OUR CRAZY RED SUSPENDER WEEKEND

When the spin cycle on our washing machine broke a few weeks ago, hubby and I knew we were in for a series of hassles. They say bad luck comes in threes, but this time it came in fives. When we pulled into the driveway of our cabin in Tioga County last week, we knew what the second hassle would be...the car. It would not shut off completely and the key wouldn't release. Jim had to restart it five times before he looked at me and said, "We may need to drive back home before we even get unpacked."

On the sixth try, he pulled the key out and we felt relieved that our Fourth of July weekend wasn't ruined, but we decided to limit our trips in case it happened again. We came to Tioga County for Red Suspender Weekend. It's the busiest weekend of the year for the small town of Galeton, a quiet Pennsylvania town, halfway between Wellsboro and Coudersport. 

Red Suspender Weekend is a yearly celebration that attracts 20-30,000 people. It's held in Collins park along the shore of Berger Lake at the center of town. The event got its name over 35 years ago when the fire company sponsored a contest among local high school students. The name is a reference to the red suspenders worn by firefighters at the time. 

The Fourth of July fireworks display, the main attraction of Red Suspender Weekend, was voted number one in the state a few years ago. The show is made possible entirely by donations and about 18 volunteers who start planning for the event in February. The weekend includes a parade and a carnival with rides and games for the kids and the usual carvival foods including funnel cakes, apple dumplings, donuts, blooming onions and corn-on-the cob. Cold beer is also available. 

I've been to Red Suspender Weekend before, so I wasn't terribly disappointed to miss the event this year. We drove by the carnival grounds on our way to pick up a few supplies during our one outing for the weekend. It was nice to see so many people out again and not wearing masks. 

As we stood in a long checkout line at the Dollar General, I noticed how patient and happy people were. After the horrors of Covid, standing in line wasn't such an inconvenience. Since Covid, I have a new appreciation for attending summer activities and for being able to breathe without a mask as God intended. I feel like I want to get as much fun in as I possibly can this summer. 

After putting our Dollar General bags into the trunk, we walked across the street to a restaurant we discovered on our last trip to the cabin. We had stopped there for lunch and had such a great meal and a pleasant chat with the waitress and bartender, so we knew we had to stop again, but this time just for drinks. The Tavern at Pine Creek also has an ice cream shop and a motel and campsites if you want to visit this neck of the woods, which attracts hunters, anglers and people who just want their lives to slow down. 

My future son-in-law, Caleb is having his bachelor party at the cabin in a few weeks and I can see them stopping here and maybe shooting a game of pool or chatting with Dinah, our friendly bartender. I snapped a few photos to give you a feel for the place if you ever come through this part of Tioga County.  

Okay, back to my story about bad luck coming in fives. On our last night at the cabin, the lights began to flicker and we smelled something hot. It was the weirdest thing, because some of the bulbs got very bright, others blew out completely and the burning scent turned out to be the refrigerator, which now needs to be replaced...number three on our bad luck list. When Jim noticed a crack in his phone screen, that was number four. And the cost of fixing the electrical problem at the cabin is number five. 

So our escape from the hassles of life wasn't such an escape. But we did have an enjoyable weekend despite it all. Just sitting on the porch and listening to the birds was enjoyable. A nest of baby birds under the front porch was a form of entertainment as we watched two birds tag team food drops to their young. It was a bit cold that weekend, so we tried to keep our distance. Momma Bird needed to keep her babies warm.   

And being warmed by the campfire, having a fire-roasted braut, a drink and a nice conversation was also enjoyable. The worst part of the weekend was having to poop in the woods because with no electric, our last flush was saved for just before we left. I wasn't sure I wanted to share that, but there it is. I'll spare you the details. 

God looked out for us during our crazy, messed-up trip. We were blessed through our friendship with a couple in a nearby cabin. They had a friend who happened to be an electrician and he just happened to be nearby that weekend. He came and looked at the cabin and was able to give Jim some needed advice about our electrical problem. 

Jim was getting frustrated at one point. He said if things keep breaking we're selling the house and moving to Polk apartments. That's something he's been saying for years, every time he gets financially frustrated. It seems that whenever he gets some money saved, something happens to drain his savings. His mom says, "Just be glad you had that money saved." And he thinks, No! I'm not glad because now it's gone. 

Life has been stressful for all of us lately. Between Covid and the mess that senile man is making of our country, we all need an escape to Tioga County. But I believe it's all going to get better. I believe that God speaks through prophets and we need to listen to what they are saying. He's God after all, and why wouldn't he find a way to speak to us and give us hope?  So stay encouraged. Trump's recent class action suit against big tech censorship and the ongoing election audits need to play out. Weeding out evil takes time. But I believe we will end up with the best America we've seen in our lifetimes. And by the next Fourth of July, we will have a celebration like no other. Maybe I'll see you at Red Suspender Weekend.