Rain, rain, go away...

36 hours later, and it's still raining on and off. Just got back from Coffee House, a talent show put together by staff and campers to celebrate the final night of family camp. Lower Iawah (the all-purpose room of the main lodge) got a fancy makeover with tablecloths, candles and full service!The show was really good, the artists amazing (including a fantastic rendition of "it's not easy being green") and thus was a great way to unwind after a long hard day - and big kudos to the kitchen staff for the rhubarb pie and strawberry milkshakes!

Now, to pick up where i left off yesterday! Archery did go ahead after all, as it was only drizzling and not fully pouring. I only got a few archers though - including a family who really got into it. The kids and father fully encouraged their mother/wife to give it a try, then after clumsily handling the bow and taking a minute to load the arrow - she shot three bulleyes with her first three arrows, including one right through the x in the very middle of the target! Crazy talent! Needless to say she got a standing ovation from all present.

A few other highlights from yesterday...

• Skipping my free time to play soccer and ping-pong with the only kid who didn't want to go on the voyageur canoe excursion in the evening;
• Skipping more free time to break out paper and crayons during the kids' snack time. The kids loved the added arts time and drew many masterpieces! One drawing in particular made me stop and really think. The artist was a young girl of around 12 years old. She had drawn a cross at sunset, with Jesus' nails in it. The caption written in cursive across the sky read: "He's the only man I'll ever need". It was a very humbling moment, knowing that this girl, at so young an age, had grasped a truth that so many, including myself, are struggling to get to.
• On a lighter note, licking vanilla icing off the giant industrial kitchen mixer beater (the thing is the size of my head) was pretty darn amazing!

And a few notable moments from today:

• Dragged myself out of bed at 6:45 am as I had a kitchen dishes shift this morning. The silver lining was getting to eat the extra cheesecake chocolate that the kitchen made!
• Archery went on... and everyone got very wet. By everyone... I mean me, and the million mosquitoes buzzing about. Thankfully, I got to close shop early as only two people came by during the first 15 minutes, before it started pouring.
• Runner-up for best moment of the day: checking my e-mail, reading a really sweet one from lovely Peter, and finding out that James is coming to visit on Sunday!!! It totally gave me the burst of energy I needed to get through double cleaning shift tomorrow.
• Best moment of the day: the indoor campfire in the gym, and running and dancing and acting and doing silly songs with the kids. Absolutely fantastic.

So this is it, dying moments of my first real full camp week. The families will be leaving shortly after breakfast tomorrow. It's weird how much we got to know people in three short days, and I'll be a bit sad to see them go - but i still have 8 whole weeks to go in this magical place called Iawah!

Off to bed!

Flick

PS. Thanks to the wonderful, lovely, talented, creative Jaclyn for letting me use her laptop! You rock, and room 1 won't be the same when you move out this weekend!