A Different Kind of Surprise

Tis the season for summer camp, which means I am brushing off twigs, bark, and who knows what from our duvet.  (Because that is where I unpack their bags, and as I type, I am realizing it may be time to rethink this routine.)

When the boys return home, I brace myself for what I will find, or not find, in their bags.

Without fail, one boy's bag will contain wet clothes.  Everything is wet?

Another boy's bag will consist of one layer of muddled clothing and supplies, while the remaining layers are perfectly folded, like they had never been touched.  Hmmmmmm.

Then again, as long as nothing comes crawling or flying out at me, the state of everything else is no big deal.

Next comes the taking of inventory.  We have lost socks, inadvertently swapped rain ponchos, and left behind swim trunks.  (Which we realized after arriving at the grandparent's for the 4th of July weekend, where I finally unpacked the bag.  Making a run to Wally World, on a Friday night, and having to travel on Route 30, on a Friday night, the day before July 4th is real fun.)  My most frustrating lost was an L.L. Bean toiletry bag.  Despite making a phone call to the camp, we never saw it again.  Lesson learned, if they are taking it to camp, cheap, cheap, cheap.

This year, I am proud to say, they seem to have returned home with all their belongings, and then some.

Dear son #1 came home with 2 camp shirts.  He should only have one, the other belonged to a cabin mate.  Son #2 came home with random socks.  No pairs in the extra sock pile, just singles.  It is an interesting collection.  From what I understand, their cabin was in a state of boy mayhem at the end of the week.  By the time I picked him up, though they had cleaned, organized, and packed everything, and his belongings were scattered among 2 picnic tables. I guess he didn't want to put them in his bag, since everything was wet. 

So, to sum up this year.  No lost items (all of their socks returned home in pairs.)  No live items hitched a ride.  Clothes were wet, however, the majority of clothes were worn.  And, if anyone wants to make some sock puppets, we have socks to spare.