That's me and I am the first one to admit it. More than once, I have been known to scratch a night or two in the woods at the mention of rain and head for the local Motel 6.
Today I did not have such a choice. I woke up to a crispy cold morning with a lovely, semi foggy view. It was perfect for a coffee and hot protein oatmeal breakfast.
And then, it started to rain. No problem, I would wait it out for a bit and get started on Booboo's puffy jacket. I had come up with and cut the pattern out of a sleeve from a GAP children's jacket, which I found at a thrift store for $4 (again, thank you Santa Clarita Goodwill) and a small piece of fleece. Stitching away, I listened to the rain hit my tarp at various speeds all morning, while pup slept cozy in my down bag.
As I sewed, I thought about my recent conversation with a good friend, about my domesticity and my utter neglect of my artistic self. About how the baby artist in me is starving. My friend knows me since my "wild and untamed" days and constantly reminds me of the "powerhouse" I used to be. We come from similar backgrounds and are about the same age. While I played devoted housewife and mother, neglecting my talents and skills, he has become a successful creative force and continued to develop in many realms. Like many of my pre-motherhood coworkers, he gets paid to be an artist and is excellent at what he does.
I wondered if sitting under a tarp, hand stitching a jacket for my pup on a mountainside, waiting for the rain to end in order to summit it, would count as my being a domestic diva or a "powerhouse" again? This thought and the memory of my friend entertained me all morning while it rained. Either way, pup was going to be warm at the mountaintop.
He might look and move like a sausage, but he is a safe and warm sausage!
I finished the jacket and the rain continued until 2:30 pm. It took me an hour to break camp. I had a snack and started walking at 3:30 pm, with Booboo decked out as if for a winter walk in Alaska. Still, better make some progress than no progress. The ground was slushy but not impassable, visibility was poor and it was cold.
At altitude x-very high, I spied an unnaturally bright yellow among the bushes ahead. Then I made out the black ear attached to it and the rest of the massive head that was peering at me with obvious curiosity. A cow? Hey, its a happy California cow! Can you spot it?
While I walked the long, narrow paths in this foggy mountain top, I imagined myself to be a tall, slender, blue eyed, red head young woman. I had fair skin and orange freckles (basically, everything I am not). Walking alone as such, a mature and handsome man wearing a kilt and riding a gorgeous stallion would come up to me and ask if I needed a lift. Knowing the difference between "need" and "want", I turned him down, feasted my eyes and continued to walk. This thought made me smile and brought me back to my present. I was having fun!
Today I also remembered that rain suits are not very efficient when the rain is coming from within, in the form of sweat.
I walked until 6:00pm, set my tarp, fed us supper (reconstituted whole wheat spaghetti, tomato sauce and green beans, which I mixed in Booboo's kibble for him) and went to bed.
I hope to see the sun again tomorrow. I don't enjoy living many days without it, it already has been two and there is no Motel 6 for this fair weather camper anywhere in sight.
Photos of day 4
Good morning from inside my tarp
Air gap around tarp
Trail angels exist!
Left or right?
I took left and was wrong. I went back to the intersection.
and realized there was a third choice. I took the middle road this time. and was right this time.
That's me and I am the first one to admit it. More than once, I have been known to scratch a night or two in the woods at the mention of rain and head for the local Motel 6. 
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