Day 1430: Reflections

Seven hours from door to door.  We left the hotel at 11:00 and made it to the airport without incident at noon.  The big barrier was security.  Eight of their screening lines were closed so traffic backed up for a long time.  The rest of the trip went smoothy and we arrived home at 6:00.  As I look back on our week, there's a lot to think about.

We grabbed a bite, vacuumed, started laundry and downloaded photos.  A couple of my favorites appear here tonight.

Our beloved family

Day 1429: Australia booked!

The decision is made. Australia.  Sept 19 to October 2, 2016!  We'll be celebrating our 45th anniversary and Steve's seventieth birthday.  We seriously considered touring both Australia and New Zealand, because NZ is so close and the likelihood of returning down under is pretty slim.  It's just too much for this year.

We'll fly first to Los Angeles a few days early to see Colin and April. It will give us a break before the long twenty hour journey to Melbourne.  After three days there, we fly to Alice Springs and Uluru, then fly to Cairns where we'll visit the Great Barrier Reef.

The final flight will be to Sydney where we'll spend the last few days.  This is a dream come true for me cause Australia has fascinated me forever.  So many natural wonders and unique species!  Steve spent his R&R there while he was serving in Vietnam, but he never got beyond Sydney.

Mockingjay has eluded me completely this trip.  Three times we've tried to get tickets without results.  This morning we got up early to get to the 10:00 am showing and boom!  Sold out again!  The AMC Theater at 84th Street has reclining seats and every single one of them was full.  We opted instead for the new James Bond thriller and it did not disappoint.  Crazy woman loves action films, except for the car chases that give me vertigo.

We said goodbye to our sons tonight. It's been a wonderful week and I'm very grateful for all the time we had together.

Day 1428: Roosevelt Island

Another day packed full of activities!  Subway to 59th St., toured three displays at the Museum of Art and Design, crummy lunch in a small Thai restaurant, Tramway to Roosevelt Island, hiking through the Four Freedoms Park, subway to Brooklyn and dinner at a fabulous Japanese restaurant.  And back again to the upper west side.

Justin and Kaoru hosted dinner at an exclusive Japanese sushi restaurant.   She was very excited to share her culture and language.  The first few rounds were delicious.  Okra, eggplant, a veggie pancake, beers and saki, then shrimp and veggie tempura and soba.  So much food!  Then they added a huge platter of sushi and sashimi.   April has a bad sore throat, Evan was sick to his stomach, Steve doesn't like it and I'm allergic.  Kaoru was crushed to see more than half of the delicacies left.  We felt terrible, but what could we do?   Plus, the bill was huge.  We pitched in to pay and the waitress split up the leftovers in three parts.

Tomorrow is our last day.  We're going to Colin and April's to finish up their leftovers and say goodbye.  They are leaving for LA on Monday and we won't see them at Christmas.  It could be many months till we are together again.

Day 1427: Black Friday

No shopping for us today!  It was far too beautiful, sunny and 65 degrees!!!   Hardly seems like late November.   Instead we hiked all over the northern section of Central Park with Nancy.  Each day this week, her fitbit indicated we walked 8-11 miles.  It's no wonder we don't see many overweight people here.

Justin met us for lunch and then escorted us to the transit authority to get Nancy on a bus to Tom's River, NJ.  Four stories below ground and four more above, we would have had a tough time navigating that place without him.  Then we rode the train back over to Colin's in Brooklyn for a Star Trek marathon and leftovers.  We haven't seen Voyager in many years and really enjoyed watching it together.  Such a fun and relaxing day!

Day 1426: Thanksgiving Day 2015

This is my favorite holiday.  I  am filled with gratitude for the richness of my life.  Most of all,y husband and children.  Today, our son and his wife hosted dinner for eight.  They poured their hearts into the preparations to make it perfect for all of us.  Even their fur babies Drizz't and Oscar were cordial and cooperative.  Everyone contributed to the meal, prep and cleanup.  There was lots of laughter, stories and gentleness.

I am thankful I have two treasured sisters and two brothers.  I'm grateful my sister could join us for an adventure in NYC.  She's tired, but has enjoyed traipsing all over the city.  Next weekend, I'll have time with my other sister and brother.  And we are incredibly grateful dear Mary is healing.

