The last night out. The last time I'll possibly ever see some of these faces. The last time I'll look out over Lake Ashmere (Camp Danbee), the moon is peeking out brightly behind silhouetted clouds and its mirror image reflecting off the perfectly calm water.
These "lasts" were offset by a couple "firsts". Today was the first time I managed to get out and drive on my own as my buddy Alex allowed me to borrow his big GMC Acadia truck. Swiftly followed by finally seeing our ever elusive but resident Black Bear, "Smokey", as it decided to take its daily jog across the road, just a few yards in front of the vehicle. I stopped the car, wound the windows down and saw Smokey standing behind a bush looking back at me. Quite a daunting, yet powerful, feeling having a huge bear stare you down, much like the time at London Zoo when I was caught dead in the stare of a Lioness. But there wasn't a 3" thick plexiglass between the bear and I. And even though they tend not to, bears have the potential to kill a man. It almost takes your breath away.
The last camp-wide activity was hilarious. We played LAIR, the roleplaying game featured in the movie "Role Models". The kids were all armed with swords, we dressed up and slipped into character and "unsuccessfully" attempted to protect the king's crown and throne!
Everyone's packing up now, it's becoming reality that camp's almost over!
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
The 7th Week - Turtles and Train
How else do you justify being paid to have an awesome time? We've just got back from being paid to White Water Raft and no sooner that we got back to camp we're on another bus heading to Georgetown, NY to get paid to go Karting. I mean, it's free...and then we're being paid. I'm not complaining at all...just living the dream! =D
The 6 week kids left this morning. One of my kids, Jacob, went and it sucked to see him go, but I'm left with the gratifying knowledge he had an awesome summer. I also saw one of our lil superstar junior campers, Benny, cry his eyes out because he had to go, but I'll remember him for the speed demon he was on the big wheels and the lil angel he is!
Camp went back to normal schedule for Sunday however, evening activity was a little different. The live ESPN showing of the hotly contested and season defining baseball game between the NY Yankees and the Boston Red Sox was put up on a jumbo screen for the campers and counsellors to watch. The Red Sox came out on top, winning 3-2 and it took them in to the league's #1 spot. I still haven't got baseball all figured out. I mean, I know enough to watch, but it's just not cricket. For the most part it's just a game of catch between the pitcher and the backstop.
It's week 7 and the final week of camp. Saturday will ring out the last of the campers and the end of an unforgettable summer. I had plans laid out to go to Hawaii and California, but as fate has it, I must return home. The week has only just begun and I'm already racking up scores of highlights. A giant snapping turtle came up to say hello while I was lifeguarding at the lake. Facts were thrown around about how powerful their jaws are. So my instinct tells me to drop to my knees, reach in the water and stroke it, so hyped.
My day off was switched to Monday as we were in Maine last week. We went to the outlet mall and hung out with some friends on Burbank Beach, Pontoosuc Lake, MA. It was a slow and very spontaneous day off. Come 8pm our streak of defying social correctness continued, we walked straight in to the world famous Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, no questions asked and watched none other than Train bring the house down, especially when "Drops of Jupiter" erupted through the microphone, out the speakers and travelled miles across the Berkshire mountains, the counsellors at camp said they were singing it too. An icy cold beer and the night was set.
The 6 week kids left this morning. One of my kids, Jacob, went and it sucked to see him go, but I'm left with the gratifying knowledge he had an awesome summer. I also saw one of our lil superstar junior campers, Benny, cry his eyes out because he had to go, but I'll remember him for the speed demon he was on the big wheels and the lil angel he is!
Camp went back to normal schedule for Sunday however, evening activity was a little different. The live ESPN showing of the hotly contested and season defining baseball game between the NY Yankees and the Boston Red Sox was put up on a jumbo screen for the campers and counsellors to watch. The Red Sox came out on top, winning 3-2 and it took them in to the league's #1 spot. I still haven't got baseball all figured out. I mean, I know enough to watch, but it's just not cricket. For the most part it's just a game of catch between the pitcher and the backstop.
It's week 7 and the final week of camp. Saturday will ring out the last of the campers and the end of an unforgettable summer. I had plans laid out to go to Hawaii and California, but as fate has it, I must return home. The week has only just begun and I'm already racking up scores of highlights. A giant snapping turtle came up to say hello while I was lifeguarding at the lake. Facts were thrown around about how powerful their jaws are. So my instinct tells me to drop to my knees, reach in the water and stroke it, so hyped.
My day off was switched to Monday as we were in Maine last week. We went to the outlet mall and hung out with some friends on Burbank Beach, Pontoosuc Lake, MA. It was a slow and very spontaneous day off. Come 8pm our streak of defying social correctness continued, we walked straight in to the world famous Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, no questions asked and watched none other than Train bring the house down, especially when "Drops of Jupiter" erupted through the microphone, out the speakers and travelled miles across the Berkshire mountains, the counsellors at camp said they were singing it too. An icy cold beer and the night was set.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Wednesdays and War Cries in Maine
It's Wednesday...every Wednesday is a special day at Mah-Kee-Nac...but this Wednesday is far different to all the other Wednesdays. Yes it's a trip, but this time it's 8 hours away from camp. The road to Maine was long, but the edge smoothed with a selection of great movies. There's not a whole lot else to really say about the journey here. Half way through the journey we stopped off for an hour or so in a sea side village called Old Orchard. To tell you the truth I wasn't impressed at all, it was so tacky with every store selling knock-offs and fake clothing and judging by the view from the pier no point stepping foot on the beach on the account that every square inch was occupied. Apparently it's a half decent surf spot, but by the looks of the village and its lack of surf-anything it's nothing to brag about. Safe to say I wouldn't go back, nor recommend the place.
