Year End Wishes

As well as best wishes to all our campers, just a few thoughts as the year (and decade) come to a close. While I enjoy oldies music stations, and most mention that they play the hits of the 60's and 70's, not sure why suddenly they are also playing Michael Jackson stuff from the late 80's. Seems like his passing has caused stations to view his late work as oldies--I really don't want to hear "Bad", although I would be happy to hear "Ben" or "ABC" from the early days (which reminds me that at one point, there were only 3 hits to reach #1 with only 3 letters in the title, and he had 'em all). Would even settle for "One Bad Apple", which although it was the Osmonds, sounds enough like the Jackson 5 that they might consider having Donny portray The King of Pop in a film. My second request for the new decade is that "pressert" becomes accepted as a word and as an acceptable dining request. Sometimes, brunch is served with a parfait...so what is the big deal about ordering a dessert to enjoy before your meal? I'd much rather have a slice of cheescake before dinner, instead of onion rings. Lastly, something needs to be done about the letter "W". Why are all other letters monosyllabic, with none having 2 syllables, and yet "W" has 3? Makes no sense. It is ridiculous for abbreviations to be longer than the thing being abbreviated...when a team is just happy to "get the W", it takes twice as long as getting the win. Truncating it to two syllables is not enough, as it sounds to much like our previous President. What was Al Gore thinking when he invented the internet and decided to start everything with www? Takes 20 seconds just to say that...you mean to tell me there was not a better option? World wide web--3 syllables vs www checking in at 9. I don't know why people don't just say it that way...our website is world wide web strawberrypark.net. So much shorter. I'd even settle for "Globally Encompassing Net"--GEN would be so much shorter. "W" also causes trouble with little ones learning the alphabet. Brock has no trouble with the other letters, but I know when it comes to spelling his last name, those 2 killer letters are going to do him in. And besides, unless you write in cursive (and who still does that?), it really isn't even an accurate descriptor...double V would make more sense, but would still be three syllables. Therefore, I am proposing a re-naming of the letter "W". It may take a little while to adjust when singing the alphabet song on wagon rides, but I think we can be a vehicle for change (literally). In examing the other fine letters, there is a varied mix in those that are pronounced with the starting sound they make, followed by some random vowelness (such as "B" or "J"), and some end with their sound (such as "L" or "F"). Others are a little more inexplicable, such as "H". I am offering the following options, and will feature a survey on the blog seeking the most popular alternative. Keep in mind the letter won't change, just the pronunciation. Option 1: Wuh. Although it sounds a little like "Duh", it makes sense. Option 2: Wii (like the electronic game, also pronounced as "we" by some traditionalists, not to be confused with why, which is letter unto itself). Option 3: Ow. This may cause confusion for parents thinking their child is hurt, so I don't expect it to score well with that demographic. Option 4: Double U (for those resistant to change for the better). Spread the word, tell your friends to vote, make signs...whatever it takes. Happy New Year!!

Preparing for the January 2 reservation rush

As we approach the New Year, looks like there may be some more snow on the horizon. Luckily, just about everything on the ground here has melted from the rains and warm temps that we had this weekend (which will all freeze solid tonight). Have had a few last-minute campers signing up for our BIC program in order to avoid the craziness that is January 2. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. At our house, we have given up and allowed the "dining room" to become the toy room. Brock has gotten quite good at the air hockey game, while Reed's favorite is the illuminated power button on one of Brock's electronic toys. Who would have thought that the Giants season would be over, after they played so well last week...while somehow the Jets are still alive and control their own destiny, due to the stupidity of the Colts. Sorry, but I don't buy the whole "Super Bowl is all that matters" garbage. I can't recall half the Super Bowl winners of the last 20 years, but I can sure tell you that the Dolphins went unbeaten in '72. How many teams have a chance for immortality this late in the season? Not many, and it made the Pats vs Giants Super Bowl even more exciting. Just hoping my Saints can rebound, as it looks like the Eagles and Packers are playing as well as anyone in the NFC, while Pats, Colts and Chargers are the teams to beat in the AFC (with many others still alive). Lastly, hoping that any impending snowstorm does not cause too much havov with the New Year's holiday and the January 2 reservations fiesta. Have a safe & happy New Year's!!

Merry Christmas to Strawberry Park Campers

Since we will be closing a little early on Christmas Eve (1PM), now is as good a time as any to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. As Jen & I didn't send everyone a holiday newsletter, here is what you may have missed. Also, thanks to our camper friends who sent Christmas cards to Strawberry Park, and a special thanks to a few of you who sent a little something extra. I won't mention you by name, but it was greatly appreciated and not necessary.

2009 Season’s Greetings from Jen, Dave, Brock, Reed, Harvey & Cooper
Although it may seem like it was more than 11 months ago, our biggest news of 2009 was the arrival of Reed Chapin Nowakowski on January 5. With an icy winter driveway, we slid down the mountain and into a tree on our way to the hospital. Everything else went well that day (obviously Dave is typing, impervious to the pain of childbirth), and Brock became a big brother. We struggled with his middle name, but since the hospital required it before we departed, Jen relented and the late great Harry Chapin became further immortalized. Much like when Brock was born just in time to meet David’s grandmother before her passing, sadly, Jen’s grandmother passed away unexpectedly shortly after Reed was born.

Harvey & Cooper have come to tolerate Brock chasing them around the house and tugging them by the collar, and Reed is ready to join the fun. Reed began walking about 2 months ago, before cutting his first tooth. Speaking of cuts, with great rewards come great risks. Reed was the first of the two boys to require a trip to the hospital after meeting the corner of the coffee table, resulting in a single stitch above his right eye. In keeping the car accident/trip to the hospital tradition, David hit a deer on his way home from work after being informed of Reed’s mishap. David was uninjured, but the same cannot be said about the truck or the deer.

Brock still enjoys the classics (“The Cat in the Hat” and “Where the Wild Things Are”), but probably prefers Curious George books above all others. He has started talking much more, and does well spelling his name (first only, as his last name may take until 3rd grade) and counting to 12 (the number of stairs we have). Brock has mastered forward rolls as a result of participating in his gymnastics class and bath time has become more enjoyable as both boys are enrolled in swim class during the camping off-season.

2009 was not a big travel year, as we have mostly been catching up on sleep, since unlike Brock, there were not many (any??) “sleep through the nights” with Reed until very recently. We were able to take a day trip to Block Island (our young friend Lexi is a great helper with the boys), during which a decent wave caused Brock to become a little wary of the ocean, which took many day trips to the beach to overcome. We were also able to make it to the Cape and visit some family members we don’t get to see too often. Our longest journey with the boys was just recently, as we traveled to Santa’s Village in New Hampshire. Much like the waves at the ocean, Brock and Reed will require a few extra visits to Santa before the stranger danger wears off. Other than the long drive and the cold temperatures, everything else was enjoyable, and we even got our tree in the rain on the way home. Brock wanted the biggest tree in the lot, but we settled on the second biggest, one that just barely fits in the cabin.

