Farm camp!

Moomin loved farm camp! They skimmed cream off the milk, churned butter from it, got eggs from the henhouse, fed some goats, and saw lots of other animals.

He has a choice at pool time of being a Cat, who doesn’t go in the pool; a Heron, who goes in but has to stay behind the 3 foot line, and a Dolphin, who can go anywhere. Today he was a Cat but he says tomorrow (if he can prove he will put his face in the water without panicking) he might become a Heron!

He made friends with a couple of the kids, and talked with them about Magic Treehouse books and about an obscure movie he described to me (Mister Something’s Magical Workshop?) and about loving animals.

He really really liked it!

I wish I could go see the camp, but it is down a gravelly hill path and up another hill, too scary for crutches and not possible in a wheelchair without a very strong person pushing (and a bit scary even then, or impossible, on the downhill bits). Maybe I can ride one of the larger goats.

So, I had emailed to ask about the access situation, but got no answer as my question was last minute, and then at drop-off time I asked if I could have a cell phone or a number to call so that I could call when I got there at 4:30 or 5 to pick Moomin up and alternatively, could they make an exception for him for sign-out and have another parent (sent by me) bring him to the parking lot. They said they would call me that morning to let me know. No one called and I did not bother to follow up, trusting to luck. I got to the camp at 4:50 figuring that I’d hang around in the parking lot till I could catch someone and ask them to bring Moomin back up the path. This sort of thing usually works just fine. INSTEAD, oh instead, they had some counselor wait with Moomin in the (hot, dusty, boring) parking lot from 4pm till I came! And she did not speak quite fluent enough English to explain or understand me, or to explain to him, so he was upset because he thought I was an hour late. So picture me putting on my patient face while I go back and forth with this lady about it. “No, it’s okay, he can stay here until 5. It’s okay.” “No, it’s not okay.” “Yes, is okay.” “It might be okay with you, but it’s not okay with me. Basically you’re making my kid sit in the parking lot bored out of his mind for an hour because I’m disabled? Not okay!” “No, you do not understand, you cannot walk up the hill.” “I KNOW I CAN’T WALK UP THE HILL.”

I’m glad I kept my temper in front of Moomin!

I gave up explaining and thanked her, left, and called the camp director, who agreed Moomin should stay at the camp from 4 till 5 with all the other kids, the books and toys, in the after care that we paid for! I did not pay for “Parking Lot Boredom Camp!” (I was super polite to the director and she was super polite and nice in return!)

Just a note that I don’t expect Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory to be nicely paved with a 3% grade special for my wheelchair! I just want people to LISTEN to what I ask for, and maybe THINK once in a while… and then when I explain what is wrong, LISTEN again…

*Rant Over*

I had a good day, some difficulty tolerating pain, but it was my second time crutching not wheeling into my office from my work parking lot and I did manage to make it through the day! Then drove half an hour and back again! Go, me!

Moomin told me all about how he loved the camp in the car and sang me songs from last week’s camp, including one about milking a cow and going bananas.

When we got home:

Me: Hey, so do you want a popsicle?

Moomin: YES!!!!! (does a sort of air guitar jump of victory)

Me: Hahahaha! Red or purple?

Moomin: You’re the BEST MOM EVER!!!!!

Me: Flattery will get you everywhere. Keep it coming baby!

Moomin: I didn’t mean just for the popsicle. You’re also a great mom about other things. But, mostly right now, the popsicle.