Woodworking, Boxing and Chess

July 17, 2024

Yesterday was arguably the hottest day so far, or at least it felt that way.  We could see on radar the showers gaining steam to our west, a sure sign that we were in for our turn.  As always, Rob contended we needed the rain and it came pretty hard, but just for a short while,and just after we released the boys a tad hurriedly from dinner.

The intermediates bolted for the vans for the short drive over to Camp Merriwood for a dance while the seniors simply sauntered next door to the Main Lodge for a similar soiree with Merriwood’s older girls. I dashed to my cabin and stayed there to entertain my granddaughters Lexi and Maddie, who joined Alice and me in watching the rains come rushing down the lake.

Both Sara and I would have been out there taking photos were it not for the heat during the day and those pesky showers later on.  She asked me to apologize to you in this blog but I refused, saying, “They have had thousands of viewings of their boys.”  Sorry about that!

I did find some shady areas during clinics where there seemed to be good energy.  Don reported he had a mix of returning and first-time woodworkers for his clinics in the dually named Nature Lodge/Roost.  There are so many branches and twigs laying around that the latter name seems more appropriate these days.

Jolene runs a very good boxing clinic, and, while no one ever gets clobbered, the boys relish the various offensive and defensive moves she teaches them.  It is a chorography, really, and lots of fun to watch (I know) and to do (I presume.)

I love Eli’s chess clinics and observed his third period class for the entire hour yesterday.  He can move several pieces in succession to demonstrate a forward-looking strategy and then move them all back to their original places, thus giving his charges plenty to ponder.  I was transfixed even though I don’t really play chess!

Today marks the beginning of the crescendo towards Saturday’s finish line for the first session.  We call it “Old-Timer’s Day,” and folks who have been at Kingswood for five years or longer will be dined on steak and given special prizes after the meal. The day concludes with a concert – campers and counselors participating – at the Theater in the Pines.

That’s where both Sara and I will be taking photos I can assure you.