.

One of the girls I went to camp with passed away last night. I'm still in shock. Probably because she was one of those people who are absolutely bursting with energy and life. Still, it's difficult to imagine her not visiting camp ever again . . .

Camp complicates things. When you're living in extremely close proximity with one another for two months, over multiple years, they become your family. Sure there are disagreements, but ultimately you move past them because you all share a love for camp and the people in it. A lot of people don't get it, unless they've had a similar experience. The friends you make are unlike any other, it's unreal how you can get that close to people in two months time.

Lucy has made a huge impact on so many lives, and will be dearly missed by her camp family.

IKEA

A beautiful beautiful place. I had the privilege of visiting with my mother the other day. I found myself growing happier and happier as we followed those arrows in the floor (which are extremely helpful, seeing as the place is HUGE and quite confusing) and gawked at the perfect combinations of streamlined furniture, rugs, and lamps. Never in my life could I match those kinds of things together, but that's the beauty of Ikea, they do it FOR you.

Everything is so practical, I must have seen 80 different things and thought, "wow, I didn't think I needed that, but it would make life so much easier (and/or prettier) if I did"

The frugality of it all is extremely appealing as well. I could do some serious damage there . . . when there are tons of items for $5, $10, and $15, you pick up a bunch without even realizing how they add up. In the end I decided on the following items, and am quite pleased.

I think I may start going there for some sort of visual therapy . . .

Coffee Mugs.

I wouldn't necessarily call myself OCD, but there are a few tendencies lurking in my psyche, one of which involves coffee mugs.

These are the two and only two I currently drink out of. The white one is from Mary Engelbreit's artistic hands and quite appropriately, a gift from my mother.

Encouraging? slightly. Demeaning? perhaps. I think it's something all of us single ladies need to hear once in a while. Not every man is itching to put a ring on it.

The blue mug is from a thrift store in Elliot Lake Ontario, where two other counselors (at Camp Bil-O-Wood) and I spent our day off this past summer.

So why these two mugs? I'm not really sure. It's most likely sentimental value, mushy yes, but why wake up with just Folgers in your cup when you can have memories too?

-Kaitlin Quinn

First Post.

So I'm incredibly new to this new world of blogging, and I must admit, I definitely underestimated the extensive array of interests/purposes/information people "blog" about, which lead me to ask myself, what would I write about? What do I have to say that is so incredibly important I need to share it with the millions of people who are addicted to the internet? Honestly? Not much, but I've definitely had some random experiences . . . homeschooling, competitive irish dancing, a smoothie obsession, musical theater, 300 mile canoe trips, an infomercial obsession, sorority life, cross country running, knitting, pick-up truck driving, sewing, hiking, quilting, baking, nursing, to name a few. . . So there you are, laugh with me, or at me, as I spew my arbitrary and erratic musings as I continue throughout my slightly less than extraordinary life.