Two weeks to go...

Well this past week has got to have been the longest of the summer. It was dubbed the "Week of Sickness" after we lost two campers, a junior councelor and an instructor to illness within two days (all different illnesses btw). But we pulled through and only expo left. I also had my biggest level one group (8 kids) and they pulled out the best group of written tests that I have seen all summer! I am so very proud of them. Also Jane has had absolutely no problems with us at all over the past week! That is something to celebrate! She even thanked us for hanging in there. We were all shocked. Jane? Thank you? Wow.

Next week is the "Week that isn't", as we have no overniters, which means actual normal hour shifts. And Kelly is going to give me lessons in the evenings so I can take some tests hopefully that week. And of course I get to ride, which is good enough on its own. I got to ride the new horse, Zorro, yesterday and it was a blast. He was being a pain but it was still so much fun

Oh and I have to tell you about last weekend! Mel, Kelly and I all went to X-fest on Sat, which was a HUGE outdoor concert with 7 stages and 32 bands for 7 hours!! It was so much freakin fun!! Then we went to an afterparty at a bar which was just as fun. I got some great stuff (including an awesome red cowgirl hat!), as well as some stuff for my girls that we have been looking for (HA! now I've got you wondering..) Kelly and I are going back to the bar tomorrow nite. I can't wait! It should be fun, and even if it isn't it involves at least some alcohol, dancing and away from the ranch!

Anyway, my time off is slipping away and I really want a nap, so...hello to all! I miss everyone and....TWO MORE WEEKS!!!! I am already bringing one friend home, now I just have to convince Kel....mwahahaa!

Scheduling is fun!

So camp is back to life once more. We have about 22 kids this week and, I believe, are full for the rest of the summer. I finally know exactly what is expected of me (until it changes again which Im sure it will) and Kelly, Mel and I have enough schedules to wallpaper Gold Dust (our old cabin). It all seems to be working though. Everything is running smoothly, so far (knock on wood), although I would love for the temperature to drop below 100! And Lassen comes home today!! I haven't seen her yet but am very excited.

Now for a couple of personalized messages, as I never seem to catch people at the weird times I go online:

Chris: I need you to send me the script again to my yahoo account as hotmail is being a ......grrr. So send it to yahoo....Im not going to put it up here, so ask Richard and he will give it to you. As for having lines memorized: I will give it my best try but I have little enough time to sleep and eat around here that I can't promise. Sorry.

Amanda and Joanna: Meet me with the coming of the full moon and keep your hearts open. I will be sending you my love. I miss you both so very much!!!

Sean: Write me!!! I never hear from you!!! grr! :D

Everyone going to GenCom: I hate you all!!!!! Why do I miss all the good stuff!?! Just kidding (kinda) go have fun and tell me all the stories.

Lynzy: I hope you are feeling better! We all miss you and are wishing you well. Let us know what the docs say, okay? Love you girl.

Anyway I need to get moving. Chores wont get done on their own and I wont send Mel to the barn with the kids without back-up! So everyone have fun and I will try to Blog again when I get the chance. Miss everyone and can NOT wait to be back home.

BIG HUGS!!!!

-Sarah

Break week...yeah, right!

We have all been looking forward to break week with baited breath. A week without campers, without 14 hour days and with as much sleep as we wanted. Sounded fantastic. Our vision of break week didn't include an injured horse that almost didn't make it, a ton of stress and multitude of sickness that has come down to one of our own going home. Yes, thats right kiddies. My break week was hell. Not saying that I didn't do some fun things or that I didn't get at least some sleep caught up, but over all I think I would have rather had another week of camp instead.
Lassen, our sick/injured horse, is pulling through finally; and although she is still at the vet's (Sunday will make it a week there), it sounds as though she will be coming home soon. I have never seen a horse so beat up. She went through a fence and managed to scrape herself all to pieces and hit her head so hard that her brain was swelling. Then we find out that she had some kind of virus that made her go so nuts and was now shutting down her systems one-by-one. Thankfully the vet's have her getting better, and although we wont be doing any vaulting on her any time in the near future, she is coming home where she is very much missed.
Someone else who will be missed is Lynzy. She is leaving us to return home tomorrow. She is really not feeling well and the hospitals here can't/wont do anything. So she is going home to our crappy medical system that is a ton better then here's crappy medical system. We are going to miss her like crazy and are all worried about her.

Anyway that is the first edition of break week craziness. There is more to come but my pizza is now done and food, I am told, is a good thing. I will finish later. See ya

From the land of heat, horses and too many kids!

Hey ya'll!! How's everyone's summer been? Here I thought I would have lots of time to blog and keep you all up to date on everything that goes on down here in beautiful ol' California. Boy, was I wrong. I have never been so tired for so long as I am here. Our day begins between 530 and 630am and then runs until 930 or so at nite. Every day. I do have a few hours off in the afternoons most days but I tend to crash. The heat is increadible, although I hear that it is not much worse then it is at home of late. Each day can range between 85 (which is nice) and 105 (which is crazy!). The nice thing is that it is a dry heat so just walking into the shade does drop the temp by about 10 degrees...which help a bit some days but still....

Now I have told you most of what is nuts around here and most of you are prolly thinking "Wow. She's prolly wishing she didn't go now!" but that is not at all true. This has been such an experience. I am learning as much as I can, both about myself and the people I am working with; and the horses and children that I am responsible for. There are so many things that I thought I knew that was just the skim off the barrel, but there are also others that this experience has shown me that I knew more then I thought I did. I know how to handle children. I am a capeable teacher. I can get them to do what I want them to, and also have fun in the prossess. My schooling wasn't a complete waste!! lol As for horses...I know jack sh*t. Which shouldn't come as too much of a suprise as I have had as much experience as most of the other staff here (besides Mel) have in their little fingers! I have wanted a horse since I was a small child. I have always dreamed of working on a ranch. I have rode whenever I get the chance and never bawlked at an opportunity to do anything to do with horses. But wanting and dreaming dont make actual experience and I am learning fast how to ask questions. I still don't get to ride as much as I was hoping (only about 3 times a week. What can I say...Im greedy! *smile*) but there is so much that I am learning both that I knew before from hearing talk or books and also things that I never even would have thought of!

Next week is our break week. A whole week without campers!! We have a trip to Yosemitie National Park planned for a 2 hour (cruise? lol) horse trail through the park. It is suppost to be beautiful and I will be sure to take a camera along! The best thing about next week will be being able to re-charge before the last four weeks of camp. Bliss.

I miss everyone and a part of me is really homesick and wants to come home. Some days that part gets bigger but for the most part I am enjoying my time. Jane (my boss) has already asked if I am coming back next year.....Huzzah!! I will try to write more but I can't promise. I miss and love you all.