Pranks and Skivvies

Pants: Zara...Tank: thrifted...Cardigan: Target...Shoes: BCBGeneration via Ross...Necklace: thrifted

Oh, look... I'm covered in dog hair.

Another little chuckle for your workweek (Yesterday's post was the first in a week of childhood stories):

My sisters and I started going to summer camp when we were teeny tiny. It was the same camp in the Hocking Hills of southern Ohio that my mom had attended as a kid. Mom would work the week-long camp and exchange her pay to bring us as campers. There's endless stories to tell about my summers here, but I'll focus on one of the most ridiculous.

Around age 14, my mom and another counselor led a 3 1/2 day canoeing trip that spanned around 60 miles of river. We had some petite campers, like me and Sissy S, some average sized kids who weren't fully aware of how much physical work it was going to take, and a smattering of 16 year old dudes who, relatively speaking, looked like Hercules compared to my dainty ballerina physique (strong legs and modest arm muscles did not make me candidate for most beneficial canoeing team member, despite my mad maneuvering skillz). Moral of the story, no one knew anyone and mom was well aware we'd need to all bond quuuuickly so we could plan on forcing a team-up of strong with not strong in case we started to lag and need to get to our planned campsite for the night on time. Here's how the bonding went down...

Mom: "Hey, Katie, you could totally prank the guys tonight."
Me: "They been hanging out in their cabin since the week started. I couldn't sneak in to steal something if I tried."
Mom: "Nah, I've asked the other counselor to take them on a firewood hike for tonight. Rally the girls."
(I am not a rally-er. But I was very good at pranks.)
So, we stole a pair of underpants from each guy's bag and I shimmied up to the roof of their cabin, which was set into a steep hillside with no clear way up and laid out a boxer brief smiley face. Grinning and ready to greet the guys as they got back.

We made excellent time with the canoe pairings and several friendships were formed for the rest of our summers as campers.

And my mother is absurd.