Taking a July Vacation and Spiritual Retreat

July, 2018

 This year our denomination’s Family Camp, held at Delta Lake Bible Conference Grounds in Rome, New York, ran from June 28^th through July 7^th.

 We determined to attend from Friday through Thursday.

 Our oldest grandson stayed over on Thursday night and early on Friday morning he and I took Lucy over to the kennel in Shaftsbury, VT.

 After most of a week of getting things packed up and the camper ready to go, we left with two grandsons age 15 and 5 on Friday morning about 10:20 AM, a bit later than we had planned but still in the ballpark.

 We went out Route 67 to Amsterdam, then took Route 5 west to Little Falls, stopping at McDonald's in Palatine Bridge for lunch. We had so much weight that I had trouble towing the camper at first, almost losing control of it a couple of times. We had to stop near Johnsonville to unpack the camper somewhat and redistribute the weight. We had no more trouble with that, but did with the fierce side-wind we encountered on the way to Amsterdam, and even up the Mohawk Valley. Seldom did we get over 45 mph. From Little Falls we went north to Middleville, through Newport, and Poland to Remsen – then west to Westernville and around the north side of Delta Lake and down to Lee where the Bible Conference Grounds are. We arrived about 3:30 and unpacked and set everything up. The youngest grandson slept most of the way out, the other had his headphones on, so we had a quiet and uneventful trip!

 Saturday the temperature and humidity began to climb. Our oldest grandson hung out with his friends. The youngest began to learn his way around the camp. I cooked meals, did dishes, read my Bible, went to services. We slept with two fans on in the camper and managed to sleep fairly well. The oldest had a big fan on in his tent.

 Sunday the temperature and humidity went even higher. I took the youngest grandson to the beach where he spent the afternoon in the water. I even went in briefly. He was hot and tired and threw temper tantrums over things all day long! We were about ready to call it quits and go home! Sunday afternoon some friends came out and brought my wife’s cane, which she had left behind.

 To top it off, the power grid started to collapse Sunday night and we were restricted to one light and the refrigerator. As we have battery lights for dry camping, we decided to use one fan in place of the light, so had a little air circulation.

 Monday morning I woke up at 5:10 am with a splitting headache, probably from caffeine withdrawal! Decided it was time to empty my wife’s portable toilet. The dump station was clogged up so it immediately backed up. It was a small tank, so I emptied it down the toilet in the public bathroom instead. Interesting way to start the day! I wondered what the folks in the big campers with holding tanks were going to do? The mosquitoes were horrible and I had to hunt up bug spray. Made coffee and felt much better in about an hour.

 Monday we had bad thunderstorms in the afternoon. I cooked hot dogs for supper between storms but couldn’t get dishes done so left them for Tuesday morning. The showers cooled things down enough so we got a good night’s sleep, but by morning it heated up again and got even more humid. The air quality was also deteriorating – I started coughing and got very congested. On the plus side, I had no headache! Many of the oldest grandson’s friends left on this day and went home. One pastor and his group had left the day before reportedly because they couldn’t use their air conditioning, but National Grid was asking everyone to cut back statewide.

 Tuesday was hot, but more pleasant than it had been. I took the youngest grandson to the beach in the late afternoon. I also ran a neighboring camper into Rome to pick up his car at Midas. He had lost the brakes. After that I went to Wal-Mart and got more ice, water, soda, etc.
In the evening we took the kids to McDonald's in Rome for a treat.

 On Wednesday the 4^th we went to the services as usual, though I missed the flag raising at 7:30. I took the youngest to ride the pontoon boat at 1:15, but as we were the only two who signed up we had to wait until 2:15 when they had enough people to make the trip worthwhile.

 He swam in the meantime, having the whole beach to himself as everyone else was up at the Campground parade! He loved the pontoon boat ride, though he spent more time watching the cut-water than the view!

 After the ride we went up where they had a big water slide, bounce house, etc., and I left the wife to watch him while I went to Stewarts in Stokes to get ice, then to Lee Park to pray as I have done for many years, for a couple I watched get married there while out for a walk years ago. The thermometer on the Community Theater sign said 109 deg. F when I went out and 104 when I got my camera and took a photo. When I got back, they were shutting down the event, so we went back to the campsite.

 In the evening I took him down to the beach again to watch fireworks. No big shows anymore, but a lot of private fireworks going off all around the lake. He enjoyed it. This year there didn’t seem to be as many of those as in prior years.

 I got a few things packed up during the day.

 During the week the youngest grandson kept filling up old water bottles with dirt, rocks, and sticks. I got a bit upset when he emptied one into the dishes I had just washed. Then before we left for home he started crying because “his ants were all dead”! Turned out he had been trying to make an ant colony and screwed down the cap to keep the ants in – of course they all suffocated!

 The daily services and speakers were very good. There was an especially powerful healing service on Thursday evening. Most of the focus this year was on the power of God.

 Thursday I got up about 5:10 am and started taking things down and packing them up. The oldest grandson said goodbye to his remaining friends. We had breakfast in the Dining Hall and left about 10:20 AM (behind schedule again!). We went home via Stokes, Westernville, Remsen, and down through Poland to Middleville, where we took Route 29 east. Between Western and Remsen a little Amish boy of about 8 or 9 years old driving a two horse team pulling a huge hay wagon passed us going the other way. His Dad followed about a half mile behind with another team and wagon. Route 29 was in rough shape, but there was no wind to speak of this time and I had no problem with the camper. The youngest grandson hadn’t seen the huge windmills before and enjoyed the sight! We stopped at McDonald's in Johnstown for lunch. At Galway, we cut south to Route 67, through the endless “roundabouts”, and on home.
 From Johnstown east all the two grandsons did was provoke each other and fight! I wanted to get out and walk! Then the oldest wanted to go right home, as I had forgotten to ask our daughter to start the AC and it was 94 deg. in the mobile home. But I had to unload the damp clothes and start washing them, get the food put away (my wife did most of that), and get their stuff out of the Jeep and camper. They having finally reached a settlement that their mother would pick them up after work, the oldest and I went after Lucy. She was surely glad to see us! She has been following me everywhere, not letting me out of her sight. The cat was also glad to see us – would have thought she hadn’t eaten in a week! (Daughter fed her every day!).

 We spent most of the day today unloading, washing clothes, cleaning and sorting. It rained in the late afternoon and into the next morning. This afternoon the cold front finally came through and broke the heat wave. It is supposed to get down to 47 deg. F. tonight. The lawn hasn’t gotten away from me, even though the rain gauge shows we got 2 inches of rain here while we were away.

All in all, we had a blessed time despite the heat, thunderstorms, power shortages, and children’s temper tantrums.