Congratulations to David’s sister Lisa on her recent nuptials, to the Yankees on their World Series victory and to Derek Jeter being named Sportsman of the Year. Jen’s Red Sox did not fare quite as well, but now that they have Marco Scutaro, the sky’s the limit. Despite her loathing of the Yanks, Jen treated us to a trip to the new Stadium for David’s birthday present. Unfortunately for David, the Red Sox prevailed on that particular drizzly night in May. For Jen’s milestone birthday, we tried to pull off a little surprise party, but the pouring rain put a little damper on the plans. Her best present was having Kelly join us for a few days from her new home down in South Carolina.

Jen is still playing volleyball and the team has been playing quite well this season, currently battling for first place. Although neither of us played much golf this year, we look forward to the near future when our caddies are strong enough to carry the clubs. Brock has developed a nice swing, and has improved his putting. On other sports notes, David continues to follow the post-graduate wrestling careers of a couple of former wrestlers, and we took a recent trip up to Troy, NY to watch one of them wrestle for Hofstra. Although we may not catch as many Griswold matches as in the past, David will still be involved with some of the post-season tournaments in February.

It was a busy summer at Strawberry Park, following a damp June. Brock earned a few ribbons in running races, but usually came up short to a little one who got dragged by a mom for 50 yards. The boys enjoyed bonfire nights, and Brock was thrilled with the fireworks display atop the Mohegan Sun. In July, David escaped the campground for an evening with Jen to see Billy Joel and Elton John at Gillette. Jen got to relive her first concert-going experience after seeing them at the same venue 15 years ago. Jen did not play much Bingo, but did raise a few eyebrows when she was one of the winners on the progressive jackpot in September on her grandma’s lucky number. Nothing annoyed David more than the gloomy forecasts on almost every fall weekend (most of which were inaccurate). Much of the late fall was spent updating the website.

We promised ourselves that we would keep this down to just a page in a normal font (we know
most of your attention spans are like ours and, besides, we need to start on Reed’s birthday invitations).

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bing would be pleased

After writing the title, I realized that most people today would connect the comment to that new search engine and not Mr. Crosby's classic "White Christmas", but let this be educational for the younger generation (although I do prefer the Four Tops version as featured in Home Alone). Back to the point, we received a fair amount of snow. Sorry, but I don't buy into some of the mega-totals, since there was considerable wind and drifting. Unless you have a legit measuring device that contains directly fallen snow and restricts drifting, I am doubting some of the unofficial totals exceeding 2 feet. Glenn & Jimmy have done a great job plowing the roads here at Strawberry Park, and most area schools had delays today (some even canceled--enjoy your snow day Kate!). Bringing the truck in for the deer repairs--could be out of action for a week. Just a reminder to winter campers: when the temps get down low, be sure your hose & heat tape are working, and many people suggest keeping the cabinets open to allow heat to get into the areas where the pipes may freeze. Some are strong believers in leaving the faucet trickling, but I am hesitant to suggest in case something clogs and you flood your trailer (maybe the tub is the best place to keep a drip). While I am sure there will be at least one more post before Christmas (need to put up our holiday newsletter), for those who may not check this as regularly, have a great holiday. Today is probably the last chance for gift certificates if you want them to arrive in time for Christmas. Enjoy the snow--we had fun running the luge course at the house.

Christmas Countdown...newsletter time is upon us

Now that Christmas is only a week away, guess that means it is time to send out cards and a holiday newsletter. I will be sure to post a copy here on the blog for those of you who may not be on Brock & Reed's mailing list. Glad we waited until the last minute, since so much has happened in the last week (with Santa Land, Reed's stitch and the deer incident), plus the advantage of getting to comment on other folk's holiday letters & photos (guess my dear friend Vart lost a testicle this year...those are the kind of holiday snippets that should not go quietly into the night). Seems like some of the earliest cards we get are from our friends in the warmth of Florida. I guess that means they are really missing the snow (guessing Randy still wears his mittens down there when it dips below 60). Kind of thinking that with all this Facebook and blogging stuff, holiday newsletters may become a thing of the past for many. Camping shows are just around the corner, with Hartford kicking things off on Jan 8-10, and 6 other shows until early March. Looks like Bayside in Boston is back, but Long Island RV Show is not returning. Might catch us in Prov, Worc, Springfield, Suffern, Boston, Hartford, or Foxboro. Gearing up for January 2, which since it falls on a Saturday probably means more campers coming here in person to make their reservations early in the morning.

Looking more like Christmas every day

Between the recent snow and the chilly temps, I guess we are heading down the homestretch to the holidays. Even if the deer had not made survived, $3200 is awfully expensive for a freezer full of venison. Have to make sure if I ever hit another one, I use an older vehicle. If you look closely, you can still see some fur. In retrospect, having a small deductible is nice, but lacking rental car coverage was possibly a mistake. Reminding any campers seeking gift certificates that you want to order them soon to receive them in time for Christmas. We offer them in any amount, and the money goes right onto the account of the recipient. Speaking of Christmas, we got back from Santa's Village in NH yesterday just in time for the afternoon rains, but that did not deter us from chopping down the 2nd tallest tree we could find (Brock wanted the biggest one, but it would not have fit in the house, as this one just barely makes it). If you ever head up to the Village in December, be sure to dress warmly and wear boots, as your toes can get a little cold waiting in line for things like seeing Santa. The reindeer were cool, and the boys enjoyed the train ride as well. Did not see any moose, but after the deer hit near home, maybe that was best.

TGIF...cuz Thursday kinda stunk

Looking forward to a journey north, first trip to Santa Land (or something like that) up in New Hampshire. Just wish the weather was more tropical and the drive was not so long. If you had any wagers on which of our 2 boys would get a stitch first, the winner is....Reed! With a full month of walking experience, he somehow took a digger into the table. If the cut were anywhere other than on his eyebrow, they could have just glued it (sounds cool, and having never seen that done, I was looking forward to that option). Just one little stitch, and he was brave. While waiting in the hospital room, Brock cut his lip, but since they were not offering any "buy one get one free" sales like everyone else at this holiday time, we told him to be a brave big brother and suck it up. So in case any of you might be expecting a holiday photo from Santa Land with the boys, my guess is that Fat Lip and Black Eye (as we may see some reindeer or totonka up north, we have given the boys new Native American nicknames) won't be doing much posing for anything but a profile. I guess the good news is that when, years from now, Reed asks why he had a shiner for Christmas, we can tell him it was because he asked Santa for too many presents and the elves roughed him up. Although we are heading to NH with one of Jen's good friends who have a son Brock's age, in this job market, the thought of bringing Jen's mom crossed my mind, as Santa Land must always be looking for seasonal elves. Getting back to why Thursday was a rotten day (as if a hospital visit were not enough), our tradition of car accidents on days when heading to Backus Hospital for Reed is still alive! You may recall that when we went in January for Reed's delivery that we slid down the icy driveway and hit a tree with Jen's car. Last night, I got the call about the cut as leaving work...and proceeded to take out a deer on the way home. At first, I thought for sure I needed to call my neighbor with the large freezer (and to taunt Jody on Facebook that I got a deer before he did), but the big lug struggled to his feet and wandered off into the woods. While the airbags did not deploy, some decent damage to the front of the truck, and I have left the hair and saliva in case Allstate needs evidence. I tend to see deer most nights on the way home, but this guy caught me off guard. Since the accident was so close to home, I was a little worried about herd retribution while at the hospital, but there was no addtional damage or antler graffiti when we got home. I guess the only thing that could have made the day worse would have been if I were a Steelers fan.

