How are things here: Pretty Good

When the bugle blew for Flag Lowering, I was up at my house. I had just taken a “camp shower” (during the summer we all learn how to take 90 second showers… very invigorating) and was walking down the hill. There was a steady breeze blowing and I wished I had made it down the hill in time to get some pictures of the flag being lowered in the 6:00 golden light. The temperature was perfect (high 70’s), humidity perfect (a high pressure system is keeping us very dry), and the dinner aroma that filled the camp was perfect. Sitting in the dining hall, engulfed by the steady roar of 80 tables engaged in excited chatter; look to the left and see the green mountains and the gold lake. I am not exaggerating… sometimes Camp is perfect.

Lat night’s EP was fantastic, The younger half of the camp did little dance numbers to their favorite songs in what we call “Lip Synch” night. Lip synch’s introduce us to new music and bring back old favorites. I don’t know the names of some of these songs (I am not one of those guys that can actually hear the words right… always get them slightly wrong, making my children roll their eyes); but the campers are more up on these things. The entire pavilion would sing in unison during some of the songs, while the tentalow girls danced their routines to thunderous applause.

Getting on stage at camp is an amazing experience… 700 people cheering you on; so this is what it is like to be a rock star! Campers and counselors alike are effected by the crowd, it is one of the reasons we do not take trips away from camp (more on that later).

After EP I stood on the lower road with Margaret as the river of Greystone girls exited for “crackers” (we serve everyone a couple of vanilla wafers after EP… they are delicious and everyone LOVES the bedtime snack routine). Some of the girls stopped to talk (a big deal, remember the crackers). Wow. Talking to your girls is an encouragement. These girls are the future. They have made me a confident optimist for our country; how can we go wrong with girls like this coming along? You are doing an amazing job raising them.

OK FOOD…

Last nights dinner is worthy of a few words. I have eaten wonderful pork chops before. My Grandmother fried a mean pork chop, I have also had amazing chops at fine steak houses (a shout out to BLT in New York). Last night blew them all away. 1 inch thick, much thicker than you would ever serve at camp. Fried on a griddle, southern style. So simple, so good. I could not stop eating them… very moist, perfectly cooked, crunchy crust, right amount of salt. WOW. This doesn’t happen every day.

Breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and grits. The bacon this year is special too. We have upgraded to thick bacon, we cook it in our German “Rational” ovens (they don’t look like ovens, they look like space ships) which give them a perfect crust and crunch every time. Very, very good bacon! I also have to give a high five to the morning fruit bar: Endless is an accurate description. Blue berries, strawberries, raspberries, fresh cut pineapple, cantaloupe, honey dew, granola, greek yogurt… you get the point. The Blackberry Farm does not do a better fruit plate. I am serious (and if you have never gone to Blackberry Farm, you should do so sometime- it is pretty awesome).

The feeling in camp is very good. I will do a homesick entry a little later on… the short story is we call you if we are concerned about your daughter but there are very few girls who are not well adjusted to camp. We are on your team, don’t worry!

Later updates to come…

Not to dwell on food; but lunch was pretty awesome. Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches and fries. Our “Fries” are actually cooked in the spaceship oven (it has a “fry” setting which makes the food taste fried even though it is baked! No friers at Greystone!!!). The Cheese Steak is real Ribeye that is shaved thin and cooked on the griddle with onions and pepper jack cheese added at the last minute. We bought the sub rolls this time (sometimes we make them ourselves but the bakery needed an easy day). Ginger snap cookies for dessert (more cakey than snappy, they are Laura’s favorite).

Warm and hazy. I hope that an afternoon shower is on the way, but probably not. We will have to irrigate the campus tonight if we don’t get any rain.

First overnights are tonight, Cabin 10-12 will go up to spend the night on top of Apple Hill… more on that later too.

Post Dinner (Roasted Chicken, roasted fresh squash, onion, zuchinni, rice, cheese cake)… no rain this afternoon, just distant thunder and a light cloud cover. It was very comfortable! Off to Cabin Lip Synch’s, the music is already playing (something I never heard before and everyone is cheering). Ha

Jimboy