I'm grateful for loyal friends, thousands of former students and colleagues.  I'm 66 and healthy!  What more could a girl ask for?

Day 1425: Something Rotten

An excellent day full of adventures and topped off by a very funny show on Broadway, Something Rotten.  The Bottom brothers of London are in direct competition with Shakespeare and are desperately seeking a new idea for a play.  The elder brother Nick goes to a soothsayer and asks for the next big trend.  Musicals! And so they write a twisted musical about Shakespeare's greatest work, Omlette.  Every song and dance was rich with literary references and swipes at current and past musicals.  Delightful!

The streets are packed with ttravelers from all over the world.  Threats from ISIS are having little influence on anyone except police and security forces.  The weather is gorgeous so no one wants to be confined.

Tomorrow, we are off to Brooklyn for our Thanksgiving feast!  May this be a peaceful, happy day around the country!

Day 1424: One World Observatory

Totally exhausted!  We hiked eleven miles through NYC streets and subway tunnels.  It was an amazing and moving day that we'll remember for a long time.

We've been to Ground Zero many times since 9/11 to witness the progress from total devastation to the completion of the Freedom Tower.  Steve served there just two weeks after the event and helped by serving the firemen on site.   On our first trip to the site together, sometime in the following months, there were still photos of missing loved ones hanging on the wrought iron fence around the church and messages of condolences everywhere.  For a long time, the objective was to clean up the site while designers, architects and public officials tried to figure out what kind of memorial to build.

Fourteen years later, construction continues in the area.  The Freedom Tower is finally complete and it is a touching tribute. The reflecting pools rest among a serene park setting that honors the victims.  Just a few weeks ago, the observation tower opened to visitors and we were able to book tickets for a tour.  The interactive experience emphasizes the contributions and commitment of all the workers.  I loved listening to their stories .  They were so proud to be part of this remarkable endeavor.

Lots more happened today, but I can't keep my eyes open.  Probably because a fight outside our door kept me awake late last night.

Day 1423: Paulaner Brauhaus

It's so sweet to be back in NYC with our family.  Traveling is always a challenge, but this trip was very smooth.  We arrived at JFK before 11 am and waited for Nancy who arrived at at 12:30.  Unfortunately, her luggage didn't arrive with her so we waited another hour for Delta to find it.  We took AirTran to the Long Island RR, which took us to Penn.  Then we got the subway to 96th Street.  So, eight and a half hours of travel.  The only thing we screwed up was the AirTran ticket, but that was easily resolved.

We had lunch at 4 at the Manhattan Diner next door.  Delicious soup and sandwiches.  Then we walked from 96th to 72 nd St.  Just to check things out along the parade route.  And made our way to Paulaner Brahaus to meet the kids.  Best part of the day, week, month and year.  Non stop talk, non stop laughter, great food and lots of love.  Our time together is so delightful!

Still haven't figured out how to get photos into the blog on the iPad so I will add them next week.

Day 1422: On our way

Bad news.   Colin and April aren't coming home for Christmas this year.  I wasn't too shocked since they will be moving at the beginning of January, but it is disappointing.  It will be hard on us, but harder on April's mom.  At least we will see them this week.  We've been very fortunate to celebrate Christmas together every year except for 2004 when Colin was serving in Korea.  Even then, we used FaceTime to connect.  With them living in California, I suspect this is just the first of many holidays we'll celebrate on opposite coasts.  We'll make the best of our time together this week for both Thanksgiving and Colin and Evan's birthdays.  And, we decided to go visit during the spring break.

Steve stayed home and relaxed all day.  That doesn't happen very often.  Most of his loyal stage crew worked late last night and they got the stage back in order for upcoming events. Pride rock is still intact, but that can wait to be dismantled after we return.  After vacation, auditions for Aida will be held and prep for the spring show will begin.

Colin in 2002 as Mr. Bumble in Oliver, his last musical and when he met April.

Christmas 2002, a few months before he left for the army.

Day 1421: Snow on the way

Of course, lake effect snows are coming tomorrow till Monday morning.  I knew it was a risk to book a flight in November.  Usually we take the train to NYC, but the price went up significantly.  Only $50 separated an eight or nine hour train ride versus a one hour flight.  So, we took the chance.  Looks like the lake shore shouldn't be hit too hard.

