Jay Richards

Jonell has been using the swag bags nicely Jake and I scored at Sea Otter. Folks have come up to her at the grocery asking where she got them.
A few summers ago we hauled in a bunch of candlepin bowling ball size rocks and filled up the whole slope in front of hour house. Jonell didn't like that so she personally moved every one basically and pulled out the plants and re planted the lakeside area and did some other landscaping touch ups. Very nice Jonell. We have left most of the other lakeshore in front of Maplelag "native", not letting Peter cut loose with the weed trimmer. The lakeside drop area might look a bit different this year but ride the same.

Last night we had Gustavo (ARG) and Jaiver (MEX) over for a end of summer dinner. 8:30-9pm might be a little late for us but early for these guys with supper often 10pm at home for Tavo, going past midnight. Gustavo is the second half dean of the Spanish camp we have here at Maplelag and Javier is his right hand man. Since the last 12 years we have been at Maplelag, these two guys have been here every summer. It is really nice having the same folks back as they know the routine and there isn't really any panic button pressing and Tavo's attitude of "everythings great, it will all work out" keeps the wheels moving smooth. Tavo's family runs a hotel in Argentina and doesn't have a problem flushing a toilet or too. Javier has also unplugged quite as well a few making things much easier for me.
With the enrollment changing for various reasons, the days of Spanish camp might be numbered and a new language camp would take its spot. A fun evening sharing stories of old of all the crazy memories, people and situations. Tavo and Javier are the best of friends but have a lot of differences and a riot listening to them speak half Spanish half English all with good laughs. All the times we have gone to Mexico we have always been to the coast and pretty isolated in one spot. The stories from the interior are interesting for sure. But my Mom also shared the time we went down to Mexico as a family when I was only 3, driving from Minneapolis to Mexico City then to Puerto Vallarta. Took 52 hours driving non stop. Hearing some of the stories I hadn't heard before, think I am lucky to be alive.