THURSDAY - M and I drove out Thursday after karate class and got to our room just about 7pm. We were staying at the Proposal Rock Inn which is a former hotel (I think) or possibly was designed as condos. Either way, we had adjoining rooms - mine had a full kitchen, and a balcony with a view- a studio apartment of sorts. M's had just a bed and bathroom - more of a typical hotel room. She was so absolutely excited to have a key to her "own" room - so cute!
This is the view looking out our balcony toward the beach. Our room was right near the creek that flows into/around Neskowin. You can see the ocean in the background through the clouds and fog.
After arriving at the room, we unpacked a bit, then went for a walk down to the beach where M played in the sand a bit and had a grand old time. The weather, despite being overcast, was comfortable enough that we weren't cold at all - very nice for the Oregon Coast!
We headed back to the room, showered, and headed into our respective beds. What is it about the beach that makes you NEED to shower? I was just walking on it and felt like I had sand everywhere...but I digress...
FRIDAY - Up at 7:30am - I set my alarm for 7:30 so that I could snooze till 8, then get M up, eat breakfast, and head over to the house in time for "Shugo" (the call to line up and bow in/out). Well, my alarm woke her up, so we were up and ready to go earlier than anticipated. Luckily the "time waster" (TV) was there to fill in the time we had to kill. We walked up to the house where camp was based (one of the families in the dojo owns the house and lets us use it each year for camp). Once we got there, there was a bit of hurry up and wait, but that's OK! Sensei had brought their puppy along, so there was play time with Ty, then another family brought their brand new puppy along, so there was more play time with "No Name" (they have yet to name the little fluff ball, so I lovingly called him "No Name" all weekend). A grand total of 6 kids were there, and 7 adults - a very nice number for camp. All the adults are black belts and 1 of the kids worked out with the adults is a brown/black belt since he has to be 16 to get his black belt. One of the other girls is a brown belt, but stayed with the "kid's camp" along with 2 purple-green belts (M being one of them), and one purple belt, and one big sister who took part in some activities, but not the karate based ones.
After "Shugo", I left and headed back to the room where I sat on the balcony and tried to watch the campers over at the house through the trees. It wasn't easy, but I could hear them and it was especially fun to hear when they got their bos (pronounced bows) out and started clicking them together. I sat on the balcony for long enough to have my feet freeze, then had to go back in and defrost them. It's not that it was THAT cold, it just wasn't THAT warm on my bare tootsies! Took a little nap and headed back for lunch.
After lunch M wanted to show off her room, so we took the other 4 kids over there to show them. I felt like the Pied Piper walking with 5 kids behind me - can't imagine how it looked to passers by! Then I was volunteered (technically I was asked, but when Sensei asks, you do) to supervise the 5 kids on the beach while his wife finished up cleaning up from lunch and getting ready for dinner. She was supposed to meet me down there and relieve me after about 45 minutes of a sand castle building contest. SO, off we go...the 2 older girls were one "team", and the 3 younger kids (2 girls and 1 boy) were the other "team". I didn't split them up, they did that on their own. The sand castle building began - and it occupied them all for about 45 minutes, then they were done with their castles and ready to be judged. I told them I wasn't the judge, but they were welcome to play something else. The 3 younger kids started playing a game which 2 of them play in school (M being the 3rd one who doesn't know the game). The 2 older ones made themselves into mermaids by burying their legs in the sand. All went well for awhile, but then they all started to get bored. Just when I was about to send up my flare (about 90 minutes into this expedition), the reinforcements arrived and I was relieved (in more ways than one!). Back to the room for a much needed nap!
When dinner time came along, I headed back to the house and was greeted by M asking me to NOT eat dinner with them there. OK, fine with me, so I went to the restaurant (there's only 1 restaurant in Neskowin, luckily it's good!) and had the yummiest crab tortellini (cheese tortellini in a creamy crab/gorgonzola cheese sauce...my mouth is watering just remembering it!).
