WOW! What a weekend! Thanks so much to everyone that helped make it happen. The food was delicious, the music was great, the weather was perfect, and the friendships rekindled made the weekend one that I will always remember. And yes, time did fly.

My husband Stefan, my daughters Reilly (6), and Alina (4), and I made the drive down from Fredericksburg on Saturday afternoon. It had been more than 15 years since I had been down that way, and it was … uh … rural. Much more so than I had remembered! We had a few minutes to spare so I took the family on a short detour past the old camp. ("Just a few more minutes!" I kept promising my kids as they protested from the back seat.) How strange to see it now occupied by homes!

Once we arrived at the new camp, it took me a few minutes to get my bearings. So much has changed..., and so many buildings have sprouted. I remember the mud parking lot from our first year at the new site … I think that was the year that Boomer jumped from a truck onto a construction nail? Not only is the parking lot now (partly) grassed over, it also is adjacent to a swimming pool! Registration was held in the Manor House. I still have pictures of Perry Moore dancing on the porch roof from a Youth Senate many years ago. As far as I know, there wasn't any dancing there this weekend. I did, however, see a few familiar faces helping to sign us all in, and I immediately felt welcomed.

My kids were anxious to see where we would sleep. I was anxious to explore the camp. My husband wanted to rest! But we unloaded the car (into our room – we were willing to fork out the few extra dollars for a little more comfort!) and headed outdoors. We walked through the campsites, and I was surprised to see doors on what once were tents! The beds were arranged differently than I had remembered, and the green flaps were gone. Campers these days live in luxury! I wondered what the bath houses were like, and decided to pay them a vast.

Unlike the tents, the bath houses remained unchanged. The granddaddy longlegs were still there, and I am sure the mornings' first visitors still have the best chance of getting a warm shower. I was thankful that I wouldn't have to make any late night visits with my two small children, but remembered those as being part of the "charm" of Chanco.

Cold beer and old friends waiting, we decided to make our way to Flournoy Hall for cocktail hour and a slide show. Saturday's visitors continued to trickle in, and I was able to greet not only my first counselor, Lisa Hall, but also one of my dearest Chanco friends, Lucy Lowry. My kids were quite entertained by the slide show. Despite the tube socks and the OP's, it felt like the pictures had been taken yesterday (they were, weren't they?). It doesn't seem possible that my first year as a camper was 23 years ago!

Appetizers and drinks were followed by yet more delicious food. For those that missed it, there was steak, shrimp, and to the delight of my children, chicken fingers! The meals could not have been better. While eating by the bluff (the new bluff is really just as beautiful as the old), my kids ran around playing hide-and-seek. It was all I could do not to suggest a game of Shipwreck (a game I introduced to them on a long, rainy day) … but decided they could wait until they were actually campers.

The evening just kept getting better. We were entertained by "Ominotago", a male and female duo that played exceptionally well. After about an hour of music they took a break for INDIAN NIGHT!!! This was the highlight of the weekend for my 6-year old, while my 4-year old insisted that my husband escort her far away from the circle. It has been 20 years since my last Indian Night (and 20 years since I was initiated into the Order of Chanco), but I could easily recall much of the ceremony. Having it on the bluff added to the enchantment of the evening. The ceremony ended with communion, and hearing Dave Davenport leading it again brought a sense of comfort. If I had closed my eyes, I am sure I would have been transported back to 1984.

After the peace and a chance to once again hug old friends, the music resumed. My youngest, by this time, was asleep in the grass. We relaxed for a bit next to her, and then decided to leave the group early and take our babies to bed. My oldest, who had been insisting that she wasn't tired, fell asleep almost instantly. My husband and I took a bit longer to fall asleep (no, the fireworks weren't the culprit) … but who ever really sleeps on their first night back at Chanco???

