MacAdoo this morning (ungroomed)

A Great Day at the Camp

Our campground is like a family. One fellow asked about my wrist. Said he was in California when he heard about it!

Today's big event was the annual "boat race" in the pool. Teams of two are given a pile of cardboard and duct tape in the morning, with instructions to build their boat using no other materials. Six brave souls built ingenious designs. One team of two heavy men sank as soon as they boarded! One team of lightweight women won with a very nice ship and lots of frantic paddling. Crowds cheered for their favorites. It was a fun time. Then there were air mattress races, one for men, and one for women.

After the pool games we had a big bonfire and cooked hotdogs to go with the pot luck supper. A DJ finished the evening.

I got 1/3 of the deck primed. Tomorrow I plan to finish the first coat of prime, then use wood filler where needed, caulk, sand, and prime again. Then it will be ready for two finish coats, and installation of my counters and drop-down table. Don't know if I will get it all done this week, but surely before snow flies.

Receiving award at G.A. for starting the Red Ribbon

Taken by Danny Bolin for the PCUSA General Assembly meeting.

From left, the Rev. Charles Hale, Elder Rafael Rodriguez, and Bob Schminkey, PAN Co-Moderator, upon the presentation of PAN’s first ever Faith in Action Award to the Red Ribbon Fellowship  of First Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth, NJ which Charles Hale founded, and Rafael has made flourish.  219^th General Assembly (2010), Minneapolis, MN. 

The Breaks of Summer

Breaking News! Tom slipped while walking Mac in June and broke his ankle. He's in the last stages of healing with an "air cast" (inner air bladder for comfort).

Last Sunday morning I was walking across my campground neighbor's site and didn't see or hear him start to back up. (It was early in the morning and I guess both of us were careless, assuming everyone else was asleep). Anyway, he backed into me, knocking me down. I'm very glad he heard me yell and stopped, or you would find my news in the obituaries. My carelessness earned me some very large bruises, a twisted back and a broken wrist. The wrist is healing well. I guess backs take longer.

But we're having fun in spite of it. The camp is a constant source of joy. I'm nearing the end of my deck building project - this summer's main goal. It's going to be a combination outdoor kitchen and dining space and a place to relax under the awning. I used the (previously-mentioned) wood to build two compost bins for future flower beds, and for the deck. We found a long Formica (faux granite) counter marked down at Home Depot. That has been cut up for counter space and a drop-down eating table. A neighbor has offered an under-counter fridge. I'll post pics when it's done.

Tomatoes haven't done well at the camp until this summer. I decided to try an "earth box" and locate it on the south side of the trailer, so it gets "double sun" reflected off the trailer. Our hot summer, good growing soil and neighbors who have kept them watered - is now yielding a bumper crop. There is no substitute for home grown tomatoes, and it has been years since we were indulged with this delicacy.

A smaller break came with an old front tooth that quit. Son Ken has made a bridge for me, and we'll travel to Dansville tomorrow to have that fitted. (www.dansvilledental.com). Then back to the trailer to, hopefully, finish and paint our new outdoor deck/kitchen.

Summer comes, to our camp, at last

It's May and at last the weather has turned clear and warm. A thrill to be outside without being all bundled-up against the cold! A neighbor bought all the lumber to build a large deck, and then changed his plans. We bought all his 1"x6"x8' pressure treated boards. I'm going to build compost bins, but we have a lot more lumber than that project needs, so plans have changed and we'll start by building an 8'x8' deck - a perfect size for us, and it doesn't need any permits. If it were larger we would have to pay for permits, get it inspected, and pay an annual tax. Not worth it.

Our soil here is a cross between Portland cement and plain old clay - in other words - hard as a rock. Each time we plant, we use planting soil, but now I'm planning to compost and till it in with our new Mantis tiller. Our biggest challenge is finding time to be here - between doctor's appointments and church meetings back in Plainfield!

This year we're here with our new Cairn terrier, MacAdoo. He was born last June, so he's not quite a year old. He's our third Cairn - our favorite breed.

In July I'll be going to the PCUSA General Assembly in Minneapolis, as a delegate from the Elizabeth Presbytery. My last time to attend as a delegate, was 40 years ago (when "Hair" was playing at the Schubert in Chicago). Vietnam was on most people's minds and there was much unrest in the church, as well as everywhere else. 16 years ago we started a Friday night non-denominational worship and fellowship for those "infected, affected, or concerned about HIV/AIDS" meeting at Old First Presbyterian church in Elizabeth. I was the volunteer pastor for the first three years, till our Bed and Breakfast (Pillars2.com) required me to give that up. But the group continued, and those attending gradually chose to become members of Old First, and then to be Elders and Deacons. Their ministry kept expanding, and finally caught the attention of the Snyder foundation, which has begun major gifts which will enable Old First to be restored and continue in mission. At General Assembly this year, I, and the Red Ribbon Fellowship will receive the first award for AIDS ministry (see: www.fpcenj.org.)

Mid Summer pleasures

We're at the trailer for most of the summer. My position at Old First in Elizabeth (see:www. fpcenj.org) ended June 15th, and I've been "free as a bird" ever since. It was a great experience - probably the highlight of 50 years of ministry.

This year's projects at the camp, have been the building of a bottom step for easier exit from the trailer and restoration of two antique wheelbarrows. Before, we had to step down, immediately out of the door. Now we step out onto the same level, and have a railing. Built of 2x8 lumber, the steps are solid. We're adding solar led lights.

My next project was restoring an antique wheelbarrow saved from the church's dumpster. It was just what I wanted for a spot of color on our trailer lot. It had been stored in the church's basement for at least 100 years, maybe 200. The wood was dried out and it was basically falling apart. I reinforced it, replaced nails with screws, Gorilla glue on all seams, and then sealed the wood with Penetrol plus Bin 123 base and two coats of high gloss exterior enamel in bright red with yellow accents. Now I'm going to do the same with a second wheelbarrow, like mine, but in better shape, that the church will keep and use. I'm inclined to believe this was a "child's" wheelbarrow, because I also took the other wheelbarrow that the church decided to keep and use. It's much bigger - a "daddy" size, and showed heavy use, whereas ours was weathered, but not "beat up."

The weather has been cool and wet this summer, but now we're having a warm - mid 80's day with low humidity and lots of sun. In a few weeks we'll make a trip up to Dansville and Wayland to visit sons Ken and Chris and their families, visit Tom's family in South Bend, and make a stop in Pittsburgh to attend the national Gymanfa Ganu (see:www.wngga.org) on Labor Day weekend.

Thought for the day