Packed for Camp

I need to keep this short tonight. I'm hoping to sleep a bit.  I'm packed.  Nick is packed.  The only one of us who isn't packed is Mike.  Tomorrow, Nick and I are going to fifth grade camp at Seabeck. 

I'm nervous.  I've packed carefully.  I'm hoping I get into camp mode like I did when we all went to Cub Scout camp at Brinkley.  There I seemed to float through the days with a song in my head and a good feeling from being among the trees.  We're going boating in salt water.  I hope I have room on my iPhone camera for a ton of photos.  Have I ever told you that I love my iPhone?  I'm hoping I'm not so far out of range that I can't communicate with people.  I've been asked by at least three parents to forward a bit of information about how their kid is doing there.  I'm hoping all I'll be doing is sending grainy photos of kids grinning.  That's a pretty good job for me.

Plus, I've looked at the schedule and they've actually planned time into the schedule for writing!  I think I'll love this place.  There will be campfires and skits and hopefully a bunch of songs that we come home singing.  From Camp Brinkley, I'll miss hearing the 'Announcements' song.  Will Seabeck have its own set of songs?  I hope so. 

I'm going to miss Mike. I'll have to sneak off at some point in the day to talk to him.  I'm really not sure if they've set me up for any free time at all.  I'll probably ache to take a good walk with Teddy though I understand we'll be doing at least a little hiking.  And I'll wish at some point in the afternoon that I had my recliner, a blanket, and a cosy kitty or two to snuggle up with.  Buddy is really going to miss me.  Hell, they're all going to miss me.  Today, when I napped, I had Buddy on my lap, Seth by my left hand, and Teddy on the other end of the couch.  It was very cosy, the closest the cats will allow the dog to be. 

I'm nervous about this trip, but I think that there will be enough to do that I won't have time to worry what people think of me.  Now that I'm packed, I can almost feel myself floating into that camping zone.  I worry that I won't get enough sleep.  Apparently, the high school kids spend a lot of time at night working to scare the pants off the fifth-graders.  Will I get too tired and snap at them?  I hope not.  I just want to float along and have a good time, reveling in watching the kids have this experience, trying to add to their wonder.  I'm even going to get to do some watercolors!  Time to write, time in a boat, and watercolors!  All of it out in the woods.  Yeah, I'm ready to go.  Wish me luck with my iPhone reception.  If you don't hear from me until Friday, you'll know I was really in the middle of nowhere. 

Thank you for listening, jb

Lights Out at Camp Brinkley

I feel like the last one here in our pack to be done with all of the zipping and adjusting for the night. Zippers and Velcro are not quiet. I am finally snuggled in and can listen to the sounds. We're close to the lake, so there are bullfrogs singing. They sound like donkeys braying. A fire in the nearest Adirondack is crackling. It's a nice sound, but I'm not sure the kids need the extra heat even though the buildings are open on one side.

It rained today and little bugs are congregating under my tarp. I'll use the bug net on my bivy sack tonight.

I can hear crickets even though summer's far from over and I smell wet canvas from Nick and Mike's tent in front of me. Nick was so tired he fell right to sleep. I hope Mike will sleep too. If all the walking won't do the job, then maybe the early-morning plunge into the cold lake might have helped. I took the test too and was out of breath the whole way from the first gasp when I jumped in. It was about sixty-five today, not the best weather for swimming. Still, I thought I'd take the test as support for Nickie who is very proud that he passed the swimmer level. Mike said the same thing so he took the plunge too.  The things you do for your kids ...

Now, I can hear that the guy one tent over is snoring. It isn't too loud. I don't hear Mike yet. I hope I will.

Thank you for listening, jb