NEW JERSEY - CHERRY HILL

Today Ruthie treated me to a pedicure. I have never had one before and after camp and how it kind of trashes your feet (the rain and living in thongs is not so great for the condition of your feet) it was lovely.

Here is a lovely shot of them!

NEW JERSEY - CHERRY HILL

Today was another lazy, relaxing day.

We eventually got out of our pj's, went to T.J Max so Ruthie could return some stuff, to a few local supermarkets and a car rental place to try and check out the size of what I need to hire for 4 of us to do our East coast trip (no much luck though).

Then we drove to pick up Rose from a friends house and came back for a yummy sushi dinner with everyone including Ruthie's stepdaughter Jessie.

This is a photo of the front of Ruthie's house.

NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA

Today we all went into Philadelphia to do some touristy things.

First of all we saw the Liberty Bell (google it - much simpler than me explaining, or rather I am jut being lazy, or both), had some lunch and then did a tour of Independence Hall. Mike is a retired American history teacher so he is a veritable font of information which is great!

We also walked through Old City which was really pretty (the people who work there dress in traditional clothes - man they must have been hot as the weather at the moment is really warm) and a quick stop via the Benjamin Franklin post office where apparently you can get mail stamped and posted for free.

Interesting fact that I learnt today - John Hancock was one of the men to sign the Declaration of Independence - hence the term "your John Hancock" in regards to signing things.

Great Benjamin Franklin quote that I love - "Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." Although for some of us that's maybe what we did and it wasn't such a great idea.

Funny though.

Ruthie also took me to a Zumba (pronounced like Pumba from the Lion King only with a Z) class at her gym today. It's like Latin dancing meets aerobics. I was kind of unco at it - no sooner had I worked out the step the teacher was doing (well okay - I didn't always work it out) than she was onto another one.

Fun though despite my uncoordinated efforts.

One more little step towards shedding those cookie dough kilos!

NEW JERSEY - CHERRY HILL

Today we just hung out at home which was nice and relaxing.

As I told Ruthie - I don't need to be entertained 24 hours a day.

So I re-designed her ensuite/wir instead. Well actually she designed it and I refined it which she seems pretty happy with. As much as I am happy to not be working I really enjoyed doing that. We then went to the bathroom people to pick out the vanity cabinets and the top.

And then we started talking about the layout of her house and different ways to set up furniture.

I know that if Joyce is reading this she will be thinking "Typical of Trace to be moving furniture." I do it at her house (only if she agrees of course - or her husband agrees and we try and talk her into it) and it kind of drives her nuts.

But it was Ruthie's idea - I just put my two cents in and we both seemed to be on the same wave length. We have yet to convince her husband but it's only furniture and easy enough to move back if they don't like it.

But it was fun.

Sad really, the kind of things I get excited about.

NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA

Although Sybil lives in New Jersey they are really close to the Pennsylvania border so today we drove into Philadelphia and went to a place called Wissahickon which is in a National Park (I think, or maybe not) and did a hike (it was flat so I managed really well) along a trail which was next to a river. It was a really beautiful place with lots of people doing the same thing or riding their bikes through there.

We ended up at the Valley Green Inn where we had a late lunch and then walked back. It was a much longer walk than Ruthie thought but their two dogs (Molly and Buddy) who came with us really enjoyed it and had the walk of their lives that day.

Hopefully I worked off a bit of the cookie dough ice cream I ate quite a bit of in Vermont.

NEW YORK TO NEW JERSEY

Today we met up with Sybil (aka Ruthie - or maybe it should be the other way around as her real name is Sybil but Fiona and I think she is a Ruthie) and her daughter Julia who are the other friends I made in China in 2007. We wanted Kiki to come to lunch too but she is really shy and just didn't want to go. The best I could get out of her when I asked her to come with us was "I don't know."

Which was an improvement on no.

Anyway she didn't so Fiona and I met them in Chinatown (very fitting we thought) for lunch and then walked around talking and went to a huge popular Asian shop. We were reminiscing about China and wishing that our friend Ingrid from Holland was there too. We decided to buy her a gift to send so she knew we were thinking of her. I looked up my diary to see if I knew what year she was born so we could get something for that (I am year of the Rat - doesn't sound so great does it?) and realised that it was her birthday today.

A lot of people would just pass that off as a coincidence. But how rare a coincidence that the first time in two years that Fiona, Ruthie, Julia and I have been together and it was Ingrid's birthday (the only one of us not there)???

