Day 769: Sparkling day

A gorgeous, sparkling sky greeted us today.  We bundled up and walked a few times around Steuben and Pulaski with only our eyes and cheeks exposed to the cold.  Even so, my fingertips were numb when we returned.

Late afternoon shadows creep along the snow across the street next to the Connelly's house. 

Tomorrow morning, the equipment seminar!  A pivotal day for all members of the Quest expedition.  It's so important to convey to parents that the safety and security of the new hikers is a shared responsibility.  We offer the information, but it's up to them to help the students make wise selections and pack the required items.  Several parents have balked at having to attend since they have previously attended a session.  We think every individual child deserves the same attention.  Mike will be on hand to welcome our partners from Silver Creek and Brocton.  No doubt he will have everyone laughing.

Day 768: Quest 2014 Team

Ben ran all of Act I tonight and the kids were outstanding!  It's quite impressive that we are just one month into rehearsals and they are doing so well.

Telephone hour

All-American Boy

Ed Sullivan Show

Bye Bye Birdie quintet

Fredonia's Quest 2014 participants

Day 767: Silver Creek Tally

It will be a small group in Silver Creek, probably three.  I think December was too late to begin promoting the program.  We never had time for a student meeting where we could speak to all the eighth graders.  But, it's a beginning.  Hopefully, next year we can start earlier.

Getting to Silver Creek was rough because heavy snow had been falling for a few hours.  Rt. 20 was icy and slick so I told the seniors not to come.  Bri and Brigitte came anyway.  The two boys, Ryan and Chase, enjoyed the games and I think we set a positive, encouraging tone.  The girl was absent today, so Mr. C. will conduct the class again tomorrow.

The grand total now stands at 67:  58 from Fredonia, 6 from Brocton and 3 from Silver Creek.
Plus, 24 student leaders and about 20 adults.  Tomorrow, we have our first class in Fredonia.  Quest begins!

Day 766: Quick ER trip

Steve's down in the ER getting an IV for an infected finger again.  Crazy!  Last weekend he got a deep splinter while working on sets and it got progressively more infected till tonight he had red streaks going up his hand.  It's like the time he drilled through his finger or the time he sliced a piece off the tip of another finger.  Working on a musical is dangerous!  And here I sit at home, feeling guilty, but we knew it would be at least a three hour wait.

The tally for Fredonia now stands at 48, while six from Brocton registered for Quest 2014.  We have five boys and one girl in the group.  Our student leaders were ready and eager to lead some games for our first class.  They are all so happy to have a position on the leadership team.  I was really impressed with the senior's advice.  Tyler told them not to  think about themselves, that their job was to make Quest fun for the 8th graders.  Mary Ann advised them to take care of the campers, to make sure they ate and drank enough.

We finished up with two rounds of the human knot.  Maddy gave directions and Nick followed up with assistance.  There was lots of laughter, so it was a successful conclusion to the class.

Day 765: Ice jamb

Thirty-eight students are now officially enrolled in Quest 2014!  It's the best result for the Monday before the deadline ever!  Usually folks leave their registrations until the very last day, but it seems that trend has changed.  We also met with the student leaders and alternates this afternoon to improve communications and set the tone for the coming season.   I designed a new form to record anticipated absences so we don't have last minute surprises.   Also, since the one day hike is at the end of the vacation, some of the kids will still be away. 

Tomorrow is the first day of classes in Brocton.  We could break that threshold of 5 that we've had for several years since eight parents attended meetings.  

Day 764: Football

I don't care a bit about watching football and certainly prefer Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban on a Sunday night.  Glenn, however, loved football, especially the Steelers since he was from Pittsburg.  He had a whole room in the lower level filled with Steeler memorabilia.  Now, my dear sister can hardly bear to pass through the room and today was terribly hard on her.

All week she had to tend to terrible tasks of finalizing his affairs and it culminated in this game.  They would have been partying together with friends and his deep, hearty laugh would fill the room.  She said she feels like she is slowly erasing him from her life with each account closed or belongings given away.  Today, when she was at church, a friend, who probably meant well, said she hoped one day to see Nancy without a red nose and puffy eyes.  It's been ten weeks and right now she can't imagine ever feeling anything but all-consuming grief.

It's going to be a long and strenuous week filled with backpacking registrations, classes and the equipment seminar.  Today, a mom called and said she couldn't be at the seminar and it didn't matter because her older son did it last year.  I didn't call her back right away because I got angry and defensive.  Right on the instructions it says that every family must attend even if they had previously attended in an earlier year.  Finally, I persuaded her to send the older boy along so he can be the partner that every novice hiker needs.

I wanted to say, but did not, that we will be giving her son a couple hundred hours to prepare him and his friends for Quest and all we asked from the parents was six hours of their time.  We want to create a safe and secure experience for all the backpackers and that depends on appropriate equipment choices.  Even with the seminar and repetition throughout the classes, there will be at least a hundred mistakes on the one day hike.

Steve, me, Laurie, Steve, Nancy and Glenn at a picnic at Steve's house in about 2005.

Glenn and our niece Caitlin

Glenn loved Hawaiian shirts. Nancy even requested that mourners wear either a Hawaiian shirt, cowboy boots or bright colors to his funeral.  

Day 763: Colin's show at UCB

Colin's show was a hit!  Wish we could have been there.

Bye, Bye Birdie

Maggie in costume as Mrs. McAfee

Kim, Mom, Dad and Randolph McAfee