Cajun Zydeco Festival Line Up Nearly Complete

Strawberry Park will present our 14th Annual "Blast from the Bayou" Cajun Zydeco Festival on June 10-13, 2010. It is always difficult to choose bands, as there are some folks who are always looking to see new faces on stage, while there are a few bands that the dancers expect to see back almost every year. For 2010, we have 2 of the top 3 Cajun bands (in most people's opinion), with The Pine Leaf Boys and Steve Riley returning (figuring Beausoleil would round out the "top 3" and they were here a couple years back and will probably return in the future), as well as Cajun newcomers JimmyJo & The Jambol'Ayuhs from Maine, as well as Jesse Lege and Bayou Brew. On the Zydeco side, for the first time, we are presenting 3 of the premier LA/TX artists (each of these 3 considered to be among the top 5 in the world) with Geno Delafose (pictured) and Brian Jack back from 2009, and Chris Ardoin making his return after being away for a couple of years. In addition, Li'l Anne (from NY) returns, as well as Dennis Stroughmatt (from Ill). Each year, we also present some dance bands that are not quite Cajun or Zydeco, and for 2010 we are pleased to see the return of the Derailers, as well as Donna the Buffalo (been a couple of years since the herd rolled in) and Girl Howdy, with some swing dancing. Still finalizing the specific days on which some of the performers will appear, but it looks to be our strongest line up ever. For more info, see the website http://www.strawberrypark.net/cajun-zydeco-festival/ Reservations start on January 2.

Looks like winter is now upon us

Not a ton of snow fell down here, but it was a little icy...and the worst part is that it has not all melted yet, and may not do so before the next batch of weather on Wed. Might have to start thinking about long pants soon. Jen took the boys to see Santa at a mall in RI (Santa does a great job, so she goes there each year). Brock was fine but Reed suddenly developed stranger anxiety, which is not like him. Gave him another shot yesterday, but same clinging result. Will try again, as we are heading north to Santa's Village (or something like that) up in NH this weekend, so I know I will need long pants for that trip. My Saints got a little lucky yesterday, and I know many downtrodden fans today (Pats, Steelers and Cowboys). Great night of college football finishes Sat around 11PM, including UConn, Texas and GT. All these undefeated teams, and no playoff in sight. Personally, I will consider the Obama presidency a success if he is able to enact a playoff during his tenure. Just Bob and I taking the calls this week, as Mary gets a little time off beforet the New Year's rush on January 2. She has been a big follower of the Tiger Tales, citing TMZ as the most reliable name in news, so here is one for her: If Tiger is getting all this action AFTER getting married, what was his life like BEFORE he got hitched? Forget the pursuit of Jack Nicklaus and his 18 majors...I think Wilt Chamberlain's self-proclaimed record of 10,000 may have been in jeopardy (permission granted to Jay or Dave to use on late night, in case they follow this blog).

Congrats to Grammy Nominees

As usual, there are a few of our scheduled performers at the upcoming Bluegrass Festival or Cajun/Zydeco Festival who have received nominations this year, as well as some past performers. For Best BG Album, Rhonda was nominated once again (this will be the first time in about 7 or 8 years that she won't be here...looking forward to having her back in 2011), as well as Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and a few others, while the Greencards, who will return for BG, were nominated in the Country Instrumental Song category (Carol Young of the band is shown here from last year, courtesy of Ted Lehmann's photo). For C/Z, The Pine Leaf Boys were nominated once again, and they will be back up north in June. Our Bluegrass line-up is now pretty much complete, and has been posted. C/Z should be wrapped up in another week or so. So far, no reports of any major tree damage from last night's storm, but there were many branches down in the area, with some power outages and vehicle damage throughout the region. I guess we should enjoy the temps in the 60's today, as it supposed to get a little more wintry this weekend.

Who dat? Saints beat Pats!

Those of you that know me as a Yankee fan probably think I despise the Pats as much as I do the Sox, but that is not true at all. In fact, I will root for the Pats in almost all games...except vs the Saints. Would love to see a Super Bowl rematch from last night, but that could be tough for both (with Vikes looking good, and Pats having even a tougher road). My affinity for the Saints comes from my freshman year of college at Tulane in N'awlins, where every day was Mardi Gras. I am guessing after Katrina, there must be a decent number of casual football fans who would like to see the Saints do well. To make it an even better sports day, Derek Jeter was named Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Year. Just a quick reminder to all those BIC folks who called to reserve yesterday...please make sure to have deposits paid within 7 days. Always amazes us each year when there are campers who dial away to get through early...and then end up with a deleted reservation because they did not follow through with the deposit. Remember, the Strawberry Park office is open Mon-Fri only in December (we will resume weekend hours in January). For others looking to avoid the January 2 rush, consider becoming a BIC Camper. And finally, Scrubs returns to TV tonight.

Monday Morning Madness

As today is the first Monday after Thanksgiving, that means two things: it is the first day of wrestling practice in CT and it is the first day for BIC reservations to be made. Even though I no longer coach, the start of the season still has meaning, and Jen & I took the boys up to Troy, NY (Bud and Mary's hometown) to see Tyler B wrestling for Hofstra. He and the team had a tough day against many nationally ranked teams, but it was worth the drive. Looking ahead to tonight's MNF with the Saints and Pats. It has been nice to speak with many of our frequent campers who have called (or driven out to see us, as in the case of Mike W and John D and a few others). Always nice to find any little glitches today for the 100 or so BIC campers before the real craziness of Jan 2 (and thanks to George P for finding an error on the website regarding check-in days for the log cabins). As usual, the phones are constantly busy from 8am until about 10am, but by then, 90% of the BIC folks have gotten through...so it is fairly quiet for the rest of the day. Still trying to work out one little kink in the rez system, which is not giving our 4th of July week campers the regular weekly rate (as it should), and is instead calculating the holiday weekend plus 4 nights. I am sure our tech support friends up in Canada can figure out the error in my ways.

