Well, I’m home from camping with Brian’s family. There is nothing like camping in the rain to make you appreciate the great INdoors. I am not much of an outdoor grrl anyway (OK, that is an understatement), but the weather was not at all lovely most of this weekend.

Extreme Late-June Weather
We did what we could to wait for the severe thunderstorm warning to pass by before we left Grand Rapids for Ludington. Brian did, in fact, put up our tent when the rain had stopped for a while last evening. It was just chilly and damp last night while we were hanging out. It was 60 degrees but we could see our breath because of the humidity.

This morning we awoke to thunder and rain. Brian had me get up and run to his parent’s camper trailer for cover and breakfast, which was a blessing because they had a heater. I stayed there a good long time, even was in there alone with my knitting for a bit, but came back out when the rain stopped. It stayed chilly until noon or so when the sun started shining a little through the trees.

Bless my beloved husband, Brian. Even though it was drying up, he took me out to lunch (with two of his sisters, Jennifer and Kathleen) so I could get a hot cup of tea. The food was not all that great (wet burrito at a local sort of breakfast diner) but it was food and the waitress had it together.

The rest of the day was mostly uneventful, but the sun did shine in the afternoon. I made dinner and then again Brian, Jennifer, Kathleen and I went on an adventure to the Lake Michigan shoreline. It’s a lovely beach. I left for home from the beach and they walked back, not very far, to the campsite.

It was 70 degrees as I passed the bank on the way out of town. Much better, but not close to my personal favorite temperature, 85 degrees F. OK, I don’t like doing physical labor at that temperature, but at that point I don’t feel like my body has to protect itself against the environment. I know that others have very different ideas about what is best… this is just my own opinion.

(I think I may never understand why people pile into vehicles with tons of stuff and drive hours and hours, to get away from it all… and they end up at a state campground where the population density is very high, with people jammed in like sardines and cars everywhere. It just doesn’t compute in my way of thinking. I guess there are a lot of trees, and a beach is nearby, but I don’t have that gut need for water that many people have… I’d rather have a view from a skyscraper or mountain. Heights excite me, water is somewhat neutral… beautiful but not necessary to my happiness or sanity. Give me a city with skyscrapers, art museums and ethnic restaurants any day! And a subway if possible… that would make it extra special. I collect subway tokens, a bit haphazardly but I love them.)

Knitting at Camp
During the weekend I did finish a pair of sox for Brian out of Confetti yarn (the ones for which Sarah Peasley gave me black Wildfoote for the heels/toes back a while ago). I also started a sock three times, for a friend I’m trying to swap with. I kept getting the number of stitches wrong… once too few and once too many. I guess being cold was distracting even when I was knitting alone!

I also tried to start a second stole from JoAnn’s yarns in a different colorway (colors my mom would really like, mostly blues and greens), but I just didn’t like one of the five yarns with the mix. Ripped it out, tried with a different yarn. I like the new color very much and the texture a little better, but I’m not sure it’s good enough for me to live with it. I may have to go visit JoAnn’s on Monday to see if I can do better than this. The yarn snob in me is coming out this time. I just couldn’t get another set of 5 yarns in textures *and* colorways I loved, to go together the way I liked. I think this is why I dye yarns, because I just can’t get what I want sometimes.

Good Night
I am Soooooooooo Glaaaaad that I am home and dry. I may even go to bed early and pile on the blankets tonight! Brian won’t be home for a few more days so it’s quiet and peaceful here, which is welcome after all those people crammed in to camp.

Ahh, peace and quiet, and a warm bed. This is the life!

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