I spent Saturday-Thursday at camp. It was my final shebang and it was everything I could have hoped for. I only took 3 photos the whole time (what was I thinking?!) but it was the most on-brand, CYC experience ever.
Power outage
Health center losing power for no reason
Internet not working, had to figure out how to print
Cute Fed Ex guy delivered packages to the welcome center
Poor service at Big Sandy Lodge restaurant
Rainy first day
Sweaty last day
Docks into the lake
Willy at camp to fix the boat
Karl at camp to fix something
Wood fired pizza from the best pizza place ever
I arrived on Saturday night which was also arrival day for the staff doing lifeguard training. The weather was gorgeous and the predication for the following day was cold and rainy, so after dinner we decided to go get in the lake and “try out… or maybe actually take…” the swim test.
The water was calm and warm and everyone rocked! Everyone took their swim test and since we were already wet, we decided to put the docks in too. Putting in docks isn’t the worst job ever, but I thought maybe I’d get out of it this year… no such luck. It only took us 30 minutes though and the beach was up and running!
Sunday morning, I laid in bed listening to the rain, cursing camp. After weeks of hot, dry weather, of course it was 65 degrees and rainy! Also, I’ve spent 13 years lecturing, yelling at, begging, reminding staff to BRING A RAINCOAT and did I pack a raincoat for this trip!? Nope. I actually said out loud to myself, “are you new here?!”
It rained the whole day on Sunday, but we were stuck inside for CPR/first aid, so it was actually a really good day for rain.
The staff did great and we completed that part of training. I was helping with dinner prep that night- I had just dumped the ravioli into the boiling water when POP, the power went out. I checked the breaker, called the power company to report and the promptly RAN to my van to head to the lodge for a drink and dinner. After 14 years of power outages, it felt good to peace out as soon as the power went out. NOTMYPROBLEMANYMORE!!!!
I had a lovely dinner, read a book and headed back to camp for bedtime.
Monday was 61 degrees, so I altered the class to just be in the classroom and pool, not in the lake. That night, the program director (who is living in the health center this summer) and I attempted to turn on the heat. It didn’t work, and when she flipped the breaker (we were just trying whatever we could think of), it broke and we lost power. I cannot stress enough how “on brand” for camp that was. I pulled the sheets and blankets off my bed and headed to the DC for the night.
Lifeguard training week is usually a bit stressful because after spending the day in training, I would try to spend a little time with the boys, but always had more work to do after dinner. Training week comes next and that’s such a marathon. So by comparison, this year was like a vacation! After training, I spent a lot of time in the skychairs- I read 2 books while I was at camp. I might have spent more time relaxing in these 5 days than I did in the 13 previous summers.
Wednesday was gorgeous and sunny and one of those perfect days that make you walk around feeling like camp is paradise. We wrapped up lifeguard training and then the rest of the staff arrived to camp. Arrival day is filled with nerves and awkwardness and I LOVE everything about it.
When I looked around at the staff this summer, 6 of the staff are former campers. The 2 lead staff for the summer have been campers since they were little and as I watched them all week, I was so impressed. They have been given more responsibility and have more on their shoulders this summer than I’ve ever given to summer staff. I knew they were going to be good leaders (I hired both of them!), but they have risen to the challenge with such strength and grace that I feel emotional as I type that. It’s been an absolute honor to watch them grow up and now take charge. I’m sad I won’t be there to see them in action all summer.
I saw Willy (who has always come to the rescue with anything we needed help with and who was close with my dad). We hugged goodbye. I chatted with Karl (who is the main guy who comes out to fix things and has been my hero MANY times when I needed something fixed THISMINUTE!). And then I got an email from a grant that I applied for in February (and thought I didn’t get), letting me know $30,000 had been deposited into the bank account.
Thursday I spent the day teaching CPR/first aid with the non-lifeguard staff members. It was a beautiful day outside and I was sweaty by the time we finished.
I was getting ready to pack up and leave when I got pulled into a quick project moving the platforms at the paddle board area. I love the random parts of every day at camp and will miss that part of it. Going from CPR to problem solving at the beach is what camp is all about.
I chatted with Courtney and then it was time to go. I was sweaty, sandy, and my feet were wet. 100% camp. I thought maybe I’d be emotional, but I felt very content. Camp is in good hands. And I feel ready to be doing something else. I have amazing memories and it’s been the ultimate adventure. And these last few days at camp were the perfect end and I feel grateful for such an opportunity for closure.
Also that wasn’t the real end. Because the program director is out of town this week, I agreed to do all the first week paperwork and cabin assignments. And I’m going to go to check in to help Stef with the first Sunday. This has been the ultimate Minnesota long goodbye!
On my way out of town I stopped in at the woodfire pizza place (a new edition last summer) and had the best pizza of my life. I should have gotten 2. For many years, I’ve been a McGregor critic, but in the past few summers, the town has made improvements and there are many things I’m going to miss!
While I was at camp, Nate, my mom and school all kept me in the loop with lots of pictures. The boys were busy with sports class, swim lessons and Xander’s golf lesson. They went out to dinner for Father’s Day and played with the neighbors. It was the longest I’ve been away from the boys ever and I missed them terribly! 
On Friday, I was happy to spend the day at home. I took 2 puppies and 2 small children to the pet food store. I knew it would be a spectacle and it was. We played all day and then went to neighborhood happy hour. And then Nate and I went out to a very nice dinner. Life is wonderful. 
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This week was HOT. Upper 90s-101. It was too hot to do anything. On Friday, we went to the library, the playground that is outside of the library, out to lunch and then hung out inside until it was time for neighborhood happy hour. On Fridays, people gather outside of one of our neighbor’s house and hang out, have drinks and catch up. We have the most friendly, best neighborhood of all time. We ate dinner in the front yard and ended up staying outside until nearly dark. 
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