The Dementor

Dementia

The dementor

Feeds on his happiness

Tangles up his brain

Sucks his soul.

Can the memory of my loving childhood

Be the patronus charm

That fights this despair?

©Conni Cartlidge, 2015

Grown-Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids: Camp Wapatek 1968

 Inspired by the CBC project “Grown-Ups Read Things They Wrote as Kids”, these are my letters and photos from Anglican Island’s Camp Wapatek. I attended for one week when I was eleven years old.

Before the confusion of adolescence and addictions.

Before the understanding of feminism and atheism.

An awkward innocent time.

Some scenery on an island near Camp Wapatek. July/68

July 6/68

(Mon.)  (Sat.)

Dear Mom & Dad,

I’m having a pretty good time here. The girls are pretty nice here, although there are a few sickening ones. The name of our cabin is Harding. Our cabin counsellor is called “Old Yeller”.  She’s nice but can’t handle some of the kids. I’ll write to you tomorrow.

(Sun.)

It is 12:05 in the (morning) afternoon and I am ready to go to breakfast and then on to church. I just got back from peeling potatoes. Ugh!!!! These are the names of the people in my cabin:

1.    Marybeth (Mouse)

2.    Karen (Old Yeller)

3.    Kally (Kally)

4.    Jane (Giggles)

5.    Judi (Chips)

6.    Valerie (Fuzzy)

7.    Kathleen (Snoopy)

8.    Karen (Ka Cey)

I just got back from church. It is called the Outdoor Chapel. I had my first wine in church today. I’m really having a great time now. Jane and I are best of friends. We are going to write to each other when we get home. I will write to you this afternoon. (By the way I’m not very homesick.)

This is the camp’s cheer:

Chihee, Chiha, Chiha, Chihee

We are the gang from the A.S.C.,

For our camp we all are fans,

We’ll tell the world we’re the Anglicans!

A-N-G-L-I-C-A-N-S

Haroo! Harah! Huray!

Write back soon. Sorry about the sloppy writing & mixed-up letter.

Love from,

Conni

P.S. I got my camp crest.

The Anglicana with some campers in it. 1968

Mon.

Dear Mom & Dad,

I’m having a great time at camp. I hope Shirley & Neil’s baby is doing fine. Lucky Nancy gets to stay at Auntie Alice’s. Boy! My bus trip was fine. (I got my camp crest.) We got to camp by noon just in time for a scrumptious lunch. The weather is pretty good but today it is pretty cool. When I had swimming lessons today they told me to jump off the dock into 8 ft. deep water. I did so and got all choked up. I could hardly breathe. The teachers pulled me out and told me to go and get some warm clothes on. I did. Mrs. Warren came over and asked me if I was all right, and talked to me. I really like her. Tonight there is going to be a dance. On the first night we stayed up till 3:30 in the morning. We had a ball. The next day Old Yeller got sick and everybody was sure she would have to leave. Were we scared! Fortunately she didn’t have to leave. I hear it’s sort of lonely without kids around. Boy!, wait till I get home. One of the activities I’m in is Charm School! Boy, do I need it. I’ll write to Thora on my last letter so I won’t miss anything! Well I better go now.

Love from,

Conni

P.S. Thanks for the nice letter.

P.S.S. Sorry about the sloppy writing.

My good old cabin "Harding".  July/68

Thurs.

Dear Mom & Dad,

I am a little homesick and am looking forward to coming home. There is only one kind of postcard here but I will buy that one today at tuck. Today we are going to another island and going hiking and swimming. I have a surprise for you which I made in crafts. I am enclosing my letter to Thora, that is why my letter is short. I had better go now. See you on Saturday!

Love from,

Conni

Me on the island we had our picnic on. A double exposure. July/68