Last week it was just me and the girls(Cookie and Pika). I had the whole house to myself. Scott headed off to Boy Scout camp for a week at Camp Rodney on the North Side of the Chesapeake Bay. He rode up with his friend Joe and their family on Sunday morning. Allison was up early too and headed off to work another week of Girl Scout camp with a Hawaiian Theme.

Allison celebrated her 20th Birthday at camp and shared a huge platter of cookies with fellow counselors. I packed her up a goody bag and shipped it UPS directly to camp. I included some homemade cookies of her own since I figured she would probably not get any that she brought! I also included a few Hawaiian themed items which she really enjoyed, like a blow up palm tree, Hawaiian shirt and glow in the dark ring toss game(the palm tree was a big success). Plus a few snacks and a coconut cup. She loved getting her care package. And she had a wonderful week(again). She even stopped off for pizza at a local restaurant with fellow counselors before heading home on Friday. One unique experience she had this past week involved a possible non worldly sighting in the woods. The Girl Scout camp is already rumored to be haunted by civil war era ghosts. The stories are written up in the book, Weird Maryland. The GS camp property originally belonged to the Bell family(telephone company), and their house which is used by scouts today remains on the land overlooking the Susquehanna river. The house is supposed to be haunted. Along with the ruins of a homestead where several children died in a fire set by Union soldiers. All that remains is the chimney where the mother hid the children before the soldiers burned down the house. But Allison believes she was one of many that may have spotted the spirit of a new generation of ghosts. Possibly a Girl Scout who died several years ago of cancer. Her father is the archery instructor and helped establish several nature centers in his daughter's name, Caitlyn Dunbar. Apparently she loved scouting so much, she spent her entire summer at camp each year until she died. And her family has devoted their time and resources  towards Girl Scouts and camping in her name. Allison and a second counselor were taking a camper to the Nurses station at 4am with a stomach ache. ON their way back to their cabin, Allison believes she saw a girl walking down the path near the pool house and Caitlyn Dunbar nature center wearing white socks, shoes and shorts. Allison tried to call to her and approach her since the girls are not supposed to be out on their own, but she disappeared. When Allison mentioned this to the other counselors, they reported having the same experience. We may need another chapter in the Weird Maryland Book! We told Allison to take her camera or cell phone with her next time she is out walking at 4am!  I think she especially enjoyed being home though to catch up on her sleep!

Her eery experience did not however keep her from returning to camp again last Sunday morning as she headed out to enjoy the Holiday theme at GS camp. They celebrate a different holiday each night including Halloween, Thanksgiving, and  best of all, Christmas.

SCott was also happy to return home from camp, mainly to get a good night's sleep. He spent his week at a scout camp on the northern end of the Chesapeake bay, sleeping in a hammock. Except when it rained. Since the camp was right on the bay, he signed up for lots of water sports including sailing and motor boating. He actually earned his sailing badge last year, but signed up again to spend time sailing with his friends since he enjoyed it so much last year. He especially enjoyed learning how to operate a motor boat!  Which he was able to do since successfully completing his Maryland Boating Safety program the week before. And for a break from the water and sun, he finished up his day with the robotics badge. Tom and I drove up on Saturday morning to pick up both SCott and his friend Joe.

While Allison and Scott were off to scout camp all week, Tom traveled to California to work. Before he left on Monday, we enjoyed dinner out on Sunday night and took my mom out for ice cream. He also had a chance to meet up with my brother Mike for dinner in LA along with his roommate Suzanna.

I found ways to keep myself entertained during the week. On Monday I took my mom to her dentist appointment and then we went out to dinner. On Tuesday I relaxed at home after work. Weds I took Cookie for a walk in the park while enjoying a free Jazz concert. On Thursday I was invited to dinner at our friends who watch Cookie while we are gone. So naturally, Cookie and I went over together for dinner and to drop off a Thank you gift basket for doggy sitting. Cookie was not ready to have her ears chewed on again by their puppy however.  On Friday I spent the day running errands and taking care of paperwork for my parents. I had hoped to try and take my parents out to a local pool or small lake, but the weather turned cloudy and grey. I stopped in to take my parents out to dinner, but they had already eaten by 5pm. Instead I shared dessert with mom and we headed to the grocery store. On Saturday Tom and I spent the morning picking up Scott from camp along with his friend Joe. Our family decided to catch a movie since it was a rainy day, but we could not agree on which one. So Tom and I saw Antman which we really enjoyed and the kids caught up with The Minions. Afterwards we decided to try something different for dinner and we stopped into a Thai restaurant that Tom visits with fellow workmates. Very spicy. On Sunday Allison was headed off to camp early in the morning. Tom and I worked on yard work even though it was a bit too hot. I had a lot of weeding to do in our garden. Unfortunately, our yard has turned into a nature sanctuary and the deer nibbled most of our tomato plants and pepper plants. So I was trying to see what was left. We really have had an interesting selection of creatures in the backyard:snakes, a box turtle, deer, fox, rabbits, and a wide variety of birds. I was very excited to have assisted in contributing to the blue bird population as our birdhouse saw 4 new baby blue birds hatch. Now a crazy wren is busy building a nest in the box. Seems a little late in the year. But it keeps her busy! Now if we can just get some veggies to grow!

Another Happy Birthday goes out to our nephew Nicholas Bozyk who also turned 20 last week. Happy Birthday Nick!  And Get Well Soon to nephew Clayton Bozyk who underwent emergency surgery for appendicitis. Hope you are feeling better!

Allison S celebrates her 20th Birthday at Myrtle Beach

Mommy and Daddy Blue Bird watch over their House