Camp America 2006

Hey everyone, welcome to another summer partying in Pennsylvania!!! Woohoo!! Can't wait to get there, tho I have a 23hr trip in front of me tomorrow. No idea what's gonna happen this summer, last years was way beyond any of my expectations!! Its gonna be a challenge to top it this year, although I have no plans at all this summer except that I hope to make it to the US Grand Prix, to meet Vicki & Adele in NYC in July and party with Neil & Gary in New York after camp. Right now my biggest concern is whether or not the Bitch will start!! Here goes!!!

I'M BACK BABY!!!! And I feel great!! A lot better than I felt when I arrived, dont think that a lack of proper sleep for nearly a week before I left plus a jounery of about 23 hours agreed with me, been feeling rundown last few days. But all better now!

Have to say again this year, Virgin flight crew are exemplary!! Customs was far better too, barely queued 2minutes, compared to the 2 hour fiasco last year!!

Few changes at camp, they built the 2nd storey above the canteen, but it wont be usable till next summer. There is space in it for two huge 15ft outside cinema screens! Peacocks have been moved and the old pen will be a water feature thing, had some craic cutting down the trees that used to be there. Nobody thought to cut down the massive trees before the brand new (and expensive) building was made, so a few worried faces as we made sure we didn't demolish them!

Was the first international staff member to arrive, only Chantelle is here also. Pretty quiet, but think we're heading out tonite. Finally got unpacked, couldnt be bothered earlier cos tired and ill and settling back into camp nicely, which leaves only one thing....

The Bitch breathes again!!!!! Went out to the car, checked it over (i.e.picked off the dirt and talked to it nicely), connected the battery and she started first time!! I love this car!! And it also means I won a $1 from my dad, cos he bet me it would cost a lot of money to get it started. He's tight, he wouldn't bet anything more, but seeing as it cost me nothing (Dad, thats $0, zero, zilch, nada!), I'm in profit. Just cos it started tho, doesnt mean it has magically cured all its previous ills, so half the windows dont work, cat is knackered etc etc, plus its now got a knackered tyre and rusty brake discs. But it works!!!!!

Thats all I can be bovvered to type, starting to get hungry and might be heading out tonight. I'M BACK!!!!

Not much, since I arrived been painting, cutting down trees, weeding and planting. 6000 plants arrived this morning, and same again on Wednesday, nooo!!! Was the only person to work on Saturday so got to fly around on the mule, a wee 4x4 work buggy (while working, of course!) Took Sunday off, stayed in bed til 4pm, loving it!!

Didn't do much over weekend, kinda sad really! Did learn three valuable lessons though: 1. Match Point is a shockingly bad movie. Really. Excruciating. 2. Just Like Heaven is not bad, for a chick flick. 3. Don't let the girls pick the dvds for a night in!

Hopefully heading to Walmart later cos starting to run badly out of food. Thats bout it, no one else is arriving til end of month, when Amie, Ferg and Jonny turn up.

Tree: 1, Dave: nil. Saw one of the coolest things ever on Wednesday. Dave was bringing one of the mini tractor/lawn mowers down the hill but something went wrong and it accelerated instead of braking and went far beyond its top speed. I was stood halfway down the hill watching him, heard the engine over-revving, heard him give a rather girly yell and then watched him lose control of the tractor (and trailer!) and smash into one of the biggest trees on the entire hill. He jacknifed backwards straight towards Ted, our gardening guru, who did some sort of quality leap/roll out of the way before everything got wrapped around a tree stump and Dave got thrown off. He was ok, apart from a bruised leg and ego but the tractor was a right-off, smashed the battery, ripped one of the wheels off and actually bent the entire chassis!! Kind of glad he hit the tree, cos if he missed he was coming straight for me!

Had our first night out last night. Me, Dave, Chantal and Danny (ok dad, Dave, Chantal, Danny and I) went into Stroudsburg to Front Row for a quick bite then onto Siamsa!! I got chatted up in the bar!! Me!! By a real girl!!! And she wasn't even hammered!! She seemed a bit, ummm, like a librarian, but a real one, not the FHM type, so I just got more tequillllaaa and left!! Was a quality night, bit blurry, bit messy but a great way to start the summer!

Was feeling pretty good this morning, though that wore off by about 2pm, then by 3 we had to start cleaning the pool. It has been empty since probably last September, so everything had gathered in a pool at the deepend which was just horrible green sludge, which we had to wade around in, removing all the leaves so we could pump the rest of the water out. Pretty disgusting to start with, and did not agree with our hangovers.