We all think it means something.

Not sure what.

But something.

So we had lots of fun shopping for Ingrid and then went back to Fiona's so Ruthie and Julia could meet Kiki and her husband Bob.

Then Ruthie, Julia and I drove to there home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey where I met her other daughter Rose and her husband Mike.

CAPE COD TO NEW YORK

We (sadly) left the Cape early in the morning before most people were up as we had to get the car back and then catch a bus to New York. I took a wrong turn (a combination of me not being great at reversing the directions we took on the way down and the noise from having the roof down meaning I couldn't hear Amy and Holly's directions properly - they both seemed to be saying something different but it could have just been because I couldn't hear them).

But we made it on time, caught the shuttle bus to the train and then changed a few times to get out at the station where we needed to catch the MegaBus to New York.

We grabbed some Dunkin Donuts (which Holly and I are slightly obsessed with and which she now calls DD's) and didn't have to wait long to leave.

The bus was air conditioned which was nice as it was quite hot, had free wi-fi (v nice) and even a power outlet to charge stuff!

Here's a bussing tip - while it may be nice to be on the top level of a double decker bus, you feel all the bumps much more. So once you end up in busy traffic all the stopping and starting gives you a somewhat unsmooth ride.

But it's not unbearable or anything like that - just harder to sleep if that's what you feel like doing.

Like Amy.

We got to New York late as there was an accident along the way which held us up and I said goodbye to Amy (off to do her Trek America trip and was a good girl and didn't cry) and Holly (off to meet some other camp people to go to L.A. Vegas and San Fran before meeting back up with me later) and after miscommunication with Fiona, I caught a taxi to her apartment.

Actually miscommunication is probably wrong.

Basically Fiona didn't retain the info regarding my bus details properly and thought I was getting into the bus depot and coming in at gate 28 when actually the bus drops off at 28th street.

So I got to her apartment and the doorman gave me a key before her and Kiki even got home.

We went around the corner to get some dinner and then Kiki and I curled up on the couch with doonas and watched Coraline (she held my hand through the scary parts which was soooooo cute).

I must say that camp and Cape Cod did wonders for my tan. I mean I actually have one. I haven't been this brown in years, mostly because I can't be bothered to slip, slop, slap before I go out in the sun, so it's much easier to just stay inside.

Kiki has lovely olive skin and I reckon I hold my own against her in this photo.

BOSTON TO CAPE COD

We left Chris early in the morning to take a train and bus to the airport to pick up our hire car that we booked to go Cape Cod for the night. When we got there I left Holly and Amy with the luggage and went to sort out the paperwork. The guy that served me was so excited that I was from Australia - he loves it although he hasn't been there before. So when we went out to the car he told me he would let me take a red Mustang convertible for only $15 extra. I thought he was joking and there was no way we were going to fit with all our luggage. He assured me he would make it fit.

The look on the girls' faces when I drove up in that was priceless. Amy's draw just dropped and Holly just kept shaking her head with a look on her face that said "That's really funny Trace but where is the car we are actually taking."

The strange this was that as we came in on the bus we saw a yellow convertible and one of us actually said "Look, there's our car" as a joke.

Talk about manifesting! (Now if only I can do that with the rich, gorgeous guy my nephew Owen keeps asking me if I've met yet).

So we jumped i our hot little number and drove down to the Cape with the roof off and the wind flying through our hair.

Which is actually kind of annoying and a bit noisy.

But there was no way we were putting that roof down.

Amy slept a lot of the way as she seems to have hit a wall now that we have left camp and actually stopped being busy all the time.

We were headed down to a place called Falmouth where Nick's family (a past staff member at camp who visited this summer) has a house on the beach. We found the town and had trouble finding the house so we stopped to ask for directions and one of the locals offered to drive there so we could follow as it was easier than giving us directions.

Some people are just so friendly and helpful.

As we pulled into the drive a car full of camp people were just pulling up and their reaction to the Mustang was similar to Amy and Holly's.

A bit of draw dropping followed by a bit of "What the????"

So anyhoo......this holiday house on the beach was amazing. A big old shingled Cape cod house, three stories high, 7 bathrooms and apparently 10 bedrooms (although when I had a look around it seemed like heaps more than that). We spent the day on the beach with a whole bunch of camp people and had a lovely bbq dinner followed by a fire down on the beach later that night. Nick was a wonderful host and we felt very lucky to stay and enjoy his hospitality.