Lion King, Jr. was the hottest ticket in town.  Both shows sold out and they had to turn people away.  A matinee would have been beneficial for many reasons.  I finished editing over three hundred photos and copied them to a flash drive so Lloyd can burn DVDs for all the kids.  Then I took my computer up to school during the make up sessions and let the cast view all the photos.   They love seeing themselves all made up as wild animals.  Brittany and her staff did a remarkable job.

I spent the rest of the evening sorting clothes and packing for our trip.  We're so anxious to celebrate Thanksgiving with our sons and April!  The weather forecast is excellent with temps in the fifties and only a small chance of rain.  Lots of fun on the agenda: family time, sight seeing, a Broadway show, visiting parks and lots of great exotic restaurants.

The kids were terrific and show great promise for the future.

Fredonia's musicals are secure for years to come.

Day 1420: Opening night for Lion King

I finished the final editing of another chapter today.  It's the one about the origin of backpacking in Fredonia with a program called Atlantis in the 1970s.   I had to neutralize the dates because of conflicting information from the people I interviewed, news article and written records.  Instead of saying something happened in 1974, I said early 70s.  Some may object to the lack of precision, but I think it's safer than being wrong.  Memories can be faulty or incomplete, newspaper articles are notoriously incorrect.   So, fifteen down and eight to go!

The show tonight was awesome!  I am so impressed with the kids, but even more impressed with Ben!   I think about him as a performer years ago in 42nd Street and Les Mis and a few others.  Now, he's the director and a very capable one at just 29 years old.  He's assisted by Ben S. who was one of the leads in Joseph and Ragtime.  And now the makeup director is Brittany who was a lead in Godspell and Fiddler.  They all benefitted from the musical program and now are giving back.  How fortunate our community is to have them.

I took about five hundred photos between the Nov. 14 rehearsal, the dress rehearsal and tonight.  They needed lots of editing and of course, I deleted a good chunk of them.  Lloyd will make DVDs for everyone so the families can have a pictorial record of this great experience.

Nala the younger and the elder

Scar

Some of the hardworking stage crew

Light and sound crew

An ostrich of exquisite beauty

Stage manager extraordinaire

with his broom after the show

Day 1419: Lion King dress rehearsal

Day 1418: The procession

The daily procession!

Eleven turkeys today.  The flock is reconstituting.  For months five young turkeys came by with their mom.  A trio and a singleton also appeared at different times.  Yesterday I scared them to death simply by pulling into the driveway.  They took off and flew through the trees to the other side of the street.  Now that the lot across from our house has been sold, their travel and roosting patterns will be disrupted.  

The previews for Lion King, Jr. were absolutely delightful.  I went to the elementary program because they are always the most responsive audience.  When the chorus sings "The Circle of Life," a parade of jungle animals enters from the corridor and proceeds down the aisles.  The kids were excited, ooing and ahhing as they small animals entered, then they laughed and cheered when the giraffes arrived.  Finally, a huge elephant lumbered down the aisle.  As soon as they kids saw it, they burst into applause, laughing, whistling and cheering.  It made me cry.   The whole show is adorable, but my favorite performers are the warthog and Jerome who befriend young Simba, and the lioness Nala.  She has an exceptionally mature voice for a thirteen year old girl.  When backed up by the girl's chorus, their rendition of Shadowlands gave me goosebumps.  I love all musicals, but I am a completely captivated by these kids.  

I worked on revising the student leader application form and letter and then revised the adult volunteer form.  After that, I sat and read my book, The Rosie Effect, for four hours straight.  No book writing today.  I had to reset since tomorrow I will begin the chapters of medium difficulty beginning with the history chapters.  

Day 1417: Single digits

It was a very productive day!  This morning I finished the final editing on the leadership and partners chapters.  After a long walk and lunch, I finished the last of the easy chapters, Nature's Classroom.  That leaves the seven chapters of medium difficulty and two tough ones.  Fourteen down and nine to go!

It was such a beautiful warm day that I mowed leaves again and then sanded the headboard in preparation for painting it tomorrow.  What a difference from last year when we were in the midst of Snovember when seven feet of snow dumped on Buffalo.  I could  take this warmth all winter long.

