August 26, 2015
This is my one and only post this month.
I have big plans for September to get back to the thing I love. The prompts are below. I will be posting every day.
I guess I just wanted to be outside more than I wanted to be blogging. I took a break, and now it is time to get back to all forms
of writing.
Unfortunately, my laptop recently took half a swim, and while it is a miracle laptop and restarted after the dry off (and meltdown), the keyboard is not in tip top shape, and all the keys don't do what they are supposed to. I do a lot of deleting extra letters. Makes for a long writing experience. I need to fix my miracle laptop soon. (PS, always back up!!)
For this month's post, I want to talk about my camping trip. We did quite a lot of things in August, but this was the most recent.
Last year, Clint and I only got to go camping once. It was about this time last year, and it poured rain most of the trip. We managed to go fishing, but it was still chilly out.
Last year's trip. August 23
Luckily this year, we did go camping in BC, and the weather was lovely in July.
The weather was 35 or more all week. (July, 2014)
This past weekend, we were meeting some friends at a Saskatchewan camp ground. The weather was not going to be nice. Friday and Saturday were cold and rainy. We went anyway because we are running out of camping days for the summer.
This was also our first camping trip with our puppy, Drogo.
I worked on Friday, and while at work, I heard news about a classmate. I didn't get a lot of details, but he had taken his life. He and his family moved out of my hometown around grade 10. I hadn't seen him in years until this year when I ran into him at a concert. We quickly caught up on life while waiting in a beer line up. He seemed happy. He was there with his wife. He told me about his four boys. I was happy to see him, and happy to hear his life was good.
I can't imagine how his family is feeling right now, and it's such a sad situation. I'm not sure why he made the decision he did, but I hope his loved ones have all the support they need.
This has nothing to do with the camping trip. I was feeling sad about this classmate who I had lost touch with. I was feeling heavy hearted as we left to go camping. I don't know a lot about it, and it's not my story to tell, but I felt incredible sadness for whatever pain he was in, and for his family.
The rest of my camping story is not focused on this, so it might seem like this post has no direction. I'm just sharing it because it was a part of my weekend. Things like that really get to me. I'm not usually sad by a celebrity or far off animal that has died, but when it's somebody I once knew, or a family I know, it is a lot harder. I know there are many people who are hurting, and I wish they didn't have to. His funeral was last week. I didn't go, but my thoughts were on his family.
I guess it's another of those moments where you live life to the fullest because you never know what will happen. Also important to continue donating to mental health in Saskatchewan.
And so ... we went camping in the rain.
It was a long trip to the campground. It turns out Drogo gets car sick. He puked three times on our way up. We pulled over twice to clean up.
This was right before his first incident.
It hadn't quite started raining yet by the time we arrived. Our campsite was right across from our friends, so we set up the tent and then went to visit with them. (We used their firepit to make supper).
The lake was close (but cold).
We sat and relaxed for a bit and watched the lightening. I decided to try and take a picture of the lightening, which I've never done before. I took many pictures of a black sky before I FINALLY got one. My fingers were too cold to continue taking pictures.
It's the one from the start of the post. I like it. The lightening was lighting up the entire sky.
When we headed to bed, we settled Drogo into the tent with us for his first tenting experience. It rained, thundered, and there was lightening and wind all night long. None of us slept very well, and Drogo was up super early.
We were cheerful.
Rain rain and more rain.
We spent the day sitting outside of our friend's trailer under their tarp, and staying dry. It rained until about 2, and was chilly all through the day. The games were fun as was the company, so the day was good even with the rain. We ate a lot of food.
Finally, the rain let up, and we were able to leave our hide out for a walk.
Drogo would NOT go near the water, even if I was in it.
We relaxed by the fire at night, and I got some nice shots of Clint fishing, and of the sunset.
These were taken the same time, from different angles.
My favourite sky is a Saskatchewan sky.
I don't have photos of this next part, but after we headed to bed, we tried to warm up in our cold tent. At about 3am, I couldn't take it anymore. I was freezing cold, and not warming up. I grabbed some warmer pants, and then headed out of the tent to run to the bathrooms. I was not in a good mood.
As I turned around to look back at the tent, I got a glimpse of the sky. Northern Lights were lighting up the sky. It's the first time I've seen them in years, and it was gorgeous. I ran to the bathroom, and when I came back, I got Drogo and Clint to come out and stare at the sky with me.
The sky was literally dancing with light and colours. It took my breath away. I had forgotten what they looked like. I don't see things like this in the city anymore. My perspective on the night changed. Life changes ALL the time, and I am lucky enough to have what I have, with a dog and and a man who are willing to get out of bed at 3am - even though I was grumpy to them before getting out of the tent - to watch the dancing lights in the sky.
I felt at peace with myself, and with my life.
I wish everybody could feel that.
We went back to bed to warm up after that.
We headed home in the sunshine the next day. Snuggle time with the car sick pup.
Also, here was the start of my blogging tonight:
Best distraction ever.I'll be back to crazy blogger mode tomorrow.
As always,
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.
Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:
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September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/
Year long Prompts
