"I'm on the road again for the summer, this time in Ohio. As you know, Dad and I stayed on after the reunion for the AMUUSE camp. What a special time, as I could wander and remember at will for a week. I spent time in the kitchen with Ramon, the cook this summer, and time talking with Alan, the "head" grounds keeper. The new ceiling in the kitchen was mandated by the department of health; apparently all that space at the top of the kitchen was trapping stuff that could cause illnesses. So, our signatures are still there; just hidden by the dropped ceiling. In one store room, the new wall board covers much of what we each wrote. However, the upper portion of the old walls was still visible, so I got some great pictures of signatures over the later years.

"I solved the "mystery" of the missing place for the potato peeler. The new, large freezer sits on that space. Good to know my memory was not "gone" after all.

"Both Alan and Gina were receptive of one of my ideas, so I thought I'd pass it on to you, thereby to each person on the mailing list. If work this coming winter holds out, so that I can save ahead toward not working for a week, I may be able to go to CPC for a week, donating time and effort in exchange for room and board. The exchange itself will have to be approved by the board, of course; I'm still investigating how to go about that part of it. But Alan said that if I, or anyone else who wishes to do this type of project, send him a list of skills, he will make sure that the supplies are available. For instance, I can't do ladders (trouble with fear of falling), but I can do scraping and painting at ground level; can mop and dust and sweep; can wash windows; can use a hammer; can plant; can use a shovel, etc. Lots of the buildings are in sound repair basically; just need scraping and painting. Tippi could use a fresh coat of stain, too. The path could always use sprucing. So, my plan is to go the week before the reunion; spend that week just giving back some of what this marvelous place gave me; then join you-all during the weekend. Perhaps others would also like this type of project."

Cheers,
Margaret Allen

Work Around Tipi

"I just returned from my annual week at CPC, and it was spectacular.

"Our group had 100% early registration sign up for next year. The cooks' parade (which we have not done for several years) included a 1 minute standing ovation.

"We started a work project down at the lake front, removed and trimmed trees and shrubs, opened up the view along the lake behind Tipi and past the dingy boats, and replenished the boulders along a section of lake front near Tipi.

"We graded the path from Tipi to the lake and added chipped limestone to the path about 6' wide. We removed all of the debris from the Northwest side of Tipi, dug down and found the old drain lines, pulled them up (clogged with roots and debris), installed new lines, and washed gravel. Then, we graded and reseeded the entire area.

"The water has been flowing for several days now with the big field starting to dry up within a day. I am looking at reshaping the old swales on the west end of the fields to help dry out the grass areas to how they use to be.

"Alan is staining the Cabins white this week, and I am sure he would love to have any qualified volunteer help available."

Brian Gaasrud
Board of Trustees