Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

"I will run and I'll run and I'll be ok"
- DMB, "The Stone"



Running training has been a little bit crazy on the good side lately. I'm not quite sure where this sudden onset of me being a "good" runner came from, but it's been here for a while now and doesn't show any signs of leaving. Maybe it's the trails I ran all summer. Maybe it's me caring that much more. Maybe it's just general overall improvement.

Whatever it is, I am most definitely running harder, running better, running faster, and I am for sure a whole lot stronger!

And it's pretty great. This past Monday, Steve and I met in the cold rain to run from the Runner's Den to the gazebo on the Bayfront trail and back for a 9k'ish tempo. We averaged a pace of between 5:15-4:45/k the whole run, and it didn't at all feel uncomfortable... if felt awesome!

It's such a great thing when you are able to realize what you are capable of. I never thought I'd ever run a marathon, let alone finish one. I never thought I'd ever run 3-4 long distance races a year, let alone put in the time and training required just to get me to the starting lines. But here I am, nearing the completion of another 13 weeks of training for my 3rd half-marathon, coming up on November 7th.

Once you realize what your body can do, you adopt a whole new appreciation for it. Training for races of the distances I tend to run (21.1k, 30k, 42.2k...), you come to appreciate your legs when they are shin splint-free, or when your toes aren't bruised and blistered. You tend to appreciate just a little bit more waking up at o'clock's that come after sunrise. You appreciate days when you do not smell like a sweaty old sock, or when you don't have to rush home to gobble up a peanut buttered bagel and out the door to run for 6.

At the same time, all of the things I've mentioned here are the very things that I LOVE about running and keep me addicted. Not just these things, though... so much more. A lot of the additional things I love about running actually have not a whole lot to do with the act of running itself. Of course I do love the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction following a great run. I also love pushing myself to my limit for that day, and surprising myself a lot of the time. But aside from that, there is more. I love the camaraderie I have been able to develop. Most immediately, Julie, Breeann, Steve, and Kathy are the people who externally motivate me to get my ass to the Den (or wherever we're meeting that day), lace up, and get moving (usually at a very fast pace, especially when Kathy's there!). We've become such great friends, but we probably wouldn't have if it weren't for our sport. That's what's amazing about running... It brings so many different kinds of people together, from all different walks of life. That's something to behold. I've been so lucky to meet an amazing array of people through running, from teachers to business people to students to lawyers to nurses to doctors to store owners to free spirits just wanting to live unbound to anything. It's amazing.

Running also brings it's athletes to amazing places. You can run anywhere and everywhere, and that is something not all sports can offer it's participants. All you need are your running shoes, a bottle of water, and the determination to start and to finish. That's it. It can bring you to amazing spots you never knew your city held. Running the trails out of Ancaster this spring and summer opened my eyes to how lucky we are to have in our backyard.... Beautiful, luscious forest trails, littered with wildlife, beautiful brilliance. And challenge.

Road 2 Hope is approximately 5 weeks away. I am running the 5k on Saturday, November 6th, and the half-marathon on Sunday, November 7th. As the days dwindle (37 to go!), and along with it training (hooray for the tapering period!), I find myself growing more and more excited to inch up to that starting line and blast through the finish. I am aiming for a half-marathon time of 1hr 50 mins to 1hr 55 mins. This will be a challenge for me... it will require a pace of 5:15 for 21.1k, and my fastest half-marathon was only 1hr 59 mins, in Mississauga this past May.

But I believe I have a good chance at this. And, if training continues the way it has been moving these past several months, I will be well on my way to meeting my Boston by 2014 goal.

What makes YOU happy?

Ology

I still have mono and, as such, am completely drained. So here I present you with a mindless, yet informative, survey that popped up on my Facebook news feed. Learn lots about me, you will.....

***********FOODOLOGY***************

What is your salad dressing of choice?
- Balsamic Vinaigrette

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
- Ichiban Sushi (in Burlington) and most recently Fresh (in Toronto)

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
-

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
- Onions. Feta. Spinach. Broccoli. Tomato.

What do you like to put on your toast?
- Peanut butter. Always peanut butter.

***********TECHNOLOGY***************

How many televisions are in your house?
- 4. Although I don't watch any of them.

What colour is your cellphone?
- Back. And I hate my cellphone.

Do you have an iPod?
- Indeed.

