So as I said before I joined the facebook phenomenon, and something very cool has happened. I connected with a group of past camp staff from the Girl Scout camp that I worked at for eight summers between 1985-1992.
Did you ever do something that you knew in your heart you were the best at.....well for me that was working at Camp St. Albans. The summers that I spent there was some of the best times that I had in my life. It was one of those jobs that I was not just good at, but a job that I was GREAT at.
I spent 2 summers as a unit counselor and unit leader, one in the kitchen(I'm not sure what I was thinking), one as the waterfront director, 2 as the program director and my last 2 as the Assistant Camp Director. I still think that if the council knew half of the stuff that I did I would have never been in charge of ANYTHING!
Not that I broke ALL the rules, but lots of them were left in the dust as I spent my summers singing the Banana Slug song, skinny dippin at night, water fights outside the dining hall, playing find the counselor or just other crazy stuff.
Sometimes we snuck the horses out for non approved trail rides, took the Viking boats out for scaring the counselors in other units, had to sleep outside the camp gates because we came back too late from a long night and couldn't get back into camp.
I never really had any idea of the impact that I had on the campers other than they really took to me and I had fun playing and teaching them all I knew.
Years later, after I left camp for the last time, I found out 2 things.......
1. they named a trail after me....Skeeter Lane
2. a camper that I had in my unit came back to camp as a counselor when she was
old enough because she had so much fun with me and how special I treated her
but I can honestly say that I really don't remember her but I made a mark on her
You never know the impact you have on a child at the time, but its there nonetheless. I knew everything about camp, it was scary. I knew the hidden trail from Pixie to the waterfront, the best place to hide and read a book during the Find the Counselor game, and how late you could be and still get Chinese food from the grocery store.
Camp was an amazing experience and the only job I've ever had where I knew that's where I should be because I was really good at it.
I'll leave you with a saying from an old Camp Director
May the surf be at your back,
the moon light your way,
your swimsuit never creep up your behind &
your peanut butter always be moist.
Nanner aka Skeeter
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
A Retraction from the last Blog
I should know better that to try to write something after midnight, I'm old and tired!
1. Davy Crockett was born on a mountain top in Tennessee not Daniel Boone.
Daniel Boone was at the Alamo, which was a movie with John Wayne,
John Wayne was in The Quiet Man with Maureen O'hara
Maureen O'hara was in The Parent Trap with Hailey Mills
Hailey Mills was on TV in Saved by the Bell with Elizabeth Berkley
Elizabeth Berkley was in The First Wives Club with Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn was in Best Friends with Burt Renolds
Burt Renolds was in Striptease with Demi Moore
Demi Moore was in A Few Good Men with.......Kevin Bacon.
That was for my brother Spencer!
also I have one more random thing.....
26. I have no sense of smell...which makes changing diapers a perfect job!
I'll try to post before midnight next time so there won't need to be a retraction the next day.
Nanner
1. Davy Crockett was born on a mountain top in Tennessee not Daniel Boone.
Daniel Boone was at the Alamo, which was a movie with John Wayne,
John Wayne was in The Quiet Man with Maureen O'hara
Maureen O'hara was in The Parent Trap with Hailey Mills
Hailey Mills was on TV in Saved by the Bell with Elizabeth Berkley
Elizabeth Berkley was in The First Wives Club with Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn was in Best Friends with Burt Renolds
Burt Renolds was in Striptease with Demi Moore
Demi Moore was in A Few Good Men with.......Kevin Bacon.
That was for my brother Spencer!
also I have one more random thing.....
26. I have no sense of smell...which makes changing diapers a perfect job!
I'll try to post before midnight next time so there won't need to be a retraction the next day.
Nanner
Friday, February 13, 2009
25 Random Things
So, I have gotten on facebook. For those of you that don't know (Mom & Dad), its a social networking system via online. Which means that you can see what's going on from day to day in the lives of your friends and sometimes connect with old friends that you haven't seen in a while(like from high school).
On facebook there is a note going around that some friends have written titled 25 Random Things about me. I thought I might give it a shot on my blog(hope I can come up with 25 things, it might just be 12 random thing about me by the end).
