It's been a full, satisfying and exhausting week. As a reward, we collapsed and slept ten hours, maybe more if we count the time we slept in our chairs.
I always prefer to have rain for the first hike so the kids understand why they are expected to have all the required equipment and so they learn how to face and overcome obstacles right away. They begin to realize they won't melt! It's so ridiculous to run inside when it rains. If we have the proper equipment, we can handle any adversity. I liked the way Margaret put it. This hike is for kids to get to know their equipment, how it works and how to use it. Although they awoke to rain, all we had during the day was a gentle misting while I was taking the individual photos. Unfortunately, I was so busy, I only took about thirty throughout the day.
As is customary, we had two new things happen. First thing in the morning, we had a boy who would not get out of the car. He was curled up in a ball in the front seat and would not respond to any of us who tried to get him to join the fun. The mom called grandma who apparently regularly defuses his anxieties and he eventually joined us.
Then in the afternoon, we had to return to the trail to search for a pair of lost glasses. $600 prescription glasses lost on a backpacking trip. The dad was furious at the child and Steve was very upset. Steve, the parents and the child retraced from Howard St. while Josh and I started at Rosa Court. In the big empty field that used to be a vineyard, the child found the glasses! Incredibly lucky!
We were so delighted to have our Quest leaders travel from afar to join us. Sean, who is a state policeman in Vermont gets the prize. He worked second shift on Friday, then drove all night to arrive about a half hour before the hike. Margaret drove in from Syracuse, Vince from Rochester and Alycia from Buffalo. This weekend, Lindsay will drive in from Columbus, Ohio. We are so grateful for their commitment and expertise.
On top of Quest preparations, my sister Laurie was here from Wednesday and I tried to help her with the house and yard as much as I could. We pulled brush and weeds, picked up branches, raked and trimmed shrubs. Steve mowed and I planted flowers so now it looks like the house is occupied. Laurie painted the master bedroom, washed windows, repaired screens, patched walls and cleaned woodwork. She's a demon! We had such a good time together and I was happy to have her here for my birthday for the first time in probably forty years.
So, it was a grand birthday. Laurie was here, Justin called from Japan, Evan sent flowers, Colin sent funny photos of April and him, lots of sweet messages arrived, we had dinner together at the Mustard Seed with lemon meringue pie as an appetizer. Then, I got to backpack with over a hundred of my friends. Yes, I am truly blessed.
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