On this trip, the boys had the joy of scaling some rocks that led to the top of a waterfall. And just about the time the dads and sons were about to be back to the bottom -- where Therese, Helen, and I had stayed -- the rain began. And it wouldn't really stop for more than a brief interlude the entire day.
Ed and Rob - always prepared - had set up a makeshift covering before we went hiking that we took cover under after the hike.
Then we made the best of it by heading to the nature center, where I stayed safely behind the camera as Ed and the kids enjoyed a snake. Next up, Ed and Connor disected owl vomit and found mouse bones...that Connor wanted to keep. And yes, I understand they were sterilized before being passed about, but please, sir, pass that sanitizer once more. And yes, they have been thrown in the trashcan by now - where they belong!
The kind lady at the nature center looked up the weather on the internet and it did not look good. But damnit, we were going to have fun!
After the visit at the nature center, Connor and Helen napped in the car, while we tossed about various plans, and ultimately decided that with this much rain, the possibility of a tent leaking was getting high, and fleeing with children in the middle of the night was not going to be a good thing. So we moved the party to Therese's house where we had Therese's soup, drank a little, watched the kids play, and then headed home. Helen insisted that she be allowed to sleep in her pack-and-play one more time, and asked several times if we could go camping again. Connor definitely felt jilted by going camping only two days when we had promised three, but the promise of another trip has been enough to keep the sadness at bay.
We already have plans to bid on a treehouse campground at Connor's school's silent auction next weekend. Wish us luck!
Elaine
I hope I never have to see, let alone touch, owl pellets for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteAnd good luck with the auction.