Sneaking around

Our camping trip was fun. We met some friends up in the mountains at a place called Big Lake. For three days we scurried back and forth between campsites, rigging up tarps (a story in itself), cooking meals under tarps (rainrainrain), we puttered around the lake in a rented fishing boat (the fish were not biting), and we tried to make fires in the rain. It sounds like a pain, doesn't it? But it was fun. The weather was very cool and refreshing, the camper was cozy, the bathrooms had flushing potties and there were showers. And it is a beautiful place! Spruce and fir trees mixed with aspen and tall pines right by the water, were absolutely inspiring! Then our friends went home....and some new campground 'neighbors' moved in. It was actually 3 families, several large trucks, campers with GENERATORS (loud and smelled like a lawnmower engine, only magnified), teenage boys who liked to shoot their AK3 paintball guns into the woods at the trees and at their little brother, and oh yes, AND the country western music blasting from their 'stereo' (their 4 wheel drive jacked up Suburban).

We lasted 2 days and then decided to sneak home and still pretend to be on vacation.

It's hard to feel like you're on vacation when you're at home....and there is a boatload of camping gear to unload and ice chests to muck through. And there was a pile of mail on the counter that contained letters from Maggie's new school and my new job, telling us of all the things we needed to do in the next couple of weeks. I don't mean to complain, but it is a little bit of a letdown with the kids all going in seperate directions again and the real world creeping in on our togetherness. I told Charles today though, that I finally feel really relaxed. Camping is fun, but it's a lot of work. There is always something to prepare or to keep dry and you're never really, fully relaxed or comfortable. Floating in the pool in the privacy of our backyard was fully relaxing and very, very comfortable. So I am glad we came home and get these few days to unwind before we swing back into gear again.

Tonight we packed up the folding chairs (that still smelled strongly of campfires) and took off to downtown Glendale for the last Music of the Night free outdoor concert. It was perfect weather for it since the storm that came through yesterday left Phoenix with unseasonably cooler temperatures. (This just means that it didn't get over 100F today, but who's complaining? Not me!)

Tomorrow we will take Hannah out to eat for her birthday (2 weeks late) and spend our last official vacation day together. Next week will begin with a whirlwind: Hannah is going back home Saturday, Bethany will be off to her last summer missions appointment in another town on Sunday, Emma has band camp again this week beginning on Monday, as well as Maggie going to a jump start program for new students at her new school each day this week.

Oh, for those of you who live here, no tattling that we're home! We still have another day of vacatin' from real life!