Heading to Camp!

Today I am packing. I'll spend two weeks with my husband and kids, and with my parents at our family's camp on the lake. Although I am going to keep writing each day, I will be "unplugged" and won't be posting to my blog until I get back into town on occasion. Still, by December 28th, 2011, I do hope to have stuck to my goal of having 365 posts in 365 days. For today's post, I thought I'd share some of what I LOVE about being at camp.

Knowing that I could be here all day otherwise, I'll start with a list of 43 items, one for each summer I have spent at camp. As I make this list, however, I give myself the option to come back and add more later...

1. The lake. Waking up each morning, coming out to the front of the camp and seeing water.
2. The mountain. Although it's hidden by clouds some days, there's nothing more beautiful than the majestic view of Katahdin.
3. Morning hugs from Mom and Dad. Seriously?! How lucky am I to have both of my parents, now in their 80s, lovingly greeting me each day?
4. Dad (aka Grampy) making us blueberry pancakes some mornings, and always pretending to have dropped mine on the floor.
5. Having the biggest decision of the day being which bathing suit to wear.
6. Going for morning walks/runs on the camp road and waving to neighbors as they pass by.
7. Visiting "Frog Cemetery" and placing a few wild flowers on the gravesite.
8. Skipping rocks at the causeway and taking pictures of the birch trees there.
9. Hearing the click of the swing, one of Emma's favorite spots.
10. Watching Paul climb the big rocks.
11. Snuggling up on the couch to read.
12. Playing board games at the kitchen table.
13. Challenging Dad to games of cribbage.
14. Trips to town to attend Mass and seeing people you know from way back when across the church.
15. Kayaking--in the morning, in the bright afternoon sun, at sunset.
16. The sunsets.
17. Realizing other family have arrived for a few hours' visit. Entertaining nieces and nephews, big and small.
18. Talking with my brother John and enjoying his teasing.
19. Taking the back path to the "other dock" to visit the boat.
20. Going on a boat ride with Dad and/or Eric to the lake store to buy ice cream or bringing the kids to the rope swing!
21. Visiting the Boom House.
22. Exploring islands with the kids.
23. Swimming...every day.
24. Making s'mores at camp fires on the beach.
25. Reliving my adventures with "THE BAT".
26. Laughing and giggling with Mom.
27. Slathering on lotion and going to bed after a full day in the sun.
28. Thunderstorms!!
29. Visiting the graves of Scamp and Henry.
30. Hiking in Baxter State Park.
31. Taking an evening to get dressed up and heading out to dinner at the old "Big Moose Inn".
32. Finding an old sweatshirt in a drawer of "camp clothes" to wear on a chilly day.
33. Watching Eric and Dad take on a project together.
34. Making dinner and baking desserts in the tiny oven that is at eye level.
35. Seeing all the furniture, books, and other accessories that have been at camp since my childhood.
36. The creak of its door and the warmth of the pot bellied Franklin stove on chilly mornings.
37. Having a childhood friend bring her family to camp, seeing the kids enjoying it as we always used to, and stopping to realize how quickly time goes by.
38. Counting ducklings.
39. Getting so close to a loon in a quiet kayak that you swear it's going to let you pat its head.
40. Hanging laundry on the big clothesline out back and hoping you won't break the line.
41. Seeing planes fly over head and wondering if that's Bruce or Jeff.
42. Playing horse shoes with Dad and twilight games of wiffle ball with the kids.
43. Grabbing a towel and a book or magazine and.... BEING ON THE DOCK.