In utter contrast, we arrive at Twin Pine Cabins on Millenocket Lake, the only words I can use to describe the place are wow, phenomenal and breath taking. It's the stereotypical lakeside setting. Log Cabins, barbecues, viewing docks that stretch out, suspended over the water, park benches under little wooden gazebos and the typical high-backed outdoor lounge chairs. Where the grass ends the water immediately starts, the view looking out is unbelievable, the photos won't do it justice. The body of water is at least 5 times that of Stockbridge Bowl, where my camp is, and looking directly across from Twin Pine is a solitary mountain. To the right, surrounded by water are tiny islands about the size of a tennis court, each covered in trees. The clouds are so defined yet set such a soft background. The sun's setting...the phrase on everyone's lips "this doesn't look real", and I totally agree. So peaceful, so beautiful, I genuinely want to come back here! It's amazing and the people here are so nice!
Danbee girls are here with us, so it's cool to have some faces around that aren't just our campers, monotony drives me insane, but this place and this time, it's just great =)
Early night tonight for an early wake up...we're going white water rafting.
"Yeeeeeehaaaa!"...my uncontrollable war cry. I can't help it, but when I'm going balls to wall, with my hair on fire, heart racing and biggest smile on my face, the next step is my war cry. And going through the Class 4 White Water of the Penobscot River in Maine, on an inflatable raft, is no exception by any means! We're back on the bus heading to the world class ski resort, Sugarloaf Mountain so i'm writing this up now. I had to give the rafting session a 6-7 out of 10, there was a cave and the opportunity to surf at the bottom of a waterfall, but we didn't make it with kids in my boat being sissies and not paddling, but was cool watching the others do it. We went over the waterfall first which was epic. The majority of the journey downstream was a lot of hard work, but getting to the rapids was so worth it. We went through class 3's and a class 4. At one point we stopped climbed out the boats and floated down a natural rockslide. There are some cool videos and pics that will be up on my facebook soon. Definitely going rafting again though.
We arrived at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort in good time and went straight to our cabins, to which my jaw dropped to the floor! This...I could get very used to!!! The cabin has it's own lounge and kitchen upstairs, two rooms with single beds and I've scored the master bedroom! Queen sized bed, en suite, walk in wardrobe and my own TV that I'm currently watching NFL Superbowl re-runs on. The cabin even has it's own wooden deck to BBQ on. I would happily live in a place like this. You'll have to see the pics/video. Spent some time relaxing in the sauna and then in the pool with the kids and Danbee girls.
Tomorrow dawns the long bus journey back to camp, at least we have lots of movies to watch and stopping off in New Hampshire to shop a little.
In utter contrast, we arrive at Twin Pine Cabins on Millenocket Lake, the only words I can use to describe the place are wow, phenomenal and breath taking. It's the stereotypical lakeside setting. Log Cabins, barbecues, viewing docks that stretch out, suspended over the water, park benches under little wooden gazebos and the typical high-backed outdoor lounge chairs. Where the grass ends the water immediately starts, the view looking out is unbelievable, the photos won't do it justice. The body of water is at least 5 times that of Stockbridge Bowl, where my camp is, and looking directly across from Twin Pine is a solitary mountain. To the right, surrounded by water are tiny islands about the size of a tennis court, each covered in trees. The clouds are so defined yet set such a soft background. The sun's setting...the phrase on everyone's lips "this doesn't look real", and I totally agree. So peaceful, so beautiful, I genuinely want to come back here! It's amazing and the people here are so nice!
Danbee girls are here with us, so it's cool to have some faces around that aren't just our campers, monotony drives me insane, but this place and this time, it's just great =)
Early night tonight for an early wake up...we're going white water rafting.
"Yeeeeeehaaaa!"...my uncontrollable war cry. I can't help it, but when I'm going balls to wall, with my hair on fire, heart racing and biggest smile on my face, the next step is my war cry. And going through the Class 4 White Water of the Penobscot River in Maine, on an inflatable raft, is no exception by any means! We're back on the bus heading to the world class ski resort, Sugarloaf Mountain so i'm writing this up now. I had to give the rafting session a 6-7 out of 10, there was a cave and the opportunity to surf at the bottom of a waterfall, but we didn't make it with kids in my boat being sissies and not paddling, but was cool watching the others do it. We went over the waterfall first which was epic. The majority of the journey downstream was a lot of hard work, but getting to the rapids was so worth it. We went through class 3's and a class 4. At one point we stopped climbed out the boats and floated down a natural rockslide. There are some cool videos and pics that will be up on my facebook soon. Definitely going rafting again though.
We arrived at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort in good time and went straight to our cabins, to which my jaw dropped to the floor! This...I could get very used to!!! The cabin has it's own lounge and kitchen upstairs, two rooms with single beds and I've scored the master bedroom! Queen sized bed, en suite, walk in wardrobe and my own TV that I'm currently watching NFL Superbowl re-runs on. The cabin even has it's own wooden deck to BBQ on. I would happily live in a place like this. You'll have to see the pics/video. Spent some time relaxing in the sauna and then in the pool with the kids and Danbee girls.
Tomorrow dawns the long bus journey back to camp, at least we have lots of movies to watch and stopping off in New Hampshire to shop a little.
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