***************BIOLOGY******************

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
- Righty.

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
- Myself, for 18k of running.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
- Nope.

************BULLOLOGY**************

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
- Well.... Having an anxiety disorder, knowing what's coming next is very important to me. Having said that, I would not like to know how or when I'm going to kick the bucket.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
-I wouldn't. I like me.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
- No, but $1001, yes.

**************FAVOURITOLOGY****************

Season?
- Autumn.

Holiday?
- Definitely Christmas.

Day of the week?
- Saturday.

Month?
- November.

***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************

Missing someone?
- Not entirely. Or at all.

Mood?
- Tiiiiiiiired.

What are you listening to?
- Dave Matthews Band <3 .

Current worry?
- I'm confused, "worry" is not pluralized....

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************

First place you went this morning?
- Runner's Den

What's the last movie you saw?
- 500 Days of Summer.

Do you smile often?
- I've been known.

***************OTHEROLOGY*****************

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
- Lots. But I rarely wear them.

Last person you talked to?
- Kimberly.

Last person you hugged?
- Julie

Do you always answer your phone?
- (.................not always :|...................)

It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
- I'm going with Kim.

If you could change your eye colour what would it be?
- I wouldn't dream of doing that.

Do you own a digital camera?
- Indeed.

Have you ever had a pet fish?
- Nope.

Favourite Christmas song?
- Silent Night

Your wish list for your birthday?
- Health and happiness. (and a Phaneuf/Komisarek jersey ;).

Can you do push ups?
- 10!

Can you do the splits?
- During the skating days.

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
- BOTH

Do you have any saved texts?
- Usually, I save the ones that make me smile/laugh, or that just remind me of people. But lately, all my texts have such negative associations, I've deleted all of them (including the one's I've sent). Time to start fresh!

Have you ever been in a car accident?
- 2!

Do you have an accent?
- I DO HAVE AN ACCENT! It's a 2004 and made by Hyundai!

What was the last movie to make you cry?
- Eat, Pray, Love.

Plans tonight?
- Sleep. I have only done 2 hrs of that today (maybe mono's getting better)

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
- Didn't just feel it.

Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
- Best veggie burger and sweet potato fries from Fresh, TML key chain at the leafs game, and coffee x2.

Have you ever been given roses?
- Never :-(

Met someone who changed your life?
- LOTS!

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
- What's done is done and, without it, I wouldn't be here or who I am. Time to move forward and experience even more wonderful things (which I may wish to turn back time on).

Do you have any tattoos/piercings?
- Ears and nose.

Does anyone love you?
- I sure hope so.

Would you be a pirate?
- I don't think the dental plan's that great, so no.

What songs do you sing in the shower?
- Whatever's in my head at the time.

Ever had someone sing to you?
- Kids sing to me all the time.

When did you last cry?
- Monday through Thursday of this week. Super.

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
- Dion Phaneuf.

Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
- Define "old". I've got a great mix <3 .

Do you like pulpy orange juice?
- I don't hate it.

Though I have a broken heart, I'm too busy to be heart broken. There's a lot of things that need to be done. Lord I have a broken heart.

Though I have a broken dream, I'm too busy to be dreaming of you. There's a lot of things that I gotta do. Lord I have a broken dream.

... I'll keep it moving on for a while....

(Tell me I'm clever. Tell me I'm kind. Tell me I'm talented. Tell me I'm cute. Tell me I'm sensitive, graceful, and wise. Tell me I'm perfect -- But tell me the truth)

Oh, and I appreciate you giving me mono. Asshole.

Reunited with Real Work

And so the working girl returned to the working world. Although she enjoyed a brief period of rest and days off, how she now basked in having a purpose once again.

Work this week was excellent.

Monday brought me to Westwood Elementary, where I got to work with Nathan in grade 4. Nathan is quite a bright young man, and was keenly interested in the fact that I work at Copps Coliseum. "YOU DO?!?! Ok, now lets make a picture of you working a Copps Coliseum. And we'll make a poster of all the things I want to see at Copps Coliseum!". During our free time in the day we did just this, and created posters for Monster Jam, Disney On Ice, Walking with the Dinosaurs, Concerts, Star Wars in Concert, Hamilton Bulldogs, and ______________. On the back, we wrote a letter to mom: "Hi Mom, it's me, Nathan. Miss P says Monster Trucks is coming to Copps Coliseum in November, and I'd like to go. Can we go? Love Nathan". I'll take things that melt your heart for $1,000! I loved my first day back with Nathan. BUT, what also made Monday great was the fact that there were FOUR kids from camp at Westwood: Russel, Zechariah, Christian, and little Alicia. I just find it to be so awesome to see camp kids in school throughout the year. I like to see the kinds of things they're working on and how far they come. I also like to see that they freak out at school the same way they freak out at camp, thereby indicating that... IT'S NOT US!