Obituary & Funeral Information for Jacob Biber

The obituary for Buck's father appeared in the local papers today http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theday/obituary.aspx?n=jacob-biber&pid=136404088, and as noted, funeral service will be held on Sunday at 1PM. Please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday, and congrats to Kenny F, part-time Rec Staff member, on his acceptance to the school of pharmacy in his accelerated degree program. Maybe CVS will give you a raise and you can buy your sister Lexi that horse she's been wanting.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our campers

Hope everyone has a great holiday and enjoys some football, whether on TV (Lions could be boring, Cowboys have scored about 10 points in 3 weeks and the Giants are on too late for my turkey-induced bedtime) or of the local high school variety (my alma mater NFA is playing New London, and it could be a long day for the Wildcats). The Strawberry Park office will be closed on Thanksgiving, and we will also be closing early on Wednesday. We will re-open on Friday, and this coming weekend is the last weekend with office hours until January, as December features Mon-Fri office hours. On Monday, we begin taking reservations from those enrolled in our BIC Program (and the real football game this week is on Monday night, with Saints vs Pats). Last week, I had mentioned a tought start for summer rec staffer Tyler B and his collegiate wrestling debut with Hofstra, but he rebounded quite well and placed 2nd in a tournament in North Carolina, defeating last year's high school national champion in the semis. At this time, it appears that the funeral service for Buck's father will be held on Sunday, November 29 in Norwich at the Beth Jacob Synagogue http://www.bethjacobnorwich.org/ 400 New London Tpk (about 10-15 minutes from the campground) tentatively at 1pm. Details should be finalized later today, and the obituary is expected to appear in the local paper on Wednesday. I will send out an email and post the specifics on Wednesday morning, once everything is determined.

Jacob Biber 1915-2009

On Saturday, Jacob Biber passed away in Florida with his sons Buck, Ben and Joe at his side. He is survived by his wife Eva. Jake had battled cancer, and it had recently returned. As many of you know, the past few months have been very difficult. At this time, funeral arrangements are incomplete, but they will take place here in CT, most likely on Monday, Nov 30. While many of you know Buck & Sonia and Josh and Melissa, most of our current campers may be unaware of Jake's story, for while you may know that he founded the Preston Trading Post, this was long after his emigration and struggles that were documented in his first book "Survivors", published in 1982. It is still available in print, and the following are excerpts from some reviews: "This is a story of man's inhumanity to man and the struggle of two people whose very survival is in itself a miracle. It is a story that needs to be told... it is a true story." "For those who were not interned in the camps, the War was no less real or devastating in its impact. Survivors brings that point home with telling force." ~Ivan Katz, New Haven Register"Survivors by Jacob Biber is the kind of book you want to read in one sitting." ~Elizabeth Lengyel, The Day, New London"Once in a while, a book arrives from a little publishing house that turns out to be a little diamond. Such a book is Survivors by Jacob Biber." ~Bill Pike, Willimantic Cronicle"Despite its tragic theme, Survivors is not a depressing book, it is an inspiring one." ~Margaret Vasington, Hartford Courant. The following comes from an early issue of The Preston Pipeline, and offers a glimpse into Jake's story (as he often contributed poetry to that publication). Preston Trading Post was started in 1974, by Jacob Biber, in the then vacant Biber Egg Farms, processing plant. Jacob, a Holocaust survivor, settled in Preston with his wife Eva, and had three sons. They settled on a dairy farm, the barn of which, later would become the original Preston Trading Post. Mr. Biber eventually converted his dairy farm to chicken farming, as this was a popular activity in Preston in the 50's and 60's. The extent of the business grew and the business was shipping eggs to large chains in New England and New York. In 1973, Jacob sold the business, but kept the property. In traditional New England style, Jacob was restive and industrious. He determined to occupy himself, and the buildings, with a small retail business, and still sell some eggs, but also sell estate furniture, antiques, collectibles, and the like. This was the Trading Post's beginnings. In 198 1, two weeks before Christmas, a terrible fire destroyed the original structure. The Bibers were undeterred. Using their existing warehouse, (a former chicken coop), they converted it to the store that stands today. His son Joe continues to operate PTP. Jake published another book titled "Risen from the Ashes" just a few years ago, and despite being 94 years old, retained his accuity. His 2nd book is described as follows: When Jacob Biber and his wife Eva escaped from the Ukraine, after a series of harrowing adventures that saw most of his family killed by the Nazis, an uncertain future awaited the refugee Jews. In the ruins of postwar Germany, Biber and his family and the other survivors were herded into temporary camps erected by the Allied soldiers, unable to return to their destroyed homes in Russia and other parts of Europe. Many would go to Israel, others would come to the United States, still others would seek South American homes. This is the moving story of what happened to the remnants of the great Jewish civilization in Europe, and how each individual began rebuilding his and her life anew.

Buck and his family have appreciated the concern that so many campers have expressed over the course of these last few months. On a personal level, I must thank Jake for playing a great part in where I am today. When the holidays roll around and you watch Jimmy Stewart's "It's a Wonderful Life", about how one life can impact so many, you sometimes forget how true that is. If you remove all the obvious ancestral ties, there are probably a few hundred people, perhaps more, who, if not for their existence, your own life would be readically different. As I began working summers at a local tomato farm, my father had recently changed jobs and after many years at Gorin's Furniture and Campo's in New London, had begun working at the Preston Trading Post selling furniture for Jake. Being a Preston native, I had recalled visiting the Post many times, and distinctly remember buying thousands of baseball cards from the "original store", and remarking that I was getting a great deal because they were selling "old" cards at current prices. When I was old enough to find a non-farming summer job, I applied to Strawberry Park, and I am sure that there was a little nepostism in helping me land work at the business run by my dad's boss's son. If not for Jacob Biber, I would not be working at Strawberry Park, would never have met Jen and had our two wonderful boys. Thank you Jacob, and in an attempt to offer the proper Yiddish blessing, "Alav hashalom". Our thoughts are with the entire Biber family.

Can we trade Nov for Oct (and a month to be named later)?

Once again, looks like another beautiful November weekend, already surpassing the number of great weekend days in October. The "summer water" is now off to all sites (winter water remains on for our long term winter caretakers), and some preliminary leaf work has begun. I did get a few emails from folks who could not see the new website, but in most cases it was the result of a "bookmark" not being refreshed. The office will be open this weekend, but just a reminder that the month of December is the only time when the office is closed on weekends, as we resume reservations and office hours in January. Today's website feature note: On the directions page, you can zoom in and see an aerial of the campground. While we were able to donate any unopened goods from the Grill & Creamery to the local shelter, we do have a few tubs of opened ice cream that we can't donate, and since the freezers will be going off soon, we may have some free dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner if you can't find a pumpkin pie. I am tempted to put up a survey question about a remaining performer slot at the BG Fest, but until the festival crowd starts viewing, it may be a limited response...so I will wait. I did add a little google search tool to the blog in case you want to find something from blogs gone by. Speaking of days gone by, heading to a surprise birthday party tonight for a former fellow employee. It was so long ago (she worked here during HS and college and is now celebrating the big 4-0) that there is absolutely no risk of her finding out from this blog--but if you do run into Kevin or Nini between now and 6:30 tonight, don't say anything. Now that the website is updated, time to focus on the brochure, since RV Show Season is less than 2 months away.

