Camp Nora and Nora

Chicago is choking on hazardous air, and we’re doing what we always do when life feels a little too real: talking it through until it turns funny, useful, and oddly comforting. We start with the anxiety of watching the air quality index climb and the way headlines can reshape a normal day, then jump to the week’s most unsettling food safety news, including why Taco Bell lettuce somehow becomes the villain in a world where “cheese substancel” keeps surviving.

From there, we tumble into the internet’s trend cycle: soft serve dipped in melted butter with sea salt, the lifelong feasibility of drinking one million beers (spoiler: the math is unhinged), and a surprisingly organized WhatsApp group that’s trying anyway. We also debate beer slushies, the rules of what counts as “a beer,” and the delightful discovery that a baby Guinness is a shot that has absolutely nothing to do with Guinness.

Then we bring it home with summer camp talk: who went as a kid, what day camp does best, why February camp emails make us want to scream, and how easy it is to over-schedule until summer becomes one long car ride. We also share why diabetes camp can be such a powerful experience for kids and families, plus a quick history lesson on how American summer camp became a “back to nature” institution in the first place.

If you like funny conversation with real-life parenting truths, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s deep in summer logistics, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

Transcript

Smoke In Chicago And Food Scares

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Hi, thanks for joining us today. It's Nora. And Nora, we're sure glad you're here. Yes, indeed. Yeah. We're coming to you live from Chicago, where the air quality is worst in the world. Oh boy. On the news, I think it's they said if it's over if the air quality, whatever the range they measure it is over 300, it's considered hazardous. And we are at 770 something. Yeah, we just cancel everything. But then I was also like, couldn't we do like a scale of one to ten for air quality? Seems like a lot. Because they were like, it's 700 and I was like, Jesus. Yeah, why does the scale have to be so large? Maybe there's so many contaminants and pollutants. That's what that is. That's sign language from molecules. But I that did kind of I mean, I was just saying to you before we started recording, I'm super freaked out about it. And but that did make me giggle last night on the news. I was like, what is the scale for this? Is it like one to a million? Yeah, and where is the scale? I don't see any scales in the neighborhood. Like, where are they measuring this? I guess they just go, they like wet their finger and get their finger up and they're like, huh. Because for those of you that are not in the Chicagoland area, our news is constantly running like different cities or suburbs in the number. So also we can't eat lettuce. Right. So I know. Well, but now they think they've traced it back to Taco Bell. So no Taco Bell. Great. No Taco Bell lettuce. No nachos Bell Grande. So there goes your healthy part of Taco Bell. And gosh, I love that lettuce. And that's also kind that also kind of made me giggle. This like explosive diarrhea. It's no joke. I love when they talk about it on the news so seriously. It does laugh. Like you went to school for this director explosive diarrhea. And it's very serious. You've been very unhealthy. But Ryan was funny. Or are they just losing weight? I know. I was kind of like, ooh. No, I do not want that. No, I do not want that. Because you don't want to tell anybody who has it. Oh yeah, because then they know what you have to do. They know. And then you're you see you at Costco. They're like, yep, you better get the 76 thing in toilet paper. Um, but it made me kind of laugh about Taco Bell that it's the lettuce. Because you think about all like that cheese, which I love, that like whatever substance that cheese is. Cheese flavored cheese material material. Like whatever's secret sauce is in the meat, totally fine. The lettuce. Lettuce. That's what's really gonna do you in. Did you eat Taco Bell as a kid? Yeah. Yeah, same. Of course. Well, because it was like 49, 69. 59, 79, 99. 99. It's like this is a very economical choice. And shout out to Mike Haggerty, not only our sponsor, but sponsored my lunches over the summer.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