Been looking at ways to get to the US grand prix, not looking good. Rather than the 3 hour drive I guessed, its actually a 20hour roundtrip. Pretty challenging in the time available, but possible. Not so sure if I would trust the car on that, plus the petrol won't be cheap. Did look at flying, but its Independence Day weekend, so flights are about $200 return. Still need to find someone to go with me anyway, so not holding my breath, as most people get Saturday off, not Sunday.

Memorial Day weekend, don't know what its for but it means we get a party at the sports camp on Sunday, so its all good!

Finally!!! We've finished planting all the flowers. TWELVE THOUSAND plants were delivered in two days and we had to plant them all. I still have dirt on my hands that won't wash off. TWELVE THOUSAND PLANTS!!! And now, cos it hasn't rained for ages, we have to water them everyday until Thursday, when hopefully it will rain. Got properly shafted in watering duties though, offered to do the largest area yesterday so I wouldn't have to do it again for a few days, took nearly 3 hours, except that I had to do it again today, cos no one else was about. Raging! Between that and cleaning the pool, the bank isn't looking so bad now!

Someone somewhere wants me to stop drinking. So far we have had two nights out, after the first one we had to clean the pool, and five minutes after I woke up the morning after the Memorial Day party I had to help empty the septic tanks. (For those of you who don't know, those are big underground tanks filled with crap, literally the crap from everyone on camp) It was not funny.

However, the Memorial Day party at the sports camp was funny!! Played horseshoes, hillbilly golf and the old favourite, beer pong!! Drove through the woods from our camp in the Mule, not the comfiest vehicle and after the return trip, Brent admitted (cos Cheryl yelled at him!) that he can't see at night. After the party a few of us headed into town to a "speciality" bar, which wasn't that special, to be honest. Apparently the "waitresses" only work there cos they're not good enough to work at the other "bars". It showed. (No pun intended!!)

Just off the phoned to SafeAuto, me and my car are once again road legal!! Took long enough, could never be bothered to phone and just found out they're open 24hrs anyway. Next hurdle is the US equivalent of the MOT, which I need by the end of June. Need to clean the brakes too!!

Have to go clean the funhouse now, cos Cheryl is doing an inspection tomorrow and its a complete tip!!

Passed inspection!! Was up till after midnight finishing cleaning after Arielle & Louie did most of it, so wasn't too bad.

Out last night again, with Danny, Chantal, Ryan & his girl. Didn't get into Front Row cos they wouldn't accept my ID, even tho it was fine last time and fine for everywhere else. Met a few of the guys from the sports camp in Flood's too. Was a bit of a messy night in the end. Chantal felt a wee bit ill but provided some of the funniest moments of the night, when she fell out of the car cos she thought her seatbelt would hold her up but it wasn't hooked up and later when her arm slipped and she bonked her head on the toilet.

Slept in this morning tho cos I set the alarm on my phone and then the battery died, so got a 9.05am wake up call from Danny, Cheryl, Louie and George.

Massive thunderstorm 2 days ago and another today. At one point the was a lightning strike so close the thunder was the same instant. We jumped, then dropped everything and ran for cover!

Kitchen staff have started to arrive, so they're doing all the cooking, woo!!

Getting exciting now, few more people have turned up! One of the Russian grounds crew arrived a few days ago and I had to give him the tour of the camp. With my accent and his English, it wasn't very easy! Ferg, Carrie, & Jonny arrived a few days ago and Aimee arrived today, with Trav due later.

Was back in Scary Aerie yesterday!! Carrie and I have to set up the tower and get all the rocks on before the others arrive so that its ready for them to train on properly. Managed to get two dead legs tho, cos we have to sit in the harness while we attach the rocks and I didn't realise how much the circulation had left my legs, couldnt stand up! Prob not out today tho, cos its pretty wet round here, tho still pretty warm.

Went out to X-Men 3 last night (I drove, woo!), which was a pretty good show. If you go to see it, wait till after the credits, there's another wee bit which is pretty interesting. Out tonight, heading into the Main Street in Stroudsburg again, so should be pretty good craic as there is a much bigger crowd of us. Not too sure if we get a day off tomorrow tho, even a half day wouldnt hurt, I've had one day off since I got here!!