A bit later I headed back to the house and got to take part in the Q&A with the visiting Sensei. Now, I have to tell you, at our dojo we study the greats - Nagamini, Miagi, etc. Gonzo Sensei studied WITH these guys! He's an amazing man! Grew up in Okinawa and has some amazing stories to tell. It was awesome to hear him talk about the history of our form of karate. After the Q&A, everyone headed out for a bo class with Gonzo Sensei which was a blast to watch. Following class, there were rumors of a bonfire, but Mother Nature decided that it was going to rain instead. Well, drizzle, but it was enough for me to tell M we were going to head back to the room. After showers, she hit the bed at 10:30, and I suspect was sound asleep at 10:31! Apparently they did head out and do a bonfire starting at 10:30...and going till 3am! OH, to be young and crazy again!
SATURDAY - I gave M the choice of eating breakfast with the camp (8am) or in our room and showing up for Shugo (9:30am) - she chose to sleep in (That's my girl!). Took her up to the house, then headed back to the room for some reading and relaxation before lunch. Headed back up for lunch and had a great conversation with Gonzo Sensei over a yummy sandwich. Part way into the conversation M came up and asked if she could go back to the room to change her shoes. I said yes and handed her the key. Mind you, this is a very small town and she only had to go the equivalent of up the street to do this task. WELL, not long after she left, Sensei's wife said, "Where's M?" I said, "She went back to the room to get her flip flops." She said, "ALONE???" To which I, of course, replied, "NOOOOO, I was just getting up to go with her!" and proceeded to do just that. Sort of a funny exchange. I was trying to give M some freedom and independence, but she was thinking maybe not and was actually prepared to walk all the way there herself if I wouldn't have!
After lunch a few of us walked up to the condo where Gonzo Sensei and his family were staying and he did this free radical test thing on us (him and his wife are acupuncturists and practice all kinds of cool Far Eastern healing). While there, D called and said he was at the Inn and where was I, so I headed back to meet up with him. As I passed the house, I picked up M and took her back to the room to change into her gi for the formal ceremony/class. D had brought Pasha with him, so we took her out to the beach to watch the formal ceremony, which was way cool to watch all the folks in white gis on the sand doing kata... I got lots of pictures which I'll share another day.
After class, I took some group photos, then it was goodbye and thank you for a great camp. D and M headed back to the room so she could change out of her gi while I chatted with some of the other students for a bit. The plan was for us all to meet at the house so we could help clean up and gather our stuff, but M decided she didn't want to come back (I suspected she was laying on her bed in front of the TV and didn't have a lot of extra energy - and I was right!). SO, I gathered our stuff and made plans to meet up with some folks for a second try at a bonfire that nite.
The 3 of us headed to the restaurant for dinner, and to the store to buy marshmallows, roasting sticks, and a promised sweatshirt for M. Then we went back to the room with full (too full) tummies and relaxed until about 8pm, when we thought would be a good time to head down to the beach for the impending bonfire. We headed down and got to hang out and watch a beautiful sunset while waiting. Just when we were ready to pack it up and leave, the boys (Sensei's sons and another 20ish student who incidentally was one of my students when he was in the 8th grade) showed up with wooden pallets to start up the bonfire. Well, we felt a little silly trying to roast marshmallows over this bonfire that was taller than M, but we still gave it our best try! Stayed out there till 10ish, then headed back to the room (hate to be the "old people" in the group, although this group of kids is such a great group, they probably wouldn't change their behavior if we were there or not).
SUNDAY - Father's Day! - Woke up about 10 and gave D his Father's Day gifts, then it was time to pack up and head out. D and M took off for the Aquarium in Newport, and Pasha and I stayed for a long walk on the beach and lunch at the restaurant before heading home. Got home in time to take a quick nap before starting dinner prep - made D Shepherd's Pie as it's one of his favorites. Used a recipe Mom found on the Internet this time instead of the one I used before which was the one used at Kell's Irish Pubs. He actually liked this one better - more along the lines of college food service "clean out the fridge" Shepherd's Pie. Fine with me! Much easier than the Kell's recipe!
SO - all in all, a great weekend - fun was had by all, except maybe Romeo who wasn't happy we'd left him behind. He climbed into the van when we were unloading it and literally refused to get out - guess that was his way of making sure we didn't leave him behind again! Now, how are we going to break it to him that he doesn't get to come camping with us next weekend? I'm sure that's a story for another day, though...
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