Cam Tipping - One in a Million Teenager

If you've visited Tuscarora during late July---during the Spriggs/Butler/Hanneman/Tipping/Gibbons week in the cabins---you might have seen Cam Tipping. Actually, it's hard to pick out Cam-- he's almost always part of the Cam-Leo-James trio. Those guys spend hours playing in the water. They can also dance a mean cupid shuffle, but honestly....James is the one that stands out there because he has the moves.

This year, Cam was the video guy for the American Heart Association. I've talked to Marla about homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. But it was just a word. It didn't  define Cam, of CamLeoJames.   The video shows a whole different side of that family than the one that I know.  As I understand it more fully, my admiration  runs even deeper.

This  family crowd really knows how to have fun. They model a  powerful lesson about living each day with gratefulness, joy, and humor.

Here's  Bill Tipping  (sporting purple polyester with Jim Hanneman in peach) These guys can surprise me into spitting my coffee all over the deck, they're that funny.  Bill's the kind of guy that carts all the kids out in the dark at midnight to find the wolf puppies (and actually finds them).

Did you notice the tame Yahtzee game in the video? Yeah, well, this is not the Marla who plays Yahtzee at Tuscarora. Don't let the kind polite mother thing fool you: she is ruthless (and also really witty).

   This nice family spreads a lively sparkle to everyone around them --including us.  Today, I'm praying for a cure for Cam's disease. If you are so inclined to that, can I summon you also for this great kid?  

Trout Opener

I'd say staffer Andrew had a pretty successful opener.........Get a load of those brook trout

Camp Coffee by Jerry Vandiver

Well, our favorite Nashviller, Jerry Vandiver came up with a new one. Lindsay's dad Phil is in there somewhere---

The other day I was sitting in my car in a parking lot and Tim McGraw came on the radio singing one of Jerry's songs. I wanted to quick tell the all the other people in the parking lot, but I didn't know even one of  them. So I just turned it up and had my own little happy moment.  Tim McGraw is OK, but it's a better song when Jerry just sings it himself.

Jerry has already sort of committed to the Tuscarora little concert for summer of 2012...........and so we're already hoping for it---and looking forward to his new canoe album.

Gunflint Trail Magic Christmas Tree

If you drove up the Gunflint Trail this Christmas, a little beyond half way, near Birch Lake, all of a sudden you'd have seen a perfect Christmas tree, lit up in the middle of the woods.  It was as electric and out of place as a billboard, but it was also perfect.  Nobody in the car ever said "Turn those lights off, we're in the middle of the woods".  It was more like the moment when Clark Griswold found the perfect tree and the angels sang, or when the Grinch sees all the Whos in Whoville celebrating Christmas morning.   It was a .........Who got up so high to get the lights so symmetrical, and where is that electricity coming from here in the middle of  nowhere? mystery. 

You know, just plain Magic.

Compassion Trumps Horror

In a small town, everything gets tied up.  My son's best friend, is also the brother of one of my daughter's best friends.  Their parents are our good friends, their mom is my running buddy and confidant,  their dad is the kids' tennis coach and guitar teacher, and also the County Attorney.  When our kids were ever in 'town' they stayed with the Scannells.  Those boys are my favorites.  There is some kind of bond we make with people who are  raising  our kids with us.  Lucky us.

On Thursday, our friend (that same County Attorney) completed a trial--- and was shot 3 times in the abdomen.

And when Tim got out of surgery, after he had time with his family, I got to hold his hand and look him in the eye.   You know, I didn't know the details of the trial.  Even though it's a small town, I really didn't know anything about the man who shot Tim.  I didn't even know that guy's name--or the details of his convictions, really.

I did know that the small town of Grand Marais now had it's own freaky shooting episode, and a man  tried to kill our dear friend. I was angry, I still am.   He nearly made a widow out my pal..  Some of my favorite boys nearly lost their father, and my own kids almost lost a special mentor.   So, as Tim was talking, continuously replaying the horror of the afternoon---I was searching for some way that he could rest his mind and sleep.   I said  "Tim, it's over, you can rest --the 'bad guy' is in custody."

