Love!
~ Mei
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
11:45am in common room waiting on Pam ("Maybe I can poop!") and then back down to do the high ropes course. I really want to do the high ropes course! Last night in the tent was so much fun: Sam J. (Counselor), Deanne Perez, Kristin Wivell, Ann Hassing, me. We sang songs (Sam and I, with Ann laughing and saying "Dear God not this again! Oh, please!" and when asked which song we should sing she would respond "None of the above!" at which we would all laugh and then Sam and I would sing even louder), talked, lauhged, and had a great time! Even Kristen, who was at first extremely reluctant to go.
My hand feels weird when I write. I'm not sure why. Pam's done. More later.
It's about 3:45pm right now. Marie is lying down and we're missing gardening. I like it here - so calm, don't have to block door, cleaning crews come in every day, larger staff bedrooms, ropes guy is gay (LOVE IT!!!!). But there are some things that I don't like - lock closet is the staff bedroom, disorganization of supplies, staff text and use cell phones during work hours, I have an allergy cough, I miss CF people and the space to walk, the staff don't label the clothing like you should, staff bedroom is a wreck. On the other hand, I have been able to read here and the tent we slept in last night is pretty darn new and even though it rained last night and the fly was much too small (it was from a different tent but the staff didn't think to go get another fly) we didn't get wet - and there's a stereo in the common area so we have had several dance parties, also the water is actually potable! And we went to do arts and crafts (iron bead patterns - Red White and Blue for Fourth of July), followed by high ropes course with North Dorm and everyone went and participated to various extents!
At the high ropes course Deanne, Amanda, and Kristen did it! I really want to try it sometime! It looks fun! Lucnh was soft taos and they ran out of lettuce (snappy food service lady when I asked for more for the table), Arts and Crafts special interest session (I went with La, we did tye-dye, got dye spilled on me by Krystel but whatevs, don't really care b/c a good introduction to interesting stories "from camp"), canteen where everyone bought tons of stuff and Kristen cried b/c she ran out of money (she came with about $50!), now chilling on common area.
Some more things I like about here: I can do puzzles, they ahve baskets with utensils/plates/etc. on the table, they give you your tray (you don't have to tell them numbers), recycling containers in every dorm/dining hall/building, lots of play ground and other swings, good showers (gonna take one tonight - can't wait!), everyone is so chill and friendly (*7/2 note: not chill, incompetent*).
"Allie" here is the "Veronica" of CF ... without being interesting and without being able to competently work with other staff and campers. She drives everyone nuts. It's kinda amusing. Blabs campers' personal business super loud and super public.
Time to wake up Marie. Need to talk later about Ann, Deanne, Deb, Amanda (on latter at ropes), Kristen (reminds me voice-wise of Kara from middle and high school). Also, I am enjoying being able to snack occasionally! Yay! Love the black pepper and salt Archer Farms chips - my life. Def miss Annie, Emily, Rachel, and others! Hope I can get back to CF on Friday ... need to talk to and bribe Derek ...
Addendum written Thursday, July 2:
Tuesday night's evening program was looking for the silverware that had "gone missing." We had to eat chicken nuggets, spicy fries, and greenbeans with our fingers, which did not amuse some of the campers. But it was fun ... kinda. I was on TO from Eleanor b/c Sam Miller wanted to work with her, meaning I got to spend time with the other campers which was great! But I did miss Eleanor who would call "My!" (instead of "May").
Marie wanted to go for a walk so we walked down to the waterfront and she sat while I went into the woodsy area to find a suitable bramble in which I could hide and pee camping-style. It was pretty darn funny, actually. We came back up the big hill and joined North Dorm in front of the dorms for the singing station where we had to sing the "Camp Eden Wood" song super loud. Nancy was hilariously cranky and was not having any of Tracey which made us all laugh so hard we "almost pissed ourselves" (yay, Z, I used your expression!). I don't know if Marie can see far, but she refused to read the lyrics and so just made up melodies and word-esque sounds until the song was over and then she began asking questions again. South Dorm was on the basketball court doing that station, and so we just went with North Dorm to the Arts and Crafts station where they drew "Wanted" posters of who they thought had stolen the silverware. Marie and I waited there for South Dorm and then walked with them. The gnats were horrendous, and it was torture sitting down by the basketball courts for the evening program's conclusion. We all made a run (well, as much of a run that is possible with Marie using her walker going up a hill of not-so-flat terrain and talking and stopping and pausing to look around and ask about other things and taking her time while complaining about the bugs) for it back to our cabins.
After the campers were in bed, a bunch of us counselors sat around in the far corner of the common area on the broken sofa and chairs and cushy seat and had "girl talk" which basically just means talking. They talked about Fourth of July plans (so far Friday involves "beverages," fire works, a fire, and the waterfront on property, and Saturday involves going into Minneapolis to do some fireworks watching, clubbing, and more "beverages," and a super expensive cab fare back to camp). It was really fun, just sitting and talking. But Kylee and Shelley and I really want to go back to CF on Friday. We didn't go to bed until after midnight.
I know I am forgetting stuff, but I'll hopefully be able to remember and add stuff later.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 (written Thursday am, July 2, 2009)
Wednesday was great. We had our picnic lunch this day. And Amanda had several freakouts, calling "mama" and "papa" and "Allison" (her sister). The first one happened during baking (around 9:30am) and I just took her for a walk. We explored down some of the trails in the back down the paved trail that winds down the hill. She cried and all that. She also slaps her thigh, swings her right arm and slaps the left side of her face, slaps her head, and just screams and cries. She didn't have any tears, but she had lots of snot and lots of saliva that dripped. I did my best to keep her from hitting herself and to just let her walk around. After about 40 minutes of walking around, we came to the swings and she began swinging and crying. Sam M. came out from baking and we switched places.
