Back to the WoodsWhat would the world be, once bereft Saturday, October 14, 2000 Jack didn't wake up as early this morning as he had planned to, but I didn't think it wise to try to force awareness on him. He needs to wake up gradually on the best of mornings. He did eventually get going, though. He asked me to chop the onions, peppers, and beef for the chili, while he drove up north of town to get his motor home. We loaded up with pillows, vellux blankets, and food for breakfast tomorrow. It worked out that I would drive myself down to the state park, and Hans would ride with Jack. I stopped at the grocery store for eggs, and to pick up more bacon, sodas, and ice blocks. It turned out to be a gorgeous fall day, crisp and bright, and the leaves were brightly colored.
I arrived at camp. Oops! Can I go back for cumin, garlic, oregano, and an extension cord? Sure, it's the simplest way. I can do the trip back to Jack's house, get the stuff, and be back in forty five minutes. Jack used the stove in the motor home for the chili, sauteing the peppers, onions and meat. He hadn't realized there was still propane in the tank! But I'm not chopping peppers for him again without using latex gloves. I did cut up some that were beyond bell pepper hotness. I washed my hands afterwards, several times! But still, I feel burning spots on my face (not my eyes, thank heaven!). Jack chopped the truly hot ones, and had some burning when he went to take a piss! ouch! A neighbor from another camp site joined us. He's quite chatty, a bit of a good ol' boy. In fact, he bugged me a bit -- he never shuts up! So I decided to take a walk. What's the point of being here at this beautiful park, with woods and water, if we don't see the water? Jack didn't want to take a walk (still slightly hung over, he admits). That's ok! (Shades of the last time we were here.) I walked up over the hill, inspecting the walk-in camping spots and the group camp. The group camp would be good for a club campout, except no running water, and farther from the restroom. The trees smelled good, like balsam fir room freshener. I followed a deer track down to the cove road -- slipped in the mud and got a bit on me. I wandered around the boat launch, and clambered on the rocks. The dried seaweed makes picking my way along the rocky shore a bit tricky, since I can't see where rocks actually are. I sat on a log for a while and read the book I was so glad to get at the used bookstore the other day, Madeline Hunter's By Arrangement. good stuff! Not the usual formula at all. I was reading the book so quickly, and I didn't want it to be done. The beach was a great setting, with islands in the distance. I eavesdropped a bit on a foursome of teens having a picnic. Soon I walked back -- Jack was sitting and reading on his own. The others drifted in; it was time for chili. Our neighbor's wife came over, too. I like her soft-spoken style. The chili was good and spicy. But we should have just gone all the way and brought the rice cooker too.
John brought a big TV and vcr. We caught the moment in 10 Things I Hate About You where Winston is in the background (or three pixels that could be him), then an episode from Lost in Space. But having the video going just bugs me -- I'd rather talk to the other people, but that's not going to happen. Plus, I had my period and my back was hurting, so I retreated to the motor home. I like having the motor home in this situation, rather than a tent, just for this -- I can have some private space, read the books I brought. I took what I thought was aspirin, but it was really vitamins! Jack reused a bottle, that weasel. He helped me get the bed set up, and I walked down the road to take out my contacts. Alright, maybe coming on this trip wasn't the greatest notion when I have my period, but only this evening was I really uncomfortable. I finally got the real aspirin from Jack. He came in and cuddled with me for a bit. I teased him about his plan to later put a foam pad on the side of the bed he'd be sleeping with (in hopes of helping his back). "What! you'll make me move over so you can have a better bed than me?" When I happened to mention something to him that I'd already mentioned he goes "yeah, yeah, you already told me that." Well! I poked him in the side. Is that how I react when he tells me something that he might have mentioned before? No, it certainly isn't. It was a bit cold; we should have brought the sleeping bags, not the vellux blankets. I have a small flashlight that allowed me to read while huddled in the bed. During the course of this evening, I finished the Hunter book, read a short Joan Wolf regency, and started a Jean Ross Ewing book, Illusion. I must have needed the distraction from my pain. I'd forgotten (if I knew) that Jean Ross Ewing and Julia Ross were the same writer -- I really liked My Dark Prince which I read a few weeks ago.
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