Boys will be boys

Picking up Farty from his seven week stay at camp in New Hampshire was an eye-opening experience for me... and not in the good way. Because I learned a little more than I needed to know about the way boys live.

Farty's camp is an all-boys camp. This means all the campers, all the counselors, all the alumni, and most of the staff are - good guess! - BOYS. Now, I like to think I have a rather high tolerance for boys because I have three younger brothers and have known nothing but how to deal with them for my entire life (except for three years of beautiful bliss before they were born). But visiting this camp, even for just one afternoon and one morning, made me see a whole new light. Because this is a camp full of - even worse - TEENAGE BOYS.

Sadly, I have to admit that Farty is now a teenager. He is fourteen after all (and will be fifteen before the year is out). While he was away, he shot up at least four inches (he's way taller than me now). He snacks on sunflower seeds (the ultimate manly snack) and drinks Arnold Palmers by the gallon (another manly food item invented by the manliest of all athletes, a golfer). He wears the same clothes that he fell asleep in the night before. Shorts and underwear are considered proper a proper swimsuit. "Dripping wet" is considered "dry." A few days without a shower goes without question; a week is fine too. Sweaty sports and chili-filled meals are the highlights of a good day. If you can't see the floor of your cabin, so what? Spitting on the ground and peeing in the woods (just off to the side so people won't really notice you but can still see you're there) is totally acceptable behavior as well. WHAT IS THIS CRAZY LAND???!

Not to say that this camp is a madhouse. In fact, quite the opposite: boys look forward all year to returning to CT. It's a well-organized, respectful, fun, encouraging, safe, friendly, life-changing camp. I'm very grateful that it is part of Farty's life; when he talks about it, his whole body glows with passion (and no, it's not just the sweet tan he got from being outdoors all the time). CT is clearly a place where these boys belong, not me. In other words, I think I am now quite certain that I could never be a boy and that I am perfectly happy being a GIRL :)    Isn't that nice to hear? I'm happy with who I am.

Three cheers for CT and all its gross boy-ness!
xxo, S