1. I was born on a mountain top in Tennessee..? Oh wait, that was Daniel Boone not me. I was born in Coos Bay, Oregon.
2. I used to race cars..? No wait I just drive too fast
3. My first real job with a W-2 and everything was in a lumber mill..? That one is really true, it just didn't last to long. .
4. I play the drums..not so much anymore but I did for a long time.
5. I love my job.....I'm a preschool teacher and if I didn't love it I'd be toast.
6. I have several collections including...Star Wars, baseballs, Nancy Drew books, turtles and playing cards...weird stuff that doesn't really all go together.
7. I LOVE Baseball...if I won the lottery my first summer would be visiting every ball park in the MLB!
8. I cry alot...sometimes if I'm happy, I cry sometimes if I'm sad, I cry sometimes if I watch a hallmark commerical on TV, I cry and sometimes I cry for no reason at all.
9. My first car was a 1970 Chevy Chevelle.....2 door, no AC, black and fast. See #2
10. I had a great childhood....it was like the movie "My Big Fat Greek Weeding" but it would be called "My Big Fat Redneck Family". Not redneck in a bad way, just lots of family all around and a fun night is staying in and listening to old stories about your folks and their childhood.
11. I grew up on an old farm...which means that we had a barn and some small fields surrounded by lots of trees and streams.
12. I still miss my Grandma Julie.
13. I'm a very likable person and all kids(except one) like me and think I'm lots of fun......you know who you are Aidan.
14. Lynn thinks I'm good at my job because I work with 2 year olds and she says that its my peer group.
15. I really wanted to be a writer.
16. I really wanted to be an Olympic Gold Medalist....I have no idea for what but always wanted to stand on the podium and hear the National Anthem (See #8, I'm tearing up thinking about it)
17. I love to try to make Lynn laugh...I like making other people laugh too, but I love to hear Lynn's laugh.
18. I'm really bad at housework...I'll do it when I have to, but try to just step over and ignore it if I can. Sorry Lynn.
19. I had my first ATV at 6 years old and a motorcycle at about 9(See #10).
20. I really didn't think I was going to be able to find so many things.
21. I wish I would have learned how to play the Piano as a child, not that you could have gotten me to do it then.
22. I love my parents and my brothers and I don't tell them that enough.
23. I subscribe to only one magazine.....Cabin Life....I don't own a cabin, but would like to some day.
24. I like growing older and learning more and more things, I just wish my knees could keep up.
25. I LOVE growing older with Lynn.
So there are 25 funny, sad, memories, thoughts and afterthoughts about myself.
Let me leave you with a Thought of the Day
Mushrooms are just a fungus.....like athletes foot!
Think about it.............Nanner
On facebook there is a note going around that some friends have written titled 25 Random Things about me. I thought I might give it a shot on my blog(hope I can come up with 25 things, it might just be 12 random thing about me by the end).
1. I was born on a mountain top in Tennessee..? Oh wait, that was Daniel Boone not me. I was born in Coos Bay, Oregon.
2. I used to race cars..? No wait I just drive too fast
3. My first real job with a W-2 and everything was in a lumber mill..? That one is really true, it just didn't last to long. .
4. I play the drums..not so much anymore but I did for a long time.
5. I love my job.....I'm a preschool teacher and if I didn't love it I'd be toast.
6. I have several collections including...Star Wars, baseballs, Nancy Drew books, turtles and playing cards...weird stuff that doesn't really all go together.
7. I LOVE Baseball...if I won the lottery my first summer would be visiting every ball park in the MLB!
8. I cry alot...sometimes if I'm happy, I cry sometimes if I'm sad, I cry sometimes if I watch a hallmark commerical on TV, I cry and sometimes I cry for no reason at all.
9. My first car was a 1970 Chevy Chevelle.....2 door, no AC, black and fast. See #2
10. I had a great childhood....it was like the movie "My Big Fat Greek Weeding" but it would be called "My Big Fat Redneck Family". Not redneck in a bad way, just lots of family all around and a fun night is staying in and listening to old stories about your folks and their childhood.
11. I grew up on an old farm...which means that we had a barn and some small fields surrounded by lots of trees and streams.
12. I still miss my Grandma Julie.
13. I'm a very likable person and all kids(except one) like me and think I'm lots of fun......you know who you are Aidan.