MASSACHUSETTS - BOSTON

We slept in a bit today and got going around midday. On our way into Boston for the day (Chris lives in a town called Acton) we stopped off at the house of Louisa May Alcott (for those of you who don't know she wrote Little Women) and had a photo out the front (no time to go through it - will save that for another day if I make it back to Boston).

When we got into Boston we went to a little supermarket and got some bread, bruschetta, salami, cheese - that kind of stuff - and had a lovely picnic in the gardens. A homeless man came and asked us for a slice of salami and then talked to us. We have been asked a lot for money which is kind of weird for Holly and I to get used to as it doesn't happen that frequently (if much at all) at home. I am kind of bad at saying no - I think Holly want to take charge of that kind of thing when we are travelling.

Probably a good thing or I might end up giving everything away.

We then went to the Prudential Building and had a look around, walked up to Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox) and via the supermarket to get some dinner and a movie to watch.

Another great day with a great tour guide in Chris.

For some reason these photos are in reverse order. So the first one is actually us out the front of Chris's house and the last one is in front of the Louisa May Alcott house.

VERMONT TO MASSACHUSETTS

This morning Tim left early to catch his flight to his cousin's house in Missouri. He is so excited to see her.

Then Farney drove Holly, Amy and I to Hanover to catch the bus to Boston. It was a coach that had free wi-fi, water and pretzels.

You got to be happy with that.

Chris (who worked at the waterfront at camp) met us at the station. He had gone home yesterday and we were going to spend a few days with him. So we jumped on the train to take our bags back to his car. Most of the time I am glad that I have a suitcase rather than a pack but lugging my heavy case around and having to go up steps and on and off trains holds no joy for me. Thank goodness that my road trips are going to be in a car and not on public transport. It would do my head in.

So we then headed back into the city and Chris took us through Harvard and around the area which is really lovely - definitely somewhere I could imagine living. We had a photo with the statue of Mr. Harvard himself. Apparently if you touch his foot it's good luck (no patting for me - I gave that sucker a good ole rub) and one of his boots is discoloured from all the people who have done it.

We went to Faneil (don't think that's the right spelling) Hall and on the way saw a group of break dancers - I have attached a video.

We had dinner at a really popular, family owned Italian restaurant whose name escapes me but there was a line out the front to get it. It was worth the wait. After dinner we went to two pastry shops and bought canoli's. The point of going to two was that Chris wanted to compare and see who we thought made the best ones.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Another hot day here in Pittsford.

Tracy and I spent the morning finishing off the clean up of arts & crafts. We also got paid and headed into town to cash our checks and set up an American Visa Debit card (for the bargain price of $9.95) so that we didn't have to carry all our money around.

After lunch it was down to the pond again. Meg, Holly, Amy and I swam across the pond and back which was something I had planned on doing during the summer but had never gotten around to.

The excitement of my night was doing laundry and packing to be ready to leave Tuesday morning.

This is obviously a completely random photo of Mike and Holly.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Today we slept in after last nights banquet and party. A group of us took a van to Sugar and Spice to have brunch and then it was back to camp to do paperwork and clean up our activities. Because I was doing arts & crafts and drama I had double the amount of work to do. Tracy was going to help with drama as well which was great. But luckily we had other people come and help whose activity didn't take much to sort out.

Like tennis.

Pack up your rackets and tennis balls and you're pretty much done. Arts & crafts looked like a bomb site as everyone uses all the stuff to screen print or make awards and we end up having to clean up all the mess. So Rob (and a few others) came and helped us which basically meant that I didn't even have to touch the drama area. Needless to say we still didn't finish the arts & crafts clean up. It was a really hot day so we went down to the pond for a swim which was so warm and lovely from all the great weather we have had lately.

After dinner some of us went down to the pond where Chris (who was in charge of all the lost property at camp) had a raft with heaps and heaps of socks (you could dress a small country with the amount of socks that ended up in lost and found) and some other clothes that didn't get claimed and weren't good enough to go to the Salvation Army and we had a ceremonial burning. It was surreal and oddly calming watching the socks burning on the raft just floating in the lake.

We had another night up in the pasture with a fire after that but it was just the Sangamon staff.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Today the kids all left. They were all meant to be picked up by lunchtime, which they were except for two kids whose parents decided that 7.00 at night was okay!

At night we had the staff banquet. Lobster and steak. Yum!!!!!