Steve was at school by 2:30 and didn't get home until 9:30, but at least the sets are all done.  This show turned out to be far more time consuming than expected.  The great thing is that it's already sold out!  Unfortunately, there are going to be some angry parents who didn't buy advance tickets.  They really needed a third show on Sunday afternoon.

Day 1416: Surprises in SC

Our student meeting in Silver Creek was a hit.  Josh's classroom was full of young ladies and one young man.  He never told us the schedule changed so our time was cut to only twenty-five minutes.  He also hadn't given out the DVDs we gave him a month ago so the kids haven't seen it yet.

We were delighted to hear from Lily and Moraima that they both want to serve as student leaders!  We expected Lily would apply but never thought Moraima would because she is such a quiet, reserved girl.  If we get five or six eighth graders, we can certainly take two student leaders from SC.

On Friday morning we're speaking with the eighth graders in Brocton for a whole hour!  That will give us enough time to view part of the video besides reviewing the packet and answering questions.  We're hoping to increase enrollment a great deal since we now have an in-school adviser who has been promoting Quest in her classes.  Once we return from NYC, we have six parent meetings scheduled between the first and the twelfth.  That will give us a better indication of our numbers.

We had a great time at book club tonight.  Nancy prepared a lovely meal, a feast really.   It was the first time that we unanimously hated the book!  At the Water's Edge by Sarah Gruen was set during WWII in Scotland where two of the main characters were hunting for the Loch Ness monster.  An adult book about a quest for a monster.  Ridiculous.  It was my least favorite book of all our years together.  Anyway, the conversation that followed was so much fun.  I have really missed these old friends and it reminded me of all the joy life has to offer.

I took one of those Facebook quizzes that identifies your personality based on the colors you are most drawn to in a dozen different photos.  It was no surprise that I am idealist.  I knew that and it's why I am so devastated when the world is insane, when violence is directed against innocents and people are hurt.  School shootings, theater shootings, bombings...  So much hate, so much pain.   I'm not naive and I understand a great deal about global geopolitics.   It doesn't matter where victims are from, whether it's Beirut, Russia, Paris, my heart breaks each time.  I don't get angry and lash out.   Instead, it crushes me and it takes time to rebound.  The only way to stay sane is to compartmentalize the violence and reach for the constants in my life that provide joy and purpose.  Family, friends, writing, hiking, travel, photography and working with kids on Quest and musicals.

Only the willow still has leaves, but the sky was so magnificent.  

Day 1415: Overload

There's too much sadness and pain in the world for me to process right now.  I am out of words.
Maybe tomorrow I can begin to make sense again.  The time with Penelope was helpful, as always, because we focus on the work and each other.   I offered my new chapter on partner schools and it was a hit.  Just a few changes to make.

Day 1414: Difficult day

FMS presents:  Lion King, Jr.

It's such an adorable show.  Their songs, energy and innocence lifted my heart today.

Day 1413: Terror attack in Paris

A massacre in Paris.  Terrorists have struck Paris again.  Armed men broke into the Bataclan Concert Hall and shot over 100 people.  Bombs went off in the Stade de France stadium where a soccer game between France and Germany was taking place.  President Hollande was evacuated from the site.  Two restaurants and a bar were bombed.  The number of dead keeps climbing.

I'm so horrified and saddened that I can't process this tonight.

In the midst of the tragedy, great joy for our friends.  Tonight we went to the college to see Michael, our former student, sing the lead in the opera, The Merry Widow.  His senior show. We met his folks in the lobby just before the house opened, but they couldn't go in because they got a text from their other son.  "We're pushing!"  They darted out the door and soon we got a text with the big announcement: "It's a girl!"

Life and death.  Violent deaths, joyous new life.

Michael taking a bow after the show.  

Don't worry, I did not take any photos during the performance. 

Day 1412: Wind storm

Forty to fifty mile per hour winds are rattling the house and shaking the trees.  Film of the lakeshore is wild with waves crashing ten feet in the air.  The cable is out, but not the power yet.  It's a good night to stay inside and read!

