Retreat

We moved back out of the city to Salomans, a type of convention/retreat center in the country. We arrived at the “peak” of fall, the trails through the woods covered in crunchy, fallen leaves and the trees orange and yellow. The days were getting shorter, however, and a November chill was in the air. The first thing we did after dumping our luggage in our rooms (with ensuite bathrooms-yay!) was go out barefoot on the green lawn and toss a frisbee around.

We had a lot of class that week and studied Shakespeare’s “Othello” and “Twelfth Night”. One day, our group did a ropes course (on the property at Salomans), complete with helmets and unflattering harnesses. Unfortunately, the day before I had twisted my ankle and therefore assumed my position as photographer for the day, taking millions of unflattering pictures of my friends climbing up poles and hanging from trapezes. I did get to don a harness and do a zip line over the pond (no climbing involved).

Halloween also took place while at Salomans. We dressed up for dinner with what limited resources we had. I became “Emily Wickinson” for the night, my take on the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson. A bed sheet was involved, as well as a penciled in unibrow. We enjoyed dinner and a little party afterward. My first Halloween where I didn’t eat a single piece of candy.