Amanda calmed down eventually and was able to join us for the picnic lunch of turkey sandwiches, chips, and chocolate chip cookies. It was great. After lunch was special interest session, and so Amanda, Deanne, and I walked down to take Amanda to the dining hall where her "Dacne Craze" session was. Deanne and I then went up to the Arts and Crafts session to look for coloring books. We settled down outside and colored for a while. The Arts and Crafts special interest were making necklaces from pasta that they painted.
After the special interest session of Dance Craze, Amanda came up the hill with staff and had started up again, but more violent and more hitting and more physical motion as well as actual tears. It was really awful. She's just so homesick. I had been sitting at the picnic table with Deanne (who was coloring) while Amanda (counselor) was pushing Kristen in the hammock swing, but Kriten wandered up. Sent the other campers inside and I sat with Amanda until she started hitting again at which point I gave her a hug and she put her head on my shoulder as she kept sobbing. She eventually started squirming and ended up on the ground hitting and sobbing. I tried to stop the hitting, and led her to the swings where I left her and went back to the picnic table to sit and watch her, giving her space and time. She began to calm down a little, but when she walked up to me she was screaming again. It was rest hour, but she was not going to rest. I made the mistake (or the strategic move) of trying to get her inside where she of course increased her volume and we quickly went out the back (walking past resting counselors). Shelley came out and the "new face" helped calm Amanda who was able to at least stop screaming and sobbing and concentrate on other things. Eventually she calmed down while Shelley and I talked and talked to her, and we brought her inside and she sat in a chair by Kayla and started nodding off, but she kept fighting off sleep. Shelley had the brilliant idea of making her a little pallet on the floor in the common area (she refused to go back to her bedroom), and so we did that. She rested/slept for a few minutes until they started the scheduled dance party, at which point she got up. She was so tired, all I wanted her to do was rest, but she got up and kept going. I don't really remember what happened after that, I'll do my best to fill in later.
Dinner was beef stew, roasted tomato bread from Panera, bananas, and rice kripsy treats with peanutbutter and chocolate in top. It was okay. Eleanor loved it! After dinner we went back to the cabin and started getting ready for the dance. At around 6:45pm Lexie (counselor) took SD (South Drom) over to the "Hickory of Eden Wood" (costume area) so that we could get costumes. Ma (Eleanor) wore a grass skirt and a couple of plastic leis, and I found a hideous green and black tutu skirt and an awful pink long sleeved button blouse thingy. Ann got a pink lacy dress ("for Derek" on whom she has a crush, sentiments vigorously fed by Sam J. and myself as well a Ann who is hilarious saying "Oh God yes!" and "He's so handsome!"). Everyone dressed up - it was great! When we got back to the cabin, there was music going and definitely make up, paint, etc. going on the campers as well as the staff, more so the staff so that we looked absolutely ridiculous. Shelley and Pam attacked me with several shades of hideousity, and Shelley and I then went after Kylee with turqouise and pink and glitter so that she looked like someone had tried to paint a rabbit on her face. There was also tons of glitter. Earlier Kylee had put stuff on Shelley's face saying "I (heart) ND" (ND = North Drom) at Shelley's request. We had so much fun!
At the dance (on the basketball court) I danced a lot with Ma who was absolutely hilarious, saying "Oh, quit it!" and "You're a silly goose!" (responding me calling her a silly goose) and laughing and smiling, but eventually asking when we could go back up to get her a shower and got o bed. Amy (our HMA), Deanne, Kristen, and myself were the only ones who actually danced with Ellie, and it made me sad that none of the other counselors wanted to interact with her. For the most part, the counselors interacted only with the counselors, which made me very sad. Amanda, the relief staff, was really good about dancing with a bunch of the campers. Ann lost her crush for Derek and developed one for Thomas who is gay (tee hee hee), and Marie got to "dance" with Eric (for whom she had developed a "crush" during dinner when she kept talking about "the boys" and especially "that boy that came into baking!"). I tried my best to bribe Derek to take us back to Annandale on Friday, and met and talked to Eric and Thomas who are so young (just graduated from high school; I def felt old even though they were so so much taller than I). Thomas and Eric say that I remind them uncannily of Thomas's friend Morgan - apparently we are the same height, have the same tone of voice, say the same things, act the same way, and look similar. It's was so much fun. One of their campers, the creepy alien-looking one with zero hair and pointy ears and super white and gaping mouth loves his men, and so Eric and Thomas spent a lot of time dodging his advances (which is hard because he requires support when walking, mostly of the draping sort), which was hilarious.
After the dance we all went back up and everyone beat me and Eleanor to the showers. So Ellie ended up doing her Neb at around 9pm and she showered about 9:30pm.
Need to talk about later:
- Shelley and Kylee and I staying up and eating popcorn, Pringles, complaining about Eden Wood staff, sharing stories
- All we talk about are BMs and personal cares - really sad and really funny
- Talked about how Eden Wood is staffed (Shelley's theory: staff chosen who can work independently but who aren't really competent, need "easy" campers)
- Max is a day camper here - and Caleb is here
- This is the perfect camp for Caleb - fewer people, less noise and chaos, more individualized attention, he's actually participating, he loved the canoe (story from Amanda), feels better!
- Lysol spray Ellie's chair
- How Ellie became "Ma" and I became "Honey" (started Tuesday)
- Shelley eating off the floor
My triceps are sore - probably from transferring Ellie. She laughs so much now, and jokes with us all the time.
It's about 11am now and Kylee and I are going to the Kowalski grocery store next door to look for chocolates and other yummy bad-for-you snacks. Then to ride back to camp which will probably take about 30 - 45 minutes. Will try to write notes later.
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