I took these shots of the backyard early this morning before the storm rolled in.  There are no leaves left on the maples, but the oak is holding on to crinkled brown leaves and the willows are still green.  We were able to walk over three miles this morning as a cool mist of rain and tumbling dark clouds closed in from the southwest.  By lunchtime, it was fierce. 

I finished the Trials along the Trail chapter in just about two hours!  Hooray! That means twelve chapters down with eleven to go!  Tomorrow, I'm going to tackle the leadership chapter.  I don't expect the editing on that one to go as fast because I have been rethinking some of the content.  It's not just about verb, punctuation and word choice checks.

We met with Fredonia's eighth graders today after school. It was a good turn out, around 55 kids.  Only four of our student leaders showed up, the same ones who came to the classes.  Well, we know who our reliable leaders are!  On Monday, we travel to Silver Creek.  Unfortunately, only interested students will come, not everyone.  I think that's a mistake, but it's not our call.   Next Friday we're speaking to all the Brocton 8th graders for a whole hour.   That's very encouraging.

Day 1411: Veteran's Day

On Veteran's Day we pause to give thanks to veterans for their service to our nation.  I think we can best way to demonstrate our gratitude to veterans is by taking care of them in their time of need, by providing them with the best possible medical care throughout their lives to mend their bodies and minds,  by assuring job training and a college education.  But, most of all, the best way to thank veterans is to bring them home and not create any more veterans.

I am thankful that our family's veterans came home safe and (mostly) sound.   We have been so blessed.  My dad was stationed on a south Pacific island with thousands of troops ready to invade Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped.  He lived, so here I am.  My husband survived the jungles of Vietnam.  Because he lived,  he has saved numerous lives and influenced many more.   Our son was incredibly fortunate to be sent to Korea rather than Iraq in 2003.  When everyone else got orders for Iraq, how could we be so fortunate? He lived and if our fortunes continue, perhaps someday we'll have a grandchild.    Rob, Jennifer, Jeremy and Adam, our nephews and niece, all thrived in the Navy.  They've built productive, stable lives and have beautiful families.

So, I am filled with gratitude today and every day.  Please, let this country not elect someone who is over zealous with our troops.  Please, let our next president be as cautious and wise in decisions about risking our soldiers and sailors and airmen and airwomen as President Obama has been.  Please guide this foolish, self absorbed Congress to work together to provide timely services to the men and women who have served honorably and selflessly in the past.

It only took two hours to finish the food chapter today.  That's eleven chapters down and twelve to go!  Tomorrow, on to Trials Along the Trail!  And, we'll be speaking with the 8th graders at 2:20.  One more step forward to Quest 2016!

Day 1410: Puzzle time

In sixteen days, I've finished ten chapters.  Nine from the easy column and one brand new chapter. That means four more from the easy column, seven of medium difficulty and two tough ones.  It's a bit slower pace than I had projected which makes me worry about my Jan. 15 deadline.   I worked a few hours in the morning on the partner schools and finished it during the afternoon.

We darted out late morning for a 3.5 mile walk in light rain and arrived home just before 1:00.  It was so refreshing!  The rain became much heavier after lunch.  Steve went off to school to work on sets and I went back to work.

We spoke with a young fly fisherman wading in the stream beneath the Risley St. bridge who said he was fishing for steelheads.  We were finally able to see the huge fish swimming just below the falls in a pool of deeper water.

I celebrated the chapter's completion by vacuuming the dining room ceiling, walls and then all the carpets.  Oh, the fun of owning a log home.  Tomorrow, I think I'll break up the writing with a few loads of laundry!

Steve will spend the day at school, even though it is Veteran's day, serving others as always.

Relaxing with a puzzle!

Day 1409: The fisherman

We managed to sneak out for a short walk on this lovely day.  Each time we pass the creek, there are fishermen casting flies into shallow pools.  I don't know what fish are running right now, but I hope they don't catch them.  It's nearly impossible for the fish to travel upstream.

We met today with young Dr. S today, the radiologist who is in charge of Mary's radiation treatments.  Compassionate, funny and brilliant, she spent a half hour with Mary and then another forty-five minutes with the three of us to explain the options, side effects, and practical matters.  All of her explanations were research based and data driven so the decisions were easy to make.  We wished Steve's orientation had been as thorough and detailed.  Her radiation will begin on Nov. 30 after a "dress rehearsal" and continue for twenty sessions.  The good news is that it's a few weeks less than we expected.   She's decided to travel into Roswell for all the treatments and I can see why.  The care is really superior.

