quiet Sunday

Even though the campers get to sleep in an hour today, I was up before 6am and decided to come sit on the dining hall porch and listen to the sounds of the birds, the water dripping off the wet leaves onto the tin roof, and listen to the quiet chatter in the kitchen.

It rained last night, so I got to hear my absolute favorite sound in the world. If you've ever known me, that has been my answer for decades...rain on a tin roof. That really makes all the camp memories rush back to times in the cabin with everyone, rainy day skits, Miss Monterey pageant, damp clothes that never seem to dry quickly enough, dirt and leaves clinging to your ankles and feet as you walk down the path, shaking the trees when someone least expects it, the stillness on the lake, water that has collected in the canoes that will have to be unloaded, bringing something to sit on at church so your white shorts don't get dirty, and an all around dampness. Remember those days? Church was lovely outside. It was a sea of white and braided hair.

Later after dinner, it was unit vespers time. I chose to go with the Sunshine Gang since I'd gone on a campout with them Thursday night. The girls talked about their gifts and about the gifts of their bunk mates. It was fantastic encouragement and a lovely view sitting on the dam watching the sunset and the mist starting to settle on top of the lake. What was your favorite vespers?

scum of the lake

Gettting all my breakfast duties caught up quickly, I was able to take almost a 2 hour break before I had to be back in the dining hall. What better way to spend the break but in the water! With my newly purchased black swimsuit (that would camoflauge the Obey orange and the brown lake scum), I headed for the dock, checked in, set my timer and started swimming laps! Fifty-two laps later, I finished. Refreshing.

I felt like I was a JC again when I was outside the swimming area and just beyond the rafts. I was mezmerized before I started at how great the water felt, how young I felt again, how the campers were sailing around and doing endurance and landings, and I just couldn't wait to partake. This must feel what someone sober feels like when they suddenly binge. I was binging on the whole scene. It was heavenly!

I instantly got into my Monterey form, concentrating on my strokes (just in case the younger swimmers were sizing me up), and moving at a constant speed. I loved being eye level with the scum of the lake, the freeboards of the canoes, and turning over and watching the clouds float by. Can anyone relate?

The summer breeze has been steady. It allows the sailors to do more than drift slightly. For canoers, it keeps them cool but poses a little challenge for the bows. But it sure made for a wonderful swim. I could remember practicing strokes, surface dives, standing front dives, back flips, greased watermelon, Marco Polo, buddy tags, lifeguard training, swim meets, water pageant, canoe races, endurance, man overboard and capsizing the boats, and the sound of paddles hitting the gunwales of the canoes during rest hour when the older campers would be allowed to do their endurance occasionally.

All those things are still the same. The spirit of Monterey will NEVER be broken.

senior volleyball

Dinner at 6pm tonight and the campers come dressed in their team colors. A sea of greens, blues and yellows bring to life the dining hall. The anticipation of senior volleyball is in the air. And to speed dinner and dishwashing up, Friday nights have become pizza night. Yep, pizza, made on foccachia rounds, topped with meat, veggies or pesto. These were served with the salad bar and everything on paper plates so the clean up would be quicker.

Once dinner was over, the campers hustled up to the courts to line them with the lime. The lines were done on a curve that followed previous years. The same poles housed the low and droopy net, so it was a haven for anyone who really wanted to spike the ball.

The teams cheered while their players warmed up. The sponsors scrambled to find a referee. Since no one stepped up to take the challenge, I was more than glad to take it. I grabbed a whistle, got up on the ladder and took charge.

Each team won a game, but it was the Nolichuckies that prevailed in the last game by a score of 15-1. The buddy songs followed. And everyone had a great time. Good memories in the making.

within the walls of dining hall

It's Friday morning and half the camp (pee wees and juniors) are out for breakfast. The set up this morning is simple. The menu includes cereal, eggs, bacon, grits, oatmeal & toppings, strawberries, yogurt & waffles.

There are four full time kitchen staff who stay at camp. Three are from the Mennonite community. And if you know the foods and desserts the Mennonites can cook, Camp Monterey is fortunated enough to get some of that cooking.

There is not too much waste here. Food scraps are put into a bucket for the farmers nearby with pigs. Plastic milk jugs, yogurt containers and other usable storage containers are resued for campouts, parties, crafts, toiletries or however else someone can think to use them.

The tables are set with "newer" Oneida type plates that have slowly replaced the awesome mismatched heavy stoneware from the old camp. Even the cool metal pitchers have been replace since they lost their ablity to sit on the table in an upright manner or they were simply falling apart. Remember how they would sweat on the table at lunchtime? Even the silverware count is dwindling, so occasionally plastic utensils will be pulled out. Remember crawling under the dining hall to find silverware? Cheryl or Rosa would reward you with a cold dessert on a stick! The tables remain the same and all the benches are holding up like they were made of steel. Even Miss Dollie's clacker gets daily use.

