Homesickness can make you puke

I'm listening to a book on CD where a character lays on a mattress "like one finds at summer camp." It made me think about the summer camps I attended. First, Bar-L Ranch in Guthrie Center. Cindy and I talked about Bar-L last week. I have so many great memories from that place.

The summer after I graduated from fifth grade - I graduated to a camp my mother and my aunt had attended. Camp Cheley in Estes Park, Colorado.

Like they say in the song - It Was the Summer of '69. I was 11 going on 12. A month is a long time to be gone when you're that age. I arrived at camp with my friend Sally Rodgers  - fresh off the plane from Omaha with my trunk of camp clothes. We took a bus from the airport up to Estes Park. After about a day - it hit. I'd never really been the homesick before. I could stay all night with friends - or go to camp for a week, without much thought of my family. But I got it bad.

When we arrived at camp, Sal and I were assigned different cabins - what up with that? In retrospect, probably a good idea. To an 11 year old, why isn't my friend in my cabin? For young person development - split them up and let them grow as people. Issues for me: The showers/restrooms were down the road - my bladder burst one morning before I could get to the latrine. How embarrassing for someone my age. We had to help with meals, but I was afraid I'd drop the plates. Psych!

A prized possession - I made this owl at Cheley. They fired it before I could paint the eyeballs...Pottery Class

All of the sudden I didn't feel well - vomit. I guess needed a little TLC in the sick bay. I think they'd been through this before...the camp has been around since the dark ages! Reassuring words were said, hands were held. Sick Bay was boring. After a while I decided to suck it up and get over myself. And just like the Camp Grenada song - after the emotional rain, I had a blast!

We rode horses, hiked, did shot 22 rifles, did archery, did crafts and went tent camping. We learned awful camp songs that I can still sing today. Campers could earn awards by learning names of the mountains in the range near Estes. Or the parts of a saddle and the horse. We were constantly challenged physically and mentally, but gently. I became attached to my cabin counselors Colleen and Nancy. I especially liked the overnight trek we went on somewhere in those mountains near a place called the Baldpate Inn. I remember seeing the keys hanging all over.

At camp Sally and I would walk up to the canteen at break time for a nice cold Coca Cola and a Snickers bar. We also liked the paddle tether ball game for excitement and hanging out with a few choice campers from each of our cabins. They were from all over the country - including Hawaii.

By the end of four weeks I couldn't believe how time had flown by. But I was ready for my fam to come get me so we could head back to the flatland. Where I didn't vomit.

Meanwhile back in Iowa, in present day...

Brazilian Twins in the background

We a great day Saturday! Deb visited from Creston and we hit the Farmer's Market. A fave musical group from last year - Brazilian Twins were there - electric violin. We enjoyed a nice bloody M outside at a corner bar. Then we headed to Mullets where the Flack girls were breakfasting with Susan's fiancé Denny. Always fun catching up with the Flacks. And we learned Deb's Fonda classmate was Susan's Colo High School bball coach. #allofIowaisonetown.

Finally Deb, Paul and I rode bikes out to West Glen - stopping at Bike World to drool over bikes/equipment. We saw Crestonites Mike and Traci Tamerius outside testing couple bikes.

On to Wellman's Pub for a bit of lunch. And a Mojito. Of course Deb and I are talking a mile a minute the whole time - we had a lot of catching up to do! When we left to ride back to our house, it started sprinkling. By the time we turned south - it was a downpour. We stopped at an underpass but we were already soaked. Onward! I'm glad I didn't wipe out. Riding in the rain was kinda fun. #squishyshoes

That's Deb and Paul leaving me in their mist...

I can't remember

a cooler July - and the record book bears me out. It was a cool one, from jeans and jackets on the 4th of July all the way through to today, which is in the 80's after it was 50 something over night.

Okay I think I overdid it. Have some cramping and pulling on my left side after a busy day of laundry and driving on errands. It's so hard to sit. Especially when my own expectations (and Paul's) are high. I'm usually good at being a slug, but only on my own terms - not when it's dictated by my guts (and Doc).

Back to camp. After 4 years at Bar-L, I graduated to a camp my mother and my aunt had attended. Camp Cheley in Estes Park, Colorado was a once in a lifetime experience for me. My buddy Sal and I went in the summer of 1969 - I was 11 going on 12 and a month was a long time to be gone. But I got over my initial homesickness and adjusted to life at camp in week 1.

Sally and I were put into separate cabins. Looking back, I suppose that was best for both of us, to help us branch out and make other friends. We were in Lower Chipeta with girls from around the country our age. One of my cabin-mates from was Hawaii! We all had to help at the lodge at mealtime and there was lots of obnoxious singing of camp songs. Thank God there was no square dancing at this camp!

We got to ride horses, hike, shoot rifles, archery, crafts and camping. We could earn awards by learning names of the mountains in the range near Estes. Or the parts of a saddle and horse. We were constantly challenged physically and mentally, but gently. I became very attached to my cabin counselors Colleen and Nancy and especially liked the overnight we spent somewhere in those mountains. Sally and I would walk up to the canteen at break time for a nice cold Coca Cola and a Snickers bar. We also liked the paddle tether ball game for excitement.

It was exciting when the month was over when my parents and the Rodgers came to pick us up. I felt I had been away from them for a lifetime. I'm sure my folks felt I had grown up some during my time there. I've got many fond memories from my Cheley days.

My cousin's daughter has been there this month - her 4th year at the camp, I believe. I'm glad the family tradition has carried on!