Lick the Bowl

W ell it’s hard to believe that my daughter finally came home from camp a mere four days ago (can you see me grinning from ear to ear?)   I couldn’t stop touching her the entire day, as if she was an apparition about to slip through my fingers.    She looked great, albeit tired, but had an air about her that clearly indicated… a change.   A new self -confidence, or perhaps a bit more independent ... nevertheless, she was home!     I have finally made amends with the postman, though; he is still a bit wary of the nut case who’s been hot on the mail trail for camp correspondence.     I presented my daughter at the mailbox as proof of evidence that my camp mail witch- hunt had officially ended…for this summer season anyway.   I think he’s put in for a transfer. You would think that after her return, however, I would be shouting it immediately from the rooftops via my blog, or even Facebook.   After oozing my angst all summer with a s...

Well, we are in the home stretch!   The letters arrive a bit more sporadically and are no longer gut wrenching essays.   Camp is now being described as a “home away from home.”   My girl is blossoming, absorbing, and taking it all in.   She is thriving, smiling, and enjoying herself to the fullest.   She is described by camp counselors, liaisons and friends as a model camper; the kind that every camp needs and promotes.   She has made the definitive decision to return next year…four letters ago she wasn’t so sure. So, in the long run, she stuck it out and reaped all the rewards of an utterly exciting camp season.   Yeah for my girl! Allow me to sigh audibly for a moment…haaaaaahhhh. The tightness in my chest has subsided, and my relief is evident in that I no longer camp out in front of the mailbox, nor do I hound the postman by chasing him down the block, or rifling through his bag while insisting on an earlier delivery time.   No, now tha...

I am taking a moment out of the Camp Chronicles (I have a lot to write about, and I will do that later) to let you all know that I was featured at the Community Blogger of the Month in Martha Stewart's Whole Living Magazine on newsstands now.  Let me know what you think...pass it on to someone you think will appreciate my neurotic, yet insightful and anecdotal remarks.  Look carefully, it's a sidebar and thumbnail picture!!!  Thanks Martha~

We are now down to 11 days before my girl comes home…but I’m not counting.   The reports I receive indicate that she is doing great…I’m glad.   However, I am still not used to the sensation of not having her around.    While her days are filled with sports, swimming, and special projects, mine are restricted to being in the house alone at my computer, and while I relish the quiet,   I can’t seem to quell that little anxious part of me that just wants her home already.     Yesterday, I walked into the kitchen to the overwhelming smell of overripe bananas.     Believe it or not, this was an indicator of how much I missed my child.   I buy bananas by the truckload.   Often, strangers quizzically look at me when they see the monkey’s worth of Chiquita sitting in my shopping cart.   What can I say? My kids like bananas, which is the reason I always buy in bulk.   The fruit disappears by the end of the week, though I have made...

It’s hard to believe that 1 week and two days have passed since dropping my daughter off at sleep away camp (but I’m not counting).   When we travel as a family, to any destination, there is always a lot of behind the scenes busy work. Travelling with a food allergic son makes things a little more challenging so, we just can’t pop into a restaurant, rather, we have to research a restaurant in advance, and then grill the manager about their allergy protocol, if any.   In many cases, even after this arduous process, we won't even eat there, because frankly, it’s just not worth the anaphylactic risk.   Therefore, we always make sure that we have enough supplies in the car to quell those hunger pangs. We stay in a hotel with a kitchen, as a fridge, microwave and a stove- top are requisites. We head toward the supermarket after check in and load up on enough groceries for our 3-4 day stay to cover enough for three meals a day and snacks.   I usually stock our...

Sending your ten year old off to sleep away camp for the first time is rather comparable to a new pregnancy.   After all, everyone has advice both good and bad, most people think they know more than you, and anticipation, doubt and nervousness are the emotions du jour. Throw in weight gain, breakouts, sleeplessness and lethargy, and I could be pregnant, or I’m just reacting to a difficult transition (trust me…it’s option #2.   Option #1 would be a very different blog post). It’s funny, some people tell me to get over it, “relax, she’s going to have a great time,” or “it’ll be good for her,” while others look at me as if I sold her to a band of gypsies along the side of the road.   Then, there are the ones who tell me what a brave mom I am, and that if I can cope with this, it will make for a seamless college experience AHHHHHHHHHHH!! College? I’m still wondering who’s going to detangle her hair at camp, or tell her that a 5 th bowl of cereal is probably not a good thi...