It's monday and I'm an only child

How else could I describe it? OH, how about humid and muggy?

Mom and Dad took Don down to Morgantown for freshman orientation at WVU. Whilst down in more southern locales they'll also visit my Grandpa Pollack. I *think* they're coming back this evening :) Of course, Mom took the book I was reading with her, without telling me. So now it's either be online or do constructive things . . . .

Grandpa Garvin and I took Liz to her first year of Senior 4-H Camp. It was certainly strange and wonderful to walk into Camp Russel, the place I spent a week of my summer singing and cheering and other such campy things for ten years total. The place is almost spooky, it's so crammed full of memories. There was the long hill I had to limp up when I'd badly sunburnt the backs of my knees and they had scabbed over--that was the year I earned the knickname "Gimpy." There was the trail I used to sneak off onto, when I was a junior counselor, to rendevouz with my boyfriend during breaks. The porch where I read the Storyteller's Guide to Werewolf for the first time--and got my first glimpse of the infamous cardgame "Magic." And of course, there was council circle--rather like tribal council on "Survivor" if you need an idea. Every evening of every day at camp, we'd all meet there to sing songs and perform bizzare skits and LIGHT A CAMPFIRE. What could be better? I didn't realize how much I missed it until today. There were so many familiar faces. . .some belonging to my old camp friends who are now counselors, and some belonging to their younger siblings. It's a whole new generation baby.

Liz brought along her friend Sam, and they went through the registration line together, while Grandpa and I went up to the Oglebay Mansion Museum to look at some antique Garvin's Dairy signs. When we came back, Sam was in tears. Apparently, through some mishap, she had been assigned to Cabin 12, while Liz was to be in Cabin 11.

"And. . .. I . . don't know ANYONE IN THERE!" she cried. We all did our best to comfort her, but there was little to be done. It was strange to see, as Sam usually acts quite independant, with a sharp sarcastic wit on her. But she's still only 13. We walked the two girls down to the cabins. These cabins at Camp Russel are set up as two rooms full of bunks abutting one another. The walk from the door of 11 to 12 takes less than 5 seconds to make. But she still was crying when we left her. Such is life, and at that age, that IS tragedy.

After that, it was off to the DMV to get my driver's license renewed! As it expires on my birthday, I don't want to be left in Hawaii without a valid ID when I turn 21--for obvious reasons. Strangely, the DMV gave me no hassle this time around. I just went in, showed em' some ID, and they took my picture, my thumbprint, and my signature. . . and I was done! WOW! I was happy to see I didn't look that much different from that 18 year old girl in the old ID. Maybe things haven't changed as much as I think they have.