As we entered Roswell, receptionists were asking people if they had traveled to or had contact with people in West Africa.  They haven't asked us that before.  Interesting.  The ebola scare is over and only Guinea has remaining cases.

I spent the morning on the organizing personnel chapter and basically finished it.  One part I don't like is the conclusion.  It's heavy handed and slow.  The title stinks, too.  Tomorrow, I'll hit it again after I work on something else for a few hours to refresh my brain.  With rain coming tomorrow after a couple fabulous days,  I won't be distracted.

Day 1408: Paddy freaks out

Last night after I wrote my blog, Paddy decided to join me in the chair.  He fell sound asleep tucked in so tight next to me that I could barely move.  After a bit I twitched my leg and he bolted, knocking my computer on the floor.  It spooked him so much he catapulted three feet in the air using my legs as his springboard.  He took off and I was left with bloody gashes.  I scrubbed them thoroughly with antibacterial soap and then cleansed them with betadine.  Next, polysporin and bandages.  Today, they look clean.  I'm always afraid of infection cause I have no idea where his dirty feet have been.

It's puzzling to us why he reacts so wildly to sudden noises or movements.  He has never been mistreated, but he is so skittish.  He loves me wildly, but I can stroke him three times and then he'll bite me on the fourth stroke.  It must be because he was abducted by aliens when he was a year old.  He must be afraid they're coming for him again.

My days are fairly monotonous now.  Get up, eat breakfast, sit at the computer, write and edit.  Many hours each day.  But I've made so much progress since Nov. 1.  Today, I nearly finished the ninth easy chapter.  This one is on organizing personnel or how to compose tent groups, cook groups and hike groups.    I wrote a dialogue from this spring's group of boys whose tent groups were all mixed up.  All the names are made up and I simplified the interactions, but it's still more engaging than the old introduction.  Seven boys, three tents.  Jake wants to tent with Tim and Kevin.  Bob wants to partner with Alex and Tim.  Kevin chooses Sam.  And nobody wants Tony.  How do we resolve this situation?  Happens all the time.

We added another four mile walk today.  And then I mowed again.  I'm glad cause tomorrow will be very busy.  We're off to Roswell to meet with Mary's radiologist to set up her radiation treatments.  Then, my class dinner is tomorrow night.  I have to get a couple hours of writing done in the morning.

Day 1407: Weather or Not

"Freezing rain ran in rivulets down backpackers' faces, dripped off chins and began a journey inside rain jackets, producing shivers and goosebumps."  It's one of my favorite first lines in the whole book.      I also like "Julienne potatoes sat like a yellow lump in a pool of icy water."  In fact, the weather chapter is one of my favorites.  Kids slogging through slashing rain, dense fog, blistering heat, sleet and high winds make for great stories. It took four and a half hours to polish it off and add a conclusion, but I'm delighted with the chapter.

Maytum Hall

Day 1406: Talent show

Since it was raining this morning, I finally finished the finance chapter.  I guess it should have been in the second category of difficulty.  See, all it takes is bad weather to keep me focused.  When I read the conclusion to Steve he said the material ought to go in the introduction to the book.  He gives such good advice.

Then we tried out the new restaurant downtown where the Hook and Ladder Deli used to be.  None of the businesses who moved in after the Hook and Ladder succeeded so I hope this one does.  It's called Aloe Vera Eatery and it's owned by one of my former students.  The decorations are elegant and fashionable, very appealing to women.  And the food was good, too.  I had a pecan pear salad which was tasty, but I'm pretty sure they forgot the dressing.  Steve had clam chowder and a crab salad wrap.  Nice variety.  We will definitely try it again.

After that, I worked more on the partner schools chapter.  It's coming along very well and I'm sure it will be ready for Penelope review next Sunday.   Tomorrow, I will have another entire day to write since Steve will be working on sets.  I'm going to tackle another chapter from the easy column in the morning and then continue work on partners.

Despite the strong winds, we had a lovely walk around town.  Trees I photographed in all their splendor are nearly bare today.  There's little color left.