And he would just leave money on my dresser before he left for work. Oh. And I would go to Taco Bell. Oh, and then Well, that's because that's where we went with so much Taco Bell and Dunkin' Donuts. Did he just leave you like 75 cents? He just leave me a $20 bill on my dresser. Oh my tacos that could get me. Ooh, baby. Yeah. That was a party pack. And the cinnamon twist. Love the cinnamon twists.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Those were true.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah, the Nacho spell grande, two taco supremes. I would get like a just ch meat, cheese, and lettuce on a crunchy shale taco. I would get the chips and cheese and cinnamon twists. I used to eat the chips and cheese when I was pregnant with Kevin. You know what? It's probably not that bad for you. The chips are probably fine. Probably not that bad. There's not that much cheese. There isn't that much cheese. That's what I like about it. So when we're at the South Bend, I would go. I think I've told this before. I would go to the doctor, like my OBGYN, get a checkup. There was a Taco Bell on the parking lot. I would get chips and cheese from Chalk Taco Bell, and then I would get a Diet Coke from McDonald's. That was my little cheese. Can they call it cheese? Oh, baby cakes. I don't know. It might be a real fine line. Like it's kind of like ice cream. It's like how much milk has to be in it or how much wheels. Speaking

Butter-Dipped Ice Cream Debate

SPEAKER_00 4:41

of ice cream, there's a new ice cream trend. What?

unknown 4:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

What? It's the melted butter dip. Wait, what? So it's a vanilla soft serve ice cream. Okay. And remember when you'd go to Dairy Queen, they'd dip it in that shell and it would harden. Or I think there was like a cherry flavor. Yeah, yeah. Butter snack. It's just red. Red dye, whatever. Yeah. Well, now the trend is to dip the soft serve in melted butter. And then when you pull it out, it hard and then sprinkle it with sea salt, and then it hardens. Hmm. I don't. Something about just eating butter. Like. Is that how you eat butter with a like just taking a bite through a butter shell? Oh, it's all dare. Like it's Yeah. I don't know. I don't know why that's worse to me than a chocolate shell. Well, because butter is weird. But jump biting into hardened butter. But I didn't know if like the sweet and salty would be a good chumber. Megan the stallion gave it a 10 out of 10. Okay, well, she's the stallion, so she's And then there was, they were like, if you want to make this at home. And I was like, that's something I absolutely. Do you know how much butter you would need to melt to dip a whole ice cream cone in? I wonder if you could just like roll it. Oh, maybe. I don't know. I'm not gonna try it. Because with my luck, it wouldn't harden at home and then I'd have like drippy butter. I saw tea. Do you know what I think my problem is? I keep thinking about the butter substance that they use at movie theaters. You know, like the uh and I think that's why I'm being grossed up. Did you call it butter substance? Yeah, I did. That's a great butter substance. I was never in on that. Me neither. Major popcorn. Yes. Gross. No. Aiden got it the last time we went to the movies. I was like, bleh. Yeah. No. And he's a popcorn guy. He is a popcorn. Does he put popcorn on his butter at home? Popcorn on his butter. Oh man, did he put butter on his popcorn on his home? So we bought him a fancy popcorn copper. It's cool. And so the company also provides kits. So it comes all measured out. The kernels, the seasoning, and the and like the oil. And so it's all mixed, which I started doing because I was watching him make it and it was I was like, that is too much salt. And then I was trying his popcorn and I was like, so it keeps portion control. Okay. So he the So it's all mixed. So there is butter in it. But it's all kind of mixed in with the seasoning and the oil. So it doesn't get sacked. So it doesn't get soggy. Yeah. It's really good popcorn.

Beer Slushies And A Million-Beer Quest

SPEAKER_00 7:35

But I was distracted by something that people are making beer slushies. No. Why? What's wrong with the wiregular just cold beer? Just a cold beer. How are they making these? So I was like, oh, it's pretty clever. And the pro she's using blue this woman was using Blue Moon, which I don't care for Blue Moon, because I don't like a fruity beer. But in a slushy, even so she was ta I mean you have to do it in advance, but you she was freezing it in the ice cube trays, the beer.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

