Three Days in the Forest - part 2

I've been enjoying catching up on everyone's blogs in the now two days we've been back - but alas, honeys, my wreaked little body has been going thru some stuff. Probably related to the part you're about to read, partly from just coming back to the valley and it's incessant heat, maybe mixed in with some ant poison... Dad's place is littered with it. It is a constant battle, as you can imagine it would be in the desert, against these Herculean creatures with so much persistence, it's maddening! It's been war, honeys, and some days we humans are on the losing side. I'm with Mrs Moon, leaving well enough alone, even some of the spiders and vinegaroons running amok... of course, they are after the ants, and so we nurture them, until they grow to disproportionate sizes, in this tiny 400 square-foot house. Then they are escorted elsewhere. But with the ants on the island kitchen, inside and outside the cupboards, and... even on the wall! Looking, not finding, just looking... I have to draw the line. Body counts rise. Tolls are taken. Mopping continues. But I use only salt, Simple Green, other biodegradeable substances... too risky with Cat hopping about.

So, onto the camping part of the story!



Cat adopted the 'cave' made of an air mattress stretched between two big rocks, while we set up tents. Actually I had two - a yellow tent, which is my favorite, that isn't quite all there but I was trying to make do; and another smallish teal one, when it became apparent the first one wasn't going to work. But someone wasn't giving up so easily... Look closely inside:





She loved to wander about, and I of course had a couple scary cat-mom moments, but she always came back. Once we all got used to it, she never left our little area of the park, and had quite a time padding around like a jungle animal.















When we began to hear thunder again, we remembered the downpour from yesterday, and you never saw three adults move so fast! The kind of quickness that is usually only found when children and/or free beer are involved.

Once the pea-sized droplets faked us out, a few times in fact, we realized we were tired and after a little beans-and-weenies lunch (yes, luckily we all slept in different tents!) we decided it was time for a little FOB. (In camp we use that for Flat On Back - I know, right?)

We hiked down the Oak Creek, and there were lots of people in even the smallest nooks and crannies - just when we thought we'd climbed enough boulders, splashed thru enough rapids, and found the most remote, perfect little hole for skinny dipping, here comes a giant family with their fishing poles, ice chests, shower soap... but, at least I got to make like a bear, and shizzle in the woods. I have to admit it, here and now, it's important for you people to know - I am such a pee-outside kinda girl. So this here deuce was a special treat for me.

Sorry, no pics. Ew, people.

We had a blast that night, met several fellow campers and had lots of mixed drinks, mixed company, and mixed conversations. Everything from the Camp Margaritas Extra-ordinaire, to how we as humans can move beyond race, culture, and biology to something deeper, to - did you really bring a cat camping with you?

In the morning we had a better breakfast than even when we cook at home - Scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa, tortillas, campfire bacon (it just tastes different!), cheese-style yogurt, and the piece-de-resistance, raisin swirl french toast smothered in butter and syrup. Oh, it makes my mouth water just remembering the way it all tastes... Agghhhh... (that was my Homer Simpson impression).

We took our time breaking down the camp, and by 2pm we were picking the horses up from the sitter. But not before we took them for a lovely walk in the forest!

There were SO many trees, and just the smell of the dried needles in the grass, listening to the jaws munch, munch, munch... We are definitely going back for an actual horseback ride, once we begin getting those boys in shape for the trails. Cuz right now, they're pretty outta shape, and oh... I need stirrups for one of my saddles...



So again with the masks, at the gas station - fill 'er up, boys, we're goin' home! Happy Appy keeps whinnying, we don't know exactly why - J proposes either he is just excited to be out and about again (did I mention they LOVE road trips?) OR he is telling us he didn't want to leave the woods. Perhaps a little of both.


And make it we did, without incident, without emergency - without anyone falling, puking, accidentally peeing on the truck (me) or in the truck (Cat), no speeding tix, flat tires, dead batteries, or running out of gas... This kind of trip is just not normal for me. I had a good time. Well, besides the matter of the slight incline my tent was on, and the fact that my sleeping bag constantly slid down the futon mattress I brought (otherwise such a good idea!) but I woke to a sore back and my mummy feet sticking out of the bottom of the flap. Not to mention, although I guess this counts as mentioning, that some drunk body or other fell into my tent, squishing me and Cat... We came home to a cool night, happy animals, and a beautiful sunset. See for yourself.