Day 1 Canoe to private beach for campout

HA!! Go Matt!!! We got our own private beach!

Yummmm

BBQ chips anyone?

As I lay me down to sleep, I heard someone say that Ken had sent home pics of our musical hoopla...so I thought I'd explain before u think too much of me.

Understand this: I teach piano so everyone thinks I play too, which I don't. I mean I could... years ago...... rather badly .......... now I fake it. Isn't that what teachers and coaches do? Talk the talk?

Anyway,when Ken told me about the staff Monday Music nite, I thought, Campfire Sing Along, guitars, Kumbaya...yay! I'm in!

Then he led me over to this big room w a piano at one end. The guitar player sees me and says, Good, r u the piano player?......who ME?! Not me! What has Ken gotten me into???

Well when Jordan gave me those puppy dog eyes, how could I let him down? Specially after he had just snuck my swim cloths into the StaffOnly dryer.

So I gathered up the same courage it took for me to pass that death-defying SwimTest, and sat down at those pearlies and thought, Do it for the boys, Girl! And I did.

Amazing to think that 6 beginning harmonica players HeeHaw-ing their way thu the banjo version of Over the Rainbow, Elton's Rocketman, Jet Plane and more (I drew the line at The Entertainer)...accompanied by this old lady plinka-plunkin' along...could actually sound good! But we pulled it off!

It was Ryan the guitar player who saved us all and we had a great time together! By the end of the nite, we were marveling at our incredible talent. "We should do this EVERY nite!" I thought I could hear the howling dogs on the mainland sounding off in agreement....

Day 1 continued

After a day of swim testing, shivering, canoeing, and more swimming, and more shivering...we're on our way to a special hike and bbq pit-in-the sand dinner on the beach. Yummmmm

And for me it means I get to be served...again! I'm so glad I came! Hehe

Emerald Bay - Day 1

A picture says a million words, or a million words paints a picture! Yes! Way to go, Donna!

I can't tell u how many times I heard from Ken, "Don't b a mom." Even at the end of Matt's prep mtg, he says, "Mr Gamble told me tell u adults not to say things like Did u put on ur sunscreen and Go brush ur teeth...that's MY job!"

I didn't know it carried over into comedy restrictions, too. 3 times now I've made a joke or commented on something funny and the boys have responded w, "that's what we just said."...Ok,ok, just pretend I'm not here! I get it, adults should b seen and not heard.

Seriously, tho...I'm being WELL taken care of. I got my own tent, about half a block away from the boys...should I be insulted? I'm not, closer to the potty! YES!

And Jordan hooked me up w a double mattress and access to the secret chocolate stash. Shhhh! AND I got breakfast in bed and a morning nap! I'm telling u moms, this is the life!

DONNA REPORTS...

Ahh yes, solid ground at last! I did so well almost until we reached the island.
The ups and downs, the ocean sprays, the seals, the ups and downs and side to sides, the brigatta of beautiful sailing vessels passing by.

The scout who hocked a big loogie right past my face and I had to watch this thing hover, trance-like in mid-air before sailing off into the deep...

The ups and downs and side to sides and swaying...oh the swaying...uh oh...one more up and it aint staying down any longer!!

But we're here now and I'm only swaying a little. Isn't that called the sailers swagger?

All I can say is Priscilla, I never tasted a better sandwich...the first time. U still owe me! Haha

ON THE WAY TO CAMP EMERALD BAY!

News Flash!

Ken called to tell me about the day the guys had yesterday. Apparently the stopping point was at Harlan Camp, where they did Shotgun loading and reloading, which involved putting their own powder into shells, loading the gun and then shooting the clay pigeon. And the second event was burro racing, in which one of the scouts would pull the lead rope on the burro and the rest of the crew would run behind the burro, chasing it along a planned out course. He sounded like it was really great. 6 burros, 12 crews! Ken only got one video of the shooting but he thinks that Z got some great pics of the burro race. He says their spirits are high and getting along pretty well. Griffin, he reports, did a great job in giving the crew the overview for the next day and made his Dad proud!

The Pics keep coming!

Hike Day 2