Sick all weekend Blechhhh

Maddie and I got off to a late start on Friday. I have been battling a small cold but was not feeling too horrible. Her tennis practice went late. I had to pack the car. Then we had to discuss who got cast in the play and who was bummed and who was happy. A little of both. Maddie got the part she wanted so she was happy. Now I need to measure all those people... that is something I was going to get started on today, but I will save that till the end of the story.

We stopped for gas and for a couple last minute grocery items then hit the road. Traffic was not too bad thank heavens. We ended up arriving after dark and the gate was blocked. That was a little disheartening. All our clothes were in the car plus the banjo and hiking up the hill in the dark with all that crap was not appealing to me at all. I was a little crabby. I sent Maddie up the hill to find Puck. She met him half way up. Apparently he had been pacing for a couple hours worried sick about us. I felt bad, but there is no communication.

They hauled up one load and I parked the car. Then we gathered the rest and hauled them up using only one lantern. It was a little nip and tuck for a while trying to navigate the stairs and lack of stairs. I had to stop a couple times to catch my breath and they got a little ahead of me. It is beautiful up there at night though. Clear starry sky and coyotes howling in the distance.

Got everything into the tent and started to organize things. Of course Puck had not set things up the way I do so I had to move things around again. Not to mention all the new stuff we had just brought up. I didn't bother dressing that first night, but we went visiting anyhow. Maddie has a friend DiDi who she has connected with for 13 years... they are inseperable at rendezvous. We went over to her parents tent and talked for a while. Mom had made up a batch of "Apple Pie" a drink made with spices and everclear that pretty much tastes like apple pie juice. They all imbibed a good deal, but being the lightweight drinker that I am I held off. Pretty soon the fatigue of the day hit me and I headed off to bed.

Saturday is the major event day. There was going to be a buffalo hunt on friday, but one of the guys had a heart attack and had to be rushed off to the hospital. They decided to postpone it till next year. I have very mixed feelings about the whole idea of it, but they are free range buffalo and it is not quite like shooting cows in a barrel I guess.

Anyhow Saturday was the tomahawk throw, the gun shoot, the bow shoot. I was not feeling too well (just a little punky) so I wasn't going to throw hawk. Besides it has been a year since I have even picked one up. Maddie got coffee going and I watched Jack and his friend primp across the way. Jack is a very tall handsome blonde fireman who mostly only wears a loincloth. He is quite sweet too. His two sons come up with him and they bring thier German Shorthair who is a big baby

Maddie and Didi threw and tied with two others for first. I managed to stick one... pretty sorry showing. The other four had a throw off and Maddie came in 4th. When Jack came down to throw he did not do so well and I commented "but your hair looks great" This became a little bit of a good natured joke around camp. Maddie came in 4th in the bow shoot too. After the hawk throw our friends with the hammered dulcimer started playing so I grabbed the banjo and hauled a chair over there. That is my favorite part of the weekend even though I built up a huge blister on my thumb. We even had a spoon player and it was great fun.

After that we just lazed around, did a little visiting, read a little of my book. Very quiet and relaxed. Maddie traded a nice pierced tin lantern for two snapping turtle shells. I bought one of those lovely back pack baskets to keep clothes in. Vertical is best in a small space.

I cooked up my beets for the camp supper and got them prepared for supper. Lots of butter and caraway. I also brought my hardtack. It is always so cool to see all that cast iron on the tables. Lots of wild rice dishes too. The main dish was Wild Buffalo Burgoo... sort of a stew. It was very tasty with lots of veggies and such in it. We said a prayer for all our fallen companions and those who were not able to be there due to illness (quite a few this year) We all ate too much then we went back to wash dishes.

Didi and her brother came over and the kids made popcorn and toasted marshmallows. I was feeling punky and finally went to lay down. Mostly just to get out of my skirt and chemise. I listened to the conversations and tried to get comfortable. Early in the morning the rain started. Not a good thing

By morning I was really lousy. Fever, chills, cramps... I honestly thought it might be apendicitis. I was pretty useless tearing down. Finally got packed up ... The rain held off till most of us got packed up. I was going to have Maddie drive home, but it was too uncomfortable to move so I just drove the straight two hours home. Dropped her off at rehearsal and went straight to bed. I was still feeling the same today so I called in sick to work.

The fever seems to be going down and the cramps are better so I guess I will live.