Tuesday and Wednesday each brought me to a grade 3 class at Templemead Elementary. The assignment was to work with a boy in this class who was labeled with multiple behaviour disorders, but I ended up working with another young lad with undiagnosed (and UNMEDICATED) ADD/ADHD. Our first day together was great... Brandon cooperated where I requested him to, and we got actual work done (albeit at a reduced amount). He had zero problems transitioning into and out of recess and into and out of gym. On Tuesday, Brandon received all of his 5 stickers on his "Good Behaviour" chart, and thus received a sweet snake tattoo which had is name on it. We high-fived at this and agreed we'd have another fabulous day on Wednesday. Ooooooooonly, Wednesday didn't quite turn out that way. Right from the get go, Brandon was a challenge on Wednesday. "NO" to math (until I thought it might be fun to do our work on the black board with coloured chalk... yeah, that was sweet actually). "NO" to letter writing in literacy. "NO" to eating a single bit of his lunch at first nutrition break. "NOOOOOO" to coming inside from playing basketball at second nutrition break. And here's where the fun part starts. In addition to the attention deficit and hyperactivity, Brandon also struggled with a little OCD. The previous three recesses we shared together over the past two days didn't bring any problems because when I told him "ok, 5 more shots and then we're going in", he would get at least one of those shots in the basket. Shot in basket = cycle complete = perfection = peace of mind = ok, let's move on. Only this recess, not a single basket was going in. To be sure, each shot he took was getting further and further away, and Brandon was growing more and more frustrated and angry. So I called for assistance from another EA who knew Brandon more than myself (it can be really hard as a supply, coming into a set of behaviours which have been established for MUCH longer than I have known the student). The two of us tried, but eventually we called for the assistance of another teacher. We tried everything, after which I was asked if I have my NVCI? "I have expired NVCI, is that helpful?". Luckily, though, the VP was able to coax Brandon inside for a cheese string and yogurt tube. Brandon and I made it back to the portable (p.s. we were in a portable ;), but upon arrival he was very adamant that he was not going inside to do work. So we stayed outside and chatted for a little bit, before he swiftly walked away from me back towards the basketball net (without a ball, I might add). The same 4 ladies who helped me earlier came to my assistance once more, and eventually we had Brandon inside... again... in the Snoozlen room for a cool down. We managed to get through the day, though. Poor guy. He's got some major challenges in life, even aside from the diagnoses and labels. Maybe I'll get to work with Brandon again.

Thursday and Friday. PARKVIEW! HOME SWEET HOME!!! The students were uber pumped to see me back ("MISS! Are you here to work today? YES! I didn't think you were coming back!"). Those students are my favourite students of all the students on earth. Challenged as they may be, in so many ways you cannot even begin to imagine (beyond the academic struggles and into socioemotional ones unphathomable to you and I), they are the BEST. I have so much faith in them, it's crazy. I love them all so much, and to be back there these past two days was simply awesome. Here's to many more throughout the year!

NOTE: If you're reading this (which I doubt, haha) and are able to donate any good condition, "young people's" clothing to the students of this school, that would be beyond awesome. ALSO, the auto teacher is looking for old bikes. If you've outgrown a bike or just have one you don't need or want anymore, PLEASE let me know. Parkview would love to have it <3 .

I had a wicked week of running this week. Just wicked.

Walk a Mile is tomorrow morning.

And I'm pretty sure this is strep throat. SUPER.

I have the best friends.

"Excuse me, could you please remove your body from mine, it's grossing me out. It's grossing me out a lot. K, thanks.... No no, I meant it"

I was just reading the last two blogs I wrote and now find myself fairly disappointed with me. They are horrendously written. Sorry you had to sit through that. IF you sat through that, I should say.

