dream outloud

Whoa!  Today was the last day of Summer Camp.  The last campers have packed up with their parents and gone home.  The last blobs have been blobbed, and the last game of dodgeball has been played.  The "Sobfest" is over, and all the counselors and some support staff have gone home after creating a fantastic summer camp experience for hundreds of kids.

So what happens now?  Now come Urban Camp and Burn Camp.  They're not officially Summer Camp, as they're not run by the Timber-lee program team, but they're weeks of camp none the less. Which means that I still have most of my staff here, which is awesome!!!  So, we have off until 2 pm tomorrow when we'll reconvene, to discuss the coming week.  It's gonna be pretty chill...despite the fact that almost 400 guests will be here.  Our responsibilities are relatively few:  running the craft shop, waterfront, archery, belaying at tower, and manning the slip n' slide; helping out with a rodeo and a carnival, and completing lots of "end of summer projects".  It should be a good couple weeks - lots of bonding as a group.

Then, (da-da-DA!) I'm done with summer camp!  Crazy!  I think it'll be a little bitter-sweet, but I'm definitely looking forward to having a break, and not working 60-80 hrs a week.  Ahhh....  However, I will have to start planning in earnest for Jumpstart and the Mother/Daughter retreat.  That should be fun, but I'm having a hard time thinking about it right now.

So, I guess I'll just update you on the rest of my day off earlier this week.  I did talk to my Alterra "friends".  They were using some amazingly awesome looking brewing equipment, so I stopped by the counter to ask about them, and to ask if they gave tours. "No" to the tours, but the brewing gadgets were awesome!  They looked like crazy lab equipment, but apparently they brew great, because they create a vacuum with exerts more pressure on the grounds, which extracts more flavor from the coffee.  Sweet, right?!  Anyways, we talked "coffee" for a while - the Roaster was really awesome, and super friendly/knowledgeable - I asked where I should go in Milwaukee.  He thought about it for a bit, and then told me I should go to Brady Street.  I guess it's a pretty hip spot in Milwaukee.  I said my "thank you's" , and headed out into Milwaukee. 

I parked on Brady Street, and wandered around for a while - in and out of stores - and I may have walked down to Alterra by the Lake for another chai... ;)  I wandered back up Brady Street to where I was parked, popped another quarter in the meter and walked the opposite direction.  It was OK.  Really, it was just nice to walk around for a bit, do some people watching, and just enjoy being outside.  After I'd wandered for a bit longer, I hopped back in the car, and headed towards the 3rd Ward, which I heard was the "historic district" in Milwaukee.  I meandered my way over there, saw an Anthropologie and parked (cause that's a sweet store!). 

I really like the 3rd Ward!  It's beautiful!  The architecture is wonderful - lots of retail stores have revamped and occupied old factory buildings, it's beautifully landscaped with wide boulevards, and just beautifully planned.  I'd definitely like to return and wander some more. 

After I'd had my fill of walking, I decided I'd better hit the road before rush hour.  So, I drove back to Mukwonago, where I stopped for gas, and then did laundry.  I still wasn't quite ready to return to camp after doing laundry, so I decided that a trip to Lake Geneva was in order.  When I got there, I texted Ruth and asked if she'd be interested in meeting up for coffee, and she was!  That day just got better and better!  So, I sat on a bench by the lake for a while, read my Bible and Journaled, and then made my way over to Caribou.  (3 coffee shops in 1 day!)  Ruth I talked with Liz (who was working) for a while, then sat down with our coffee, and talked for 2 hours.  It was a really great end to a really great day.  I didn't get home until 11, and had to be at work by 8 am, but it was totally worth it.  :)

Tonight, after everyone left, I went home, and crocheted for a bit, but decided it was too beautiful out to be inside.  So, I grabbed my fishing pole, and went down to the lake.  (Dad would be proud).  I brought my night crawlers with me, and fished with them on orange and neon yellow jigs for a bit, and caught a smallish bluegill, and a couple small Northerns.  Then, I switched it up for a while and threw a huge orange and neon yellow double-hooked popper on.  I missed my first two hits - but that lure was hit hard!  I'm pretty sure they were big Northers.  However, I did catch a HUGE bluegill.  It was a great fighter, and really fun to bring in.  I decided to keep it and have it for dinner.  After a few more casts, and a couple more glances at the remains of a spectacular sunset, I decided to head in.

At home, I attempted to fillet the fish with a very dull fillet knife.  I haven't filleted a fish in years!  But, I did an OK job.  I'll have to ask a friend to sharpen my knife for me.  I'm pretty sure Mark or Kurt will do it for me at the shop.  Then, next time, I'll ask for a tutorial.  But, I'm relatively happy with my results.  I coated the fillets in flour with salt and pepper and fried them up, and they were delicious!  Man, I love fresh bluegill.  Downfall:  my house, and hands smell like fish.  Oh well...it'll go away eventually.  But, I may be having extra visits from the raccoons tonight!

Thank you, Lord for a great summer, and a great evening of fishing in your beautiful world!