It's so weird when the children are gone. It feels like a ton of headspace just opens up magically in the places where I'm not worrying about what they're doing now or next. I seem to have a longer attention span, and at the same time, I'm prone to feeling sort of heavy and tired, always on the verge of a nap.

I also feel, as I usually do during any stretch of down time, an intense obligation to "use it wisely." In this case, though, taking long baths in Dead Sea salts and catching up on Game of Thrones (I'm five seasons behind) are wise uses of my time. I'm pretty sure.

Today so far, I wrote my daily word count quota, rather more easily than normal. I'm planning to do a little structural work on the novel now, finding places for missing scenes and maybe doing a little freewriting on the connection between the two leads. I also went to my exercise class and to Costco. I forgot to get toilet paper and the pharmacy was closed, but that's okay because I can just go back there in the vast expanses of free time I'll have this week, maybe tomorrow or the next day.

I took a Dead Sea Salt bath, during which I meditated and read a chapter of the Crazy Horse biography I'm struggling through.

I made myself deal with a dead bird in the back yard. I have a strong aversion to dead animals like bats, mice, and birds. It's almost even more paralyzing than the aversion I have to the live varieties of these species.

Anyway, it's just after noon and I have all day still. Amazing.

We all know that Camp Foley is the best place on earth. It features endless fun for school-aged children, as evidenced by the iconic letter from Shef we received two years ago. That letter is pictured above, and we store it on our refrigerator.

I feel great about sending my kids to camp.  And, gosh darnit, this feeling could not be dampened by the the letter we got from Mac today.  He says, and I quote, "Dear Mom and Dad, I want to come home I am crying [or dying. I can't really read it]."

Truth be told, I'd be more worried if I hadn't gotten a text from my Camp Director pal, Alli yesterday.  She told me that after three straight days of refusing to dip even a toe into the lake, they sent an assistant director down to coax or coerce him, I don't really care which. Sure enough, he passed the swim test on the first try after flat out refusing to take it for three days and crying and/or dying. The next postcard from Mac better say, "I had so much fun learning to wakeboard."  It better, but I'm not holding my breath.

Mac refusing to take swimming lessons (and my own long chin hairs)

Mac emptying his dresser, item by item. A true classic.

It's time for camp departure. I'm not sure who is more excited: me or the boys. It's been a long, great summer of maximum togetherness.  Dan has been working 100% of the time and thinks he's jealous of the togetherness. But, I think we all know there are plusses and minuses to each situation.

Shef says he's most pumped for paintball and waterskiing and fishing.

Mac says he's most excited for riflery and archery.

I'm most excited for 30 or 60 or even 90 minutes where no one talks to or touches me.

I'll be at work during the days, but in the late afternoons, I'm pretty sure I can make the sensory deprivation happen.  Let's see.  Maybe I'll even exercise?  Who knows.  I haven't been doing much exercise outside of walking the dog and the 7-minute workout.  But, that's better than nothing.

Sessie the Camp Septic System

School vs Stay-at-home Mom.  We know where I come down.

The boys and I went up to Foley for a few days. I was working on a new promotional video for Camp, and the kids were having the full camp experience. Shef did swimming, climbing, archery, crafts, tennis, and fishing. Plus, we went to campfire, had meals in the dining hall, and hung out with tons of super campers and staff.

Lots of things have changed since I was a counselor in the late nineties. For instance:

No cabin inspection!

No Spic 'N Span Award!

No locking of the staff lounge! (Ever! Not even for not cleaning it!)

Graces to the tunes of the Coke jingle and "We Will Rock You"!

And "11:30 Fun Time" is now just "Morning Fun"! And it's at ELEVEN!

That really blew my mind.

Thankfully, lots of things are still the same. For instance, Shef and I joined in with a younger girls cabin for their "WOW."

The counselor was wearing a floor-length, black "ninja dress," and they were on a "secret mission" to the shop to make "secret communication devices," aka jewelery out of bottle caps. Shef thought this was totally awesome, and so did the eleven-year-olds in Cabin Ishtakaba.

Sweet.