Returning Soon!
Hey everyone! I know it's been about 3 months since I've posted. Been a VERY busy summer, which I will hopefully have more time soon to write a proper post or 2 (or 20) about. Just wanted to post and say hello and that I miss you guys! I was hoping to post over the summer, but even my one night a week off was always busy with either going out with my coworkers, visiting an old friend, or enjoying the company of my mother or the boy coming to visit for a night. So for now you will have to just accept a list of highlights from my summer (and hopefully I can get a picture post up next week when I have a few days free).
-NF
- Going from 10 kids in week 1 to 44 kids in week 3
- A demon-child I dubbed Spitfire who convinced my entire section that she was possesed. Not kidding, we were having a staff meeting at 10:30pm and a CIT walked in to say the girls were flipping shit. My co-counselor and I walked in to find girls screaming and crying, and Spitfire smirking and pretending to sleep through it all.
- A counselor quit after one week of kids because she was just the worst.
- A self-centered, "always right", entitled princess of a supervisor.
- We had two 2-week sessions that ended in horse shows. It was so cool to see the kids I taught perform in a show, jumping and everything, and earning ribbons.
- I taught Orange Ride every week for 9 weeks! They are all beginners who have usually done maybe just a tiny bit of trotting, but still didn't know much of anything yet. And every week by Friday they were trotting independently and jumping! (6-9" jumps, but still. It counts.)
- Week 1, I had this amazing 11 year old girl who made my summer. She squealed when she got to go over her first jump ever. When she went over the last one of the week she went "WHEEEEEEE" all the way down the long side over it. Most precious and wonderful child of my summer right there.
- The same girl's 14yo sister cried because she was so proud her sister went over 10-15 jumps that week. The sisters were so adorably perfect.
- River rides. The kids got to swim in the river and ride a few horses bareback while in the water. I got to be photographer every week except for 2. The last week I had a different job occupying a bunch of kids who didn't want to go in the river. The week before that (week 8) we went on a day after a huge rain storm (stupid idea) and I got a black eye when I slipped on the steep bank and the camera hit me in my left eye. It's been almost 2 weeks and it's finally almost gone.
- Finding one of my favorite horses ever. We got to ride one night a week, and one week early on I requested "someone fun". I was given Devon, an OTTB who is around 18 or so but acts 30 most of the time. He was a national champion on the east coast eventing circuit, back in his day, and you wouldn't really believe it looking at him anymore. He is very prissy and acts grumpy, but loveloveloves attention. When I rode him for the first time, he started off slow, but as soon as I asked for that first trot he threw his head and tried to run off. You could almost hear him shouting "WOOHOOOOO", hahaha. That same ride we trotted over some ground poles, and halfway through he dropped his head, kicked up his heels, and took off cantering, happy as can be. I laughed so hard I almost fell off. It was love at first ride <3. I'm definitely going to miss him when I head back.
- Chip cup. I was told by my supervisor "You might get a little wet." I came back drenced, and determined to exact revenge on one of my co-counselors for dousing me repeatedly with cups of water. This grudge may take years to be set right, haha.
- My daily 1:40-2:30pm free swim nap. Plus side to not being a lifeguard: I was never on for free swim.
- Chipwiches. Mississippi Muds. Champ cones. All the delicious ice cream!
- The fun graces we would say before meals. Popular ones included Tony the Tiger, The Addams Family, Johnny Appleseed, and the Flintstones.
-NF