Welcome to the NEW strawberrypark.net!!

Thanks to the many folks who helped find any little glitches with the new website, as it officially launched today. We are still in the process of going through all the "links" to make sure that they do not refer to an "old" web page. Also, thanks to those who have taken the time to provide reviews at either Trip Advisor or the ARVC website. Strawberry Park had a high enough score average to receive national recognition, but did not have enough total reviews (50 were needed and we had 40-something). Special thanks to our facebook friends who took the time to offer a review--hope your crops didn't fail while they went unattended. It is now time to focus on the brochure, as camping shows are just around the corner, with Hartford and Boston each happening in January. Now that virtually all the leaves have fallen, the first round of leaf clean up has begun. Thanks again to so many who bagged and raked their own site (and in the case of some folks like Bob G down around site 261, some sites around them). Many of the large piles have already been picked up, and the bagged leaves are next. As noted recently, the line-up for Bluegrass is nearly complete, and we are now focusing on finalizing Cajun/Zydeco. If you have not already signed up for the email notified on the new website, it will alert you whenever anything new is posted to the homepage...which will probably be a weekly type of thing, not nearly as frequent, in-depth or personal as the blog.

Camper Reviews & Comments

One of our website pages features information about various campground review & ratings pages. There are quite a few out there, and some are easier to navigate than others. Whenever you have guests posting comments, you have to expect that there will be a few folks that were unhappy with some aspect of their visit. Overall, the vast majority of comments that are posted are quite positive, and our overall average scores represent some of the highest of any campgrounds. As we prepare to launch our new website this week, we invite any of our campers who have not already posted a review or provided a rating to do so. Although Trip Advisor is not for "campgrounds only" (like most others), it has earned a reputation among travelers as a resource, so feel free to add your two cents http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33894-d119854-Reviews-Strawberry_Park_Resort-Preston_Connecticut.html. A fairly recent addition has been reviews through "Go Camping America", part of the Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, http://www.guestreviews.com/Members/EmailTemplates/SurveyInvitation.aspx?CustomerId=273. They offer a simple scoring survey and provide feedback to the campgrounds (unlike many of the other review sites). Many folks appear to view "RV Park Reviews", but their format can be a little confusing, as multiple campgrounds show up together if they are in the same town http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Connecticut/Preston.html. If you have a few minutes, we invite you to offer your thoughts.

Festivals vs Concerts

Every now and then, someone shows up at one of our music festivals thinking that it is some sort of free offering. Not quite sure how they figure the bands would get paid, but it would be good to consider the value of attending a festival vs attending a concert. Let's even assume that the headliners are the same for each, with a concert offering a perhaps a preliminary act followed by the star of the show. If you attend a concert in any city, you need to pay for parking. This could range from $5 if you are lucky, to upwards of $20 or more. Joining us for the day at the festival? Parking is free. If you attend a concert, you can't bring in any food or drink, so be prepared for movie theater pricing if you want a soda or a snack. At a festival, you can pack a picnic basket or cooler of your favorite food (or you can visit our snack bar...or try something you can't get at a concert: food from a specialty vendor such as The Chili Brothers). Ever think about taking your kids to the concert with you? If you do, you'll need to pay full price for a seat, same as an adult. If you plan on leaving them home, you need to shell out $$$ for a sitter. At most festivals (including ours) kids are free, and teens are 1/2 price. Ever consider asking the hotel next door to the concert venue if you can take a swim in their pool? Not likely, but at one of our music festivals, you and the family can swim in the pools, realx in the hot tubs etc. At a concert, you might get to see 1 or 2 performers, while on a Saturday during Bluegrass, there are 7-10 different acts taking the stage. At a concert, what are the chances you can talk with the stars either before or after their performance? Not very likely, but at festivals, most of the acts are hanging out, selling CDs and mingling with their fans. Lastly, just a thought for some festival attendees who don't understand why it costs more to see a Cajun/Zydeco band up here than it does to see them in their home state of LA or TX...please consider travel costs for the bands, many of whom must fly up north. And for the folks who expect the shows to be free? In these days of fiscal care, there are not many towns that are budgeting free concerts for their residents (although some events are still subsidized by the towns that host them). Strawberry Park is once again looking forward to presenting a world-class line-up of talent for both our Bluegrass Festival on June 3-6 and our Blast from the Bayou Cajun/Zydeco Fest on June 10-13. It should also be noted that the price for a weekend pass has gone up a total of $1 in the last 5 years, with more big names than ever. We look forward to you joining us in June.

Advance Screening of new website

We are offering an advance screening of our newly designed website (Sherman would be proud of my theatrical terminology), as we expect to launch the new site later this week. Please let us know if you find anything that does not seem to work (such as any links), as it may take a week to work out any kinks. http://www2.strawberrypark.net/ I don't really know how some of the technical stuff works, but Leslie and her fine friends at Streamlined Development have been working to make the transfer painless. Tough day for some football fans on Sunday...what is worse, getting dominated all game and knowing it was ugly (the Cowboys vs Packers), or winning all game and blowing a late lead (the Pats)? I'd lean toward the Pats loss being more painful. For those who recall our Rec Staff from the summer, Tyler B is a former Griswold wrestler who made it to the New England finals as a senior, and is now at Hofstra, a top 25 division 1 program (there have been very few CT wrestlers who have gone on to wrestle at major college programs). He beat a blue-chip recruit from Minnesota to earn his first ever varsity start on Sunday, and wouldn't you know that he drew the last bout of the day, and despite Hofstra being favored over Buffalo, it all came down to his match. He wrestled well, and kept his opponent scoreless, getting a lead, and increasing it to 4-0 with a takedown with just over 15 seconds left. Suddenly, something that I don't recall happening to him in a long, long time...he got caught, reversed and taken to his back for a 5 point move and lost 5-4, giving Buffalo a 16-16 tie. Jen and I watched on the internet ($5 for a live feed), while Matt was actually in Long Island and went to watch. Just want to let him know that we are all proud of his accomplishments, and hope he rebounds well. I don't know if I have been so involved in watching a match since I left coaching many years ago, but Tyler and his classmate Brock (yes, there are more Brocks out there) were both part of our Griswold program, and were both State Champs and New England finalists as seniors (the last time I watched such a painful loss). Good new is that since I have no close ties to any current wrestlers/athletes, I won't be a suffering fan until Brock & Reed start playing sports.

