Time...
It’s a cliche “Time Flies” but for me, this is never more true than at camp.
The hours are packed, the moments delightful, there are many people to talk with, many things to do. The “buffet” of life is bounteous and we fill our plates fully while at camp. Our personal space is exchanged for tight quarters ;and we wouldn’t trade our little bunk space for a suite in a mansion right now. Life is good, and there is no better place in the world than right here.
I am glad we have one more week. We have toyed with the idea of a shorter session, but it would not be the same. Giving up this last week is unthnkable right now. So much has happened in the past 10,080 minutes (a week), how can we do camp without it? The magic of time is very powerful and has bonded us for life.
I probably feel the march of time more than the girls… today I work on the “Farewell” to be printed in the Green and Gold booklet. It makes me nostalgic to do this little task, for it does indeed seem like just yesterday the girls arrived. Main Camp… even the opening hours of camp are different, more comfortable than the other sessions. The first songs in the dining room, the first giggles in the pit, the first silence at “lights out”… and then we are here. Four weeks flies by in a flash and like a flash, we are a bit dazed by the effect. Now comes the celebration week of big events, it begins with the Junior play tonight.
The Junior play is fantastic – we were able to see this play for the first time during June camp, but everything is bigger and better at Main. The girls have been working for weeks to pull off a full-scale production – no scene is overlooked, every costume carefully considered. We have a large cast for this play, with many girls taking leading roles in different scenes. The Junior play never disappoints, and tonight is no exception.
Tomorrow night we do it bigger and better with production night. All departments who want to do an “act” are given time on the stage. A variety show of remarkable depth and remarkable skill and whimsy, it is very entertaining. About half of the camp will be on stage at one point or another, leading to a sense of nervous anticipation for many of the girls who are anxious about performing well for their friends. They will practice hard today and tomorrow… no small feat in the high humidity heat that now surrounds us. The sweat will pay off, big time. It will be a great night… I am particularly excited about the dance department’s MANY acts. Shauna Barger is amazing; I was a fan from that moment about 3 weeks ago when I saw her teach advanced ballet one period. Ever since, I have been thinking about this night.
Oh, and we have a seminar class that I am going to visit this morning: CLOWN class. Our visiting doctor this week (what camp has two resident doctors?) is John Daniel, from Beaufort South Carolina. His wife is a professionally trained (Ringling Brothers) clown, gymnast, trapese artist… you get the point. They are a delightful family and are really gettin into the camp “thing”, which means they contribute! She is doing two seminars this morning and will do face painting and everything. It is going to be fantastic!
The effect of excellence in camp is exponentially enhanced by the “bubble”. Here, simple good things appear to be great… we celebrate it with genuine appreciation. Excellence brings tears… tears of delight, admiration, glory, and gratitude. These tears are the best moments of camp. We anticipate them and delight in them when they come. I want to bring tears in every aspect of camp, and the counselors deliver much of the time. I have a feeling that the Junior play will have us rolled over in laughter. Tomorrow night, advanced ballet will make us cry. Frankly, I think Jump Rope will do so as well (it is amazing).
Speaking of tears, Madeline Lansing made the whole camp cry with her Senior talent of a song she wrote for Jimdaddy. She plays the guitar very well, the best camper player (close second is Elizabeth Raby)… which means the playing was very good. But the words! Oh, it was good. Delight and Joy in the midst of loss; tears running down her face as she finished… needless to say; wow. I am still not over it.
All program areas are finishing strong, making every class count so that girls can finish their projects and pass their levels. I have to also mention the Kitchen. Gervais has every meal planned out for dramatic effect… cooking is an art. I consider meal planningto be like a composer, who sees the finish in his mind and smiles as he puts it to paper. Gervais knows what his crew can do, what the campers like, how our appetites are keen in different ways based on what he cooked for each of the previous 80 meals. He builds expectations by playing on themes (scrambled eggs for two days in a row is noticed… not by chance, as he then hits us with a fresh corned beef hash).
I like to cook, I plan menu’s from time to time at our house… it can be an inspiration, can be fun. Gervais and his crew make our mealtime fun… I am not looking forward to cooking again next month. I am not a composer in the kitchen like he is.
Today’s menu: Ham sandwiches and Greek salad for lunch, but for dinner… Drum Roll… THANKSGIVING!!! Waaa Hoooo!!! Turkey, dressing, squash casserole, bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and apple pies. Tell me that won’t bring a standing ovation.
Weather is hot (the temperature isn’t that bad, in the mid 80’s, but the humidity is high… there is a permanent haze on the mountains right now and the air is “soft”). The Mister is going, the water classes are joyous, the landsports move a bit slower than they did last week. As I leave the air-conditioned office to walk the camp, I smile. The warm air envelopes me and it feels like summer. The sounds, the smells… enhanced by the soft air of a North Carolina July day. I know it is probably 72 degrees with 25% humidity in San Diego… but I like this!
Thank you very much for supporting camp. Thank you for reading the news. Thank you for entering into our “world” for a few minutes in a busy day.
Jimboy