A Bumpy Ride

Yeesh ... the highs and lows that are all a part of my summer job! It's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster here for the past few days. I think it's a sign that it's time for a break and some sleep.

My first full week ended on a high, but tired, note. It felt good to sweep the last of the never-ending pile of sand out of the cabin and pull away to get some FOOD! It was such an incredible weekend! Me, Jones, Chrissy, and Callie Dublinski(a Jr. Staffer) all spent some time at Karen Eggert's (another Jr. Staffer) family cabin about 10 minutes away, and it really could not have been any better! We started off with a trip to Subway and the "sketch" laundrymat ... but they all got a little impatient with my folding, so Jones stormed in, undid my piles, and threw my clothes around and shoved them into my bag. I was very upset - but it did force us to move on! When we did make it to the cabin (after turning right at the ugly tree and left at the weird bridge) we got into
"Camp Inappropriate Swimwear" and chilled on rafts, without the obligation of playing Marco Polo or Stuck in the Mud. Ah, the blessedness of having no campers. It started to storm, so we all got into comfy clothes and cuddled up in blankets and drank hot chocolate and did a puzzle ... I'm not even going to lie, it was so incredibly cozy! Ahh! After awhile of that, we decided that we should pull our butts into civilization, so we all went out to Christiano's, for some of the best pizza to ever hit your lips. (Oh, this was after we managed to break into Karen's house to reclaim the keys locked inside. Proof that the low ropes course builds real life skills.) We pretty much pigged out, and then we "cruised Hwy. 21" to head back to Camp for a covert operation of stealing Time's Up (a.k.a., the best game ever). It was such a fun time, and I do not believe I shall ever forget Chrissy's impression of Plato or Jones' impression of Grover (the monster on Seasame St, not the president). Pretty much died laughing. We forced ourselves to stay up till 10:30, and then completely crashed onto real beds for the longest sleep I've had in four weeks. A-MAZING. The next day we woke up refreshed and ready for a Heeeuggge breakfast at Charlie's, the best coffee house in at least five counties. A great way to start the week!

After the thrills of the weekend, it was hard to get in the swing of things again. This was made more difficult by the fact that I was certain that my campers hated me. I had five girls come together, so they all could talk and talk about stuff they knew about, and they really had no need for my input on the coversation. Almost all of them are going to be freshmen, and I've had a hard time relating to them. To top things off, I felt like most of what I was saying was going in one ear and out the other. Example:

Me: Hey, could someone close the door when they leave?
Them: Oh, I really like that girl's hair color. ::run toward the dining hall::

Me: Hey, who can pick up these lunch trays?
Them: ::blank stares::

Me: So what did you guys like about the ropes course today?
Them: Eh, we've all done it before.

ARGH. SO FRUSTRATING. Then little things start piling up, and before you know it you've spent a half hour in the bathroom bawling because you forgot that your cabin was supposed to be color coordinated for breakfast. Over-reacting? Maybe. Karen, my amazing Jr. Staff and one of my favorite people (and not just because she has a cabin), told me to relax, I can't be Camp's Counseling Goddess in my second week here. Older staff are quick to give advice, but I guess it's all about first hand experience.

Luckily, things started looking up today as the day went along. We had a successful low ropes experience and some time to just relax and get to know each other some more. I've got a little better perspective on things, and hopefully that can carry over to make the next few days more enjoyable and take me cruising to a weekend home!