I just had the most OVERDUE fun night with my girlfriends I've had in SUCH long time. And I drank too much wine, and felt significantly barftastic at the club, BUT! as it turns out... PIZZA is medicine, and it can cure the common barfiness! THAT'S not in the doctor's book of home remedies, NOR is it learned in medical school! It's just lived experience, which tonight...... this morning..... is proving it's testimony. Good job pizza. You get an A for awesome. And yummy.

I love my friends. I love my friends SO much. I don't deserve such goodness, but if it's here, I'll take it and be thankful.

I can't believe Angelo is 25 and can get INTO Sizzle, now. I remember when he was a friggin scrawny, long-haired pipsqueak hawking at Copps. Oh my gawd, I feel so old. But tonight someone thought I was 23, so YAY for that!

Hess is one strange, disgusting, entertaining place. I hate it. But "turns out, not where but who you're with that really matters". And man did I have great company. That being said, I cannot help but continue my dialogue on the slimeballiness of the men... actually, "men" is stretching it... boys is more like it.... at these kinds of places. The title of this particular blog is what I said to someone who approached me at Sizzle. I understand that a large part of going to clubs is purely sexual... girls in risqué clothing (which is supposed to "enhance" their "assets", but really is usually either falling off because they don't fit into the attire properly, or is just flat out disgusting and ugly, but hey it's short/revealing, so it works), or boys with a particularly "swauve" appearance. People actually go there to "pick up". But not everyone. Some go to simply dance, have a fun time, and drink as they may, as my friends and I were doing on Saturday. But several groups of guys who fit the "clubbing profile" approached us throughout our evening hoping for what I was assuming SexyTime Fun, which we were not at all interested in. And what's with this not taking no for an answer? Let me tell you... if you're not going to listen to me the first time I ask you to stop, I'm not going to say "OH! I got ya! Go ahead, I don't mind you rubbing yourself all over me, even though I don't know a single thing about you other than RIGHT NOW, you smell like you haven't bathed in a week (OR a department store cologne counter!). Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I'm OK with it. I respect myself a bit too much to be ok with that grossness.

My feet will never let me wear those shoes ever again. Kim, I appreciate the piggy back offer, but I told you, like I told Mike... my legs cannot spread that wide in that skirt. Hopefully I do not wake up with hepatitis tomorrow (*crosses fingers*)

I love you girls <3

For Every Thing There is a Season

"It strikes! one, two, three, four, five, six. Enough, enough, dear watch, Thy pulse hath beat enough. Now sleep and rest; Would thou could'st make the time to do so too; I'll wind thee up no more." - Ben Jonson


I absolutely love autumn. It is my most favourite of all the seasons. I love the fresher, crisp air. I love the smell. I love to just stare out at the beautiful coloured trees from look outs anywhere I can find them. I love that I get to wear hats and scarves, and cozy clothes. I love to share hot beverages with friends and talk and talk until we've exhausted all topics (that doesn't really happen with me, though). I love running in autumn. I love having my birthday in autumn. I love the fresh new start to a school year, full of possibilities and endless opportunities. I love watching CFL football on Sundays in autumn, and being up north for Thanksgiving. I love Halloween. I love everything about autumn.

So why am I having such a hard time accepting the end of summer? Maybe because it fleeted me so ridiculously fast this year. Maybe because I wish it were longer. Maybe because I love the kids who come to camp so infinitely. Maybe because, even though I was exhausted for 80% of it, I still really, really enjoyed everything I got to do, from coffee talks, to trips to Marine Land, to hikes, to sleep outs at camp, to running training, to just reading a book in peace. I loved the longer days too.... I could get home from work, shower and clean up, and be out for 7 with at least 2hours of day light to spare, to enjoy and play with. I like an early sunrise and the bird songs, as the robins that live in our front tree (and subsequently poop on my car) busied themselves with finding breakfast and flutter around. I really liked that I got to go to work outside at camp, to enjoy the sunshine and do awesome things like canoeing, archery, and swimming with the BEST kids I could ever hope to know. Even though I didn't think I was enjoying camp as much this year, based on what I'm feeling now, and my level of unsettledness in it, I did enjoyed it very much. In retrospect, what I didn't like was the heat.

