter and learning was going on.

The stage is nearly cleared. Tomorrow, we'll take down the cyc, fold it up and put it away.  We had to clean in front of the stage because the choral teacher wants the risers put up for Friday, the last day of school.  Oh, well.  Can't wait for peace and quiet, beaches and bikes, family and friends.

The raisin group

Day 829: Evan's new job!

Hooray, halleluja, rejoice!  Evan got a new job today!  And not just any job, an incredible position of great responsibility and opportunity!  We are so very happy that he can begin the next stage of his life!  It all starts on April 28, my birthday.  It's the best present ever!

Look at the concentration of this crew!

Two MS students and a dad

Jake D.

Reliable, hardworking, talented and dedicated! 

Day 828: Cook class and break down

Lots of kids didn't show up for the first cook class.  Eight from Fredonia and the whole Brocton contingent "forgot".  Everyone had a good time, ate most of the macaroni and cheese and packed up five different supplies.  I was happy to have Alycia help out with supervision and it gave her an opportunity to meet many people.

Ten cast members, a half dozen crew, and four adults continued to work on dismantling sets.  I love using the drill and feel no emotional attachment to any of the sets.  Michaela moved around the stage sweeping up hardware as fast it dropped from the lumber.  Kathy and Sandy organized props and and costumes and put them away.  No thanks!  I am so glad we did not have to do the mountains of laundry that usually accompanies the end of the musical.

Anna, Clare, Brigitte and two eighth graders

Tim and Bri

Day 827: Kenny judges

The final Birdie performance was wild, energetic and passionate.  The kids' emotions were raw and right on the edge.  A few cast members did some improvising off script, but it may not have been detectable by anyone who hasn't seen the show a hundred times.  In the Shriner's number, the boys were wilder, noisier and puffed clouds of powder that distracted from the action.  The big question will be how the Kenny judges liked it because they were in the audience.

After the reception, Ben said that one judge gushed about Michaela's performance and could hardly believe that she is a high school student.  In fact, the judge compared her to Idina Menzel!  I would happily listen to Michaela sing anything!  I hope she wins the award for best actress.  It's very possible that our girls' ensemble could earn a nomination too.  If we win the Kenny,  it means $5000 and tremendous recognition for our school.

We were able to get out for a lovely walk in the sunshine before we headed to school to begin the set breakdown.   Ellen, Scott, Steve and I accomplished a great deal in just two hours.  Most of the bedroom and kitchen are done and we took down the scrim from the tv set.  Our reward was a delicious dinner at Whiskey Hill.  It seems out of character for us to be sitting in a bar, but the food is great and we like the casual atmosphere.

Ellen finishes off the kitchen!

Tomorrow, cook classes begin.  We have a big crowd of students coming to make macaroni and cheese. Fortunately, Alicia and Amanda will help supervise as well as a half dozen student leaders.
Only 20 days to the one day hike!

Whiskey Hill: baked beans, pulled barbecued pork and coleslaw.  

In back:  Garbage charred wings!

Canadaway Creek

Day 826: Closing night for Birdie

Day 825: One more to go!

Fantastic show, full of energy, excitement and fun!  Bri tore out the hem in her blue dress and split open the zipper of her vintage dress.  Many of the 50 year old dresses will have to be retired after this musical.

More tomorrow.  We're exhausted.

Birdie cookies

Emma and Maggie

Two great gals!

Day 824: Last Birdie rehearsal

Wonderful news from Evan!  He nailed his big interview today and is awaiting three offers!  Next week at this time, the drought will be over and his life will take a whole new direction.  We are so proud and happy for him.

The cast went through the motions tonight at rehearsal, because they desperately need an audience.  We've heard that the shows are nearly sold out!  I hope that's true.  I think we have a great chance of winning the Kenney!

Day 823: Tree lovers

All over town, beautiful old trees are being cut down.  Maybe they are interfering with the power lines or they are endangering a house, but I still hate to see them destroyed.  That's why it was so incredibly hard to have our towering sycamore removed.  Now, it seems that it was for nothing.  We rationalized the loss of the tree by thinking about all the trees we would save by going with solar power.

Tree trunk on Seymour St. 

That crazy project manager called today and dug herself into a deeper hole.  I have been questioning whether their errors related to the roof were due to incompetence or a deliberate deception.  Neither is a good option.  Steve believed that several people screwed up and did not do their jobs properly, but I thought it was more than that.  Today my suspicions were validated.  She said that when this happens, they close down the project until the homeowner can replace the roof.

So it has happened before to others and they trapped those folks into an expensive roof repair also.  In addition, I closed down the worksite.  She wasn't even in town.  She blamed the electrical errors on the village of Fredonia!  But she was the one who gave the wrong plan to the electricians.

It's almost like a stained glass window! 

No more. We're done.  It will cost us, but it will be less than other damage they might do in the future.

Day 822: First sandals

Our morning walk started at 45 degrees and ended at 55 degrees.  When we returned from the afternoon nap, our thermometer said 82 degrees.  I don't believe it was accurate, but it was a lovely change.  I dug out my sandals for our ice cream date with Amy.  The Big Dipper was packed with people including lots of cast members from Birdie!

The creek charged wildly toward the lake full of chocolatey snow melt past a few ice boulders along the shore.  Yesterday, fishermen flicked their lines in the muddy water, but today the creek was too swift.  

All around us were clearer signs of spring among the patches of snow.  Blossoming crocus and snowdrops, emerging lilies and daffodils, mud six inches deep.  I slopped out to the shed and Molly followed, trying to stick to the high spots.

I held the last class in Brocton for a while since cook classes start next week and then vacation.   Molly and Denali were back since their musical is done, but we lost Nick to track and Maddy to softball. It's a good thing we picked six student leaders.

Our topic was field sanitation and how to reconcile cleanliness with protecting the environment.  I know the kids don't want to talk about pooping in the woods, so I just plunged in bluntly.  They giggled and groaned as I described the horrible scene that the boys encountered on the two day hike last spring.  I told them that if they weren't comfortable walking over the site once they had buried their waste then no one else would be either.  Our student leaders handled dishwashing and personal hygiene and offered sound advice.