Salt of the Earth

5:30am came all too quickly and it was time to get up to feed the cows and chickens. Once again I opted out for this- to avoid too much walking. I got up and got Graham ready then packed us up since we would be able to go home later that day. I got dressed and made the long, slow trek down the mountain to meet the boys for morning flag and mail. The day before I had gotten a little cup and a licorice rope at the trading post for Graham- and put it in the ‘mail box’ so he’d get something at mail call. At first, they call out all the letters and he was so sad when he didn’t get one. Everyone else in his pack got letters from home   and it made it so hard for me to not tell him he had something coming. When they came to packages they called his name and he was so happy. He thought it was cool that his cat Rory sent him something from home. He grinned ear to ear and it made me so happy.

After breakfast we headed to the archery range where one of the dads discovered a huge mark on Graham’s leg. We stopped and took a look at it and determined it was a spider bite. Since Graham is stubborn like his mom and doesn’t like missing anything he opted to stay at the range and go to the nurse later. We pulled out our first aid kits and cleaned and bandaged it up which made him happy.  Graham did really well and almost shot a bulls eye. I went in for my turn and wasn’t as lucky. Still had a lot of fun. 

After that  we went back to geology and did more panning for gold. Graham made a haul again and wanted to spend it at the trading post. It broke my heart to tell him that it was only a souvenir and couldn’t be used as currency. One of the others dad said it was ‘fools gold’ and then some of the mom’s and I brought up that episode on Little House on the Prairie where Laura thinks she and Albert have struck it rich.

 After geology it was time for lunch and then BOB. Since our stuff was packed in the car I took Graham to the nurse. She cleaned it up and put a band aid on it and told me what to look for in case it was a poisonous spider bite. Graham was unfazed by all of it and just wanted to get back to having fun.

We headed off to pioneering where Graham got to wash his socks and make rope. He had a good time washing his dirty socks from the day before and suggested we do it at home. I informed him of just how many socks that would BE and he said ‘oh…..’  

After hanging his clean socks we got to make rope. Since we were running late we had to run to our last station- dutch oven cooking. The staffer taught the boys how to make peach cobbler and then they got to eat their creation. It was awesome. 

At that point it was free time before the big family BBQ then time to head home. Graham decided he was ok with going home early to see Thomas and dad. I let him get one more snow cone and we said our good-byes and headed back to Portland. I was pretty tired and was looking forward to Graham keeping me company on the drive home. 15 minutes into the ride and he was fast asleep. I was glad that a friend called my cell phone and kept me company (and awake) for most of my drive home. 

When we got home we were greeted by a very happy Thomas and dad. I think they missed us.

Even though camp can be hard at times it is always so worth it. I would never give up the chance to do it with the boys because in so many ways it brings me so much closer to them.  I am so fortunate that I am able to go with them and share this experience with them.I got to know the parents of this new pack and the boys are so wonderful. Graham fits in just perfectly. Even though I am glad to be home and in my own bed I am still so happy I got to go to camp. It was priceless.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything- not even ‘real’ gold.