Sweet Home Gallagher

"You can only be a camper once."  Those are the wise words of many a counselor to campers who are impatient to be staff.  I went to Camp Gallagher as a teen for two summers.  My time at camp was instrumental in shaping who I am today.

During the worst days of high school, I would drive over the Purdy bridge and follow the path to Gallagher.  I didn't need directions, my heart knew the way.  I never made the final turn down the hill into camp because that would be trespassing, but I would stay by the side of the road, longing for the joy of Gallagher to replace the feelings I had.

Gallagher helped me to see a different version of myself, a better version.  Even more, it helped me to show that to the world.  The campers and staff didn't know the nerdy, awkward Charlotte.  I was able to be more outgoing, independent, and take risks.

I never thought I would get to be a Gallagher camper again.

And then something happened.  Camp Gallagher was sold.  A place that special does not simply pass away.  It was saved, renewed, and brought back even better than before.  And with that, something new came.  Family Camp.  I could be a camper again.

I was nervous leading up to the weekend.  As any parent knows, sometimes kids can make even the most fun adventures into burdensome, stress inducing experiences.  My biggest fears were that Eileen would freak out about bugs, especially spiders, both big kids would refuse to use the bathroom, and all three would refuse to eat the food, possibly causing a scene.

Well, the kids took the few bugs we saw in stride.  The cabins and bathrooms were really clean and had few webs.  I don't think I heard or saw a single mosquito.  Eileen refused to use the biffy, but had no problem with the honey bucket.  Linus was fine, and Robin even demonstrated some of his potty training skills. All three kids ate.  They ate a lot and even tried new food!  The food was plentiful and yummy and the kitchen had coffee ready early.

Life was so so easy at Gallagher.  It's a small enough space that keeping track of the kids was easy. You could relax in an adirondack chair and have a perfect view of the beach to see the kids playing in the sand or in the water.   Almost all the staff were life guards.

I discovered that I love stand up paddle boarding.  The water was really calm.  If it's going to be 90 degrees, then out on the water is the perfect place to be. Linus wanted to try it too.

It went well until Linus realized he wasn't quite strong enough to steer and got scared.  Luckily, another dad in a kayak was there to tow him into shore.

The kids were having to much fun to sleep during siesta time.

The staff were just so present and available and never seemed annoyed when you asked them to guard for you so you could go out on the water.  One staff even took Dave and the big kids out sailing.  It looked like lot of work getting the boat out and on the water.

Eileen's favorite place at camp was the campfire circle.  I often found her there in quiet contemplation.  She liked one piece of driftwood that she called, "The mitten," due to it's shape.  She liked getting to help build the campfire as well.

 Gallagher is so perfectly perched on a sandy stretch of beach (a rare thing in the Puget Sound).  Anyone who has been to Gallagher knows that Sundown is the best part of the day.

This little lagoon was so perfect for all the littles in camp.  It was super shallow for wading and catching crabs as well as ideal for building sandcastles and playing in the sand.

 The sand was seriously a big hit.  If you ask Robin, his favorite part was all the sand.  In fact, Robin, who never speaks to other children his own age, ran up to another little girl and excitedly exclaimed, "There's sand to play with!!!"  I almost cried.  We had only been at camp for a few hours and my children were growing.

The weekend really helped me grow as a parent.  I hate sand.  I loathe sandboxes.  My kids love sand. They were so happy to have access to so much and unlike tropical vacations, we just stayed sort of dirty.  It didn't take long for the kids to get used to running all over camp barefoot.

Robin's second favorite thing was dirt.  I asked Eileen if she minded the fact that this camp was rustic and had no electricity (outside of the kitchen and office).  She said, "This camp is better because it is better than fake camping.  It is real."

Eileen grew a little on the trip too.  She has always been a little less adventurous, a little less independent.  She is still scared of biffies, but she walked up to the cabin all by herself.

Linus, who dislikes not feeling in control, did a great job.  He managed the difficult moments. Thanks to an earlier camping trip this summer, Linus had a crew of boys to hang and eat with and play pick up games of baseball.  Occasionally, he would act like he was mad about stuff, but it would only take a moment for the magic of camp to win him over.  His grumpiness was no match for Tom O'Loughlin's rendition of "Desperado" (not the Eagles version) at campfire.  Now back home, Linus tried a new food.  He tried it for real and liked it!!  Thank you Gallagher!!

Some other parents and I reflected on what made this easier than other trips. The big thing was having someone else there providing meals and snacks and doing all the dishes and clean up.  The kitchen set up coolers full of water and lemonade along with easy access snacks.  This was great for everyone.  We didn't have to provide the activities, or bring the boats.  There was less to pack.  Since there's no electricity in the cabins, you don't have to even remember your charger.

I appreciated that the last day wasn't just about packing up and leaving.  We  still got more beach time.  I took a paddleboard out and felt the most peaceful I have in months.  The weather was beautiful, I didn't have to rush to get back, I could just be and breathe.  I needed this weekend to get away from the stress of life.  Upon reflection, I realized no adults were glued to their phones.  I occasionally brought my phone out to snap a pic, but with no way to charge it mostly stayed off.

If you're thinking about going to family camp, here's a few helpful hints:

• bring a medium sized rubbermaid bucket.  Use it to keep snacks safe from critters.  It can double as a bathtub for little people since there are only showers that stay on as long as you are pulling a cord.
• one family had one of those collapsible wagons.  Genius.  Great way to move your gear to the beach, or small children who would otherwise take too long.
• Sand toys. I'm so glad I brought ours.  
• A bag to carry gear to the beach/main camp.  
• pop-up shelter if it's predicted to be hot/sunny
• life jackets for the younger children.  Gallagher is mainly high school and middle school, so smaller life jackets were at a premium
• warm pants.  The mornings are cold even if it is hot the rest of the day.
• keep an open mind. Don't automatically assume something isn't worth your time.  Making it to morning reflection might sound like an easy thing to skip if you are tired, but it really is a part of the whole experience.  Adults and kids alike had fun with an advanced version of Simon Says.  Camp is what you make it.

It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend.  There was a community feel among all the families.  The kids woke up this morning in the best moods.  Linus was excited to wear his tye dye.  I caught him checking himself out in the mirror and giving a nod of approval.  His siblings of course followed his lead.

Eileen asked if we can go to Gallagher for 10 days next time.  Sorry Eileen camp is only 9 days long if you are in high school.  We'll definitely go back.  I only hope it doesn't get too popular!