Thursday July 1, 2010
It’s cold in Glen Ferris this morning. The temperature overnight dropped into the low 50’s. The nine miles to Smithers has become almost mechanical at a controlled speed of 45 miles an hour. In fifteen minutes I am at the school at exactly 5:30 a.m. Cindy is not here yet so I go to the school front door and punch in the entrance code on the keypad. 1,2,3,4,star. The principal said he didn’t want anything too complicated for his teachers. Last week at this hour there would be several adults sitting at the benches along the walk already drinking coffee. Not this week.
I turn on the lights in the cafeteria and do the same in the kitchen. It’s bad enough that the temperature outside is cold; I am in and out of the fridge and freezer getting out food supplies for the morning. Cindy arrives followed by Rich and Anne who have been arriving early each morning.
When the girls (see previous explanation) arrive, everyone does their own thing toward their assigned goal. Pat Lotz makes creamed dried beef, and I prepare to do pancakes on the griddle and apple sticks in the fryer.
After breakfast I suggest we should have a party. Today is the last day we have to make sandwiches for the next day. Friday is going to be good.
We leave the school again at 8:30. Today is a good day to visit some of the work sites the groups are working on. With directions in hand we agree to meet at 10:30 for a tour. Bette is having problems with her shoulder so she, Molly and Mckenzie decide to stay at the Inn.
Rich, Anne, Carl & Pat set off to find the locations on the list. Even though several of them are literally at the end of dirt roads we find them. Strange as it may seem, the crews were glad to see someone who they knew and in general have visitors.
Friday July 2, 2010
Life is good on Fridays. It’s just easier on Fridays. Not only are we looking forward to heading home tomorrow, everything just seems easier. This morning’s menu calls for “whatever we have left over.” And that’s what they get, a little bit of everything. A few eggs, some French toast, English muffins, creamed dried beef, a few sausage patties, a few sausage links and just a little more bacon. The object is to have as little food items from our menu left over for the change of shift for the next three weeks.
The menu is drastically different starting next week. Their goal is to feed each camper for $26 for the week. I spend more. My costs are $30 per camper for the week. It’s amazing what $4 can buy. But then if you have read this complete blog you know what it can buy.
Last report for this adventure
We will all be home by the time many of you read this. If you would like to share more of our adventure, stop any of us, Millie Williams, Nancy Reynolds, Molly Hughes, Bette Bowes, Pat Lotz or Carl Lotz and talk awhile.
Or better yet, think about joining us next year.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Everyone is to work on time. Everyone tackles their assignment and we are already ahead of the 6:45 breakfast time. Last week many of the campers did not show up for breakfast until 6:45 even though we were ready at 6:30. So I decided we might as well buy ourselves an additional 15 minutes in the morning.
Sausage, cheese and egg on an English muffin doesn’t seem like much until you have to build 75 to 100 of them with the clock ticking. Molly makes our signature cinnamon rolls and we are a hit.
While everything inside was is going well, outside Pat cooks the scrapple on the griddle for tomorrow. I in turn brown the chicken patties in the fryer. The color improves the appearance when we serve it tonight on top of rice pilaf even though it is covered with gravy.
We complete the routine of replenishing the breakfast buffet, building more sandwiches and even restocking the salad bar for tonight. The problem again is they have closed down the breakfast buffet and Pat and I did not get to eat. That’s ok—we will go out to breakfast. Thank heavens there is a McDonalds across the street.
Oops, I forgot—we have to cut up the strawberries for the strawberry shortcake tonight. By the time we do that we are no longer early but we are out on time by nine.
Our next challenge is the fact that our small coffee maker gave up the ghost this morning. The only prospect for a replacement is at Walmart in Fayetteville. Rich and Ann have been talking about getting an oil change in their car. I convinced them to accomplish both by driving to Fayetteville and then meeting Pat and I at Hawk Nest Park hotel for lunch. We both arrive at the hotel within 15 minutes of each other and go to the scenic restaurant. After lunch Rich and Ann head back to Glen Ferris.