And Tim looked at me so sadly and said "Sue, he's had a hard life.  You have know idea how hard his life has been."

I was sort of taken aback with the level of empathy I had just witnessed.    Here he was, just hours from being shot, and Tim’s gut reaction was to show compassion for the guy who wanted to murder him.  He wouldn’t let me get away with calling him the anonymous “bad guy.”

I was re-reminded what so many people in the county already  know---not only does Cook County have a very smart and competent County Attorney, but also  a very compassionate and ethical man in our midst.   

I can't tell you how thankful I am that I still have my friend.

Winter Wonderland, Tuscarora

The movie is a re-run, but wishes for joy and peace from Tuscarora are definitely current!

Making Memories

We were to cut down a Christmas tree.  It's our tradition--and it was the plan.  I could just post the photos, and it could look like a lovely family memory. Or, I could tell you how it really went down.
I cheerfully reminded everyone an hour ahead of time, so the morning could be semi-leisurly and still we wouldn't be late for the little cookie shindig in the afternoon.  And then I reminded them again.  Shelby was heavy into her homework, Andy was arguing with the plow truck, and Daniel was ready--because he is always game for anything Christmassy.

Time wore on, and I kept nagging...Let's GO LE'TS Go!
In Andy's plow truck distraction, he'd spaced the whole event.  But he recovered quickly, with feigned cheerfulness said ..."OK, let's go!  Who is ready to cut down a tree?!  I had to give him credit for good attitude, but we could all hear the strain behind his voice, and it wasn't spreading Christmas cheer.  Not at first at least, but he is on to something---eventually when a guy fakes a little cheerfulness, he becomes cheerfulness.Shelby thought she might beg off this year, she thought she should just stay in her jammies doing her homework. 
I had to grit my teeth without hiding anything...."We will ALL cut down a Christmas tree it is our TRADITION, and we will ALL have FUN, DARN IT.
So, we all headed out.  Andy asked winter staffer Andrew to come with us, which was a good thing because we were now censoring any family time snippy comments.  Shelby did lean over and quietly say to me--if you take ONE photo of me, I'm so out of here.

The snowy woods were fairly enchanting, and we joked a little bit about the damn tradition, and eventually we all fell under the spell of the woods on a fresh day.   When you have 17 acres of trees.....the trick of finding the "perfect Christmas tree" actually turns into trying to find a weedy Charlie Brown balsam with a decent shape that is also shading the growth of a nice little white pine.  We did find a good one this year.  We were all having fun in the end....honestly................but...........what I'm really wondering is...what memories will we take from it?   It's all in a person's perception isn't it.  Will it be---finally mom got so cranky that she practically swore at us so we had to trudge out of the house?.......or will Andy remember the plow?.....or....will the snippiness fade away, and it'll be just another year of a nice family tradition? 

I'll tell you what---the cookie baking party afterwards was just as cozy as it looks.  Who cared that we were 2 hours late? Way to plan it Ceaster! 
Know why the big crowd around the monopoly board was whittled down to Lars and Ritchie? Don't they look like nice and fun guys? They are, but  they also cheat, and that's the truth.
 

These were good people, good snapshots of time.

But---really, is that all we want to remember?  Is selective memory the blessing of it all?  Maybe we're wired to simply cling to the good stuff.  Does it take away the texture, or does it leave us feeling full?

I don't have any photos for the gangly hug I just got from my 14 year old after he got up off the couch from napping.  Not only are his arms and legs too long to hug me the way he's used to, he's also grown old enough to feel guilty for napping too much on a Sunday.  Isn't that ridiculousness?  He's only 14.   A very conscientious 14.  I hope I remember our short little conversation--where I said "Daniel, if we were orthodox Jews you wouldn't have been allowed to do anything 'productive' today.  And he draped himself a little tighter and so sincerely said "thanks mom" before he stumbled up to bed that I got the little prickles behind my eyes sensation.  No photo for that one.

Denali doesn't really like Andrew's sweet Sadie lab.     She either wants to stay away, or they occasionally snap at each other.  But look at the glee in the photo....this is the way I want to remember the day.  It was glee for that moment.   Obviously.  Why not just remember the glee?