But it's something in and of the changing of seasons that always promotes mixed feelings within me. I do definitely love the promise of a new beginning with the dawn of a new season. I love to dream about all the wonderful things that a new season will bring. I love to make my "to do" list at the start of every new season, and I love to check items off the list as I accomplish them as time progresses. By the same token, I am no good with letting go or saying goodbye. Especially if I am enjoying something very much. Although I really did not like the heat of summer (which was especially heated this year!), I loved everything I got to experience over the last two months. I got to spend it with amazing people, both big and small, and I got to do things I hadn't done in years. There are parts of this summer I probably will not recall in a couple weeks, and maybe I am not even remembering some parts of it as I write this now. But those things which I do remember I remember because of their impact on my being. I remember them because I either learned something, I had a ton of fun, I got to experience something new, or I got to share in an amazing moment for someone else I was with. And because of all of these things, I have come to love and cherish the memories I have of them now.

When I love something, I love it quite deeply. I don't even try at this, it is a naturally occurring Christine Pastrak phenomenon (what can I say, I'm a Scorpio ;). So when I say I have loved everything I got to do and people I got to do it with, I mean it in the truest sense. And this is lovely and all, but it does leave me in quite the predicament when I have to say goodbye to it all. To me, it feels like breaking up with someone you love. Because I come to love these things so much, when the season changes and I have to say goodbye to the season that brought me so many wonderful things, I feel sad. Like I've been abandoned in a way. Which is silly when you think about it. It's not like that is the end of all wonderful things to ever happen to me. You can see from my list of reasons why I love autumn so much that wonderfulness is inescapable. But I still feel uneasy about it.

Camp ends at 4pm each and every day in the summer. Kids and counsellors board their respective buses and it drives them to their stop and they go home. This scenario occurs every day, Monday to Friday for 9 weeks in the summer. A lot of the time, depending on the kind of day had, the bus ride home can be the best part of the day. But on the last day of camp, it's quite somber. Because it isn't going to come back to camp the next day, or even after the weekend. It's going to rest up for the first day of school 4 days later. The kids on the bus, on the last day of camp, are always especially good at following the bus rules (i.e. staying in their seats, looking forward, bags out of the aisle, no drinking or eating, etc).... that's when you know you've done a good job being a "meanie" all summer. The bus drops you off, you say thank you to the driver, and camp is officially over for another year. Just like that.

It was strange to live this Sunday today. I did the usual things, like go to the gym for my Total Body Tone class (I'm in love with it!), came home and made eggs, toast, and coffee for breakfast. I did some laundry and read my book. I met a friend for coffee and enjoyed listening to her goings on and sharing mine with her. This is a typical summer Sunday for me. Minus one thing... I did not have to complete a phone call home to the home of the camper I would be working with for the coming week. I usually hate this part of the job, actually. I'm terrible on the phone, and anyone who's talked to me on the phone can vouch for this! On the phone, I'm the worst interrupter, and renown for awkward silences and babbling on just to fill the void (NOTE: it's because I can't see you. I am fairly dependent on reading body language, facial expressions, and gestures for cues on when to speak, and these are not visible through phone conversations. If you can deal with this aspect of my being, I think you're awesome). For my camp job, though, it's a critical part of my week. I need to talk to my campers' parents in order to determine several things, like how accurate is the child's profile compared (which could have been composed some time ago) to where they are today, what strategies are best to calm them down during anxious moments, or what medical needs need to be taken care of during their week at camp. Even though it's important, I hate doing it all summer long, due to my "phone disability". But today... I would have given anything to be able to make one of these calls. It would have meant I could work and hang out with yet another Out-Of-This-World kid, who makes my life so fulfilling.

I know that once I get back into the routine of normal work and school year goings on I will be just fine. It will be nice to be able to not have to shower immediately upon my arrival at home each day, and to be able to wear makeup without it melting off before I even arrive at work each day. I know this school year is going to bring me so many awesome things, new kids, new challenges, new opportunities, and new friends. I am going to be able to revisit schools I already have relationships at, like Parkview, Glenwood, R. L. Hyslop, and Sherwood, and it will be fantastic to hear about the summers of the people I know there. I get to be a part of Walk a Mile for Reach for the Rainbow (ask me how you can sponsor me!!) I'm going to get to run the half-marathon for Road 2 Hope on November 7th (come cheer for me!), and I'm going to relish every second of training for it (truly, I race so that I can train, which is where I feel the most satisfaction in running). Maybe I'm going to get to enjoy Halloween for the first time in several years because I won't be running a marathon the next morning. I'm going to have Thanksgiving in Muskoka, and a birthday, CFL playoffs to watch, and the start of hockey season. Great things are coming, that is absolutely for sure.

