Afterglow

Memories… we sure made ‘em yesterday

It began with afternoon showers that hit hard during our 6th period classes. There is NO fun like playing in the rain… and the joy and delight that the campers and counselors felt as they ran around like the children that they are was wonderful. I got some pictures as I went to the dress rehersal of the play. It was exactly what I would want to see if I were a parent.

The dress rehersal of the play was going on and I got an inside glimpse of what goes into the production. WOW. Amazing amout of professionalism on display, it was fun to see it come together… then we all got ready for Derby Day (shower and dress).

The horse show was perfect. The rain stopped about 4:30, giving us plenty of time to get set up. Temperatures in the upper 70’s, a light breeze, cloudy, and a setting that literally took a week to present. The horses were perfectly turned out, each rider wore her very best. There is something elegant about a horse show, it probably comes down to the amount of time it takes to make a sweaty, furry, messy sport look like a fancy dress ball… the overall effect was enhanced by the “Derby Day” dress code. You could spot visitors, not just by the neon green “visitor” stickers— but by their casual outfits! Your girls were lookin good, you might never see them wearing hats at home but they pull it off very well here!

Gervais “busted it” to have the softball field buffet tables laid out and prepared with linen, chaffing dishes, and flowers by 5:00. As the girls arrived, there was a general “ooh, ahhh” and wide-eyed amazement evident on all of the delighted faces (counselors included). How did we do this?

Rachel sang the National Antham (also impressive… not a person moves or talks as we pay our respect), then a parade of riders, and the show began! All was fine for the first couple of riders. Food buffets opened up and campers munched while watching the show. It was perfect… then the rain started at about 6:00… and we saw that our “perfection” quickly turned to madness!

It was very, very funny (at least to me). It rained so hard there was no choice but get wet… so the show went on! The buffet continued to be served! The cupcakes became sodden in about 2 seconds, so we drank them instead!

There is no way we could have made the night more memorable. It was perfect… well, that’s what I tell myself.

The Play was amazing. “Thoroughly Modern Milly” is one of those classic Romantic comedy musicals from an earlier era. The set design was spectacular (carpenters worked with the Production Crew for a week to build everything… you should know that Mary Ellen Stebbins who ran the set and lighting work is a Harvard trained professional who works on Broadway in the real world… she pushes us). The costumes were made by our own sewing department (we have very skilled counselors in this area too, they get lots of help from their classes… don’t think “sweat shop”). The back stage crew knew their stuff cold, changing sets with ease and flair. And the acting! Wow.

These girls are amazing. The play began at 7:00 and ended at 9:00… how do they memorize all these lines in just a month? Each actor nailed each scene and confidently transitioned to the next. The magic of Theater did it’s stuff, pulling us in slowly. The last 30 minutes were delightful! The entire pavilion whould gasp, “oohh”, clap, and laugh as one. It makes me shiver to remember the delight of the moment. Our Director (Melonie Simpson) probably slept with a smile on her face, she and all the cast and crew will bask in the afterglow of celebrity today and tomorrow… life is good.

Tonight is Closing Vespers, we will float our candles on the lake after a poignant ceremony led by the Honor Council, me, and my mother. It is a night of tears. The girls are in a very good place now… sweetness and love fill the air, the petty squables washed away in the flood of good will. We will enjoy our last hours together, we will be sad to say goodbye. This is what camp is all about.

At breakfast (pancakes and sausage) today, I began “the club” with a shout out to the kitchen. I told the girls how hard they worked to put on Derby Day, working a week preparing the many components of our reception. How they busted it to get the food set out so quickly, how they busted it to keep the tables full (replacing empty trays immediately), then kept cooking omlettes as the rain fell in torrents. They worked late into the night cleaning it up and didn’t even eat the good stuff (they heated up corn dogs, if you can believe it). The kitchen crew (about 40 strong) walked into the main dining room and the campers gave them a standing ovation that went on for a solid minute! Very nice moment.

We are finishing strong. Emotions are high, lots of girls are “making it right” today (asking and giving forgiveness if they need to). Lots of girls enjoying a final game of tennis, flag football, ultimate frisbee, and jump off the blob. The sun is shining and it is a glorious day at Greystone. Thank you for making it all possible.

I also thank you for reading. It is a nice thing to know that you care about this experience.

Jimboy