New website almost ready

Hoping to launch the new website by the end of next week, as we prepare for the early BIC reservation calls on Nov 30. For you music festival fans, the line-ups are becoming finalized, and should have a list of Bluegrass performers early next week...with the Cajun/Zydeco roster to follow shortly thereafter. Look for some new photos, many of which were submitted by campers. Speaking of photos, Bill & Brenda Dias (winners of our Bocce Tournament on Columbus Day Weekend) recently returned from Vegas where they renewed their wedding vows in celebration of their 40th anniversary. They would like to invite their Strawberry Park friends to view the video from Graceland Chapel (Elvis presides over the ceremony), and it is available on the www.gracelandchapel.com website until Nov 23--just search for William and Brenda Dias. While their daughters and grandchildren could not make the trip to Vegas, they were fortunate to meet up with some dear friends who now reside in Las Vegas and were able to serve as Best Man and Matron of Honor, Pastor Linda M and her husband Ernie. Congrats to the couple on 40 years of marriage.

Thanks for the photos

Thanks to so many for sending some great photos that we hope to use in the 2010 brochure and on the new website (launching by Nov 25). Nice to see so many have joined our Facebook "fan" site, up over 140 now. I had mentioned seeking newer photos, and made reference to some of our former campers, which made me think of how often odd items become permanent nick-names. At teen softball in the 80's, there was a camper named Rob who often wore a Mets jersey (Dykstra), and his nickname became Lenny. In fact, most people here thought his name was actually "Lenny", and 20 years later, when his parents refer to him in talking with me, they say "Lenny" because they know that I'll know who they mean. Another prime example is long-time employee Jon M. There are probably plenty of folks who think his nickname of "Pills" is some inappropriate quaalude reference, but it came from his classic Pillsbury Doughboy t-shirt. I guess I even answer to "Gilligan" pretty regularly due to the hat. A few others that come to mind, including another Mets fan, this time an adult. Since "Bud" was already a nickname for Walter, it did not change...but when a 2nd adult starting showing up at adult softball in a Met jersey, he became "Bud Light", which 15 years later is still how he is known by many (in fact, I am not sure I know his real name). Camp nicknames are often needed when there are multiple people with the same first name (we had 5 Georges pose for a photo last year, and half the horseshoe players one weekend were named Tom), and some classics have been provided by Rich L. Unfortunately, most of the ones he attaches are derogatory and sarcastic, so I can't repeat them (but they are very funny). Ever since "Cranky Phil" left, there has been no real need to refer to "Black Sox Phil", as he is the only Phil in town. And yes, Cranky Phil earned that one (how many horseshoe players force their inexperienced partners to practice at the trees between games?). I am sure there are plenty of other examples, but that is more than enough. One Gene becomes "Scoop", one John becomes "LJ" (how is someone that big Little John? I don't want to see Big John). And who could forget the one that many kids called "the many with the funny hats". Not sure what the native American translation would be for that title that Roger had...might just have to ask Eskimo Dave.

Photos Wanted for 2010 Brochure

As we put together the 2010 brochure and update the website, we are seeking some new photos to be included. Probably have enough Halloween costume photos, but other than that, looking for HW decorated sites, activity action shots (other than mud wrestling), or anything else that you think might be usable. Keep in mind that it should hopefully include stuff that makes it a "Strawberry Park" photo, differentiating it from a shot that could have been taken at home. Could use a kid on a bike (with helmet, off course), and maybe a volleyball, washer toss, disc golf and bocce photo, among others. I guess the easiest plan would be for the photos (please don't include too many in one email) to be sent to me at david@strawberrypark.net, with subject "photos". I will also put a note on the Facebook page, which last I knew had almost 100 fans. Hope everyone enjoyed the nicest weather weekend of the entire fall season.

Congrats & Best Wishes to Emily on her Wedding Day

Long time gate staffer Emily is getting married today, and it looks like a beautiful day. I think the reception is over at Lake of Isles, so crashers will be welcome. Perhaps some of them will eventually meander over to Jewett City tonight where the Outriggers will be playing. As for me, looking forward to enjoying the first weekend off since April. Perhaps some raking leaves and gutter cleaning is in order...but only if Brock's raking blisters have healed and Reed can overcome his fear of heights. Just kidding--have a great weekend, and enjoy UConn vs Cinci in primetime football action tonight (I keep thinking former employee and UConn alum Dave "Hinch-Cat" must be a wreck after the Huskies have been winning every game of the season late in the 4th quarter, only to find themselves 4-4 and dealing with the aftermath of their tragedy. Tonight is the night for redemption Hinchey!

Enjoy this weekend's weather

Maybe my much-maligned meteorologists will be right and the weekend will be nice, for although there are no activities happening (other than perhaps a celebratory Yankee Victory Parade), the water is on through at least Nov 8. Probably a good weekend to do a final cleaning of the trailer and to bring home any stuff that might freeze up over the winter, such as jars of baby food. If you are heading this way, a reminder that The Outriggers are playing just a few miles down the road on Saturday night in Jewett City. Jen & I did enjoy a nice anniversary dinner at the Inn at Woodstock Hill last night, which is where we had our brunch the day after the wedding. Nice place. Got home just in time to see Godzilla wreak havoc on Petey and his Philly phriends. Jen is thrilled that she can now associate our anniversary with World Title #27.

November Reminders

Will be sending out a November reminder to all of our long term campers along with the final electric billing of the season. Thanks to Jen for setting up the new Facebook page--hope you "friend" us. Or "fan" us, whatever the terminology might be. Working on the new website design, and hope to go live just before Thanksgiving. For our blog followers, you get advance notice of the newsletter highlights. Some leaf work is being done, but most will take place in the spring. Remember, daily trash pick up has concluded for the season. Next year's calendar of events shows that Oldies Weekend will be a couple of weeks later than it has been, with Memorial Day happening so late. All 4 Halloweens will be in October, including HW #4 on Oct 29-31. The annual unit owners budget meeting was hopefully going to happen in November, but still working on the details and waiting for the accountants, so it looks like it may be delayed until January (notice will be mailed once the date is set, and will be posted here as well). Our annual New Year's Eve Party is taking a one year break. With New Year's Eve on a Thursday this year, we may face the struggles of last year, with many having difficulty getting here after work. Already looking forward to next year, and will try to check with The Outriggers this weekend (they are playing just down the road in Griswold on Sat night) about next year. To be honest, it is not a bad idea to take a year off from the usual routine. Also, there were a significant number of guests who were unable to make it last year and expected a refund. Many had trouble understanding that the ticket price simply covers costs of entertainment and door prizes. Also, a quick reminder that unless you are a designated long term caretaker, the daily use of your campsite has concluded for the season. You can still drop in for weekends, but daily use is not permitted this time of year. Looks like the water will remain on through the upcoming weekend, even though some cold temps are predicted and perhaps even a little frozen precip. Since the Yankees did not clinch on Monday, looks like I may need to get score updates during our date night out for our anniversary tonight.

New Addition to Facebook

Today we've launched our Facebook Page. On the right hand side of this page, you will see a link to become a Fan of Strawberry Park. We will be posting regular updates and some photos throughout the year. We will continue the blog for those of you looking for further wit and satire from Dave.