We topped off the night with the Evening of Music, formerly known as Evening of Theater.  It was poorly publicized and the audience was very skimpy, almost entirely parents.  What the heck are we doing here, I thought.  We were hoping for a pleasant surprise, one of those unknown seniors who never got around to auditioning for the musical but was secretly super talented.  Didn't happen.
One brother and sister duo were terrific, but it turns out he already graduated.  The young lady will be auditioning in December however.   Kate was awesome as always.  She is such a pro and has great stage presence.  Graciela was also wonderful.  The young man who will be seeking the lead was uneven.  When he catches the right pitch, his voice is beautiful, but he was inconsistent and he's easily led astray by an off pitch partner.

Molly got us up at 6 am, crying and crying for breakfast.  She always has trouble with the time change and it's very annoying!

Day 1405: Trek

Over the last two evenings, we watched the movie Trek for the third time.  It's the story of four young men who backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail back in 2001.  They filmed as they hiked and then edited after completion.  We wanted to review it to see if it's appropriate to share with the eighth graders in Cassadaga.  Kelly is looking for ways to keep the kids interested and I think this will help. It's thoughtfully made and the guys are engaging and funny.  Language is surprisingly clean.  It does a great job depicting the trials they faced and the pain they endured.

It's so intriguing and I am enthralled with the prospect of hiking the trail.  Not the whole 2100 miles, but a portion of it.  The main things I worry about is access to clean water and excessive heat.  We've been discussing the possibility of doing a longer expedition on our own.  Something really adventurous, but we have many doubts.

Our friend John H.  is planning to hike the St. James Trail from Spain to France next September and asked if we wanted to go.   He's done a lot of research and is very excited.  One of the issues with that  trail is how crowded it is.  Thousands of people complete that pilgrimage each year.  And it's very hot!  You don't have to carry a tent because there are hostels and restaurants all along the way.  Lots of fresh potable water is available, but there's no where to pee because there aren't many trees for coverage.   With so much thought given to backpacking lately, I hiked all night in my sleep.

We took another long walk and then I worked on cleaning up the pots on the patio.  With 75 degree temperatures, I just had to be outside.  So, I have not gotten much work done on the book in two days.  That's ok.  There will be plenty of nasty days to keep me inside.  I'm very tired and hope I sleep better tonight.

A golden ginkgo

Creek asters

Day 1404: 72 degrees!

Spectacular day!  Sunny and warm, leaves glowing gold and rust, blue jays squawking.  On our long walk around town, leaves crunched beneath our feet and sun beat on our faces.  How could this be November 4?  I would so love this temp to stay.  We took a 4.5 mile walk and then I mowed and raked.  Love, love, love.

We talked for a long time during our walk about the two chapters I'm working on which are complementing each other.  It caused me to further rethink and revise the finance chapter.  It's ok, because it's getting stronger.

Kelly said yesterday that she has forty kids interested.  Even if half actually sign up, that will be great.  She is so energetic and innovative! What an excellent addition to our leadership team.  She is going to do fundraising to help the kids who need assistance.  Also, she has emailed the staff to see if they have equipment to donate or lend.  Plus, she's calling all the parents to keep them informed.

Next week we're speaking to Fredonia 8th graders and then Brocton and SC the following week.   We expect to increase enrollment in both schools.  We could have twenty to thirty more than usual.   Fredonia's 8th grade is 113 kids.  If we enroll 50%, which is typical, that's 56.  So, the expedition could be 80 kids or more!  Add to that twenty student leaders and twenty adults.

We'll need more cooking equipment, stoves, utensils.  Maybe a fifth hike group.  And a new hike group leader or two.  I can't do both jobs any more.  Lots of changes on the horizon.

I have to finish the book!

Correction on the election.  The margin was about two hundred votes.  Still an impressive tally.

Risley St.

Day 1403: Election Day

Fredonia has its first female mayor!  Dr. Athanasia Landis has been elected by a margin of over 400 votes!  What exciting news!  She has a very positive and forward looking approach.  I hope she can help get the community back on track.  She'll be helped by two Democrats who won seats as trustees. The other big story is that residents of Forestville voted for dissolution.  They've had a steady stream of financial woes and incompetent leadership so the results are not surprising.