14. Lynn thinks I'm good at my job because I work with 2 year olds and she says that its my peer group.
15. I really wanted to be a writer.
16. I really wanted to be an Olympic Gold Medalist....I have no idea for what but always wanted to stand on the podium and hear the National Anthem (See #8, I'm tearing up thinking about it)
17. I love to try to make Lynn laugh...I like making other people laugh too, but I love to hear Lynn's laugh.
18. I'm really bad at housework...I'll do it when I have to, but try to just step over and ignore it if I can. Sorry Lynn.
19. I had my first ATV at 6 years old and a motorcycle at about 9(See #10).
20. I really didn't think I was going to be able to find so many things.
21. I wish I would have learned how to play the Piano as a child, not that you could have gotten me to do it then.
22. I love my parents and my brothers and I don't tell them that enough.
23. I subscribe to only one magazine.....Cabin Life....I don't own a cabin, but would like to some day.
24. I like growing older and learning more and more things, I just wish my knees could keep up.
25. I LOVE growing older with Lynn.
So there are 25 funny, sad, memories, thoughts and afterthoughts about myself.
Let me leave you with a Thought of the Day
Mushrooms are just a fungus.....like athletes foot!
Think about it.............Nanner
Saturday, January 31, 2009
SUPER BOWL
OK, so its the night before the big game. There is still so much to do..........
1. finish all the chores so there are no interruptions
2. pre make some meals....so there are no interruptions
3. make sure the comfy clothes are clean
4. buy beer.....in CT you cannot buy beer on Sunday
I don't get it either
5. get to the store for necessitites.....chips.....dip......cheese......meat snacks.....
6. make sure the cable bill is paid
7. get a good nights sleep because even though the game starts at 6:15(EST)
the pregame begins at 9am with the Today Show.
For those of you who don't DO math that's 9 hours of pregame before the game starts so you're looking at about 13 or 14 hours of TV.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Nanner
1. finish all the chores so there are no interruptions
2. pre make some meals....so there are no interruptions
3. make sure the comfy clothes are clean
4. buy beer.....in CT you cannot buy beer on Sunday
I don't get it either
5. get to the store for necessitites.....chips.....dip......cheese......meat snacks.....
6. make sure the cable bill is paid
7. get a good nights sleep because even though the game starts at 6:15(EST)
the pregame begins at 9am with the Today Show.
For those of you who don't DO math that's 9 hours of pregame before the game starts so you're looking at about 13 or 14 hours of TV.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Nanner
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Getting my ducks in a row!
So the holiday season is behind us with all the gifts sent and opened....we are off the open road.... a new year is upon us and the Christmas cards have finally been sent!
Both Lynn and I have had our birthdays(Lynn's was Monday the 5th and mine was Saturday the 10th) so that is done. We have already been scrapbooking in the new year and the first babysitting jobs are next weekend for us both.
Now the only thing left to do is...........PUT THE CHRISTMAS STUFF AWAY!!!!!!! Oh man how can two people collect so much crap oh,,no.. I mean treasures. We have had to shovel the driveway 3 times since new years day and we just haven't had the energy to bring up all the boxes from the basement and get the tree taken down and all the knick knacks put away. Then the several follow up trips to the basement for the decorations that we missed the first, second, or even third time we sweep the rooms for everything.
But with the New Year comes all the promises for a new you and not falling into old habits and keeping on top of your life in general, but I think having your Christmas decorations up until Valentine's Day kinda blows all that out of the water.
I should get going and clean off my desk and put the clothes away or maybe just have another piece of birthday cake and look at my treadmill......
but at least tomorrow is another day.
Nanner
Both Lynn and I have had our birthdays(Lynn's was Monday the 5th and mine was Saturday the 10th) so that is done. We have already been scrapbooking in the new year and the first babysitting jobs are next weekend for us both.
Now the only thing left to do is...........PUT THE CHRISTMAS STUFF AWAY!!!!!!! Oh man how can two people collect so much crap oh,,no.. I mean treasures. We have had to shovel the driveway 3 times since new years day and we just haven't had the energy to bring up all the boxes from the basement and get the tree taken down and all the knick knacks put away. Then the several follow up trips to the basement for the decorations that we missed the first, second, or even third time we sweep the rooms for everything.