After dinner Jed spoke about every staff member. I think he is great at public speaking and I was really impressed at his ability to say something positive and different about each person. It's a talent and a gift to be able to do that. (Hopefully if he's still following my blog he won't get a big head about this - not sure how that phrase works in America. It probably means something completely different here).

So after we had a shoot out (too hard to explain in writing) on who was doing all the dishes, we headed up to the pasture to have a fire and hang out with the B.C. staff.

Actually the shoot out and dishes were before Jed's speech. But anyway.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Friday morning Karen and I spent the day in town running errands - we had so many things to do that we missed trunk packing and Tim had to do it on his own. We only had three kids left so it wasn’t that bad for him. It was our final banquet for the kids and the front yard gets set up as a stockade and we eat out there. The weather was fantastic for it.
After dinner there was a Sangamon version of The Lion King performed. Usually in third session we do a combined play with B.C. We had a bit of work getting the boys interested but when they went over for auditions they said they had already cast it so they could really only be background kind of parts. Of course this kind of annoyed Sangamon so Richard (staff) and Scott (intern) decided we would do our own version. The kids could choose what part they wanted and staff went in it to (I was a grub that Simba ate when he meets Timone and Pumba and they show him what they eat - my costume was a sleeping bag). There were a few singing rehearsals and then the boys wrote the script pretty much the day before the performance and got to a point where half of it was to be ad libbed. It was pretty much thrown together at the last minute but the guys did a great job and it was so funny. It was rough and all over the place and everyone had a script in their hand but the thing was that the kids were up there doing it and having a great time and that’s what it’s all about.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Today we had normal activities in the morning and then the rest of the day was a baseball game for the kids. We had it on the field in the pasture complete with music, commentators, two of the apprenti dressed up as mascots (who were absolutely roasting in the costumes as it was a really hot day), burgers, corn dogs (first time I had one and it was quite nice), chips, drinks and ice creams. During the week the campers did all kinds of jobs to earn baseball bucks. Things like run errands for us or clean up the arts and crafts room. I gave them for writing Chirrup articles. They then used this money to buy the ice creams and any extra food they wanted at the baseball game. The staff did all the work setting up, selling, commentating and packing up. It was a great day where we all ate too much food (just for something completely different) and the kids had a ball.
That night I actually decided to go to the pub and be social.
Not that I’m anti social but I’m not really into going to the pub - I guess some things never change.
Anyway had a few drinks and got beaten at darts by Karen (just).

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

So we got back to camp at lunchtime after our day off and just had normal activities. It was pretty hot so in the afternoon there were barely any kids at Arts and Crafts (naturally there were none at Drama) but that worked out well as I had face masks to cut out for the social that night.

You might have read in my blog about an Australian called Farney. He has been coming to camp for something like 22 years. He is great friends with everyone here and just happens to be the person at camp that everyone hangs shit on.

And he takes it well. Usually just shakes his head at them.

So Jed decided that the theme for the social this week should be Farney. Everyone had to wear a white t-shirt and either jeans or cargo shorts as that's basically what Farney wears all summer. Then he got a photo of Farney's face, had it copied up, got the C.I.T's to cut them out and then I spent the afternoon (with some help) cutting out the eyes. Farney then went over to B.C. to do some accounting for them and we all got ready (as did everyone at B.C.) and then walked over there. It was kind of freaky seeing about 300 people all looking like Farney.

When someone went to get him out of the office and he saw everyone, he was speechless. So the music was all Farney stuff (60's) until they changed it as the kids had never heard it (let's face it, a lot of these kids have not heard much 80's music) and stopped dancing.

Jed ended with John Farnham's "You're The Voice" (incidentally he Farney isn't related to John) which all the Aussie, Kiwi's and a lot of the U.K. guys knew but barely any of the Americans.

VERMONT - BRANBURY BEACH

Today was trip day.

There were van loads of kids with about three different staff members going to all sorts of trips. I went with Karen and Duncan on a short hike at Brandon Gap.

I think it was about 25 minutes up an then another down which, by camp "tripping and hiking" standards is considered short but is 50 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Actually that was a bit harsh. I mean I love the view at the top (photo one) but the hiking part of it is not my idea of an all out great time.

So I was knackered by the time I got to the top (photo two) but it was a beautiful view and I always find the hike down much easier.

