This past week has zoomed right by me.  I am sure the first thing you all want to know is how’s my house…well…it still smells a bit, but I am putting the walls and floor back together today.  I only found five flies or so still alive this morning, I think it is time. 

Flies, speaking of flies, the black flies are out in full force.  I was raking yesterday and got chewed on pretty good even with my bug jacket on.  Those little 1/8 of an inch insects sure do have a big bite and healthy appetite.  Not mentioned they get in the darnedest places.  I sometimes refer to the students as blood donors.  I feel like I have given a pint already.  Ugh!   A few more weeks to go before they die off for another season.  If that is the price that I have to pay to live in this beautiful place, then it is worth every drop of blood. 

A not so nice group was here and left this place a mess; however, they were followed by the recreation course.  It is always nice to see people return to teach both the recreation and physical education courses here year after year.  The classes are like greased wheels that keep on churning.  The recreation group is out on the trail this week and will return on Thursday.  The group gelled quickly and laughed a lot!  Sung quite a bit too. 

I need to get started on the wall and floor project.  It may take awhile. 

I have been racking my brain to come up with some funny or witty way to tell you about today…nothing seems appropriate, so I will just begin.  I could not take it anymore.  The smell had overcome me; yes I am referring to the revolting, disgusting and vile scent that had taken over my living room.  It has been a cool week and the smell was still getting stronger.  Not to mention the number of flies that had flocked to my screens and ceiling.  I guess I could rule out that it was not a dead mouse in my wall. 

Last week I gingerly tried to take my wall apart and saw no easy way to accomplish that task (it was so nicely redone a few years ago) so I stopped.  I should have known better then…today was the last straw it warmed up to 60 and I could not take it anymore.  With flies (not black flies) swarming I started with a few screwdrivers and a hammer.  Before I knew it I was getting the crowbar and more.  I got the wall apart and much to my surprise, nothing was there.  I had to take a fresh air break at that point. 

I was talking with Richard, the caretaker from Camp Huntington, and he said that he would take a look.  So I brought the ladder up to check out the drop ceiling one more time to see if I missed anything last time, of course I could not be that lucky.  Richard started looking around and could not see anything at first either.  The only place left to look was the floor (it is a second story apartment).  The way that the walls are set up, it allowed us to look through the floor joists.  Richard said, “I think there might be something here.”  I took a look, flies; hundreds of flies on insulation…still no critter.  We both thought that is where the foul odor was coming from.  I thanked Richard and he left. 

During another fresh air break, I contemplated what would be the best way to get close to the infected area.  Was it better to cut into the wood floor and lift the “thing” out of there or would it be better to cut into the sheet rocked ceiling in the office.  The office does not smell…they would both be fairly easy to repair oh, the dilemma.

I chose to cut the floor; it is where the couch sits anyway, right?  I carefully chose a spot to begin cutting.  I got through the floor and then realized the sub floor would have to be cut too.  I began to have visions of the movie the Money Pit…I continued to cut anyway.  The smell had died down a bit, no pun intended.  Humm, was it the right spot.  Donned in gloves and a mask I carefully set up a system to remove the “thing” and surrounding insulation.  The flies were active, I must have been close.  As I started to remove insulation the flies got thicker.  Still could not see anything though. 

The next handful revealed the “thing”…its sharp teeth were clenched tight and its body rigid.  I am willing to bet by now you have guessed what it was…that damn raccoon!  It was a few more boards away.  I tried to get to it by using various tools; it just did not want to move.  Because all I could see initially was the head I thought it must have been a big daddy not to move easily.  I decided the best thing to do was to cut more boards.  I hated to, but I needed to get it out and fast.  I removed the boards and was able to use a pitch fork to move it into its new plastic coffin. 

I bleached the area and that is as detailed as I will get about that.  I plan to leave the area open for a few days to air out and I will continue to bleach.  Disgusted at what I found, but glad that I decided not to leave it. It would have been really rank as the weather continues to warm.

Did the raccoon get turned around? Could it not remember how it got there?  Or was it just looking for a place to die?  I guess the RV antifreeze fluid label is correct, “harmful to animals”.  I am still trying to figure out who had the last laugh, me or the raccoon…

What a success!  We had twelve volunteers working on Saturday.  I am always amazed at how much can be accomplished with several pair of hands.  Dead or dying trees were taken down and cleaned up, all of the Adirondack furniture re-stained, beach cleaned up, new flower boxes built and stained, raking done, rugs beat clean, dining room and Casino walls washed and oiled, faucets fixed, ping pong table rebuilt, gardens were cleared and plants planted.  I am sure there were many other projects that I cannot remember at this point.  It seemed like every time I turned around someone was asking what was next. 

The weather forecast was cold and rain which we did not get.  The weather was beautiful.   It was 68 in the sun and not a cloud to be had for the morning.  In the late afternoon clouds started to roll in and it sprinkled a bit just as we were cleaning up the last little bit of our projects.  We then headed down to the Tap Room for a celebratory beverage.  Returning in plenty time for another one of Rob’s spectacular meals. 

