Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Is it time yet?

Everyone sits on a bench with their leg crossed all in the same way.  The first person on the bench asks "is it time yet?" to the person on her left. This continues down the bench until the last person is asked. She responds "no." This message gets relayed up the line. This is repeated a few times until finally the person at the end decides it is time. The message gets passed down the line. Everyone on the bench uncrosses their legs and recrosses them the other way.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Member since Y2K1.

Order of the Fork (Staff only)

It starts with the camp director (who traditionally is returning staff)  stating "I call a meeting of the Order of the Fork!" This is the returning staff (who had been inducted previously) to come to the front of the dining hall. They form a line and sing the song as they snake around the room. The train stops behind someone when the first person in line says "Stand up please!" the person stands up. "Bend over!" She bends over and then gets jabbed in the ass 10x rapidly while the train counts. If there are too many people, after the first group is done they call out "Next shift!" or something similar. They continue to do this until everyone in Order of the Fork has jabbed the inductee. After they are done, the leader says "Grab your fork and join the end of the line!" This is repeated several times. 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Currently

Everything happens for a reason.... I just wish I knew the end results.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Long to be.

Days roll into one and another. Nights are too short. There's not enough time to finish the 1001 Try-It requirements. Laughter, grumbles, and campfire smells pollute the air. There's no time to shower or to take a nap. There's always time for another song, slip & slide, and another never tell game. I linger at last night camp fire hoping to absorb enough magic to motor through tomorrow and the up coming week.

As time passes, I forget the arguments, the lies, and lack of personal space. I forget (mostly) about EMA horror and freezing showers. I begin to long for a run on muddy main field and fire drills that interrupt showers. I miss archery and safety circles. I miss walking to Birches and Needles in the dark. I miss the gorgeous view at the summit (but not the hike up.) I hate having a working TV and current newspapers. I miss hearing the "nah, nah, nah" of Georgie and the walkie waking me up at 3in the morning.

I wish I had taken more pictures. I wish I did more while I was there. I wish I left a bigger mark. I wish I had time to linger and rejoice in nature's beauty. I wish there was one more last night campfire. I wish I had a video of us singing Daisy for the last time. I wish I brought home ashes from that last fire with the hopes and dreams from every fire previously. I wish Connie would come home. I wish I could go back one more time. I'd make it count.

I know camp still lives inside of me. I still have the skills I learned there and the incredible memories made. I still sing Boogie Woogie Washer Woman and The Hippo Song. Every time I hear 2 am (Breathe)  I take a moment to remember the happy and I smile. I'm still PoGo in my core.

Camp Louise is only a camp, but to me, it's so much more than that. It's a home for lost girls. It's a hide out from the real world. It's a playground for adults. It's a concert arena and game show set. Camp Louise is where I long to be.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Introductions, I suppose.

I should start by introducing myself, but really that's just lame. I mean I could tell you that I'm a MA, cashier, and Knoebel's Grove enthusiast, but I will just let you figure that out. 

10 years ago this summer, I started my first Camp job. I was a kitchen/trading post assistant. The TP was way better than the kitchen. I enjoyed that summer. I can't believe it's been 10 years since I first worked at Camp. Incredible times were hard there and these hot, humid days always remind me of that place. Sitting around the campfire roasting s'mores (or taffy cracks.) Singing at the top of my lungs (poorly and out of tune may I add.) Laying in the sun drench grass on main field while campers ran around me. I miss all these things and more-things I don't have the proper words for. 

I'm not really sure where this is going or what I'll be saying in these but I'm going to write.