We've been heading north in late July or early August for 9 straight years now. Since Theo was a trippy little toddler who spent the week getting up from falling over the roots and rocks. He's a bit more sure-footed now- and really, that's the magic of DuNord- you get to watch your kids stretch and grow and gain confidence. It's the same type of stuff that happens at any summer camp, but at DuNord the parents get to watch it happen. And surely, given the fact that the parents are there means that growth might not happen in such leaps and bounds as it would at Widji or Menogyn, but it seems as if there's time for that down the road.
Here are some favorite memories of the 2011 trip to our favorite 'cabin tent':
One day late in the week several of the boys in the crew went down to the boat dock to fish while the parents were enjoying a happy hour around a campsite. At some point Haakon made a quick appearance to ask/tell that they were going to take out kayaks. A couple parent representatives took their time getting down to the lakeside to serve as kayak porters and general lifeguards. Turns out that the boys didn't wait for us, but somehow managed to muscle down enough boats for all of them to be on the lake together. I love that they did not leave anyone behind, but must have worked together to get everyone ready to launch. And although they were technically breaking a rule by being on the water sans parent- they were looking out for each other and staying close to shore. We sat by the shore and soaked up the late afternoon sun while our boys scooted around, yelling out fish and frog sightings, and delighting in their new independence.
At the s'more singalong it got a bit brisk right there by the lake. So I zipped Lars into my sweatshirt and we proceeded to get a serious case of the giggles. Not only do I love laughing with Lars, but I adore the fact that all the kids are parented by a village for the week. We have 9 kids down at the cabin tents, and we function as an extended family with kids weaving in and out of the days interacting with a great crew of fabulous adults who love and cherish each and every one of them. One of my greatest joys is watching Eli get his sass going with Amy and Wally. He sasses respectfully, of course, and gamely takes anything they dish out as well.
I think every summer should include at least a couple evenings spent in exactly this fashion. Peering into the water off the end of a sturdy dock with some of your best friends.
While I have never done the polar bear swim, I like that my boys think it is the perfect way to start a day. They come back to the tent all chilled and clean and refreshed and ready for the day. And a cup of hot cocoa, of course.
Pete, Jay, and Max started coming up to DuNord last year. This summer they celebrated their 10th anniversary while there. My mom and dad made brownies and the 27 of us on our crew gathered after lunch out on the porch of the lodge to toast them. Great addition to an already great week.
Dunord, with the lake and the trees and the blueberries and the saunas and the sunshine, is truly a little bit of paradise. But what takes it over the top is the people. Not only our fabulous ghetto-dwelling cabin tenters, but the others we meet while we are there.
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