Our girls, as expected, were early risers. I was anxious to get out and enjoy Chanco's early morning air. My husband just wanted some coffee! After showering (no, the water still doesn't rinse out the shampoo), we headed out to the dining hall for coffee and cinnamon rolls. Coffee mugs in hand and tummies satisfied, we then headed down to the waterfront. The new walk down was much easier than Cardiac Hill. There were no roots to stumble over and no branches waiting to grab hold of our clothes. The view from the bottom, however, was just as amazing. I've stood next to many rivers since my last visit to Chanco, but none can elicit quite the same feelings as Chanco's waterfront. I felt like I was a kid again, and was almost disappointed that there weren't any rafts to which I could swim. My daughters and my husband were also very taken by the water. It was a beautiful morning.

Instead of taking the road back up, we took the path beside the amphitheater. This was a little more reminiscent of Cardiac Hill, but still not nearly as "breathtaking". At the top of the hill we passed by the new archery range, and then made our way into Matthew. We decided to loop by all of the campsites, passing the old bell and a new pavilion on our way. The campsites aren't as clear in my memory as the rest of camp. While I remember all of my campsites at Old Chanco (and still know the years I spent in each one, along with my counselors and most of my fellow campers), I had a hard time recalling which campsites at New Chanco were once "home". It was a fun walk, nonetheless, and definitely had the Chanco-feel.

Our morning walk was followed by yet again more food. Breakfast was delicious. There was the usual breakfast fare (bacon, eggs, sausage, etc.) as well as yummy salmon, steamed oysters, pumpkin soup, delicious breads, and omelets. It really was more than I had expected, and even my picky kids found food they liked.

After breakfast we headed back out to the bluff for Eucharist. Someone managed to round up the songbooks (which looked like they were exactly the same ones we used 20 years ago) and Greg led us in the singing. My daughters kept saying, "I know that song!" "You sing that to us!" … Chanco songs are well remembered and certainly useful in pacifying cranky kids! Mine know them all. Stan led the morning Eucharist, and I enjoyed the calm (and steadily increasing heat) of the morning.

Free time followed the service. We packed up our cars and once again headed down to the waterfront. We met up with some old friends, and my kids made new friends. (As we later discovered, we were also settled down next to a rather large black widow spider!) It was fun catching up on old times and learning what paths many of the Chanco alumni have followed. I have spent most of my time since college in Germany, and have unfortunately lost touch with so many people. My children were disappointed that I wouldn't let them swim, and so I suggested a boat ride later. But first, there was barbecue!

We made our way back up the hill for our last meal of the weekend. Once again, there was delicious food waiting to be eaten. We had barbecue, coleslaw and hush puppies, along with more food that I know I am forgetting. Our friend Sarah Martin appeared with a cooler of Blue Moon, and both my husband and I were set! After eating, I checked out the store and the silent auction, and even made a few purchases. We chatted for a while with friends, and then headed back down to the water.

Trish Dorsey and I decided to try our hand at sailing. It has been over 16 years since I've sailed. The boats have changed, and we needed a bit of help with the rigging, but we somehow managed to get everything set up. Trish, Reilly and I headed out on the sailboat, while my husband took Alina out in the canoe. I was a little rusty, but we managed to get out and back before they closed down the waterfront at 5:00. I must say that this was the only part of the weekend that I regretted – I wish I had been able to spend more time socializing. There were many people that came only for the picnic on Sunday, and I am sure there are many that I missed seeing. But the weekend was also important for my daughters, and I had promised them a boat ride.

By the time we made it back up to the bluff, most people had left. We gathered up the rest of our gear and headed home. As with each of my previous times spent at Chanco, I drove away from camp with a happy heart. It was a wonderful weekend; one, that I am sure, rekindled the Chanco flame in many. I was happy that I could share this magical place with my family. I was even happier that they loved it almost as much as I do. There really is a spirit about Chanco. And, as I learned this weekend, it never leaves you.

"You'll always have sunshine and always the blue skies, Always the laughter and the singing, too. For the spirit of Chanco will be yours forever, The spirit of Chanco is the sunshine in you."