Buyers Remorse...sorta

Thanks to my darling husband (with a small contribution from my parents), I ordered my new camera lens. Yep! The cool Sigma macro/telephoto lens I mentioned a few entries back should be here in a week or so. While I was at the Amazon site, I added a few other items to my order too...some board books for Max, a new spatula, a wireless remote for my camera's shutter, a Nintendo DS game chamber for Tyler (a cool gizmo that will dispense a new game cartridge when he inserts the one he was using...so the games are protected and don't get lost), and a pretty pink protective case for my own DS.

Happy Birthday to ME! LOL

While I am happy about my birthday presents, I'm sad at the same time. We got the news that Tyler's best friend won't be attending summer camp at the old place after all. His mom thinks it's too expensive to send her boys there 2 days a week, even if it will mean Tyler gets to play with his best pal on a regular basis. If Ethan isn't going to K.A. for camp, then it doesn't make sense to send Tyler there. To be honest, I really want to send Ty to a REAL day camp...one where he can learn how to swim.

My parents sent me to day camp when I was a kid and it's one of my fondest memories from childhood. All our camper groups were sorted by age, broken into troops of around 10 kids with 1 counselor and 1 assistant, and our troops were all named after birds. I got a swim lesson every day, we played sports, did arts and crafts, had field trips to local amusement parks...and when I was a senior camper, we actually went CAMPING for a weekend. I went every summer from 3rd grade until the summer after 7th. I learned how to paddle a canoe, ride a horse, run a sack race, make a macrame plant hanger, do leather stamping and make my own wrist cuff, oh I could go on and on.

So I started doing some research. My first search on Google led me to Jeff Lake (it was the top result). After surfing around the site and watching the videos (the intro one made me CRY)...I was sold. OMG this place is beyond perfect. Tyler would LOVE it! It's like someone designed a summer camp just for him with all the things he most loves to do. Then I finally found the page where they list the tuition costs. Ouch. OK, so we can't afford to send him for the entire summer, but the half session price was doable, right? So, we'd give up our annual summer vacation. HP had given John a trip to Aruba, even if it's only 3 or 4 days. I can make do with that. But John doesn't agree. See, John never went to camp as a kid. He has no frame of reference and doesn't understand how passionate I am about this.

So I'm in a quandary. The enrollment period is running out...not enough time for me to get a part time job or something. I tried to drop hints in my last phone conversation with my mom, hopeful that she would offer to chip in some of the cost. Nope. She ignored my subtle hints and instead talked about her next big purchase, a new 3-season porch on their house (honestly, there is nothing wrong with the one that is currently there). John refuses to ask his mom (he is convinced she'll think it's a waste of money). So I started looking around at things I might be able to sell on eBay. Naturally, my camera was the first thing that popped into my head (and guilt over spending my gift certificates on that new lens). I have loads of nice jewelry that I hardly ever wear...but I have a feeling that won't bring much cash and it will just take too long to list it all and wait for auctions to close.

*sigh* I'm not ready to give up yet. Any ideas out there on how to make some fast cash?

I've got to think of a way to market my skills. I've been playing around with the idea of offering my photo retouching skills to people who are divorcing. I can remove the ex from all your favorite photos...make it look like he/she was never there. LOL Well, it's a thought.


Now on to other things. Someone asked about the boys' Easter baskets from my last entry. I got them from Pottery Barn Kids. Tyler has had his for a few years, so I really lucked out that they brought the style back again this year (for Max). I just checked the website to link to the baskets, but they are gone. I guess they sold out. There is loads of other cute Easter stuff there, tho.

Now why can't we just win the lottery! That would solve a lot of problems. OK. I'm off to continue being depressed and sleep deprived and sick. Oh when will the coughing ever end!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Only idea I can suggest for some fast cash is sell stuff. Have a big yard sale. Post stuff on craislist or ebay. Other than that I'm stumped. Do it though. That is one of my biggest regrets about my childhood. I never got to go to camp and was so jealous of my friends that did!
Chris said…
I used to go to Lake Yale each year for 1 week with the church group for camp. It was fun. I did it from 3rd grade all the way through being a senior.

I still haven't gotten a DSLR yet, so bite me ;)
Anonymous said…
Never went to summer camp myself...summer meant playing in the woods and making up my own things to do. And lots of reading.

I got one of those game chambers for my games and I really like it. Sometimes it "is" a bit hard to turn. I've found if you just push down on the little door that flips up to let the games out it will turn more easily.
Anonymous said…
I may need your retouching skills:(
So would it be rude of me to ask what camp goes for these days?
Anonymous said…
Sorry the previous post was from me.
Donna H:)

Popular Posts