And then also freezing orange juice in ice cube trays. And then putting that in a blender with some simple syrup, which I know you're against simple syrup. We do not like simple syrup. But she said you kind of need it to keep it like cohesive. Probably Yeah, it's like a bonding tangent. Well, this with a signally I think this really means more, but yeah. It does mean more. So I was like, oh, I wonder if that appeals to Nora. Because it does not appeal to me because I don't like Blue Moon. I would try it. Yeah. But I'd rather just have a Bloom Moon. I would rather just have a beer. And I was like, ugh, that's a lot of planing it. Because there's nothing like a nice cold beer from that tap and a cold glass. Especially when it's hot. Yes. The but then when I was reading that article, it mentioned this group of people. I went down a whole beer rabbit hole.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Well, that's a fun hole to go.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

It was a fun of some other holes, I guess. There's a group of people that collectively they're trying to drink a million beers. What?

SPEAKER_01 9:14

It's good to have goals.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

Those are good friends to have. This is a fun group of friends. Because they said it started where, you know, like how people would be like, oh, I'm going to drink a million beers, or like, oh, I drank, I feel like I drank a million beers last night. And have you ever said this?

unknown 9:29

Maybe not.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

I've heard people, and I feel like I've said it maybe on occasion. I'm going to say it from now on. Or like if you see someone, I'm like, ooh, they must have had like a billion beers. So they were saying, like, is it possible to drink a million beers even in your lifetime? Which they proved it did not, it is not feasible. No, you would have to drink 47 beers every day for six decades. 60 years. Yes. So you'd have to drink 47 beers. Which made me laugh so hard. I don't think I could like eat 47 of anything in one day. Like you think if you were like eat 47 gummy bears every day, you'd even be like, oof.

unknown 10:20

47.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

You couldn't do it right now. You couldn't work, you couldn't drive, you couldn't cook, you couldn't fit into your pants after a while. You couldn't exercise because you'd be too drunk. Be so drunk. Because then this person said it was like, you know, this is based on the average life expectancy of 80 years. But they were like, if you drink 47 beers a day, you're not living to 80. You're not living until tomorrow. Yeah. Imagine grocery shopping. Can you imagine trying to eat in between those 47 beers? You'd be so full. You couldn't go to your kids' like school performances. You couldn't go to their football games. Like you couldn't try to accomplish a goal. Like, where's your mom? Drink it 47 beers. She's only on 35 and it's 8 p.m. She's really gonna cram it in there to meet her goals. 47 beers. So let's say just for easy figuring, you're up for 12 hours a day. Yeah. So you how many is that? Oh my god, that's like four beers an hour. Is it? Well, if you're up for 12 hours, 12 times what gives you 47. Okay. We have to use our calculators. Hold on. 12 times four. 12 times 4 is 48. Oh yeah. So you'd have to drink four beers an hour. Every a beer every 15 minutes. So you would constantly be drinking. Instead of like my big tiny cup of water, you would just have beer in there all day long. Boom. And not just for one day. For six old decades. Oh gosh. So realizing that this was not an attainable goal, they were like, let's band together and see how long it will take a group of people to drink one million beers. So they're a group on WhatsApp, and there's a thousand, it's a little bit more than a thousand people. Oh, it's 1,024 people because that's the cap of people you can have in a WhatsApp group. The WhatsApp cap, that's what they call it. So there's over a thousand people, and they've already drank a hundred thousand beers. It's only one tenth of their goal. In a month. Yeah. So they got a ways to go. Keep on it. In ten months.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

So it's gonna take them a year. So they have to like post a picture and there's somebody with a spreadsheet keeping track. But then Oh my gosh, could you imagine being the spreadsheet guy keeping track of a thousand a million things? Yeah, that's a lot. But then they said, you know, they're very strict on what is allowed. So I don't know if a beer slushy is allowed, but they said a baby Guinness is not allowed. And that perked my ears up because I love Guinness. And I was like, what is a baby Guinness? Have you heard of this? Is it a small Guinness? It's a shot. It's Kahlua with Bailey's on top. That's not even a Guinness. That's not a Guinness. So it doesn't matter. But I could see how, yeah, so that's definitely not a beer. But then I got distracted from the beer. And I was like, oh my gosh, how have I never heard of this? That would be a delightful shot. That would be a delight. It probably looks like it probably looks like Guinness with the black and then like the cream kind of part on top. Baby Guinness. Cute. Let's try it. And a million beers. Let's try a baby Guinness. I would like to have a bee. Okay. I'll be in charge of that. Okay, good. I'll I'll drink it. Anyways. Wow. Um, where do you even go from that?