Remember setting the tables, putting the hot food on, then turning a plate over and covering the food? That practice is still in function. It's amazing all the things that haven't changed, but there have been gradual upgrades sporatically. It's still a place you could come, sit down, start singing songs, and know the predictability of the schedule of events. This place is truly frozen in time. It's quite lovely.

letters from the lake

I am here one week before the meets begin. I have a 2 hour break after breakfast, so I decided to come down to my favorite place in camp--the lake! Here I sit with one eye on the swimming area and one on the canoe dock. Most of my camp free time were spent in these two areas.

The swimmers are practicing their standing front dives, racing starts, pointing their toes during surface dives, and the lake is embracing the scum that is skimming on top of it. It's the most beautiful sight.

Off to my right, the canoe dock is working with sterns and stars. A lone canoer is standing up in the midship of the canoe with life jacket on, bent over, and doing stand up paddle. Luckily for her, it is a calm morning on the lake.

Over by the figure 8 poles, two solo canoers are set up for skulling but seem to be practicing figure eights. Did we do that?

The trees now give great shade in the morning for the staff and campers, but it beats down on the sterns of the canoes. These are what Monterey memories are all about.

The sailing dock is off in the distance. The sunfish sails are up. A pram with two pee wees is planted in the middle of the lake. And the viper, the queen of the fleet, manages to glide through the lake with the slightest breeze.

As the sailboats struggle to get in, the second bell rings! The familiar sounds of camp, crickets in the trees, breeze in the maple and oak trees, chatter of the campers getting to their classes, dropping of the toilet seats at the Freds and the familiar sound of flip flops on the well worn paths, bring such happy memories back, as if I'd never been gone since 1994. Life is good. And it's only my first day back!

off to the Obey & camping out

Rest hour is just about over. Since I am kitchen staff, Thursday afternoons and evening are a designated time off. However, since my time here is short and precious, I asked if I could drive separately and attend a campout. So I was approved to go and was assigned to the Sunshine Gang and their trip to the Obey River and the Shelters. Hard ground, hot dogs, and talking all night, here I come.

The shelter campsite is beautiful and open. An old wagon stays on site with a tarp over it. This became instant housing for all the bedding until it was time to sleep. Once everyone was unloaded, the hike down the hill to the Obey commenced. A total of 20 campers and staff made the trek down the path to the water. There we did a short walk downstream and found a good swimming hole and shallow spot for skipping rocks. Watching the campers play and hearing them laugh brought a genuine happiness to my eyes and a sense of joy overcame me. I just wanted to be part of that again. So in I went and enjoyed socializing with everyone.

When the water time was over, not a soul was hurt and no one had orange, iron stains on themselves or their clothing. It was time to hike back up the hill and start looking for firewood and hot dog sticks.

Tonight's menu: hot dogs, pbj, potato chips, fruit and s'mores. Camping out this way is awesome! And it's usually the only time I eat this combination. Although I didn't stay for breakfast because I had a job to do, this is what they had to eat: hard boiled eggs, cereal, fruit, & yogurt.

The sun has set. The dew is starting to collect in the field. The campers begin setting their ground covers and sleeping bags up under the summer sky. The campsite is illuminated by the glowing campfire and the accumulation of fireflies. The girls set up their sleeping bags in groups so they can talk well into the evening. Laughter and chatter fills the air.

campfire

Some things never change, thank God! From the days that events are held, Wednesday night will always be campfire to me.

Waiting for the sun to go down, the bell ringing, everyone gathering at the flagpole, and walking down together singing, "Monterey Here's Our Promise", were such a part of my life for over 20 years that I just blended right in.

It was fun to observe everyone at the flagpole. Campers congregated. Staff socialized. Long sleeved shirts and sweats would keep you warm when the sun went down and they kept the bugs away.

Here's a list of things I jotted down during campfire. I thought it would bring a smile to many faces. Please feel free and add to the list of your memories: Nolichuckies, Wataguas, huge circle, plastic shorts, lightening bugs, frogs and bull frogs from the bog, friendship circle, good housekeeping dolls, tidy table award, progress awards, unit spirits, Maid of Monterey, good night song, Big Dipper & Little Dipper, shooting stars, dew on the grass, yellow lights in the outhouses, and the embers fading away.

I love, love seeing Camp again in this stage of my life.

dining hall routine

I arrived at camp around 4:15, found my way to my cabin, and I set up the bed and my area in record time. Waiting in the cabin were 2 mattresses and a board to support them. I'm one of three cabins too with indoor plumbing. (However, I may have to sneak in a shower outside just so I can look up at the trees instead of the tin roof.) I think I was in the dining hall to begin working around 4:30. The second period bell rang shortly afterward.

For those of you who haven't been to camp in a decade or more, the piano is gone. Miss Dollie's clacker is still in use. The lights are kept off at lunchtime because of the heat. Two tables near the window are now put together and moved out into the dining hall where a buffet is set up for each meal.

Mornings consist of cereal, eggs, grits, oatmeal and toppings, fresh fruit,bacon, biscuits, sausage, milk, coffee, and yogurt! Lunches and dinners have a salad bar type spread with dressings & fresh fruit. The variety is very good and can easily fit into a dieter's plan.

