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….