Airport Divorce And Travel Timing

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Do you go to airport divorce from that? Airport divorce. Have you heard of this? No. Okay, so this is a thing. 26% of people support it and practice it. It's the idea that when you and your spouse or significant other go on a vacation, you split at security. So because one person may like to meander through the shops and take their time, and the other person might like to get directly to their gate. Some people even do this before they get to the airport. What? Where they'll take two separate Ubers. Someone who likes to leave early and maybe read a book at the terminal. And one who likes to go through security, like of data, running to the gate. So they're like, you do you. And then travel just reconvene on the airplane. And then do they pretend like they don't know each other? Like, oh hi. Hey, hi. No. He didn't read that part. That's so interesting. I mean, I I say good for you. That's better than if you are someone who likes to leave early for the airport, being like, come on, let's go. Where do you and Alfall? He defin I like to give myself more time than he does, but we're probably like an hour and a half like get to the airport. Because I also, because I get really nervous about turbulence, I have to take a Xanax before I fly. So I like to get to the airport. I like to take my pill. And then I like to I like to be very calm because I don't want to be tense getting on the flight just in case it's bumpy, because then that makes it worse. Yeah, we're about the same. Yeah. Like we have the same practices. I like to get there later. So Brian gives a little and we'll go later, I think, ideally. If it's him, he'll go earlier. Yeah. But I don't know. It almost kind of seems like, can't you just talk to each other and compromise? Yeah, why can't you figure it out? Or or like just get there and then be like, all right, I'll meet you at the gate. I'm gonna grab a water and look at the magazines. I don't know. It almost seems like making calling something something for no reason. I'll tell you about calling something something for no reason.

Poots Fashion And Practical Problems

SPEAKER_00 16:28

This new trend in fashion, the poots. Poots? Poots. Poots. That sounds like like a cutesy name for passing gas. Or the virus. I pooted. Pardon me. Not me right now. The poots are absurd. Stop it. Like you have a case of the poots? Stop pooting. You can't always get your way. Okay, okay. That's yeah. It's a blend of pants and boots. Wait, that's just like boots over your pants? It's boots connected to your pants. Boots connected? Yes. And I'll show you a picture. So the new poot fashion. Can you see those? There's the shoe connected to the pants. Oh, I don't like that. I don't like that either. What if you go to someone's house and you have to take your shoes off? And it becomes a completely different kind of party. The new poot fashion. Poo trend of pants with built-in boots. It has people divided. Yeah, because how do you store those in your house? How do you wash? How do you oh yes? So she puts them on in this little TikTok video. Okay. I mean, she's cute as a button. And then you don't have to worry about, you know, matching your shoes with your outfit. What if you're a commuter and you need wanted to wear different shoes on the way to the office? Or what if you wanted to, yeah, take your shoes off? What if you're at the airport? Take your shoes off. You'd be like, whoopsie Daisy. I don't know. People are crazy. But they were on the runway. Oh, okay. So they're like really a thing. They're a thing. They won't be my thing. I don't think yeah. I'm happy for other people to poot. I'm gonna sit this one oot.