Just today at lunch, I happened to look up on the wall, and there I spotted a picture of Rosa rolling out what looked like her biscuits. That really just put a smile on my face. And much of the kitchen is still arranged as it was when she, Johnny and Cheryl worked in the 70s. (I must call Cheryl.)

The campers have been singing their cabin songs, unit songs, familiar songs, and doing their

canoeing approvals in front of the camp. It's been rewarding and joyous being back!

The spirit of Monterey will never be broken. It lives on in campers who cherish her name. So keep all your memories of camp days at Monterey. For they will bring you joy and cheer through all the year!

new kid at camp

I got to thinking today that in two days, I will be attending Camp Monterey for the first time without my Mom, coming in after camp has started, working in the kitchen, and staying in Rosa and Johnny's cabin with women I don't know yet. Is this what it's like coming to camp and not knowing anyone?

I do have the advantage of knowing my way around the camp in the dark, having history, knowing how the schedule goes, etc. Do you remember your first day at camp?

From the time I remember, I always attended precamp. Precamp began on the Friday before the campers arrived. The staff would open up the camp, get their cabins cleaned out, work areas set up, have meetings, make work wheels & name tags, and be ready to go on Tuesday morning when the campers arrived. Now I will be one of the campers arriving and everything will be set and ready to go.

The Outback cabin, for those of you who haven't been to camp in decades, is the cabin behind the dining hall where Rosa, Johnny and Cheryl stayed. I am going to share a bit of history staying in there. What great memories of Rosa making the best biscuits in the world, Johnny sneaking me goodies, and Cheryl teasing me in a loving way. (I think I'll have to call Cheryl and tell her I'm sleeping in her old bed.) I hear the cabin has a shower and flush toilet in there instead of using the "Johns".

Remember all the extras you packed that were always left off the list? Here's my list for a 9 day stay: pillow, medium weight blanket, sheets, matress cover, 2 towels, 1 bathing suit, 24 shirts (3 per day working in kitchen), 18 shorts, socks, 2 pairs of tennis shoes, flip flops, flashlight, fan, 3 pjs, stationary, Taboo, toiletries, French press, Cuban espresso maker, espresso, vanilla bean coffee, hot sauce, camera, and laptop. I'm bringing the coffee stuff to share. I hear the staff can use laptops after 3rd bell!

Two more sleeps to go before I head into the woods. This will be my first time on staff since 1994. I was a unit leader for the Sunshine Gang then. Now I will be "senior staff". Wow.

clap and cheer

FRAGILE MOMENTS

Whenever I'm disappointed with my lot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in the play at his schoool. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.

On the day that the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.

"Guess what Mom!", he shouted. Amnd then he said those words that remained a lesson to me. "I've been chosen to clap and cheer!"





by Marie Guring

Memories of Monterey

The memories of Monterey will never be broken.

It lives on in campers who cherish her name.

So keep all your memories of camp days at Monterey,

For they will bring you joy and cheer through all the year.

the bathing suit

I'm not quite sure if it is a "written" law at camp, but since I can remember, it has always been a camp of modesty and the one-piece bathing suit. Thank goodness for that. Suits are so creative to this day, from floral print to groovy to the skirt with skirt cover up.

At age 42, I'm just not ready for the bathing skirt. But I bet you when my mom was my age, she was wearing one. But great memories of past staff come to my mind when I think of the bathing skirt: Marge Rios, Peggy Bernhart, Nursie Jan, Mother Goof and Bonnie Hobden. None wore those any better than they. What sweet memories. They were bathing beauties. Who do you remember in the bathing skort?

So ladies, when it comes to picking out a suit, have fun and make great camp memories! And if you're one of the lucky ones, you'll find one in your team color! The only luck I had with this one was that I bought it mid summer and it was half off the clearance price. That's something to smile about!

Memories from Yancy Parks:I just remember not to bring a bathing suit with any light coloring because the lake scum would turn any light parts brown. And you had to bring a extra "Obey Suit" (and shoes) that you know you wouldn't even bring back home. All the Obey Suits had rust stains all over the bottoms. I can taste that lemony water all over again.

the phone call

It was 7.20.11 in the afternoon when I got the call from Keith, the camp director. Although I was not needed for the summer originally, a call came that afternoon inviting me to come work for a week in the kitchen. There was going to be a gap that needed to be filled, and I got the call.

Although a week's notice is quick, these dates actually worked out fine. My mom stepped up to the plate to watch my 2.5 year old, Lucy, who was too young to attend the camp (without any hired childcare). While mom would watch during the week, my husband would watch her some nights and on the weekend. My hopes of attending camp once more were becoming a reality. And my husband was even getting excited watching the joy overcome me.

Now let the packing begin! It's time to get together t-shirts, shorts, some comfy shoes, bedding and a swimsuit, and by golly, I'll be out of here next week!

Monterey Here's Our Promise

Monterey here's our promise to be loyal and true.
For we shall never forget, all we have found through you.
Nights that we spent by the campfire, watching the embers fade away.
Then we'll recall, days we loved best of all,
When we were at Monterey!

What song reminds you of the days of camp nearing?