Going To The Cabin

   Once in awhile I go up to the cabin by the lake.   (Doesn't that sound impressive?)  I've been there before, but it has been a couple years now.   It doesn't cost me anything.    This is a free trip that is offered to me.   Even the ride to the cabin and back is free.     It usually happens during the late winter part of the year - like March.   Food is also free.   (Free is an important word when you are retired.)

  So what really happens is that Ingham/Okoboji bible camp at Okoboji, Iowa, needs a little work done at their site.  When it comes to some of their woodworking projects that they have on their task list, I can receive an invite to come and visit.    It is all volunteer work.  It used to be that I would have to pack up a bunch of my tools to take along to work on whatever remodel project they might have.   Lately as the years have passed and donations have been made they have developed their own shop and acquired a collection of their own wood tools.

 There is a mechanical section, a plumbing area, and a wood shop area.   What usually happens is my buddy Dave volunteers to help out at the camp on Thursday's (his day off) and if they have something they want help with  Dave gives me a call and he takes me along up to the camp and we spend the day.    This time the camp maintenance fellow - Denny -wanted us to build some storage units to store glue, tape, small tools, or whatever in.    It was a pretty simple task.    (But it was done using new plywood and etc which is kind of different for me.  I enjoyed it.)

   It is always interesting to see how other shops are laid out and what kind of tools they have to (play with)  work with.     Sometimes I do get a little envious, but I am trying to focus a little more on my envy statement which I blogged about a couple weeks ago.    (Especially when I am at a Bible camp.)  
    Dave and I built eight of those units that day.

    The picture to the right shows how they looked after they were mounted on the wall.    Denny was just starting to fill them up with clamps, glue,  etc. when we left for the day.   Of course we had to stop for a big chocolate candy bar and a cup of cappuccino for the drive back home which is about 70 miles.   I would have been okay without that sugar stuff, but if you knew Dave - he has to have a chocolate fix.  (For sure -  I would have been okay without that big candy bar... Yep...Well I might have needed a boost after all that hard labor...)

   We did make a second "Thursday" trip in which we worked on an older cabin.  We replaced a couple of windows.   I failed to pack my camera that day, but snapped a quick pic with my cell phone.    Most of the cabin work needs to be done soon as it won't be long and the camp starts to hire staff  for all the summer retreats that will be occurring.





     I know,  my trip to the cabin may not sound as exciting as it should.  The lake still has a little ice on it.   I know the camp ground may be a little muddy in spots.   I know that this time of year there is not a lot of activity going on at the camp.   But for me, it is a retreat.   It is a chance to escape the feline world for awhile.   What a great time I had!!