Morning Doves And Backyard Drama

SPEAKER_00 18:18

I have a I'm gonna share something that's going on in our house. We have a little bird situation. Oh no. Where we have morning tops. That sounds lovely. Which sounds lovely. And it and it they caught my attention a couple months ago because they're very sweet because they kind of snuggle up with each other. They're monogamous birds. Okay and they stick with it. They go to the airport together and everything. And so they were on Al's office windowsill, just kind of like snuggle up. Just pooting around. Pooting around. Not spluting. Oh, true. So no, I've had a lot of nature. You have had a lot of nature. But they're very territorial. And they're aggressive. They are? So we've been having bird fights. I thought they were like lovebirds. Well, with each other, but do not cross a morning death. Like with the robins and the sparrows and the other birds, they're like getting their wings out like that. Because they don't have anybody to touch their bird? This is my lady. This is my bird. She's what she's my chick. She's my chick. Or like stay away from her nest. So like Al this morning was like, oh my god, it's a bird fight. But then it made me laugh because they say that birds are descendants from dinosaurs. So I'm like, you know, they got it in them. So now we're like dinosaur fights. Wait. So what other birds are on your window ledge? So it's just the morning doves on the window ledge. Is there a dove nest? There's no nest, but they have pooped all over our window ledges. They're like marking their tears. What if you just go spray it down windowsill? And maybe they won't come back. I'm afraid they're gonna I'm squawking me. That's an owl job. Like you get the power washer. Yeah. Because it's on our like the little things like on our steps. Oh no, no, we're like morning dove poop all over the place. Ah. I know. But it's very interesting. I mean, they're cute when they're all snuggled up, but then they get up and you're like, thanks for nothing. Yeah, you pooped all over our window ledge. Go poop in your own nest. Yeah, right. I mean And then I thought I had a dead squirrel on my back steps. I can't believe you had a splitter. But it was spluting. Oh. And we talked about that on the podcast. I know. Rose spluted. Huh? She did split. It was very funny. And some and Al was like, you made that up. And I'm like, Alexa, what is spluting? And then she explained. And I was like. Do only squirrels split? I can't remember. I think it's squirrels, cats, dogs, and little girls. And little girls. And Rose Taylor. And Rose Taylor. Oh, what do you say we check in with our sponsor? Let's do it.

Sponsor Break Buick SUV Sale

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Nora, have you heard about the Buick S-U-V sale? S-U-V sale? I've heard of the S U V sale. Oh no, it's S-Y-O-U-V because they want you in an SUV. Well, one thing I do know is Buick makes an incredible SUV. Mm-hmm. Or as you say it. S- S-U-U-V. And right now there's fantastic deals at Mike Haggerty Buick GMC. Oh, would they have an SUV though that's going to fit my family of six? The Buick Enclave probably has just what you need. And all Buick models are 0.9% APR for 36 months, bonus cash, or a C CR component. Oh wow, what a deal. And you can build these things just how you like them. Customize your own Buick SUV at 93rd. It really is for you. It really is just for you. Head on down to 93rd and Cicero or check them out at haggertycars.com. I sure will. I'll see you later. And now back to the show. Our

Summer Camp Then And Now

SPEAKER_00 21:59

topic today. Day. It's camp. It's camp, yes. And very fitting because I have one away at camp. You have a camper right now. I do, yeah. I never went to camp as a kid, did you? No. It was just not even the radar. Mm-mm. Like nobody I knew went to camp. Some of the girls in Beverly went to Doug Bruno basketball camp. Oh, my sister went to that. But it was just not not a thing. Right. I also feel like, and you might have been similar, especially when you moved to Scottsdale, like your summers, you came back to Chicago. Yes. And you were at the lake. When we were living in California and when we lived in Pennsylvania, our summers, we would come back to Chicago. So that's where we worked. And then when we moved to Chicago, all of our friends from California and Pittsburgh would come visit us in Chicago. And then our summers were spent, you know, touring people around. Yeah. I remember going to kitty camps when I was little. Like days. In the neighborhood, just run by like eighth graders. And I remember running kitty camp too, like in the 80s and 90s. That's cute. It will say in true 80s and 90s fashion. I was probably far too young with far too many children. And no water. Right. Yeah. Oh my, of course not. Yeah, but Jane Mittendorf and I would round up who we could and take them to the park in the wagon with the lunch. And oh my god, that's so cute.

