A volunteer comment

2011-07-25 17:38:42.000 – Robin Kay,  Summit Volunteer

Hey, this is Mike’s mom. For those of you who follow the comments, you probably know who I mean, but if you don’t, Mike is Mike Finnegan who was an obsever here until this past June. I am his mom, but seem to be better known here as Mike’s mom, which as you can imagine, fills me with pride. Although Mike has chosen to move on from the Observatory, I intend to continue my yearly week as a volunteer at this “magical place” as Ken Rancourt’s wife, Jane, referred to it during Seek the Peek while she was giving numerous tours of the living quarters.

This is my fourth volunteer week, but my first Seek the Peek and …. soooo many people! It was wonderful, amazing and very different. I’m used to the quiet and solitude of the mountain which is one of the many draws for me. True summer on the mountain is different than the May and April weeks that I have experienced in the past. However, not having to “winter dress” to take a stroll outside certainly is a plus.

Back to Seek the Peek for a minute. Working with Dennis, the other volunteer this week who is a veteran volunteer during Seek the Peak week, has been fun and educational! I enjoy cooking and baking, which makes this volunteer week more my vacation, but baking over 700 cookies was new for me. From the first batch of chocolate chip cookies that I made and wouldn’t serve except to the staff as they spread too thin, to the last batch which Dennis made and looked (and tasted) great (and the six plus other varieties in-between), it was a great two days of baking.

Can’t end my comment without thanking my “Obs sons”, Ryan and Brian, “daughter”, Becca, and new intern kids, Steve (clean shaved looks good) and Jackie (whose delight in our cooking never ceased), for letting me mother them again this year. Just as I felt during my last visit, I feel like Wendy from Peter Pan, visiting and caring for my lost boys in Neverland. Although my kids here aren’t actually lost, they sure are in the fog alot! With love and gratefulness that I can come here for my week a year, I will always be “Mike’s mom” aka … Robin Kay

P.S. And a fond welcome to Mike’s replacement, Roger. He is closer to my age so he’s not one of my “kids”, but is certainly a welcome addition, especially since he likes to eat like one of the kids!

Robin Kay,  Summit Volunteer