Well summer has come and, apparently, gone. We had a wonderful time at our cabin and now life has become hectic again. Here's what I have been up to:
An exciting new shop will open on Main Street, Warkworth on 1 November 2006 in the beautifully restored former Orange Lodge (c. 1860) across from the village bank and Town Hall. Seeing its potential, the building was purchased by its present owners, John Saynor and Paul Rapsey, in 2003 in the midst of its complete restoration by Mark Keiffer of Keiffer Homes.

"Mill Creek Lodge, rustic accents" will sell primitive wooden furniture, rustic furnishing accessories and some apparel.

New business owner, Paul Rapsey, says the idea of opening a retail store has been "milling about" in his head for some time. However, it was only this summer, while sitting reading on his dock on a wilderness lake, that he was catapulted into action. The book, says Paul was a dry tome of 600 pages by Thomas Friedman, an award winning American journalist. It was not usual cottage reading. However, one brief part of the book caught his attention. This was written in the context of countries and corporations resting on their laurels. In particular one sentence stated: "When our memories out-number our dreams, the end is near." Paul took this as a personal call to action. He decided it was time to re-invent himself at 56. Now or never. The concept of adding a new career to his accumulated list of careers including caterer, professional actor, social worker and lawyer was not a new one.
With the guidance of a number of established retail outlets, Mill Creek Lodge hopes to compliment rather than compete with the other vibrant businesses in Warkworth.
So Paul invites the public to start with admiring the view on a bench at Mill Pond and then to browse the busy commercial main street ending with a leisurely stroll on the wonderful Mill Creek Trail. To adopt and adapt a well-known catch phrase of the Hyde House in Acton, Ontario: "Its worth the walk in Warkworth".