Saying goodbye to one era is still a challenge for me, but it always has been and I presume it always will be. It's who I am. And who I am, I very much like. I guess, in the end, I am lucky to feel so strongly about the things I do in life, because it means I get everything I can out of them. I don't let the things I love slip away so easily. I don't just skim the surface, I dive deeper for a greater appreciation. I like that I do this, even if it can be hard.

At the bottom of this blog, you will find a movie I made. It is of the various kids that crossed my path as a 1:1 counsellor this summer. It is only a rough draft at this point, because I made it before I had all my pictures transferred from my camera to my laptop. I still love it very much though, and I hope it puts a smile on your face, too. If nothing else, I hope you come to notice how lucky I am to have met and worked with these kids.

I am going to take the next week off. Labour Day doesn't count as one of the days, it's a statutory holiday, so really I'm taking 4 days off. I definitely need this... I've just completed an entire year of work with no vacation whatsoever. "But Christine, no Christmas break? No March break?" Nope. Because I have several jobs, what is "break time" for most people hasn't been the same for me... For a couple years now I have worked over Christmas and March breaks for the Y because I'd get to work with kids from camp. So even during Christmas break, the last couple years I've only really had a couple days off. I'm not going to do this to myself anymore. I don't think it's anything to boast about in telling people I just worked 52 weeks in a row without a proper rest that wasn't a weekend (even long weekends do not count). I cannot be any good to anyone if I do not take care of myself first, so I'm taking the next several days off of work completely. I'm sure I'll be going stir crazy over this by noon on Wednesday, just because I'm a doer. I cannot sit idle (hence the workaholic status ;). I think it would be good for me though. So here I go! I need to take a trip this year. A real, big girl trip, something I haven't done yet. I should get my passport first!

I appreciate you reading this. You must be really bored to make it to the end. Thanks for humouring me, you're great.

"But if summer doesn't end, Christine, you can't have things like Halloween, Christmas, and snow days. Summer has to end so that we can build snow forts, ok?"
-Cameron, age 7

(Version 1)



(Version 2)

Week 9 - Luigi and Summer's Conclusion

"PARTEE....FRIIII!! HAPPY BIRDA PARTEE!!"
No, no Luigi... not Happy Birthday Party, Happy Summer Party

"HAPPY SUMMA PARTEE!!"

I've worked with Luigi the past two summers at a week each. My first year, he was a lot more behavioural and aggressive, and was one of the most challenging campers I had all summer in 2008. Last year he was sick most of the time, and slept, but definitely showed me that he had grown up and matured quite a lot. When I found out I would be with Luigi last Friday, I was super excited to see how much further he had come since my summer working with him in 2009.

Luigi is a brilliant young boy. He sees things in our world (and pays acute attention to them) that the rest of us would never even glance at. He can find the simplest joy in something really quite ordinary (a lesson he taught me and which I appreciate so, so much).

Monday morning Luigi arrived at camp looking quite sleepy and determined to find the most comfortable location to plop himself for a little while. I determined this based on the sleep crust he still had in the corners of his eyes and his level 7.5 (of 10) bed head he was sporting. Luigi has terrible allergies, and with the extreme heat and humidity we were graced with with the first part of this week this just seemed to be magnified for him. But he did stay with his group ALL day on Monday. ALL DAY!! In the past, Luigi has sort of been the commander of his own show. If I made him a visual daily schedule, he'd review it and then begin to rearrange the schedule created so that it read: swimming, swimming, swimming, lunch, swimming, swimming, swimming, bus, home. So this was a wonderful improvement. He sat with the group during ice breaker games, which lasted a good hour. THIS was also a marked improvement... he sat for an hour, and not because he was sleeping. He sat with his group and observed all that was happening, and didn't fuss or grumble. He did so awesome with transitioning from activity to activity this whole week, and didn't even need a visual schedule whatsoever!
It was 40C with humidity on Monday, and Luigi came to camp wearing long warm-up pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. During recent weeks, he and his family had taken a cruise to Alaska, and what he had been wearing during this time was cooler weather clothes. But when he came home he refused to wear his summer clothes again. His mum had written me a letter explaining this situation and said I could try to get him changed if I felt up to it, but not to worry if he was adamant about not changing. Our only "challenging" moment this week took place on Monday afternoon, where Kim and I (and Kylie for a small bit) attempted to convince Luigi to change into his shorts and t-shirt. It was really quite dramatic... he flayeld, he screamed, he smooshed himself into the bean bag chair. And 15 minutes passed and he was fine again. We picked up our things and marched on HOT march over to the senior pavilion for songs and bus departure. He did, however, look at me and say "hot" while we were there, and he pulled out his t-shirt and changed into it. 4.5 minutes later he was changing back into his long sleeved shirt. At least he tried it out!
But his allergies were absolutely terrible on Monday, and it prevented him from coming to camp at all on Tuesday. I was pretty bummed.