But with the New Year comes all the promises for a new you and not falling into old habits and keeping on top of your life in general, but I think having your Christmas decorations up until Valentine's Day kinda blows all that out of the water.
I should get going and clean off my desk and put the clothes away or maybe just have another piece of birthday cake and look at my treadmill......
but at least tomorrow is another day.
Nanner
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Tomato Saga
Let me share with ya'll the saga of Lynn's tomatoes......
Lynn has this tomato plant that she has tried to grow tomatoes on for a couple of years now. We take it out in the summer and to the front porch in the spring and fall and to the upstairs bedroom in the winter. We wrap it in blankets to keep it warm and still it doesn't grow.
Well all that changed this year. Lynn got two(little) tomatoes to grow on it this year. She was so proud, we had to talk and encourage the little guys to grow. I had to help do this too. We had to go and praise the little guys to keep them going strong.
Finally, they were as big as they were going to get so it was time to pick them off the tree so we could stare at them on the counter top for a few weeks.
So on New Year's Eve we had salads with our dinner and Lynn finally ate her tomatoes and they were delicious.
I can hardly wait until next year and we can start the whole experience again. I really enjoy having to go and talk and praise the tomatoes and I don't even LIKE tomatoes!
Lynn has this tomato plant that she has tried to grow tomatoes on for a couple of years now. We take it out in the summer and to the front porch in the spring and fall and to the upstairs bedroom in the winter. We wrap it in blankets to keep it warm and still it doesn't grow.
Well all that changed this year. Lynn got two(little) tomatoes to grow on it this year. She was so proud, we had to talk and encourage the little guys to grow. I had to help do this too. We had to go and praise the little guys to keep them going strong.
Finally, they were as big as they were going to get so it was time to pick them off the tree so we could stare at them on the counter top for a few weeks.
So on New Year's Eve we had salads with our dinner and Lynn finally ate her tomatoes and they were delicious.
I can hardly wait until next year and we can start the whole experience again. I really enjoy having to go and talk and praise the tomatoes and I don't even LIKE tomatoes!Nanner
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
So, you want all the details of the party girls night on New Year's Eve? Let me tell you it was a rip roarin' time. Lynn and I spent time preparing for New Years Eve by taking a nap in the afternoon(my school was let out early due to a snow storm that hit yesterday).
So after the nap we had a great dinner(Lynn made steaks on the grill) then we hunkered down on the couch and watched TV in our jammies until the ball dropped at Times Square then we went to bed.......WOO HOO do we know how to party or what!
The storm got really bad with fresh snow and below zero wind chills so we didn't venture out at all once we got home. It was a really nice night all cozy inside hearing the wind howling outside, the only thing better would have been if we had a fire place, but we have had 2 friends with fireplaces have squirrels come in this year.
One of my directors had a flying squirrel come in on Christmas day and reek havoc in their tree and then it hid from them until they were eating and out he came again. Her brother finally put on some mitts and got him outside. Two of her three sons were alternately terrified and amused.
So maybe a fireplace is not the best idea.
I hope everyone has had a very safe and happy holiday.....oops I almost forgot........Happy Birthday yesterday to our friend Bevie....usually were get to spend some time at her house playing cards, but it was just too stormy......
I hope you all get just what you want out of the new year.
Nanner
So after the nap we had a great dinner(Lynn made steaks on the grill) then we hunkered down on the couch and watched TV in our jammies until the ball dropped at Times Square then we went to bed.......WOO HOO do we know how to party or what!
The storm got really bad with fresh snow and below zero wind chills so we didn't venture out at all once we got home. It was a really nice night all cozy inside hearing the wind howling outside, the only thing better would have been if we had a fire place, but we have had 2 friends with fireplaces have squirrels come in this year.
One of my directors had a flying squirrel come in on Christmas day and reek havoc in their tree and then it hid from them until they were eating and out he came again. Her brother finally put on some mitts and got him outside. Two of her three sons were alternately terrified and amused.
So maybe a fireplace is not the best idea.
I hope everyone has had a very safe and happy holiday.....oops I almost forgot........Happy Birthday yesterday to our friend Bevie....usually were get to spend some time at her house playing cards, but it was just too stormy......
I hope you all get just what you want out of the new year.
Nanner
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
