Sand in my Socks

What a fantastic week!! It started off painting Sunday evening, something that I haven’t done in quite some time; I haven’t finished the piece yet but I like how it’s progressing. Monday was great too – I had a job interview and quite honestly, I thought it went pretty well. The position intimidates me because it’s professional and deals with behaviorally challenged children in a school setting – exactly what I studied to do. Still putting in applications and searching out other jobs. (I actually received a callback on Friday to proceed with the background check!!)

Do you think it odd for women in their mid-20s to hit the beach up to build an awesome sandcastle while everyone else is dip net fishing?? Because Melissa and I didn’t…however, everyone else seemed to.

This week at Solid Rock was basketball camp and I was invited on my free time to hit up the gym!! Every morning, I would drag myself out of bed (which this week was a mattress on the floor of a girl’s junior camp cabin) get some breakfast then drive myself across town to one of the high schools. Tuesday morning, I took one step into the school and the aroma of the dust and finish on the court paired with the sound of basketballs hitting the hard wood brought flooding passion over my soul. Being away from the game this long had me thinking that I had lost it – forever. I was quickly recruited to a team by Zach – one of the counselors here this summer and I think with my crazy enthusiasm and his serious got get ‘em competitiveness….we may have pulled off a few more wins than we should have. GO THUNDER!!

Every night this week was spent fishing for Red Salmon and there I was, hooking fish left and right and “killing George” because I couldn’t land one. It was then that I grew frustrated and embraced my inner cavewoman which of course worked (why I couldn’t think of it myself before is beyond me). Not sure how it happened but soon enough I was kneeling over the fish as it flopped around covering itself in grass. I was encouraged to cut its gills rather than bashing its brains in but ALAS! I didn’t have a knife - so, still in paleo cavewoman mentality I stuck a finger in the gills and ripped them out. :D It was pretty gruesome, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? I have no shame...well, up until the point when was gutting the fish and discovered it was a she. Hundreds of little fishies died on my account….caviar anyone?! The best part about combat fishing is the Redneck Family Robinson phenomenon fully equipped with beer, reggae music, marijuana, harmonica solos, swearing and so much more. I really can’t describe the hillbilly festivities that occurred at the river this week, it was pretty great though. Maybe just a taste would be to tell you that one of the guys jumped into the river to swim with the fishies in direct line of our hooks.

I have been getting quite a few letters (at least once a week) from one of the residents at the Bozeman Lodge and it makes my day every time. I typically carry the piece of paper ready to read it to whomever is willing to listen.
Two weeks of camp remain here at Solid Rock which means a lot of the friends I have made this summer are packing up their bags to head home themselves. I have never really been fond of goodbyes and watching camp wind down brings an ache of loss to my heart.

Much Love to all my friends new and old, near and far.
Rachel