Pemi and assorted visits
Visiting Pemi was bittersweet as expected. I found that while I missed certain staff and campers, and while it was great to see them, I found that I would have hated to spend another hour there, let alone an entire summer. So much of their daily life is dictated by what the weather gods have in store for them. Hell, hail the night before collapsed a tent, leaving eight senior campers homeless. Imagine. It was just too little money (something like 1600 bucks for 8 weeks of 24/7 work) with too much stress. Now, I stress a bit over numbers and appeasing puttane-fasciste, certainly, but there isn't that emotional component, knowing that you are being constantly watched as a role model to 180 young boys, aged 7-15. Many of the kids I like, while many others I can't stand--I'm helpless to educate those I like of the facts of life, doomed to listen to those I can't stand go off about wasps and moths. It would have just been too much.
I did see my first Bald Eagle whilst visiting though.
On my way home I stopped by my old friend James' house. His house was the location of many an adolescent adventure, from potato cannons that could put a spud anywhere in a half-mile radius, to Four Winns motor boats that could throw even the best tuber from his perch, to a 2000 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor which could... well, you can use your imagination. We've fallen apart as people do in these difficult times, so the visit, while short, was bittersweet at best. I wish I could connect with him as we once did, but I find myself trying far too hard. C'est la vie.
My next stop was my friend Michelle's house. She was not home, but her mother and brother entertained me for a bit and we caught up. I was likely most close to her family than to any other family of any of my other friends (with the possible exception of the above-mentioned James). It was great to catch up and her mother mentioned that Michelle is driving down to Poughkeepsie at the same time as I was planning on leaving tomorrow. Looks like I'll be riding down with her. It will be great to spend some good one-on-one time with her again.
Upon returning home, I found that my beloved Miss Mary Blake wrote me an email to ask me to "come home and play." I called her immediately and told her I was already home and we went to the Fairlee Drive-In. The Fairlee Drive-In is one of the oldest drive-ins still operating. Though I did not get them on this occasion, their Brew City fries are to die for (eventually, as one's arteries wince with each bite). Nacho Libre was OK, but I surprisingly enjoyed X-Men 3, especially since I haven't seen the others nor have ever read or seen anything having to do with X-Men before. Wolverine has huge claw things and Cyclops can burn shit with his eyes. That's all I knew.
And...
I got home really late, got up really early, went to the beach, and now I'm back, looking forward to a movie night at home with the family and perhaps even some media swapping with my Pa. Ah, the Information Age.
I did see my first Bald Eagle whilst visiting though.
On my way home I stopped by my old friend James' house. His house was the location of many an adolescent adventure, from potato cannons that could put a spud anywhere in a half-mile radius, to Four Winns motor boats that could throw even the best tuber from his perch, to a 2000 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor which could... well, you can use your imagination. We've fallen apart as people do in these difficult times, so the visit, while short, was bittersweet at best. I wish I could connect with him as we once did, but I find myself trying far too hard. C'est la vie.
My next stop was my friend Michelle's house. She was not home, but her mother and brother entertained me for a bit and we caught up. I was likely most close to her family than to any other family of any of my other friends (with the possible exception of the above-mentioned James). It was great to catch up and her mother mentioned that Michelle is driving down to Poughkeepsie at the same time as I was planning on leaving tomorrow. Looks like I'll be riding down with her. It will be great to spend some good one-on-one time with her again.
Upon returning home, I found that my beloved Miss Mary Blake wrote me an email to ask me to "come home and play." I called her immediately and told her I was already home and we went to the Fairlee Drive-In. The Fairlee Drive-In is one of the oldest drive-ins still operating. Though I did not get them on this occasion, their Brew City fries are to die for (eventually, as one's arteries wince with each bite). Nacho Libre was OK, but I surprisingly enjoyed X-Men 3, especially since I haven't seen the others nor have ever read or seen anything having to do with X-Men before. Wolverine has huge claw things and Cyclops can burn shit with his eyes. That's all I knew.
And...
I got home really late, got up really early, went to the beach, and now I'm back, looking forward to a movie night at home with the family and perhaps even some media swapping with my Pa. Ah, the Information Age.