It may be guilt from last week but Pat and I take the gondola to the river and the jet boat ride.
I may have mentioned previously that the school also has a janitor working split hours. That means he is on premises most of the time we are. Sam is a unique character. Big, at least 300 pounds. Massive bushy beard. Oversize farmer overalls with a T-shirt underneath. Sam has become our friend. Every morning while I work at the griddle he stands nearby and carries on a conversation. The staff here, including a woman who is preparing food for the summer school, has been eating with us. Sam piles on the food. He approves on the appearance of the chicken I am browning and reminisces about last Thursday’s pancakes.
Sam was right, the chicken was good. Of course the strawberry shortcake with whipped cream helps.
Wednesday June 30, 2010
Pat has hit the wall, When the alarm goes off she wants to stay in bed this morning. Things have been going so well, working without her this morning should not be a problem. And it isn’t. We are out early. And best of all, free until Thursday breakfast.
MacKenzie is going to join a church group and go whitewater rafting this afternoon. Rich and Ann go to Charleston for the day.
Pat and Carl chase an allusive model of the property, 10,000 plus acres the Boy Scouts of America have purchased down the road at Glen Jean. They intend to develop it into a permanent home for the National Scout Jamborees and as a high adventure base. We spend several hours talking with a PR representative at the office overseeing the property development. They refer to it as a one hundred year plan.
Having a day off is wonderful….
Sausage, cheese and egg on an English muffin doesn’t seem like much until you have to build 75 to 100 of them with the clock ticking. Molly makes our signature cinnamon rolls and we are a hit.
While everything inside was is going well, outside Pat cooks the scrapple on the griddle for tomorrow. I in turn brown the chicken patties in the fryer. The color improves the appearance when we serve it tonight on top of rice pilaf even though it is covered with gravy.
We complete the routine of replenishing the breakfast buffet, building more sandwiches and even restocking the salad bar for tonight. The problem again is they have closed down the breakfast buffet and Pat and I did not get to eat. That’s ok—we will go out to breakfast. Thank heavens there is a McDonalds across the street.
Oops, I forgot—we have to cut up the strawberries for the strawberry shortcake tonight. By the time we do that we are no longer early but we are out on time by nine.
Our next challenge is the fact that our small coffee maker gave up the ghost this morning. The only prospect for a replacement is at Walmart in Fayetteville. Rich and Ann have been talking about getting an oil change in their car. I convinced them to accomplish both by driving to Fayetteville and then meeting Pat and I at Hawk Nest Park hotel for lunch. We both arrive at the hotel within 15 minutes of each other and go to the scenic restaurant. After lunch Rich and Ann head back to Glen Ferris.
It may be guilt from last week but Pat and I take the gondola to the river and the jet boat ride.
I may have mentioned previously that the school also has a janitor working split hours. That means he is on premises most of the time we are. Sam is a unique character. Big, at least 300 pounds. Massive bushy beard. Oversize farmer overalls with a T-shirt underneath. Sam has become our friend. Every morning while I work at the griddle he stands nearby and carries on a conversation. The staff here, including a woman who is preparing food for the summer school, has been eating with us. Sam piles on the food. He approves on the appearance of the chicken I am browning and reminisces about last Thursday’s pancakes.
Sam was right, the chicken was good. Of course the strawberry shortcake with whipped cream helps.
Wednesday June 30, 2010
Pat has hit the wall, When the alarm goes off she wants to stay in bed this morning. Things have been going so well, working without her this morning should not be a problem. And it isn’t. We are out early. And best of all, free until Thursday breakfast.
MacKenzie is going to join a church group and go whitewater rafting this afternoon. Rich and Ann go to Charleston for the day.
Pat and Carl chase an allusive model of the property, 10,000 plus acres the Boy Scouts of America have purchased down the road at Glen Jean. They intend to develop it into a permanent home for the National Scout Jamborees and as a high adventure base. We spend several hours talking with a PR representative at the office overseeing the property development. They refer to it as a one hundred year plan.
Having a day off is wonderful….
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