The second first Monday

    As stated in a previous post we did in fact return to the beautiful (and hot!) Camp Wa-Nik-Ska-Ka for the second first Monday of the summer! Here's a rundown of my day ...

    Woke up to my last alarm at 6:47am, the first being set to like 6:05 with like five in between. This was my last last last last ditch alarm. Thank God I set it, but not a great start to the day, arriving at 7:38am ... not the first time I've been a few minutes late either. *sigh*
    Nothing spectacular happened this morning except I forgot to bring the blanket for our campers ... and thank God my co-co Ashley was on top of the medical conditions. We have a camper with a "severe allergy to nuts. If comes in contact with any give epinephrin and call 911 immediately". This of course left both Ashley and I paranoid all day.

    Wait, wait, I remember the funniest story of the day did happen about five minutes before morning pick-up time was called. So I walk to the bathroom and as I near the water fountains I notice three kids standing by the silver tub/sink thing on wheels staring into it. I sort of keep an eye on them as I walk past, noticing their are totally mystified and excited. They all three are jumping around, giddy and looking quite adrenaline rushed.  They notice me and take their eyes off the tub to exclaim in my direction, as if I should be totally in awe and excited too)! "SPIDER! LOOK A BIG SPIDER!"  Mind you I am really arachnophobic, although I am getting better (slightly) at least at camp.  And spiders are known to visit the tub, so I put my sarcastic "Yeah Woooo" face on and walked back a few steps. As I did, before I could look in the tub two of the campers, with the third squealing their guts off, peered deep into the sink's basin, went to poke the spider and then jumped up and back at least 10 feet squealing with disgust and delight simultaneously.  They then yelled, "SPIDER!" "TOUCH THE SPIDER!" "WERE PLAYING TOUCH THE SPIDER" "YOU TOUCH THE SPIDER!!!" .... I could see where this game had been and where it was going and it was all bad news ... touch the spider is never a good game to play, for any age group ... especially six year olds. 
    So before I even saw the spider I shooed them back to the shelter and some better game ... as I passed I naturally looked int he sink to see the spider they had been enthralled with ... and OMG, it was an inch long (which if u think about it a big spider), thick ugly wolf-spider, that was bristly, a nasty brown color with some black thrown in and just as mean looking as can get. And of course, being a wold spider it was nimble, ultra quick and a real athletic spider. Not gonna lie, I was way grossed out ... and had it been any bigger I might have reacted much more strongly. Anyway, I was like, you have got to be kidding me. They played touch the spider with that nasty thing. This was no daddy long legs ... oh man, these kids have more issues than I thought ...

1st period: In the early stages of our Pow-Wow time Ashley made sure that all the kids washed their hands after eating granola bars just in case they managed to contact the nut allergy and send him into epiphilactic shock. Good thinking. And I went to the front office to double check that we did in fact have the nut allergy's epi-pin and that someone in the front office knew how to use it ahead of time. Turns out we did and they do. So Mission Control, all systems were go for launch. And note to self: Pow-Wow today was very successful.

2nd Period: In leagues we played BLOB. Not gonna lie, I LOVE THAT GAME! Although after the first game, in which I managed to barely stay blob free (saved by the ending whistle) I decided to retire from the game of Blob officially. I know it's tough to leave at the peak of my game, but I felt that I wanted to go out a champion. I also announced my decision to join a minor league 007 team since I've always wanted to go pro as it was my Father's ... (quick, quick, which sports star am I?!?). With all seriousness, I do love Blob.

3rd Period: One of my most interesting periods at the day ... we were at swim which meant it was attack of the Japanese Beetles. Dave, Jordan and I began slapping at a few to try and rid the world of a beetle or two ... then one got in my hair, terrible feeling ... and by the end of swim time most of the counselors and a good majority of the campers were one crazed mob hell-bent on extermination. Although the beetles outnumbered us about 100-1, and we could have spent all day in the pool and not rid the pool or pool area of the problem we did make our presence known ... so just give a few kick boards and who ya gonna call?!? BEETLE BUSTERS! ...
     Oh and learned that smallest Monday camper at camp (by a lot), who is also the one of the cutest littlemunchkins has a Dad that is like 6'7", according to counselor Jordan ... that was shocking to say the least. Also of note, I forgot deodorant today (Thank you Jordan Van Loon!) and Gold-bonding was amazing ... wooo...

Lunch: Sat with the nut allergy in our little quarantined table. Whenever anyone asked I either told them I was in detention the camper was being a good friend and keeping me company, ooor I had been voted off the island and the camper was being a good friend and eating one final meal with me on the island. It was a good lunch, although I did have a total awe moment. The nut allergy and I talked most of lunch, but near the end we had like 5 min of silence. Then randomly and without warning, he spoke up and said "You're a pretty good teacher. That's what I think." It was sooo random and so like awwwww shucks kid, how do u respond to that.
    ...And it turns out this counselor named Zach Oyer ... yeah real good guy. Was scurrying to set up our lunch table as we arrived late from swim ... one armed and all. Really appreciated that.

Quiet Time: Apparently a camper of mine from last session, still has my nose that she stole ... I miss that nose ... it's hard going through life with no sense of smell ...

5th Period: Was fairly confident I was gonna kick in the head or crotch by a camper learning the self-defense kicks. Thank goodness that ended when it did. By the time this period ended our small tribe of 8 had been whittled to five by early pick-ups due to heat. Sad.

6th Period: Watched Cinderella. Never been my favorite Disney movie, but better than Sleeping Beauty.

7th Period: Took one of the most amazing naps I've ever had at camp in the old shelter with two fans on us. Of course Ed on the loudspeaker to end the period was a rude awakening ... although he was pretty funny as he concluded the day's activities by saying "Thank you for sweating here at Camp Wa-Nik-Ska-Ka". Okay its not that funny, but considering no one ever puts a little flair into the loudspeaker I was enthused.

And that was our first Monday back! WOOO!