THE DREAM TEAM

Lone Rock Ranch, September 9-11, 2016
The 38^th Annual Ratcliff Retreat

Foggy weather endured most of the weekend this year but didn’t put the slightest damper on our enjoyment of Camp Ratcliff.  First arrivals were also this year’s first-timers: 

Derrick, Fredrica and Cyrus were first to stake their tent in the meadow (for their first camping adventure), followed by David and Cantrell, veteran campers who found a spot on the fire trail.
  

 

The ocean’s pull was evident from the outset as several early expeditions to the bluff took place Friday afternoon before dinner got underway.

 
Ping Pong ensued. 

Kit and Janet T. arrived with the main course:  his famous “global warmer” chili that perfectly matched the weather.  An artisanal salad by the Driver party along with cornbread and chocolate cake made for a satisfying repast.  Too foggy for a night walk, the evening passed with greeting new arrivals and fireside chats, until …

Around 9 pm Norman was passing by the ranch house and heard a troubling sound:  water gurgling from a pipe.  Further research revealed a significant leak in one of the pipes directing water from the sole source, the water tank that supplies the entire compound.  Undetected, the tank would have drained in no time.  Water was collected in pots and pans and then was shut off at the source for the rest of the night and into the next day, when the saga continued Saturday morning …

But first, an ode to the new Ranch kitchen.  Veterans of the retreat will remember fondly the metal countertop, hand-hewn cabinetry, and funky refrigerator of yore.  Brand new, the kitchen now has gleaming cabinetry, sustainable countertops and stainless steel appliances—too bland a word for the majestic refrigerator and first-ever dishwasher on the premises.  Using the new kitchen proved to be a pleasure—except that finding anything required a bit of a hunt.  This is another generosity of the Ratcliff family:  that we are allowed to raid the cupboards for serving pieces, pots and pans with the patina of time honored and happy occasions.   
Back to the water crisis: 

Breakfast had hardly gotten underway when a work crew took shape:  Brian and Young were project managers for Kit’s P-I-C; Ryan, Alex, Reaz, Jeff, Marco, and Eric all pitched in to dig out the damaged pipe – a trench that extended almost the width of the ranch house and then at a right angle towards the barn, say 50 feet worth of pipe altogether. 

 While they toiled, a few of us soldiered on into town for a farmer’s market and shopping trip.  Liz and John roughed it at a bakery where there is running water, lattes and WiFi before sojourning to the farmer’s market for a sampling of local apples, jams and flowers.  Lisa’s crew also headed to town but for the practical purpose of water and beer acquisition.  Kit was in charge of requisition of the required piping and fixatives to complete the repairs.

An artistic interlude was meanwhile underway at the ranch with Janet E.’s frieze project:  paints and a length of drawing paper for everyone to contribute sketches inspired by ocean, forest, imagination. 

By lunchtime, the Dream Team had accomplished its mission, allowing for a couple more hours for the fixatives to set before turning the water back on.  Fueled by food, it was time for the nature hike with Kit, and the magical visit to his Uncle Walt's place, the original property structures.

 

 

Meanwhile Alison, Janet T. and Liz turned the big spigot to start the water flow again.  Nice try; actually the water was off and on all weekend as various little glitches made themselves known.  But still.  Janet E. and Liz got busy preparing cobbler for Saturday’s dessert, and the Olsen party arrived with fancy beers and tiny glasses and set up for the afternoon treat:  beer flights, just the thing for returning thirsty hikers.  Soon, Nina was ably assisted by the Ko family, shucking raw oysters and serving BBQ’d versions for appetizers.  While salmon roasted in the oven, our friends at Surf Supermarket delivered hot BBQ’d tri tip and side dishes, and it was time to realize Janet E.’s vision:  dining in the meadow at a long table draped in white cloth.  David and Cantrell (who never stopped helping the whole weekend) arranged posies in jars for décor, and the buffet was laden with a delicious repast. 

 

 

It was mighty elegant.

Lisa made sure everyone chipped in to disassemble tables and chairs, and Janet’s cobblers were dreamy with ice cream for dessert.  It isn’t easy getting people up and out again for the campfire circle, but in corny, homey, amateur and delightful fashion we were treated to poetry and song, plus subjected to silly jokes and shaggy dog stories.  Don Kasamoto we expect a pretty good joke from, but Mike Matson?  Who knew – the dude can tell a tale.  Reaz valiantly led a percussion kirtan, flourishing an enchanted and bottomless bankers box filled with noise makers that everyone (kudos to Jack Matson’s drumming chops) used to make jazzy noise.  Then once again, Dane Meniketti brought the house down with original and evocative poetry. 

What, no volleyball?  This year we came dangerously close to breaking the sacred mandatory volleyball oath, but thanks to Jack Matson and Eric Ko’s valiant efforts, the freshly mowed court saw play. 

And the Spirit of the Retreat trophy goes to:  Nina Pakanant!  Oysters!  Bubbles!  Grace and Elegance! 

 

The water restored, many helpers and the aforementioned dishwasher made cleanup less Herculean, and soon enough campers called it a day, the townies returned to their hot showers and duvets, and one couple even departed—Ken and Young Jae braving a foggy drive home.

Sunday morning, Lone Rock Ranch, and the breakfast crew are under Janet E.’s capable direction as her husband Jeff pours batter for thousands of pancakes accompanied by fruit, bacon and eggs.  Reaz conducts a gentle yoga class nearby.  Then it’s time pack up and head for home. 

This report’s title “The Dream Team” is a bouquet to everyone.  This year’s group seemed to be the hardest working in memory—everyone chipped in, from Sylvie Hayashida and Cyrus Barron’s supplying laughs and happy dog encounters, to David and Cantrell for whom thank you hardly cuts it, to the chain gang pipe busters crew for saving Kit and the ranch a bundle in plumbing repair, to Janet E. and Jeff for working fingers and toes to the bone and making sure everything ran smoothly, to Lisa and her family for being the perennial spirits of the Retreat, to Brian, Eric Ko and others for brilliant piano accompaniment all weekend, to Dave and the new beer flight tradition, to Reaz and his enlightened contributions, to Norman as always for cleaning up the tennis court, to Don K. for being there and reminding us of people and years gone by.  And most of all, to Kit and Janet T. for keeping the tradition alive lo these 38 years.

Here’s this year’s roll call:  Alex Love; Bill and Alison Blessing; Bill Wong; Brian Feagans; Dave, Melanie, Lola and William Olsen; David Driver and Cantrell; Derrick, Fredrica and Cyrus Barron; Diane Sands; Don Kasamoto; Janet Everett and Jeff; John Sealander; Ken Sekiguchi and Young Jae; Kit Ratcliff and Janet T.; Lisa, Marco and Dane Meniketti; Liz O’Hara and Norman; Mike and Jack Matson; Nina Pakanant and Jeff; Reaz Haque; Ryan, Julie and Sylvie Hayashida; Tom Ratcliff; Young, Yuni, Eric and Daniel Ko; and a small and well behaved contingent of four-footed family.

Photographers:  Lisa Meniketti, Nina Pakanant, Derrick Barron