In the Summer of 1994, I was able to teach summer school at Wilson, doing a special Drama class. Unfortunately, I missed out on a great week of “vacation” that Kate and Becca spent at Lake Bonaparte in northern Washington. Dan was attending a Boy Scout leadership training at BSA Camp Bonapart and the “girls” were encamped at a public campground on the shore of the lake. After driving up with everyone and depositing Dan at camp and Becca and Kate at the campground, I was able to spend one night with them and then had to drive back to Yakima to work.
The week we were apart was very hard on Becca. She says that she felt vulnerable without the “lumberjack protector.” Every day seemed so long and the nights were a bit scary. Luckily, Kate was resourceful and made up tons of activities to keep Becca occupied. They went on walks and rowed on the lake in the boat loaned providentially by the kindly campground hosts. They did crafty nature projects and out of desperation Kate frantically made up a daily calendar of events, complete with illustrations and things to do so Becca could count down the days until her Pop and brother were back.
Salvation came at week’s end with the return of the lumberjack and the weathered boy scout. I think Kate breathed a sigh of relief that her fledgling stint at solo entertainer and protector was over. Dan had picked up a Lake Bonaparte T shirt for Becca and they looked cute as twins. The extra day we spent before returning home was filled with his expounding on the woods lore that he had learned and the little (almost complete) family unit was happy once more.
JP 12-31-2011
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