August 2, 2015

I slept better than I ever had in a tent.  Being purely exhausted helps loads with that.  As I slept, I  saw the boy in purple, sitting on the hill, then piercing thoughts of a dangerous bear entered my mind.  I didn’t even remember we had the dogs, in the car with Ethan.  I'm sure they would have barked like mad.  So, I succumbed to unavoidable Death and hoped it would be painless.  That’s when the shooting pain in my back would hit me, I suppose, and I’d shift to a better position.  Mags later told me I was snoring, too.  Oh, gawd.   I had to pee, but had told my body all night long that I was in far too much pain to get up, much less go outside and do what was necessary, so my body listened for one of the first times ever and kept everything under control.  I kept dozing, waiting for Ethan to get up and start cooking bacon, like he had up near Ice House, but to no avail.   Soon, sounds of heavy little pellets from a bb gun falling on the tent fully woke me.  It  took me a few seconds to realize it was rain, a soft, gentle rain.  I opened the tent and got out, wanting to do something before everything became soaked, but what was there to do, really?  The dogs were happily amusing themselves around our car (Ethan had let them out at some point) and there really wasn’t anything sitting outside that could be damaged by rain.  This was camping gear, for chris’sakes.  I thought I’d best do what was needed, then start coffee, which took forever to figure out as my brain was still in the tent.

 

After my first cup of coffee, a good 45 minutes later, I started boiling a second cup and began singing – loudly – a joyous song about waking up to make breakfast, there was much to do, include pack up, head home where we’d do tons of laundry and  check the dogs for ticks to avoid Lyme Disease.  It doesn’t sound like much here, but believe me, it was a catchy tune.  Mags and I ate pancakes and then, once Boy was up, we had really didn’t eggs  Mags made, but I nicely browned the packet of bacon.  The whole area was buzzing, either with mosquitoes, flying insects or meat bees.  The kids couldn’t stand it.  I wasn’t bothered in the least.  I laughed and said it was because I had a Type Bee personality.  They didn’t think my comment was that funny.  

Ethan reminded me of Costa Rica as that boy truly is the human form of a sloth.  I say this in all seriousness.  I finally gave him the task of throwing the stick for Mabi in the dirt while Mags and I packed up the camp, because we’d still be there at sundown if we waited on him. Maybe that's his way of getting out of it.   No wonder that girl gets so frustrated with her brother…and he picks on her so incessantly.  I have somehow been graced with something because if I was normal me, I’d often blow up with that kid, yet I am learning to work with what/who he is.  The podiatrist last week suggested a great book – Quiet –by Susan Cain. I’m going to read it and hopefully I can learn more on how to better work with Ethan.   I'm not really as worried as I once was - that kid is a simmering ball of All That is Good.  Still, Maggie…that sweet girl is learning lots of something from him -like patience.

We headed down, having a great time – when we got home, we brought everything to the backyard to unpack or rinse (there was SO much dirt!!!) off and laundry loads were begun.  Annie was bathed outside while Ethan got Mabi cleaned inside.  My joy was getting in the shower.  I had so much I wanted to do mentally, but …how??  After chores were done, we all went into our rooms; I took a 20 minute power lie-down, then got up and started prepping dinner.  A great marinated pork tenderloin, saffron rice and broccoli, Mags made garlic bread and we ate outside in the gazebo area after I used the leaf blower my dad got me years ago to “neaten” the patio up.  That thing, for an electric one, is pretty hard core.  I love it even  though I can’t actually “herd” leaves with it. 

After dinner we decided to hang out and watch some Dr. Who while finishing off the camping s'mores. It was a nice way to end the week together, though I think a game would have been better.  We need to do some of those again, soon.

Pictures:  Proof that it rained!; Mags cooking pancakes; I guess I could pretend we're camping at an old WW2 battle field???; Sun greets the great, majestic Tree.