Wednesday rolled around and so did Luigi, still fairly congested, tired, and irritable. BUT, he WAS wearing shorts and a t-shirt, so HOLLA to that! Luigi had a stellar Wednesday, despite the boringness of the day overall. Theme day is actually not something that is fun, especially for kids like Luigi who thrive on structured activities that do not involve running and playing various kinds of tag in 38C heat. Swimming was especially wonderful on Wednesday just for this reason. On this day, Luigi also threw his water mask over the swimming barrier/wall and, despite my long-armed reach to save it, it sunk too fast and is now collecting slime at the bottom of Christie Lake. As are two Hot Wheels cars and a whack load of glow in the dark gimp.

Thursday was also awesome. Although he was still really tired, and he spent his entire morning sleeping in a storage container all morning. It was quite a humourous site to see... Luigi lying in a storage container with the lid on top and just his legs sticking out. Various kids walked by him on their way to the washroom and asked why he was in there. Straight-faced, I told them he wasn't doing a good job listening and so I stuffed him in there. They quickly did their business and ran back to their groups ;).
Friday. We knew it would come eventually. It was not just any Friday. It was the last Friday of camp. Of the summer. There was a certain gloom and doom about the day, aside from what was stormy weather at times. Counsellors had checked out about a week ago (if they weren't already burnt out by week 3). Nothing was really going on. Luigi and I spent some time sitting and watching the rain fall. We shared a TON of hugs and special moments <3 style="font-weight: bold;">hands down the fastest flying summer of my entire life. I vividly remember sitting in training with Katherine in June thinking about how 9 weeks seems so daunting. Now it's the day after the last day of those 9 weeks, and I cannot begin to comprehend how short this whole summer seemed to be. It was such an amazing summer though. I got to work with 9 A-M-A-Z-I-N-G kids this summer, each of whom helped me strengthen my own skills working in this field. I got to work with the best staff in all of camp, who were always there if I needed help with anything, or to just share in a laugh or wonderful moment. And even though I am extremely exhausted right now because of it all, and have been virtually all summer, I would never for a second trade any of it in for a different life. I love each and every kid to come to Helping Hands, and I love the people I work with. And my using the word "love" is not intended lightly. I can honestly say I love these kids and people in every sense of the word. This is why camp's end is so hard for me... I am not going to see these people on a daily basis anymore. Camp's conclusion happens so abruptly... You get on the school bus, and it drives you home. You can't linger behind because the bus will leave without you, and it's a long hike home. But it has to happen.

On the way home yesterday, Cameron, who is 7, told me this about summer ending: "But if summer doesn't end, Christine, you can't have things like Halloween, Christmas, or snow days. Summer has to end so that we can make snow forts, ok?". Well, I like Halloween, I like Christmas, and I like snow days and snow forts. So it's not such a terrible thing, this change of seasons. But it still makes me really sad.
Anyhow, I don't have a camper's house to call this weekend, or paper work to complete. I'm just going to enjoy doing nothing for the next week, then jump into school board work once more.

I am extremely thankful for every aspect of Summer 2010.

Kudos' of the week:
1. To Alicia who had one amazing week with Matthew!!
2. To Kylie who toughed it out with Peruvian something or other and still came to work
3. To Kailee who had to spend the last week downtown :-(
4. To Christina Wood and Kim for being amazing bosses to the HH team ALL summer
5. To Kortnie who did a sweet job distracting Gregor during his most expressive moments
6. To the entire Helping Hands team for working so hard and contributing to my summer. I love you all very much.