We then went to Branbury Beach to go swimming (or in Karen and my case - lying around in the sun and talking or reading). I learnt my lesson last time at Branbury and I made sure I lathered on the sunscreen. No sooner had I done that than these huge dark clouds filled the sky over the lake. The kids are allowed to swim if it's raining but once there is thunder then they have to get out. The wind blew up (funnily enough the only time it seems to get windy at camp is when there is going to be storm), the thunder rolled in and the rain came down. We waited it out (with the help of an ice cream) and wouldn't you know it, just as it started to clear and we could go back out again, we had to leave.

Still it was a good day (a change from the normal schedule is always great) and better still when I got back to camp it was the start of my day off. Karen, Meg, Tracy, Jenni and I went to Gary's house for a girly night.

I made chicken stir fry (admittedly out of a packet - well not the chicken) and we all just hung out, had a few drinks and a few laughs. Meg was in fine form which always makes for a fun time - she is a mad Kiwi.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Today was backwards day.

Basically we do everything in the reverse of what we normally do it (within reason). The kids love it but it's a really confusing day. We even swap staff around in the activities. I ended up in photography. The second photo is Holly and Tracy at the waterfront (they are usually farm and arts & crafts). The first photo is of the tables with the tops and plates and cutlery all around the wrong way.

We wore our clothes backwards (again within reason), had breakfast at dinner time and dinner at breakfast time. The days schedule was all back the front and we did things like boo where we would normally cheer. Which is really opposite not backwards but it all adds to the day.

So the first thing we did when we woke up was made the kids brush their teeth and then read them a story.

Then we finished off the end of the day with a bowl of cereal.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

So a bunch of the kids left today.

We now only have three left in cabin one.

The same as we started out with in week one of camp.

We're not complaining!
In the afternoon the kids and a lot of the staff left on trips. I stayed at camp to work on the Chirrup and Amy worked on the slide show photos she is putting together for all of the different sessions.

Also Grant left today - back home to Scotland. He was sad to leave but also excited to get home to see his niece (who was born while he was at camp) for the first time.

Here's the next Chirrup.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

We had staff softball again this Saturday.

We lost again. Much to Gary's delight.

I am still yet to understand why Farney plays in bare feet. Especially considering the horse poo on the field.

But I got a homerun - yay!

In the afternoon there was an all camp (or mostly all - I was working on the Chirrup) game of Judgement Day. It's really like the Mission Impossible game only based on Terminator.

Actually I don't think I explained the rules of M.I, - probably because I didn't play that either so really don't have much of a clue.

Although it's something along the lines of two teams and capturing each others flags while trying to find clues that lead to some treasure.

At least that's what I think.

Maybe.

Anyhoo it was also trunk packing for the kids that were leaving (I Chirruped my way through that too but had checked with the others that it was okay).

As it was the last night we had a cabin party. We took our kids up to the pasture for a fire and to eat a bunch of goodies. We were not having much luck getting the fire started and re-built it a few times (as well as going through half a box of matches). Then it just evolved into a huge great fire. The poor kids could barely cook their marshmallows because we wouldn't let them get too close.

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Today we are having a banquet for the kids that are leaving tomorrow.

Session 3 is meant to be three weeks but some leave after two. So we have session 3A and session 3B. For some of the kids it's because it may be their first time at camp, so three weeks is a bit long.

Or their school starts back earlier than others.

Or their parents want to go on a family holiday before they go back to school.

So this session it was a Superhero theme run by the Apprenti. We all have a job to do and this time I was on pots and pans. I also helped with the program and carved the meat (scary I know).

The carving part not the program - actually it's not the first I've helped out with the carving.

Wonders will never cease.

So after dinner we had awards for the session 3A kids. I hate this time of night beause the mozzies are out in full force biting the crap out of me.

I mean I'm sure I taste okay but for crying out loud can they not let up for a little while????

VERMONT - PITTSFORD

Okay. So not much happened today.

There was a contra dance at B.C. (like we did in our orientation week just before camp started) but I didn't actually go.

I worked on the Chirrup.

So anyway here's a photo of two of the boys in my cabin - one of them is from England.

VERMONT - ADDISON

Today we had an all camp trip to the Addison County Fair.

And we all went in the big yellow school bus which was a hoot.

It was like a small countrified version of the Royal Melbourne Show and was a fun day out. I went of the ferris wheel with Tim who talked about vomiting the whole time (mostly because he just wasn't feeling well not because a ferris wheel would actually make you feel sick). I'm not into fair rides that make you want to vomit or feel out of control so the ferris wheel is about my limit. I thought the photo with the little Shetland ponies might bring back some memories for everyone who remembers a run in I had with one on Moorooduc Highway when I first got my license way back when.