July 23

Thursday, July 23, 2009

It’s about 8:07am, and I’m sitting in the upper lodge munching on the remaining crumbs of the black pepper and sea salt nectar of the gods (or I suppose just munchies of the gods) and porking down raisinets. I’m so hungry. I’ll go find some food about 9am when most of the cabins have left the kitchen. I’m also listening to NPR’s morning edition.

This morning I woke up about 6:00am but refused to actually wake up my brain until about 6:30am. I had a really strange dream that is better left unremembered. Anyway, I got up at 6:30am appalled that I had wasted my time off already and got ready. I walked out to get more toilet paper for the bathroom and I saw Lydia, getting dressed for the day. I walked by Amy’s bed and saw and enormous mess. I couldn’t believe it! Her bed rail was on the ground, her humidifier thingy (for her sleep apnea) was completely disassembled, her suitcase was on the opposite side of the hall (instead of being under her bed!), and there was water from the humidifier thingy all over the floor. I finished getting ready and then cleaned up the mess. All I kept thinking about was, “I’m on TO, but I’ve got to help Amy.” Sigh.

Bad idea: I’m playing online Scrabble while trying to write this and listen to NPR. Rawr.

It’s already 9am. I can’t believe it. Ridiculous! I went to breakfast and missed it, so I just got half a blueberry bagel and half a chocolate chip bagel. I went and got water at the HC. Matt, Kara, and Cindy kicked me out of the Upper Lodge because they’re doing placements today in an all-morning meeting. Argh. So I’m outside in the Fishbowl at the table, looking at the beautiful water and enjoying my TO. Alright. On to more exciting things. Such as trying to describe my campers as quickly as possible so that I can maybe do something else.

Well, instead of writing this, I put titles and descriptions to all of the pictures I’ve just uploaded to the Photobucket site shared by Rachel, Annie, Emily T., Sarah B., and myself. I can hear them doing stretching on the Green with Ernest. Such great music!

Wow. Instead of doing anything further on this entry, I’ve just watched a bunch of Schwartzenorris, which I heart so much and have just now remembered to check in on. My favorites are “You’re the Best” and “A Whole New World” and “Never Had Friend Like Me.” They’re so great! It’s been about 4 years since I’ve last watched them! So funny! Anyway. Let’s see if I can get at least a little bit done for now.

Here are some brief descriptions of the campers.

• Julee
  
• Piranha
• Always hungry and gets super grumpy when denied thirds, had a bit of a moment yesterday at lunch because “couldn’t wait that long” for dinner
• Her joints and muscles ache, she says because she’s not getter her pills, we say because she’s not used to walking around so much
• When walking, she stops every 20 feet or so to bend over and take a break (looks like she’s trying to poop in the woods)
• Sits down a lot
• Hates going to bed and will fight you on it but will eventually go on her own
• Julie
  
• Has a great time
• Loves helping
• Carrying backpack
• Helping carry packout supplies
• Likes to dance
• Likes to give really painful massages
• Likes to eat quickly
• Likes to just walk around quickly
• Very sweet
• Doesn’t talk much
• Really likes Katie Moyers
• Has a great smile and laugh
• Back scratching is also a favorite of hers
• Amy
• Obsessed with males
• Loves to pick favorites
• Me, Nicki, Brynnan
• Loves swimming and water
• LOVES Chris, the fishing guide
• Thinks VL Matt without his shirt is sexy
• Drinks a ton of water
• Finally had a BM yesterday – we celebrated
• After dinner last night we just sat there and hung out at the dining table and talked. We got some cake from Jacki Wallace (it was her birthday and Barb baked a cake and we all sang to her in the dining hall), and I snuck a piece to Amy. We had a great time.
• Lydia
• Calls everyone “Shorty,” “Shortcake,” “Kitten,” and other such endearments that are said to make the person laugh (I think …)
• Large
• Gets up super early and just sits in the living room
• Has an oxygen machine for night time
• Very sweet
• Loves hair – liked playing with my hair yesterday when I wore it down
• Prefers female attention
• Gloria
• Very soft-spoken
• Likes to fish, likes to swim
• Must be encouraged to participate in highly competitive moments (ex. when all were trying to decorate the volunteer last night, I had to encourage her several times to jump in there and do something)
• Likes to dance – again, must be encouraged
• Showers with a shower cap so she doesn’t get her braids wet
• 
  
