Have you ever been to Lake Wallenpaupack?

Wallenpaupack map

 No, well we went there for a weekend.  My then employer, PP&L, then had a hydro plant on the lake and several acres of land with a rustic conference room and rustic cabins.  I was conducting a meeting in the conference center and arranged a weekend retreat for our family. The time was the first of May and when I awoke, the cabin was cold

Wallenpaupack cabin

enough to justify a fire in our fireplace, which I accomplished quite briskly. That accomplished, the rain came.  Not unusual for this time of year, but still…….We did make a pre-Memorial day visit to Hancock visiting the cemetery where Marge’s family is interred.  Our time there will come later.

May is typically warm and rainy.  When we married in May, we had some rain every day, but that was years before.The lawn is growing well, responding to the fertilizer I put on as soon as the snow melted.

Beverley Hills Home

Last years shrubs have survived, as have the ivy, so the lawn is in good condition.

In June, we replaced the kitchen sink.  The original was merely an enameled sink which had chipped somewhat.  No doubt the builder bought the cheapest sink that could be installed.

Kohler Red Sink

The new sink is a Kohler red cast iron sink which we chose when we remodeled our first home in Vestal.  Marge’s favorite.

Memorial Day changed this year and we took a trip to Plattsburgh to visit Mom and Dad.  The drive is 400 miles each way, so this made for much driving in a short time. We took our trailer and stayed at a campsite in Plattsburgh.  The water pressure was erratic, and the water was definitely sulfurous in taste,  not so good regarding that. The location was good and we didn’t plan on spending much time in the trailer, it was livable.

Surprise, Surprise, we had some auto trouble as twice the starter didn’t disengage from the engine. Hmmm, what caused that?? When we carefully got back home, one of the diodes in the alternator failed, running the battery down, but was quickly repaired.

The trailer did double duty as a truck coming back home.  We had previously ordered 6 dining room chairs from a one-man furniture shop a few miles south of Plattsburg.  These are constructed from Butternut wood, a common tree in the area. It was somewhat cramped inside, but we saved many $ in expenses.  The man’s prices have not changed in ten years, amazing.  I guess he is more a craftsman than a businessman.  The chairs, as well as the antique oak dining table I refinished, are still doing duty with my daughter in San Diego.

The middle school musical program was held the end of June and Ingrid did the piano accompaniment for three of the chorale pieces.  One selection was “Jesu joy of man’s desiring” by J. S. Bach.  the other pieces, not classical but still of equal technical difficulty. Ingrid did very well, we are proud of her.  the entire group did well, more professional than any similar program we have heard.  A small school district serving the needs of the suburban professionals is no doubt superior in many ways to bloated all-purpose urban districts.

We are very glad that the school has a teaching staff which can bring out the artistic as well as academic ability. This was followed up with an abbreviated program held in a local Moravian Church.  Ingrid sang a vocal solo for this, a piece that was done yesterday by another girl.

Many things accomplished as we segue into the summer season. It has been a good month for us all.