Camp Out Closure

Camp Sunnyside

The camp out at Sunnyside Gardens Park was a bit of a miss this year for our family. We normally shove Nacho and the girls off to enjoy the whole evening of activities and a somewhat restless night in the park. I get to leave early and party with the rest of the child-free moms and I look forward to coming home to an empty apartment--such a rare occasion for me. But since the girls' dance recital moved up a weekend (finally avoiding Father's Day itself), it came the day after the big camp out. Staying up too late and barely resting was just not a realistic option for girls who need to be at an all-day dress rehearsal before two performances. So we registered as non-campers instead, and I tried to find excitement in the fact that we would be bringing our tent for Jose and German to borrow just like in years past when they shared with Nacho. At least we'd have the equipment if nothing else. This year I'd also volunteered to do the Hobo Camp photos since Joe Orecchio was going to be absent. I figured I'd give the props that Quinn O'Sullivan brings over a nice remaking and we managed to make quite a little seating area for the kids and families to stop by and get snapped. Meanwhile, my girls were practicing their makeup application techniques thanks to Poppy's makeup initiative which promised to cover all their faces in some pretty outrageous colors. Luckily, they were sweating it off in no time...

I didn't run around the event snapping away as much as I might have wanted since the photo booth kept me somewhat tethered to the picnic grove entry. I even missed the entire s'mores making, though I was smart enough to foresee this possibility and brought my own stash! Ha. Take that for not missing dessert. Since the girls still don't really like the campfire confection, I managed to share my goodies with a few other happy adults. Later after the girls got situated watching the movie--Sing!--with their friends, I found my way over to the chair circle set up between Monica and Julie's tents. The crew was relaxing and I managed to kick back and enjoy a lazy rest of the evening. So I guess it turned out to be a pretty good camp out after all...just not what we've done in years past. But sometimes that's a good thing. The girls were a little sad that they couldn't sleep over and Elisa was begging at one point as we were packing it up. But in the end, they came home and got a much better night's sleep. Which was much needed the next day as they danced their little hearts out. 

Camping in the City

This weekend was the annual Sunnyside Gardens Park Camp Out which our family has come to appreciate as the only kind of camping we actually do. And when I say "we," I mean "they" since I defer to Nacho on the actual staying over bit. The girls starting asking a few weeks ago when we they were going to sleep in the tent and I was happy to tell them it was coming up soon. The pace of June starts to feel dangerously quick right about now with all the end-of-the-year projects and tasks, celebrations and firsts of summer. The Camp Out is one of those events that keeps us aware of how very close we are to the real beginning of the summer season and staying out later without consequence. This year we had a new crew running things and seeing them swing into action was a lot of fun. They really called on a good cross-section of the membership to help out and that was terrific to see. The numbers of campers grew again and though the afternoon started off with a threat of rain, I was pleased to see the clouds dissipate and nothing but clear skies (minus one two minute burst from a cloud after dinner) the rest of the weekend. The girls were ever so eager to get the tent set up and all this after a full morning at Elisa's school carnival. Yes, nothing like squeezing it all in to the same day. And bonus points for Nacho not being around. He landed from a two-day trip to San Diego around 3pm, making it to the Park close to 5pm. But he still made it. And the long afternoon sunshine meant we were all in need of a cold beer--or two--by dinner time. This year I didn't chase after the girls so much and let them wander knowing they'd eventually find the tent. And I made it to the s'mores station and made myself a nice, toasty dessert since my two weirdo children still don't like them. What's the best part of camping?? You guessed it--the s'mores! As the night started to fall in earnest, I sat for a bit with the Spanish crew before heading out with the Women's Auxiliary group (aka Katie O's posse) for a night cap at Maggie Mae's. It was just the tonic my sunburnt body needed before retiring at nearly 1am. The Camp Out is still one of my favorite traditions from the Park and I like that so many of the guys still embrace it's original roots as a Father's Day celebration. I have no desire to involve myself in that, but helping get it organized this year was fun nonetheless. The crew did a fantastic job and they made it a special night once again for so many kids. Kudos to them, and hope they are resting up now. I spent most of today digging out of the laundry and filth at home. So yes, in that way it was very much like the real camping. Thank goodness we didn't have to drive far. 

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