We spent the day at school talking with the eighth graders about Quest in Bryan and Doug's classes.  The kids were very receptive to the presentation and indicated lots of interest.  Just a few student leaders showed up to speak to students for three periods, but no one came for two of the classes.  That was disappointing because their enthusiasm is so contagious and has a strong impact on the kids.

When we got home, Doug sent a delightful email.  Apparently, the kids were discussing Quest when one boy asked his friend if he wanted to be his tent mate.  The second boy answered, "No, I've already picked out my tent partners.  I've got a six man tent."  At that point, Doug intervened and suggested that a two person tent would be much lighter.  "No," he replied.  "I've got it all figured out. We're going to take turns carrying it."

Another boy said he had a contact in Dunkirk who would make a pizza delivery to them along the trail!

Ahhh, kids.   Love them!

Every year Doug does a beautiful introduction to our presentation.  Today was his best ever and it made me think about the role of courage in Quest.  I think it's one of the traits I have neglected throughout the book and I'll have to revisit that concept.

He talked about how each successive challenge give us courage to tackle the next.  He referenced four events in his life that gave him the confidence to accept the next big challenge.  First, as a fifth grader he spent two weeks at Camp in the Woods in Bear Lake and that helped him adjust to being away from home.  Next, when he was a junior, he spent on month in Germany on the Bamberg Exchange.  It was his first time in an airplane, first passport, and he had full immersion in a new culture.   That gave him the courage to tackle a month in Uzbekistan on a Fulbright scholarship.  And that led to him going to China to adopt his daughter.

It made me think a lot about Natalie's courage.   She was the only 8th grade student from Brocton to hike last year and she tented with two girls she had never met.  Think about the guts that took.

Our beautiful back yard!

Day 1402: Oak leaves

Leaves from an oak tree on Matteson St.

Another photo of one of my favorite vistas in all of Fredonia

Our gorgeous oak tree.  This is the view I have from my desk while I write.  It's a curious mix of temptation and comfort.  The days are so lovely that I hate to stay inside working.

Today, I finished the finances chapter!  When the weather turns again, I'll return to the more challenging chapters.

Tomorrow, we'll be spending all day at school speaking with the eighth graders.  That's always a treat, but it means we have to get up early.  I don't like to get up early!  Kelly messaged us today with news that she has forty kids interested in backpacking.  Wow!  She wanted to know what she could do to keep them interested for a couple months till we start classes.  We came up with a couple ideas including asking a few student leaders to go to Cassadaga and meet with the kids.  She is an awesome resident adviser!

Day 1401: Autumn wonders

Another lovely autumn day full of emotion.  More reminders of our good fortune and health.  Penelope, sick friends, funeral home, long walk, out to dinner, talk with Nancy and Evan, Molly purring by my side.

Our friend Doug lost his 80 year old dad yesterday.  He was diagnosed with cancer just three weeks ago.  We all agreed, it wasn't a bad way to go.  Nancy's friend lost her husband this week.  He dropped over from a massive heart attack at 56.  Nancy was reliving her loss of two years ago.  And I'm reminded again of each day's gifts, the wonder of golden leaves, sunlight glinting on a deep blue lake and the treasure of precious loved ones.  

My friends at Penelope were delighted and impressed when I gave a progress report on the book.  I've promised to share my new chapter on partner schools at the meeting in two weeks.  Today I finished editing the expedition behavior chapter.  I'm so delighted with how smoothly it's going.

Valerie is starting an autobiography and I recommended she use NANOWRIMO, like I did back in the fall of 2010.  Write a thousand words a day and don't edit!  It made all the difference for me.  It provided the structure I needed.  I kept a tally of my words on the calendar and was motivated by the increasing totals.  Making a daily commitment and recording my progress was so helpful.  It's the same strategy I used to reach my swimming goal.

I know there is so much more to do once the writing is done, but already new ideas for writing projects are filling my head.  I'm going to resurrect a couple short stories I wrote back in the 1990s, starting with my hubcaps story.  I got such great feedback from two publishers, but I never followed through with revisions and resubmission.  Ahhh, but one thing at a time.  FINISH THE BOOK!

Forest Place

From Risley St.

Our back yard