unknown 23:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

Did you ever pack them lunch? No, no, no. They would pack lunch. Up in the wagon or walk. And no, that was, I don't even think. I mean, I remember my like doing like a Spanish class during the summer once. I remember doing like a musical theater camp thing at Moraine Valley. But I don't think my mom ever called it camp. I think it was just, oh, I signed you up for this at Moraine Valley. Yeah, I did an etiquette camp.

unknown 23:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:49

But it was like a class. It was a class. Yeah. Yeah. And then in high school, I did go to Palm Camp. Like Sleepaway. Slepaway Palm Camp. And that was fun. That was a blast. And that's kind of like what our like football camp. Yeah. Yeah. And so you would go. Uh have you ever seen the movie Bring It On? No. No. But I'd like to. They have but that they're cheerleaders, but it's a similar thing, like with these like spirit sticks. I mean it was a big big deal to get a spirit stick and all that jazz. And they would teach you these like military drill downs, and you try to win ribbons, and they taught you three dances throughout the week, and then you had to compete as a team and like as an individual. I love that. Very high stress. Oh, wow. You've got like hundreds of teenage girls at a camp trying to be perky and cute and learn dances and win. Win. But it was a blast. It was exhaust. Like you got home from it and you were a sham. My favorite kind of camp is the one our kids can just ride their bikes to. Oh. Whether at Nazareth or LT or St. John of the Cross. And it's a couple hours. Couple hours. They're with their pals. They meet some new friends. Yeah. Yeah. It's really nice. Although I don't appreciate getting all these emails in February. Thank you. Being like, sign up for camp. And I'm like, what? No. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. You know? And I'm kind of grateful that I'm half out of camp. You know, that two of my kids have aged out of them. That I'm like, Yeah. Because when Aiden and Rory were prime, like, you know, like fourth, fifth, sixth grade, and we had four kids and like little ones that weren't old enough for camps yet, it was really stressful. Remember the day camp though at um Tower? Yes. Tower talks or whatever. Because then you were like, well, that's a real commitment. Like, what if we go somewhere? Like, I don't have a vacation. It was a lot. It was a lot. And there have been summers where I have over camped. And I am and undercamped. I am typically an under camper. I have learned now because I think I would just get caught up in it, where people would be like, I'm signing up for this. And I'd be like, okay, I better sign up. And then you're like, my whole summer I spent in the car. And my kids have just been in organized camps. And they're like play outside. Right. Our boys are just loving this 90 summer. They're having a great put together a baseball league. Yes. Great. Now this week, well, I'm sure John will be in it when he gets back. They're trying to do indoor soccer. Where? In my basement. Oh, in your basement. Shoot. I'm sorry. Which they all did come over looking for him. I was like, not till Saturday. Which I was like, let me see what you're doing. Because our basement, we have a good sized basement, but for soccer, like Aiden's computer is down there. You have a TV down there. You have Peloton. Peloton. And they're using a softball. And I, but they're in like a very small space, but they are very competitive boys. And I was like, no running. Why can't they play outside soccer? Well, that's what I said. But then it was the whole smoke thing. Oh. And then I was like, yeah, you shouldn't be outside. I don't know. So I was like, I have to be home because I didn't want like them to do our babysitter was there. And I was like, let me just think about. I was like, let's hope next week you can get outside soccer. Yeah. I was like, if one thing gets broken, the league is done. Caput. But um Why don't they do like a swim thing? And they can just go to the pool. Go to the pool. Why don't they want to go to the pool? John goes to the pool. He doesn't bring a towel. He doesn't bring swim trunks. He just bikes over there. Oh. Daddy in his shorts. Uh-huh. Doesn't bring a towel so it doesn't dry off. Doesn't, again, have a swimsuit. He just needs a little bit of a short. Yeah, and he'll wear all day in his shorts and then come home. Well, he probably dries off on the way home. You know, I there's a lot of questions. But um it works for him. It's been working for him. My