As in golf, "winter rules" now in place

Just like when some folks hit the links this time of year and play by "winter rules", such as lift, clean and place or perhaps moving the branch that fell on your ball, there are a few winter rules just kicking in here at Strawberry Park. First of all, for any of our long-term campers, please note that daily trash pick up is now on hold until the spring. Please bring your trash to the dumpster (it will give you a chance to see the vultures, which until recently had all been turkey vultures, but recently have begun seeing some black vultures, which are typically a smaller, more southern bird). Also, our seasonals and unit owners are reminded that daily use of your site is restricted to our designated year-round caretakers (although you may continue to use the site on weekends). The forecast for this week is not too cold, so while Glenn and Jimmy are doing many RV winterizations, it looks like the water will remain live to all sites at least through this coming weekend (Nov 6-8). However, the restrooms in the Timber Trails are closed for the season. Even though many of the oak leaves remain attached, many leaves have been raked, bagged or piled. Those that have been bagged will be removed, and there will be an attempt to remove some of the larger piles. Please make sure that if you are blowing leaves that you do not pile and block a neighbor's driveway, or blow them under an RV. Fo any of our BIC members looking to reserve early for 2010, we will begin taking calls on Monday, November 30 at 8am. Also, BIC members are reminded that you may purchase discounted gift certificates during the month of November. Some of the wiser folks buy each other gift certificates this time of year, saving 5% and putting the amount on their Strawberry Park account...which would then simply be applied on November 30 when reserving a site for next year. Nice 2-out rally by the Yanks last night (too bad I had dozed off during Damon's marathon at bat, just waking to see A-Rod's post-game interview). Might be tough wrapping things up tonight against Cliff Lee, but would prefer that over trying to convince my wife the Red Sox fan to watch the clincher on Wednesday night, as that is our anniversary. As much as I would like to make reservations for a nice restaurant, now I have to wait until Tues to see if we need one with a TV (luckily, we did just get those coupons for the 99 in the Sunday paper--they have TVs everywhere, and even let kids eat free when the Sox win, an offer obviously on hiatus until the spring).

Is Monday the tiredess day of the year?

Couple of factors could cause tomorrow to be a fatigue filled day. Although the "extra hour" of sleep was to be gained last night due to the end of DST, for those with toddlers, infants, kids or pets, this usually does not become reality. In addition, the World Series rain delay pushed back the start of game 3 until after 9pm. Today, it gets dark early for the first time, so everyone will want to go to sleep earlier. However, although all other starting times for the Series are 7:57, the Sunday first pitch is not until 8:20. I guess this is because everyone knows that it is much more likely that the fans can stay up late on Sunday night, with work on Monday, than on a Fri or Sat night. While it won't happen, there are so many fans who would love a day game. Sunday is a later start because of Fox TV sports monopoly today, with Giants vs Eagles at 1, Packers and Vikes at 4 and the Yanks/Phils tonight (heaven forbid they shorten the post-game football or pre-game baseball shows). Scrambled to get enough Bingo players last night for our final game of the season, and ended up with about 18 people on what turned out to be a warm night for trick or treating. As far as we are concerned, camping "season" officially ends today, since it is the end of activities on weekends...and therefore the start of the off-season with some weekend time to spend with the family. Thanks!

Final Fall Finale Weekend

Things are much quieter here this weekend, following our 4 big Halloween Weekends and Columbus Day. Looks like in 2010, since Halloween #4 will fall later (Oct 29-31), there will not be an added "event" weekend AFTER Halloween, meaning no "fall finale". While the water will still be on, once November rolls in, there are not enough campers to have the arcade, pillow and Grill open. In fact, I am a little worried about having enough Bingo players tonight at 8PM for our final Bingo of the season, as some folks might be out trick or treating...and there are not too many campers here to begin with this weekend. I will need to bring out the little TV to keep updated with game 3 of the Series. Have been working on many new projects, and will try to provide updates next week, such as a new Facebook Page (and eventually pages for the music festivals), a re-designed Strawberry Park website (should be unveiled by Nov 29), the 2010 calendar of events (Memorial Day happens late in 2010), and reservation plans for the early callers on November 30 (those enrolled in the BIC program). It does look pretty good for the water to remain on for 1 more weekend (Nov 6-8), but probably not much longer after that.

Pumkin Winners & Adult Costumes

More pumpkins than ever--notes below the photos

Congrats to the Adult Costume Contest Winners. Depsite the rain on Saturday night (which did not deter us from lighting the bonfire, or from having about 10 wackos join us on a wet and wild wagon ride), we had far more adult costumes this week than last week. Still considering having the adult costumes at the 5pm parade next year--offer your opinion on the poll. The pumpkin turnout was the biggest yet, as we needed a 4th table to display them all. Funny little aside regarding judging...I am one of the least artistic people I know, but I do have some creativity. Jen, on the other hand, is very artistic (and also creative--please don't think I have implied otherwise). When it comes to costumes for the kids, she put together a wonderful peanut butter and jelly outfit for her and the boys (and I was bread slice #2). She also dressed them as Rally Monkeys one weekend to support the Angels over my Yankees. However, the best she earned was an honorable mention, perhaps slightly because the judges knew who she was, and would not want to seem biased. Pumpkins are anonymous, so I explained her chances of winning would not be diminshed. She wound up submitting a carved and a painted, and received a 1st and a 2nd. The painted was a Peanuts scene with Linus and the Great Pumpkin (2nd) while her winning carved entry was the upside down Tootsie Pop with the "How many licks" owl. For the record, that pumpkin was my idea, but all the work was hers. When I got the list from the judges, I did not dare identify the artist by name--it may have been worse than when she wins at Bingo. Also, my apologies to the pumpkin announced as "Pumpkin Star" which was actually "Pumpkin Stu". That was entered by one of our campers who has been coming here since he was a hyper little kid who loved having water balloon battles with our Rec Staff. Now that he is in college, he still is one of the few people I know who is almost always smiling, and we look forward to seeing him and his family each summer. Brock exhibits that same mischievous smile, and I hope he turns out as well as all members of that family, which reminds me--congrats to Brian & Katie's brother Ed and his wife who recently had a baby girl (Mallory), making Eddie and Nancy grandparents for the first time.

Halloween Weekend #4 Costumes

A few photos from the parade, which remained dry.

Possible Preventitive Precipitation Precautions

With Saturday still being predicted as somewhat rainy (although less rain than was forecast a couple of days ago), we are looking at a few options to best protect the trick or treaters (aside from counting on the rain to cease from 5pm to 8pm). Option A: Construct a 77 acre retractable roof dome covering all campsites, allowing for rain-free travels from site to site. Unfortunately, preliminary cost estimates are between $2.5 and $3 billion dollars, with an estimated completion date of 2019...so unless we can get 200 families to book 10 years in advance and pay in full (just $10 million per site per weekend), construction will need to be delayed indefinitely. Option B: Do what you do on October 31 if it rains, which is put on your best smile and grab an umbrella if needed. While we can always move the costume parade/contest under the Rec Center, the trick or treating has little room for change, as Sunday morning just does not work (re-costuming, getting people up and about, Bingo etc). Be sure to join us for Bingo tonight (could be a little chilly), as well as Saturday's ceramics, Bingo, hypnosis show and haunted house tours. If there is rain, we will post a rainy day schedule, adding a few more activities under the covered Rec Center, since some things just can't happen in the rain (such as horseback riding).