People took days off of work, traveled for hours only to be put to work.  The moment the volunteers got out of their vehicles there was a sigh followed by a deep inhale of the fresh air as large smiles crossed their faces and worries and stress melted away.  I know that people have a love and affinity for our facilities here at Raquette Lake; however, I am always surprised by their willingness to keep doing more.  It is a special place that many hold near and dear to their hearts.    I am blessed to be here and thank everyone for their support of all kinds.  Enjoy another beautiful day!

It has been a few days and now I am feeling slightly refreshed.  I was able to go for my walk for the first time in two days with a light misty sprinkle following along.  The smells were rich and the birds joyously singing.  It is amazing how light rain keeps people inside.    

I have finished my class work and final with a satisfactory grade.  A group is in camp and doing well.  I almost cannot believe that the season has begun.  No blood donors yet…the black flies are still at bay.  I have heard rumors that they are out in other places but only swarming, not biting.  In the coming week the little guys will get their fill of SUNY Cortland’s student’s blood. 

The group here now is TST Boces.  They arrived yesterday and have been busy every since.  Many of them went swimming, as well as, canoed, kayaked and fished followed by a campfire.  It was a great first day.  Today the group will head over to Camp Huntington to use the challenge course and return later to help with a service project; raking pine needles and leaves.  While it is a small group, the extra 17 pairs of hands will make quick work of it. 

Have a great day!

Well I have had a few of those days when you feel like you have been running around and there is nothing to show for it.  One of our summer staff, Michael, has arrived and started work, thank goodness; it is nice to have help pulling camp together.  There are so many things that are time consuming like hanging curtains, changing fire detector batteries (all 30 of them), getting pine needles off of roofs, cleaning out gutters, washing windows, vacuuming, repair work and more…next weekend is the volunteer work weekend.  We will surely get the some jobs done then. 

The biggest problem I have had is the dead animal that I cannot find.  I really hope that it is not the raccoon.  I started to smell it just after I moved back in, then the days got warmer and the smell get stronger…it is somewhere in my house!  I checked all of the furniture and the drop ceiling with nothing but a stronger smell.  It must be in the wall in my living room, eeeewwe.  I hope that is it only a mouse and will dry out soon.  I know, gross to think about. 

I have walked most mornings, but this a.m. my feet need a break.  The last few patches of snow that were tucked away in the woods have melted and the weather has been spectacular.  Yesterday fog rolled in as soon as the sun rose and faded away in an hour or so.  No bugs yet! 

It is nearing the end of  a long day as the sun sets on Antlers and is working its way across the lake.  My shoulders are tight and my neck tense.  Yet, am still elated to be so close to water and mountains on this beautiful day!

I have done a bit of everything today.  Cleaned out some toilet guts, raked and planted grass seed, breathed fresh air, cleaned the summer assistants quaters and removed the nails from all the windows that are used to keep them tight during the winter just to name a few.  The pleasant spring air is blowing winter’s dampness right out of the buildings.  I spent quite a bit of time vacumming cob webs from ceilings and windows.  It is only the beginning…five more buildings to go.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a great day too.  I am sure it will not be long now before the black flies are out…ugh!  Enjoy your night campers. 

On my morning walk I noticed several smells yesterday.  It was cloudy and overcast with temps in the mid 40’s.  On overcast days, you always see things that you may not have before because your eyes are completely open and not squinting.  Scents hang in the air with views of deeper richer hues.  The greens are starting to show as the trees begin to bud.  A piliated woodpecker has done some amazing work on three different trees.  I will share pictures soon. 

The smell of rain first entered my nose as I started towards town.  It quickly changes as I found a pocket of balsam and pine.  I stopped for a moment then moved on.  A light rain started to fall, so light that I could not feel it but heard it in the forest dripping from leaf to leaf.  As I moved closer toward the cedar swamp the chorus of birds singing and calling filled my ears.  It was a very busy place.  Again the air changed, carrying a slight whiff of cedar followed by the natural decomposition of leaves and other matter then more balsam and pine.  

The village was quiet as I passed through and continued to the bridge where the red-winged black birds were very busy.  They were singing and calling from trees and tall grasses.  You can alway find them there.  A few swallows have returned too.  It is fun to watch them swiftly swoop under the bridge and out the other side. 

On my return trip towards camp the rain started to come down much heavier, so I picked up the pace and scurried home.  The rain has stopped for now.  I need to get busy unbuttoning camp and getting one day closer to groups arriving! Enjoy your day…�

It is May again already and the race is on to get camp opened, cleaned and ready for the students.  I had help this year getting the water turned on.  After a few leaks and burst pipes the water is on.  The guys saved me at least three days worth of work. 

Over the winter there was a fiesty racoon in the kitchen.  It ate four big tubs of peanut butter, lots of oatmeal and garlic powder.  Strange combination, but I guess we all have our favorites.  It was quite a mess.  The strangest part was all of the mud around the diningroom toilets.  I know that racoons like to rinse off their food and I am sure it was thirsty after eating four tubs of peanut butter and several containers of oatmeal.  The strange thing is that the toilets are filled with RV antifreeze so that the bowls do not burst.  I am still kind of wondering if I might find it dead somewhere.  I am sure it stayed warm…  Perhaps it was the racoon that I toted away last year getting revenge! 

More to come in the near future. Stay tuned campers!