What a full day !  Once again i had calls starting in the early morning.… it’s one of the challenges of working with folks all over the world. No time is good for everyone.  I had so many calls all crammed together today that i had to take one in the shower with me… i had to do that to get out of the house in time to get to meet Diane and Jen at Camp Abnaki to see Gabe and make SamStones with the kids. i got to the camp at around 11:30.

 

it was a great scene. There were about 15 kids and counselors crammed into the art room making SamStones. The table was nearly full by the time i got there and they were just about to complete the first box of clay. Gabe was in there with the. it was SOOOOO good seeing Gabe. i can’t tell you how much I’ve missed him this week. He looked good. And seemed to be having a good time at camp. i could tell he was happy to see u… and probably missed us a little. i wouldn’t have it any other way. We all sat there making SamStones and talking for a while until the lunch bell rang.

 

i went up to lunch with Gabe, while Diane and Jen stayed behind and kept working on stones. 

   it was so much fun eating with Gabe and the kids. it brought back memories of being in my own summer camp (Camp Rim Rock . Wimberley Texas 1970) except the weather was about 30 degrees cooler here.  i got to talk to some of the kids and eat pizza (Gabe ate my cheese). After lunch, the camp councilors invited me up to say a few words about Sam and to invite any  kids who wanted  down to help us make a few more SamStones//

 The guys waiting to go in for lunch

Gabe’s cabin posse read for lunch.

Gabe and i walked down again and there were about 20 kids crammed into the small room. i ung out for awhile then had to head back to the car for another meeting. Gabe helped me load up a bunch of the SamStones into a wagon for me to take back in the car.   it was hard for me to say goodbye to him again. i won’t see him for another week.

i was a little sad as i drove away from the camp. Frustrated too as i tried to find a place with enough cell signal to take my phone call. As soon as i found a spot i stopped the car, plugged in my lap top and started working. it was about 20 yards  beyond the gate of the camp that became  my office for an hour and a half. Nice view at least…

Me and my mobile office.

From there i headed in to Burlington so i could catch the Rock Camp show at 4. i found a place to park near Memorial auditorium and plugged in to my next conference call. This was a listen only call so i sat their listening carefully … i thought… until i realized i had fallen asleep. i woke up disoriented with loud Rap music on the radio… which had somehow worked itself into my dream about work. your mind does funny things sometimes.

 

After a  few more calls in my car/office i ducked into 242 Main for the Rock Camp concert.

Both Max and Sam went to Rock Camp for years and hit helped htem both musically. if you don’t know already, Burlington Rock Camp is a fantastic program run by Burlington parks and recreation. They run several sessions each summer and now an after school program in the fall and spring. The idea is kids come learn about playing in a band, music theory, stage theatrics and attitude.  it’s just like ‘School of Rock‘ the great Jack Black movie. The guys who run the program Richard and Greg are great guys and have been really supportive of before and since Sam’s passing.   We’re using Sam’s fund to sponsor some scholarships at the program every year. This year there were a whole bunch of bands,. They had some hardcore bands, some jam bands and some reggae bands. and they were all truly awesome.

A page of Rock theory

I gave Ian my Sam button to wear while he played

Practice or Suck !

“Make good choices Children’

Learing the fine art of loitering

Our friends Nate and ian were in a band called 28 strings. I  caught some of their set here

After Nate and ian’s band i had to leave for more work calls. i was just about out the door when i heard our friend Bobby take the mike. Bobby is a good drummer who helps out with the camp. He’s also a great friend. Bobby has been a great comfort to us. He and his wife Tammy also had a son who was killed in a car accident. it’s a sad and deep bond between us. Bobby got up there and said some great things about Sam and his son. and all the musical kids. He got Diane and i up on stage with him midway. so i had to stop fiming  it was wonderful what he did.  there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. certainly not mine. There was so much love in there.  i could really feel Sam. He was there !

 I wandered up to the 3rd floor of memorial auditiorium. I realized that the last time I was there was Sam’s memorial celibration. It brought back strong memories.

After the concert we were all tired and starving. We all headed back to Tim and Jen’s i Deb and i both went to City Market. the Burlington Food Coop and stocked up on veggie foods and hauled it to Jens.

Jens shirt reflected in her wine glass. Sam’s always with us .

Som inedible fake sheese we bought.. Highly toxic !

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Marie and her friend’s pet turtle

We had a really nice quiet night over there…  Which was good because or house was full of people when we got home,  Amazingly though all the Voices kids were in bed by 11:30. they have another 6 AM stage call tomorrow morning.  Boy are they working hard.

 

i’m struggling to stay awake myself so I’ll end here. What a full day.   lots of love gnite all,  gnite Sam

-me