New Halloween Contest Considered

As we head into our 4th Halloween Weekend, a few things are being considered for 2010, including conducting the adult costume contest during the main parade at the field. However, the most exciting may be the "Best Excuse for Cancelling the Day Before Arrival When Rain is Predicted but We Would Never Cancel Due to the Weather" Award. Looks like we may be in for some nominees this weekend. Two weeks ago, there were no nominees, as there were no cancels...because the forecast was fine, and no one became sick, and no relatives passed away. Last weekend's forecast brought out a few faxes and emails that are surefire finalists, including the elderly relative who is their constant companion who suddenly developed a greater risk of falling down. Tossing in scary medical jargon is always a winner, with the doctor's note that mentions a child's cough that "could show the characteristics of swine flu" (wouldn't a real physician use the more acceptable H1N1 terminology?). Again, the ambiguity is classic, as my sore knee could also show the potential for arthritis. However, in addition to the faxed obits for folks who passed away yet whose detailed obituary shows no connection to the party who cancel, there are the connectivity cancels...we have 4 sites reserved, and our friend's dog is sick and in need of constant care, so all 4 of our sites are cancelling, because we could not imagine camping without our friends. Last year's winner was the cancel call that was made on Thursday for a death in the family, with a Friday arrival planned (showers in forecast, of course). When politely asked to send a copy of the obituary whenever they have a chance (as it would not be available on the day cancelling, of course), they proceeded to fax an obit the following Wednesday. This would have been fine, but the person who died did not pass away until Sunday. I guess that must have been the first person from their town who died after they called to cancel on Thursday. This year's runner up, so far, is the family that called last Friday night at 7pm to cancel an RV rental that had been placed on their campsite. As there were no other MRV rentals available, we had to turn down the folks who called on Wed & Thur to get a rental instead of coming in a pop-up. Not only did they fail to understand the cancel policy, they wanted a full refund...and would not settle for a future credit. And now...drum roll please...the current leader of the 2009 "Epstein's Mother" Excuse Awards (in honor of Kotter's classic notes signed by her) is for the family who cancelled the day before arrival last weekend with the following note faxed in after the weekend (I will not disclose the name, for fear of violating patient/client laws, nor will I note the "Dr" who provided the note, for fear that he would be laughed out of his profession): "As the family therapist for the ****** family, I am writing to confirm that the family was dealing with an unforseen stressor and was unable to travel." It goes on to explain that hopefully, this letter is sufficient in getting them a refund. Unforseen stressor? Yeah, the crappy forecast!!! On the original notes regarding their call to cancel, medical causes were mentioned. I am guessing that the family practitioner and OB-GYN probably denied their request to provide a letter. Good news is that it looks warmer this weekend than last, and while Friday is looking good (and Sunday), they are still calling for rain on Saturday. Here's hoping that they are just as accurate as they were last weekend.

Haunted Hall open for 1 more Saturday

With our 4th Halloween Weekend upon us, the Haunted Hall will be open for one last Saturday. For those who have not been through it, you have no idea what is involved. This is not a hokey little room that is thrown together in a day or two. Our hall is a multi-chambered series of rooms, with a variety of scary features. It takes the crew of Chuck, Mark and others almost a full month to design and build (and will take almost as long to dismantle and pack it all away). In addition to the construction, the haunted hall is staffed by over 20 people each week. This year, we have had some local high school students assist in the coverage. The Griswold Student Council helped out on week 1 and week 3, with assitance from GHS's Terri Cholewa. The 2nd week featured the drama club and their teacher, Tim Moore (they are presenting Cyrano this fall). This coming week will be staffed by members of the chamber choir and Ray Churchill, so don't be surprised if your guide breaks out in song (I believe that the spring musical is The Sound of Music, but I may be wrong...and they always do a tremendous job). Lastly, a big thanks to the Preston City Fire Department and Chief Casey for guiding us through the complex process of fire codes for special events, and for providing an on-site firefighter to supervise the operation on Saturday. For those who think the Haunted Hall is not scary and is meant for the little ones, just watch how many people wind up backing out after seeing the first room (Jackie makes an excellent execution victim, although she claims she didn't do the crime). Join us on Saturday, and we encourage morning visits when the lines are shorter.

Thanks to the camping die-hards

A big thank you to all those campers who were not scared off by the weekend forecast...hope you enjoyed what turned out to be a pretty good weekend of weather. It is always debatable how effective (or tactful) it is to throw out an "I told you so", but you kind of have to hope that the kids of the parents who cancelled this past weekend due to the forecast drove their parents just a little crazy on Saturday with whines of "How come we didn't go camping? It is not even going to rain at all!! You are so unfair and wimpy...you ruined my image of Halloween for the rest of my life, and I won't ever let you forget it." (OK, so maybe that last one is a bit extreme). Guess what the long term forecast for this coming Saturday looks like? Showers, of course. All part of the unspoken conspiracy between a pair of local businesses that benefit from rainy weekend predictions (won't mention any names, but they are really big, and spend lots of money advertising) and the TV stations/weathermen of this region. Example of converation between Ma & Pa at dinner on Tuesday night. Ma: So, you still want to go to the (insert any of the following outdoor activities...campground, fair, corn maze, fall festival etc etc) this weekend? Pa: I dunno, Dr. Mel (or insert any of the other meteorological names, be it Brad F or Scott H) promises heavy rain on Saturday. Pa: You know, he may be right. Why don't we just cancel our outdoor planned activities and instead do something indoors, where you never know if it raining (or whether it is day or night, for that matter). Ma: Sounds good...give me a few minutes to empty little Billy's piggy bank of all the quarters. I know some of you are now saying to yourself "Geez Dave, you have been awfully tough on the poor weathermen lately." And I guess you are right. Don't get me wrong--I am a weather fanatic, but I have come to accept forecasts on the nightly news with Geoff Fox and others as what the really are...pure entertainment. Sort of like accepting Pro Wrestling for what it is...no actual connection to real life, but often entertaining nonetheless.

More Photos From Yesterday's Costume Parade

Pumpkin Contest Winners

Congrats to the Pumpkin Contest Winners, as "Chicken & Egg" was 1st carved, "Pineapple" was 1st decorated, "Pink Fish" and "HW Around the World" were 2nds, while Honorable Mentions were earned by Mr. Halloween, White Collar Criminal, Babe the Pig and Painted Witch.