January 30 was Grandma Betty's 100th birthday. She passed away in early January, 1994, after a long battle with breast cancer and the after effects of chemo and radiation. Our kids were so fortunate to have all four grandparents for much of their lives, but unfortunately, they lost them all in a row in the 1990s.
When she lived in Van Buren Bay, we spent our summer days at the lake where my sons played happily in the shallow warm water or built forts, castles and cities in the sand. She bought PVC pipes of all shapes and sizes for them to use in their construction projects. When they returned to the house sunburned, thirsty and tired, she had popsicles ready.
On cooler days, there were bubbles to blow, play doh to mold and stories to read. One of their favorite pastimes was to write and illustrate stories for her. They would dictate stories to me and I'd type away on our old Commodore 64. Then, they'd do drawings, make a cover and present the finished book to her. She always cherished the gifts.
Today, a new Quest backpacking class begins. We've enrolled 61 students including 10 from Silver Creek, (if the leader gets all the paperwork in), 12 from Cassadaga and 39 from Fredonia. Most of them came in at the last moment. The 39 ties Fredonia's lowest number, but at least we didn't break the record.
My heart is so heavy today because the country is falling apart as Trump's team savagely attacks the justice system and FBI. I see traitors all around Washington and I feel profoundly helpless and frightened about the future. Quest carries me when I'm down. Yesterday, meeting with the Cassadaga kids was refreshing. We played games and I breathed in their innocence, enthusiasm and energy. Today, I hope the Fredonia kids exude that same kind of optimism and excitement about hiking.