Diabetes Camp And What Kids Gain

SPEAKER_00 27:49

uh son Aiden would had gone to a diabetes camp a couple times, which I really appreciate. Was that that was sleepaway? Wasn't it? That was sleep away, yes. He did it. And again, like he kind of had bad timing with COVID. He was supposed to do it the summer of 2020. And he would have been going to the city. And that's when the world kept him to fifth grade. Yes. So that was canceled. Okay. And especially kids with diabetes, like you've got to be super careful, especially in the early days of COVID. Then the next summer they also didn't do it because it was still a little funky. And then so finally, summer going into seventh grade, he did it. But then we had to pick him up early because people got COVID. Seriously? And then finally, summer going into eighth grade, he lasted the whole time. But then he kind of was like old. And then, you know, summer going into freshman year, he was involved in football and other things. And so it's kind of a shame. Like I I really wish he would have had it. Had that experience. Like going into like because he could have had three really good, strong diabetes camp years. So it kind of bums me out. Like, oh, that would have been, that would have been nice. Because Al did diabetes camp and was super homesick. Oh, he works here and made his parents come get him. He was like eight. So then the next year his parents made his brother be a counselor. Oh, Steve had a blast. And Al was still like sad, sad Al, like I'm homesick, please pick me up. And Steve was like, Steve was like zip it. It's the best summer ever. So Al stuck it out. But he did say he was like, it was so good and he learned a lot from it. Oh. But he was very sad. That was smart of his parents to send it. That was a good move. My kids are love camp. We dropped off John and I told you before we started recording. I mean, he was out of the car and ready to roll. And he'd never been. That is so exciting. I almost want you to record him just being like, and then and then and then and then. His energy is great. Yeah, it's been camp has been good for us. I only said it for a week. Yeah, that seems like enough. Yeah. I know some people who like I've met people who are like, oh, my son goes to camp for six weeks. Yeah. Selfishly. Like, I don't send I don't, I would miss, I would miss my people. Yeah. I look forward to summer. Awfully long. Yeah. Same. To have them around. And camp has been around for Bisman.

How Summer Camp Became American

SPEAKER_00 30:20

First summer camp, 1876. In the thriving metropolis. Wilkes Bar, Pennsylvania. Which I always remember because that's where my student loans were always sent. But it was this this gentleman believed he wanted to take weekly boys from the city and rehab them into healthy young men. Rehab them. And that he was like, our boys are weak. And there was this whole like transcendentalist movement with like Henry David Thoreau that they're like, get back to nature. We need to go back to nature. We don't want to be, what do they call it? Overly, what do they call it? Urban? Overly civilized. Oh, oh, right. In the face of over-civilization, that this was essential to get back to nature. And then there was another camp. This other guy set it up. It was for wealthy boys who were spending their summer in hotels rather than nature. And he was like, I'm setting up a camp for wealthy boys to come and get into nature. But it worked. But it but the idea really caught on because by eight 1918 there were over a thousand camps in the United States. Wait, by 1918 from when? 1976. Wow. 25, like 30s, 40-ish. In the hotel camps? Yeah, it was like, I would like a hotel camp. Yeah, I'd set up for the hotel. But and then in 1922, this gentleman was like, summer camp was the most important step in education that the US has given the world. 1922. 1922. Yeah, they were like, this is the cat's pajamas. Really? And there's a camp, the oldest camp, Camp Dudley, that was opened in 1885 and still in existence today. Really? Where is that? I think it's in New York. I forgot to write it down. That's okay. That's a long time. Yeah, that is a long time. But I would think most kids have some sort of camp. Wait, 1861? For Camp Dudley? Yeah. 1885. Oh, 61, there was something going on in Connecticut. Camp Dudley in Connecticut. Oh, okay, yeah. Yeah, it's still going on. 140 years. It's the longest running boys' camp. Good for them. They've never renovated. Same. No. What?

