Sindy's Blog - July 20, 2006

Sindy blogs about her time as a camp counselor.

Summer Camp

July 20, 2006

While I am still having a good time at camp, this has been a bit of a rough week. I knew there were going to be some downsides to being out in the woods all summer but I didn't realize I'd be bombarded with crazy camping blunders all at once!

Okay, so last week I was taking a group of kids on a hike. We were about half-way through our walk when one of the kids trips and falls into this bush. I pull him out and brush him off and he seems to be good to go. By the time we finish our hike, my arms are getting a bit itchy. I figured it was just a bug bite or something but it turns out that bush was Poison Ivy! Both me and the boy from my group had to spend the night in the infirmary being treated for the nasty rash we'd gotten!

It sucked too because I missed one of the big counselor campfire nights while I was recovering from my itchiness, but I figured, things could have been worse and there will be other campfires. I got up early the next day, planning on taking a quick run along the lake before I had to be at the arts and craft station. No sooner than I step out of the infirmary building to I run head-on into a skunk! Yeah. I totally didn't see it standing on the door-step and before I could duck out of its way, it totally went into defensive mode and sprayed me! OMG, I don't think I have never smelled anything so bad in all my life.

I guess I was lucky that I was already near the trained first-aid staff. They knew right away that I needed to strip off all my sprayed clothing and shower - washing my hair with tomato juice! Apparently the acid in it somehow combats the skunky smell. Gross! The entire camp smelled bad for the rest of the day, but luckily all it's nasty spray had been kept outside, so most of the cabins were fine. Can you believe that luck?

I'm hoping that this coming week I will be a little less accident prone. I'm not sure how many more natural disasters I can take. Have you ever had a camping catastrophe? on what has happened to you!

Peace Out,