Random Ramblings

In June G went to youth camp for a week. The campgrounds our denomination uses for Youth Camp are the same grounds used for Kid's Kamp, so he has visited these particular grounds many times and is very familiar with them. In fact, I am very familiar with them, having visited them several times during my teen years. The grounds are definitely not modern. The dorms are bare concrete floors, covered only by squeaky metal bunk beds with thin lumpy mattresses (probably dating to before my time at the camp), which are the bane of any light sleeper. The tabernacle is really just a kind of open-air pavilion. It has a slab, a stage, pews, and a roof with posts holding it up. And it is seriously hot. And sticky. (Oklahoma is not known for its mild summer weather.) The worst part though, if you ask the campers, is the showers. First, to get a warm shower, you have to get up before dawn, and even then you may not be guaranteed a hot shower since the hot water only lasts through about the first six or seven campers in each dorm. Also, the further the cabins get from the water source, the more the water merely trickles from the showerhead. Consequently, the boys’ cabins are the furthest. Makes sense, right? Unless of course you are a neat freak I-don't-like-to-be-dirty-more-than-10-seconds kind of boy. (Yes they do exist--I have TWO in my house.)

A few years ago, the church (by this I mean the denomination) bought a parcel of land on which to build new campgrounds. The new campgrounds are supposed to have all the modern amenities. Lots of space, air conditioning, and nice showers. Everyone is so excited about the future digs, including my family. Or so I thought until a few days ago.

G: "Mom, I don't know if I'm really going to like it when they build the new camp."

Me: "What? Why do you say that?"

G: "Well, it's just that camp won't be camp if the water is hot and you have water pressure."

Me: ?!!???

Isn't that just about right?