unknown 32:34

Oh my God.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

Do you imagine? Oh my. But I wonder, but in especially on the East Coast, I'm sure there's kids who are like, my great-grandfather went to Camp Dudley. My great grandfather was Camp D. Dudley. Now I am at Camp Dudley, which is kind of cool. Yeah. It's kind of a neat thing. But yeah, it's definitely camp culture, whether it's a day camp or sleepaway camp, I feel like is definitely more of a thing now than it ever was when we were growing up. I think so. Well, for us. For us. I know like a lot of the people of Jewish faith are big on Jewish sleepaway camp. Yes. For like that six-week time period. Oh, yes. And they'll go for a long time. But I think they love it. I should hope so. Yeah, right. Could you imagine? Oh, yeah. I don't know. Yeah, I miss my little people too much. Same. A week's long enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. What

Highs And Lows Anniversary And Shows

SPEAKER_00 33:28

do you say we launch into highs and lows? Let's do it. Where are you at? I don't think I have a low this week. Yeah. Yeah, things have been just kind of same. I I was kind of like reaching for one. It's really just more the morning dove poop that we have around the perimeter of our house. Our drain got clogged, but we're not really a low. So what about your highs? My highways, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. I know. That's a long time. Yeah, kind of. We celebrated ours in December, and it was like, whoa. Yeah. It was a whoa, huh? That's a long time. Yeah, balloon balloons and a two and a zero. And I was like, this is a big number. Right. Because if somebody turns 20 years old, you're like, wow, yeah, that's a big birthday. I know. We can almost drink. You can, you're, yeah, you're almost. Next year is our 21st. Watch out. Which year? That would be funny if people started like celebrating their 21st wedding anniversaries, like a 21st birthday. That is funny. Baby Guinnesses. Baby Guinness is for everyone. I have two highs. I've been very lucky. I've seen some great shows. I went to see John Mullaney at Ridley Field with Al, and we brought Aiden and Rory. It was a Christmas present that they finally got to use. It was hysterical. So he was so funny. He had special guests, Buddy Guy, who sings Sweet Home Chicago played. Um, Fred Armison did a little set. David Letterman showed up. Same. Richard Kind was the MC, but John Mullaney is just such a good storyteller. It's so funny and it was hilarious. And the kids loved it too. Jim slapped it. It was it was like one too, didn't they? Yeah. So my mom had bought tickets, and so we all drove together. We didn't sit together, but we we all drove down and sat together. And they appreciated it just as much as your teenagers did, right? Yes. My mom was like, you know, some of the stuff I didn't care for. I'm like, why am I? But just to have a show that appeals to people in their 70s as well as teenagers is really That's rare. Incredible. Yeah. Good for him. And then on Wednesday, I went with my Aunt Maureen and my mom and my sister-in-law, and my sister was supposed to come, but she couldn't at the last minute to Ravinia. Oh, that's right. And it was hot. He was hot. He it was hot. Oh, it was, it was like 96 degrees. But he was great. He was hot. He was he's 58 years old. He is, yes. Holy cow. But he was great. And we had fun, and Joanna had never been to Ravinia, so it was really nice to show you. Did you sit or were you in the We had seats in the pavilion? Yeah. So we ate at the restaurant at Ravinia, and then we had seats. It's kind of easier than schlepping. Yeah. I didn't feel like schlepping. No. And it all worked out fine. Well, nice. It was, yeah. You've really taken advantage. I'm going to see a play tomorrow. You are. I'm going to see SUFs with my mom. It's a musical based on the women's suffragette movement. Just the two of you? Yeah. And I really can't wait. I've been wanting to see the show. So nice. I'm excited

Next Week’s Guest And Farewell

SPEAKER_00 36:35

for that. Okay. Well, uh, I'm so excited for next week. Oh, because we have a special guest for annual. Annabelle Monaghan. Her new book is my favorite one. It's really good. Yeah. The characters, I feel like I can picture them. I feel like like more than I like even more than I usually do. Like I can just see that house. I can see that family. And I feel like it's written from somebody who's like been in those shoes as a mom. It's the way you well, you can read them. Yes. And then we'll talk. Yeah. It's it's it's great. So read it. You have a week. Yeah. Get it done so you can listen in with us and Annabelle next week. And see you then. Bye. Bye.