• Karin (she prefers it pronounced: Kah – ren)
• LOVES, CRAVES, DEMANDS attention, preferably full attention of every staff member in the room
• Very cranky and impatient when told to please wait or slow down
• Curses and threatens staff and others
• Hates Laurice but won’t move when Laurice comes near – kinda like Leah and Amanda from two weeks ago
• Loves to read and do crossword puzzles – looks up every answer in the back
• Whenever someone else is getting attention, she runs over and buts that person out of the way and gets the attention for herself
• Livia
  
• Asks repetitively about
• Boys
• Camping
• Grass
• “Sleep in the tent with Livia?” – I just respond with “Everyone will sleep in the tents.”
• Walks with a knee brace and scares the shit out of me when she is walking around without it
• Threw her seatbelt into the water on Monday or Tuesday
• I asked her why she did that and she said it was because she didn’t like it any more
• I asked her if she liked it now, and she said yes – interesting
• Asks repeatedly for her seatbelt even though she also repeatedly says “Seatbelt in the water?” “Seatbelt hiding in the water?” “Staff find the seatbelt?” “I can see it!”
• Not sure how much she processes
• Laurice (on her application, though, it says “Laurie”)
• Mary Ellen (she goes by “Mary” here at camp)
• Very moody
• Got mad at me yesterday because at breakfast I told her that she had to eat food – I left her alone and just worked with otheres
• Was over it at Arts and Crafts when she asked for my help
• Difficult to get her up in the morning
• Very emotional, whiny often
• Uses one of the 4-wheeled rolling walkers but doesn’t like to walk a lot – you have to make compromises and bargains with her
• Has a boyfriend named “Alan” (I think) and is crocheting him an afghan because “he doesn’t have any warm blankets”
• He just bought a house at 200 Jefferson or something like that on the corner
• She’s mad b/c her “stupid staff can’t find his house!”
• Has lots of pinching bruises on her especially right arm – maybe from him?
• Does she even have a boyfriend?
• Reads trashy romance novels
• Kim (“Kimmy!” as she refers to herself)
• Laughs loudly at everything
• Has a huge crush on George (and all males, but especially George)
• Calls all males “guy” (ex. Hey guy!)
• Very enthusiastic, usually the instigator of the laughter and applause
• Gives hugs and kisses, but I only accept high fives from her
• Also has picked up scratching backs from Julie C.
• Loves to pick out her name (pointing and saying “Kimmy’s name!” or “Kimmy!”)
• Ladies do spontaneous rounds of applause and laughter

Here are some things that Harry said last week that I think about and almost, not quite, not even close, but maybe just might think fondly off, miss him.

• Harry is spoiled rrrrrrotten! (most of the time said “spoirrrrrrotten”)
• (say something) and have fun! (ex. Go to McDonalds and have fun! See Mom and Georgey soon and have fun! Grand Lake Casino and have fun! Etc.)
• Harry is from Ar-kan-saw! (which, I found out the last day her was here, was the name of his group home, that he wasn’t actually from the state of Arkansas)
• Carrrrrrrracas!

Things to talk about:

• Water Carnival – so much fun!
• Amy in the lake
• Ladies down the water slide
• Livia’s horrified reaction, almost panic, when approached with water
• Karin’s freakouts
• Getting Amy from the water to her chair (Michelle life guard and Sarah B. are goddesses)
• In line for water slide, teased Emily about her British words (“Queue” instead of “Line”)
• Nasty places on fingers from wearing rings
• Sarah Du’s stories (told last night)
• Sitting in urine
• Saggy ball sack
• While telling her stories almost everyone who was left up got up and went to bed – hilarious migration – there were about 4 or 5 of them – very noticeable and very funny – Amy stayed up though
• Mel is so funny and cool
• This morning
• Walked – first time during the week since Orientation, I guess
• Talked to Mom on the phone – Reddy’s surgeries went well – she’s a fighter: didn’t go to sleep until 15 minutes (usually only takes about 5)
• Miss Reddy and miss home so so so so much
• Going to celebrate Mom and Gramma’s birthdays on the 22^nd when I get home
• Going to Sarah Du’s aunt’s house this weekend
• Uncle running in a marathon
• Have to get up (or leave the house?) at 6am – ugh
• Lumberjack festival thingy?
• Last night’s evening program
• Dressing up the volunteers
• A lot of fun – everyone except Mary participated
• VL Matt came to visit last night after the evening program and the ladies mobbed him
• Julie C gave him one of her special massages
• Kimmy held his hand and talked at him loudly and repeatedly about what she did (ex. “Kimmy’s wearing her shirt!”)
• Amy told him how she thought he was sexy without his shirt on
• Lydia called out to him with those pet names
• Karin wanted some attention and so butted in
• Absolutely hilarious

I’ve been wallowing in some delicious BBC. Yes. And sadly there are just two hours left of my TO. Sadness!