Subject: Weekend Update: August 1-12, 2002
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 17:00:00 -0400

Brad Schafer is a fellow that I first met in cyberspace, and most
of our relationship has been electronic.  However, Brad has
traveled this way on business on occasion and we have had him
in our home for a couple of evenings.  As recently as the week
before last, Brad was taking his family on a riding circuit
from western Ohio, up to Niagara Falls, out to New England,
and down to Maryland, then baxck to home.  I insisted that
he and his family stay at the Manor.

The Schafer family arrived on Thursday evening (8/1).
Brad's wife, Vicky, was understandably sheepish about the
whole thing; it was the first time we'd met Vicky and
their girls, Heather and Kristen (also called George).
I think they all felt comfortable before her stay was out.

I took that Friday as a vacation day to escort our guests on a
historical tour.  We stopped at the USS Constitution (sometimes
referred to as the Constipation).  It was a hot, hot, hot day.
I was able to tour the upper decks of the Consitution before I
had to make an exit to feed the parking meter some quarters.
Joy and the Schafers finished the tour of America's oldest
commissioned Navy vessel.  I didn't mind missing the lower
deck tours because I got to walk around outside.  I wandered
over to the Korean War Memorial and not far from there I spied
a fountain where a family was cooling off in its waters. 
Apparently, the fountain isn't frequently visited - most
people are in the area to see the ship - so I got to witness
a special treat for this family.  I debated taking off my shoes
and joining them but walked on instead.

A WWII Destroyer was also docked nearby and open to public
viewing. Before we headed out for our next destination, the
Schafers and I took a quick tour of that boat, too. I hadn't
realized how small they really were.

Vicky especially was interested in seeing historical sites,
so I took them next to the Adams' home and birthplace in
Quincy, Massachusetts.  (The Barndts were taking the Schafers
on a tour of parts of the freedom trail on Saturday so we tried
to give them a different tour.)  It was a very nice tour for
only $3/person, including the trolley that ferried us tourists
between the historic houses.  However, by the end of the tour,
our late breakfast had long-since been absorbed and the heat
was wearing on us.  The Cathay Pacific put things to right before
we headed home for a dip in the pool and a DVD in the air conditioned
barn.

On Saturday, the Metcalfes headed to church for a day of Vacation
Bible School. It may have more accurately been labelled a
church picnic or some other thing, but in the summer we need to
have VBS and this was it. Regardless of the label, everyone was
having a good time with all their activities.  The dunk tank was
the perrenial favorite, especially on another 90+ humid day in
our area.  I stole away from VBS to help Steve Long trim up the
big oak tree out front.  I was of minor assistence to the holes
he was digging for a sign in addition to the tree trimming. 
Our live music players were out in full sun.  The seats in front
of the stage were empty because we all stayed way back in the
shade of small trees.  The heat shortened their music set but it
was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

As VBS was dispersing, we invited a bunch of people to cool
off in the pool and several families took advantage of the
opportunity.  Meanwhile, the Schafers and Barndts were
finishing up their tour of Boston and headed home for a
cookout and swim for themselves.  They also called the
Johnsons to join us (all of us were cyber-buddies on the
Digital Equipment Corporation internal network some years
ago when we were DECCIES).  So we had twin parties going
on at the Manor pool Saturday night.

On Sunday morning, Brad found that his tire picked up a
screw and he needed to repair it before making the next leg
of his journey to Maryland. We made some phone calls. The
last I saw them, we parted (me to church, and he to Nashua),
happier to have been together for a few short days.

On Sunday afternoon, I dumped a bunch of shorts and tee shirts
into a suitcase, along with a couple of jeans, and a light coat.
I had to be up at Windsor Hills Camp by 6PM.  The Magnusons came
over that afternoon to swim since I was to take Andrew and Michael
Magnuson with me and Miranda to camp.  Wendy brought her girls
over as well.

The counsellors were treated to chinese food Sunday evening
before our camp briefing.  Some of the counsellors brought
campers with them early (like Mike) and we were all to sleep
in the separate rooms of Burgess Hall for the evening.  Two
counsellors and I decided that Burgess Hall would be too
exciting to get sleep so we traipsed down to Cabin 10 for
a quiet night's sleep.  Good move!

On Monday morning, I reported for duty and a cabin assignment
but was informed that they had enough counsellors for all the
boys' cabins and that I was being made one of two Head Counsellors.
I roomed with Art Oakes in an air-conditioned cabin.  Who was
I to argue?  I told them that I was there to be available for
whatever they needed. As it turned out, I helped to check in
the campers, keep the lines fair at meal times, and checked
out the grounds during chapel and bedtime, (the only time we
could be sure that we had all of the campers that we were
supposed to!).

We didn't have the optimum amount of female counsellors, and
unless we got a walk-in lady counsellor, the ratio of counsellor
to camper would be kind of high for the girls.  Eileen MacFadgen
decided that she could do it and went home to pack a suitcase and
return, with her younger son Jacob. However, after a few hours,
she discovered that her blood pressure was high enough to go back
home for some medical attention. (And, no, it had nothing to do
with the kids.)  The girls, who had been moved out of their crowded
cabin to a new cabin had to be re-relocated back into the crowded
cabins.  Mondays are always the hardest at camp because of all
the issues around settling in.

The kids had a great time.  At riflery, Brian Bollinger set up
posters to shoot because the kids got bored of shooting bullseyes.
Instead, their pellets found targets in posters of Brittany Spears,
N Sync, Pokemon, and Puppies.  (Hey, it is Junior High!)  The kids
also played floor hockey, soccer, swimming, boating, archery, and
field games.

Miranda was in charge of the Arts and Crafts activity, and I
helped because I figured that it was the activitiy I was
guaranteed that I could sit throughout the period and be
sheltered from the hot sun or inclement weather.  I passed
the time by painting wooden shapes, (sheep, geese, horses,
chickens, farmers, christmas stockings, and a car) using the
paints that the kids had over-squirted onto their pallets.
I came home with quite a menagerie for Joy.

I was getting to bed after midnight every night, but on Friday
the kids were kept up extra late to tire them out.  They were
finally sent to their cabins at 1:30AM after chapel, a trip to
the snack shack, a concert, and then ice cream!  I was up until
3AM helping to restore the chapel and checking on the cabin areas.
(Normal bedtime for me is about 10PM.)

We headed home Saturday morning, and three out of four of us in
the van fell asleep quickly.  I thought I'd stay awake until we
got home.  I invited Brian and Jill Bollinger back to the house
to float in the pool and they showed up later after the last
child was picked up.  He looked worse than I felt, but as Director,
he had even less sleep than I did.  We took them out to dinner
that evening.  Mom and Dad took Jessica and David out to dinner
too but at a different restaurant.

Brice and Donna Allen stopped by on Sunday afternoon with
Rachel and two friends (Robin and Rebecca).  She thanked me
for helping to iron out some wrinkles behind the camp scenes,
but hey, I was just doing my job. ;-)

Monday morning came way too early and I dragged around the
office all day, with people asking me how my "vacation" was.

Mark