• Blog
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Request Info
  • Work Here
  • Donate
  • Parent Login

Camp Bauercrest

A premier overnight sports summer camp for Jewish boys

  • About Us
  • SUMMER 2021
  • Enroll
  • Videos
  • Alumni
  • Honor Board 2020
Camp Bauercrest

Social Distancing, Part II: Missing Pieces

April 23, 2020 by Stacy Pollack

At the beginning of all this, when the concept of quarantining to protect ourselves from the novel coronavirus was still, well… novel, we started doing puzzles. It began with the four of us, but now it’s down to me and Max. Not the quarantining— trust me, all four of us are still present and accounted for every single second of every single day— but the puzzling. After completing a few that we had on hand, we let Max pick one out online. 1,000 pieces. The Bruins at the Garden. It was magnificent.

It has lived on our dining room table, roughly 3/4 of the way finished, for almost a month.

We did move it briefly so we could enjoy our mini-seder without having to look at it. We slid it onto the table leaf pad and carried it into the office, closing the door behind us. The out of sight, out of mind mentality worked for a while. But then I started to feel like we were covering up evidence. Evidence of our inability to follow through. Evidence of our inability to work as a team. Evidence of our inability to keep our minds sharp. So I gave the order to bring it back in.

With the exception of a rogue match here and there, we have made negligible progress. The pieces are miniscule, and I’m pretty sure they’re getting smaller. The only part we have left is the crowd, but that’s like saying the only part we have left of a marathon is the 26.2 mile run.

At the beginning, we had a plan. We strategized. We looked for end pieces, pieces with sponsor names, icy white pieces with blue lines and players. Now it’s all just tiny black and yellow dots. No matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to make them fit.

At the beginning, it was fun. We never used to take the time to sit and do things like a (ridiculously impossible) puzzle. We were always running. Hockey rinks, lacrosse fields, meetings, get-togethers, projects… there was always something to do and somewhere to go. If there wasn’t, we made something up. At the start of this, it actually felt good to just sit and be. But sitting and being is only a luxury if you know that soon enough, you’ll be able to get up and go be somewhere else.

I don’t know when we’ll be done with these god-forsaken cardboard fragments of torment that never should have been created and certainly never should have been delivered to our doorstep. I mean, seriously… at the very least, slap a warning label on it: “EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS REQUIRED.” Because I can assure you, there are no executives here. And I am not so convinced we are functioning.

Sometimes I don’t know how many more times I can look at the same little shapes and see something different. Other times, I am ecstatic to be able to make a piece fit where I swear it hadn’t before. The other day, I considered counting how many pieces were left; it didn’t look like a lot, and I thought maybe knowing an actual number could somehow put an end in sight. Ultimately, I didn’t bother, because what would that number have have told me that I didn’t already know? That it’s hard? That it’s frustrating? That it’s going to test my patience and point out my shortcomings every step of the way, until that last piece goes in and we can finally epoxy it, hang it on the wall, and move on? I don’t know when that day will come, but I do know that it will. And when it does, I’m gonna throw a rager.

Even then, it won’t be perfect. Not just the process, but the actual puzzle. It won’t be perfect, but it will tell our story. And every time we look at it, we’ll remember this moment in time. How we laughed… sometimes not even at the expense of someone else in the room. How we said words that weren’t always so kind, then managed to string together a few that were breathtakingly so. How we were there, together, whether we wanted to be or not. How we saw it through.

And how we had two adoring dogs who loved this time with us almost as much as they loved to eat puzzle pieces.

Filed Under: News

Want to Learn More About Boys Summer Camp at Camp Bauercrest?

Request Our Brochure

From Our Blog

  • Social Distancing, Part IV: You Get What You Need December 17, 2020
  • Social Distancing, Part III: Who Says You Can’t Go Home? July 22, 2020
  • Social Distancing, Part II: Missing Pieces April 23, 2020
  • Social Distancing, Part 1: Reflections, Connections, Reality Checksions March 27, 2020
  • Warm Hearts, Cold Feet February 14, 2020

Blog Topics

  • Camp Mom
  • News

Praise

5/5
Wendy
Bauercrest has been a terrific experience for my son. 10 stars!
5/5
Melissa
Absolutely terrific. We will be back this summer!
5/5
Stefanie
Any kid who loves sports and wants a Jewish experience would love Bauercrest.
5/5
Kim
Matt has enjoyed his summers at Bauercrest. Overall, he's had a blast and made some great friends. He's looking forward to his waiter year!
5/5
Cheryl
My son has had a wonderful experience as a camper. Staying at home for the summer was boring for him and frustrating for me. Attending camp has allowed him to be active, have fun and feel included in a small community.
5/5
Elizabeth
Joshua loves camp and it is probably the single most influential experience he has each year.
5/5
Steve
Terrific camp. Great spirit and traditions. Welcoming environment for all. Met friends that will last forever. Highly recommend.
5/5
Stacey
My son had an amazing first season. I want him to be as vocal and outgoing at camp as he is at home.
5/5
Lisa
Fabulous! Best overnight sports camp for boys camp ever.
5/5
Rachel
Camp Bauercrest is wonderful.
Show More
Ready to make memories that will last a lifetime? Enroll Today!

Support the Crest!

Your contributions are what make the beauty and traditions of Bauercrest possible for so many deserving young boys.

Donate Today!

Request Info

Start here to find out more information about Camp Bauercrest.

Request Info

Contact Us

(978) 388-4732

Less than an hour from Boston
17 Old County Road
Amesbury, MA 01913‎

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Twitter
Association of Independent Jewish Camps
American Camp Association Accredited
Foundation for Jewish Camp - One Happy Camper

Copyright © 2021 · Camp Bauercrest · All Rights Reserved

2020 Honor Board

Honor Board

Donate Today!

Camp Bauercrest
  • About Bauercrest
  • SUMMER 2021
  • Work At Bauercrest
  • Alumni
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Request More Info
  • 2020 Honor Board
  • Directions
  • Contact Us