What I Did on My Summer Vacation
I took last week off from work so I could spend it on a ladder. Fun, fun. The plan was to scrape and paint the backside of a house and a deck. As it turned out, it rained every day but one. Of course. But I did almost finish the back of the house.
If there’s one thing I hate in this life, it’s scraping paint. If I were condemned to scrape paint for a living — with no other options available to me — I think I’d hammer my own skull in to end it all. It seems there’s always more peeling or loose paint to scrape no matter how long you attack a given area and the job never seems neatly tied up. And awkwardly hanging off of an extension ladder with your body contorted every which way to get to a little spot that stubbornly refuses to yield to the healing touch of your scraper is not my idea of vacation fun. But at least I got plenty of fresh air, right?
The family and I did spend Friday through Sunday at my personal Happiest Place On Earth, the World Fellowship Center in Conway, New Hampshire. I call it “Hippie Camp” because they’re all about peace, love and understanding. It’s pretty rustic there, but the people are friendly and the food is great. I started reading Light in August by William Faulkner while sitting on the big porch that surrounds Lloyd Lodge. Up till now, the only thing by Faulkner I ever read was a short story called A Rose for Emily. His writing style takes a little getting used to, but I’m enjoying it. I like how he plays with the chronology of his tale. It could be that this Faulkner guy is a pretty good writer. I’ll let you know.
If there’s one thing I hate in this life, it’s scraping paint. If I were condemned to scrape paint for a living — with no other options available to me — I think I’d hammer my own skull in to end it all. It seems there’s always more peeling or loose paint to scrape no matter how long you attack a given area and the job never seems neatly tied up. And awkwardly hanging off of an extension ladder with your body contorted every which way to get to a little spot that stubbornly refuses to yield to the healing touch of your scraper is not my idea of vacation fun. But at least I got plenty of fresh air, right?
The family and I did spend Friday through Sunday at my personal Happiest Place On Earth, the World Fellowship Center in Conway, New Hampshire. I call it “Hippie Camp” because they’re all about peace, love and understanding. It’s pretty rustic there, but the people are friendly and the food is great. I started reading Light in August by William Faulkner while sitting on the big porch that surrounds Lloyd Lodge. Up till now, the only thing by Faulkner I ever read was a short story called A Rose for Emily. His writing style takes a little getting used to, but I’m enjoying it. I like how he plays with the chronology of his tale. It could be that this Faulkner guy is a pretty good writer. I’ll let you know.
posted by mr. schprock at 6:19 AM
16 Comments:
Hippie Camp looks fun. Did you take the writing workshop?
No. I think that's going on now. I really missed the boat there, didn't I?
There's a bike week at World Fellowship next month that I'll attend. I'm really looking forward to that.
How long of a bike ride?
You should try working with insulation in, say, an attic. Try it when you have to replace all of it with new. You won't mind scraping paint after that.
Faulkner huh? Sounds interesting. Remember the blurb about "Bill" hitting the sauce in Old School. "You could tell when the mash kicked in."
Glad you got a little bit of R&R on vacation -- too many times our vacations end up being opportunities to fix things up around the house.
Hippie Camp? I knew I liked you, Schprockie.
I love scraping paint. And I'd have to agree with Scott - insulation is much worse. I end up rash from head to toe after working with insulation. It makes me itch just thinking about it.
hippie camp sounds awesome. wish I could find one down here!
Welcome back.
The "Strengthening the Capacity to Make Better Decisions" workshop looks particularly intriguing. I think I would like hippie camp if I weren't such a social cripple.
Let us know how you like Faulker. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion of him.
"Faulkner huh? Sounds interesting. Remember the blurb about 'Bill' hitting the sauce in Old School. 'You could tell when the mash kicked in.'"
Yeah, old Bill could hit the sauce pretty good evidently.
"…too many times our vacations end up being opportunities to fix things up around the house."
Yep. And back in the day, I used to work a sceond job during my vacation from the first to make more money.
"Hippie Camp? I knew I liked you, Schprockie."
I could always tell you were groovy too, Kathleen.
"I love scraping paint."
You're not human, Trina.
"hippie camp sounds awesome. wish I could find one down here!"
Fly up to Manchester Airport. I'll drive you there personally.
"I think I would like hippie camp if I weren't such a social cripple."
Actually, Hippie Camp is exceptionally supportive and accepting. A great place to work on one's social skills.
Ohh, when I did construction, one of the contracts we signed was to repaint 75 Burger Kings in Lower Il. and I got stuck scrapping the crap from the roof top.
It got to the point where I just took a belt sander and ran it across the area. If it was loose, it came off. If it wasn't, it was sanded smooth enough to paint over.
And no matter what, you always end up eating some by accident.
I feel your pain.
Yep, it's a pretty thankless job, ain't it?
Be careful of what you offer, Mr S - I might just take you up on it. I spent my 4th anniversary in North Conway, and didn't want to come back. Surround me with hippies and the deal would be sealed.
Actually, they offer that writer's workshop every year. I was thinking next year of advertising it as an opportunity for all my blogger pals to get together!
My literary preferences are depressingly lowbrow. Fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries fill about 90% of my reading time. I've got a scant few favourite "serious" novels, like A Prayer for Owen Meany and To Kill a Mockingbird, and I like a little Shakespeare or Dickens now and then, but overall I've been pretty much uninterested in being improved by my reading. I think it's a large character flaw but I can't muster the energy to correct it.
My last two "vacations" have been the birth of my daughter and our move. Momentous life events, but certainly not relaxing! I need a vacation from my vacations...
(word verification: bepbsi? Sounds like my niece asking for a soft drink)
I agree on the paint scraping. Ever try removing wall paper? it's right up there in it's very own circle of hell with paint scraping.
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