Subject: Weekend Update: Columbus Day Weekend
Date:    Tue 10/13/98  9:11am

I took a vacation day to take advantage of a long weekend and make our
annual pilgrimage to the Reed's Cabin in the woods of Maine.  As in
many years, the Magunson family joined us.  Tim White (our Pastor's
son) and Christy Gunter (Mandy's ENC friend and no relation to Nina)
also joined us making "lucky thirteen".

Dad Metcalfe drove the ENC women up to Billerica, a trip that would
normally be an hour took them two and a half, this being the WORST
weekend to head north to the woods of Maine: peak foiliage weekend of
the year!  By the time we got on the road, we heard that traffic was
backed up for six miles at the New Hampshire toll booths so we got off
in Haverhill and wended our way northward on small state roads.  Had
it been light out, it would have been the choices of routes, but as it
was, there was a constant drizzle.

The following day it rained... 10 inches; a record for the area.  You
might think 13 people would get cabin fever, but it did not dampen our
spirits because we were at "Reed's Cabin."  Joy and I have been going
there for about 16 years now and my children have memories similar to
the ones I carry to this day about "Dunn's Camps."  In fact, when we
arrived, I performed an odd ritual of checking out every room to see
if anything had changed, receiving great satisfaction to note that
very little had.  In actuality, it has changed quite a bit in 16 years
(the most welcome was hot running water), but the rate of change in
Maine *should* be almost imperceptible; there is comfort in that.

We played cards and Round Robin ping pong. We went to Paris, and
Norway, and Oxford, too.  We talked and laughed, teased, and had a lot
of fun together. (The Pastor and his wife may find it disquieting to
find that Tim fit right in as "one of us."  B^D  ;-) )

The weather on Sunday permitted more outdoor activity and even
accomodated a campfire on which we roasted hot dogs and toasted
marshmallows for S'mores.  The *only* ritual we missed was canoeing on
the lake.

We left after breakfast on a sunny Monday morning, to beat the traffic
and give Miranda some time back at the Manor.  It was very good to
have her back with the family, and she felt glad to be back, too.  But
I detected a change in her - a good one, and a sad one.  She was more
independent.

We brought Mandy and Christy back to school.  Joy and Emily helped
them get their gear back to their rooms.  When they arrived, Kara and
some other girls were about to go out and wondered in Mandy wanted to
come along.  (Christy had other responsibilities.)  Mandy looked at
mom, who said, "Go. I won't be here long anyway."  And Mandy was off.

She did stop by to say goodbye before she left.  We're proud of her
and glad she got to make our Fall Festival a Family Affair again.
                                  @       Mark Metcalfe, Sr. Writer
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