November 11th

Strange night. It's darker inside my tent than out. There'd be great moonshadows if not for the fact that it's such a blustery evening. I've been feeling, dare I say, a little under the weather today...likely a phrase to be taken literally. We had another gusty downpour last night and the tarp we'd rigged to try and keep the back of my tent a little drier only worked to reduce the morning puddles a little. It was a tough night for sleeping. These big tents puff in and out with the winds, flaps flap, metallic clips tinkle, and the rain, well it drips or pelts or whatever it happens to feel like doing. I told myself I was at the seaside, and eventually fell asleep.

Stuck around camp today and hauled bricks and logs to reinforce the bottom of my tarp barricade...so far it's working. We had two intense, but relatively quick, downpours today, and so far the floor is still perfectly dry. Progress!! Tomorrow we have visitors coming in from Canada, so there's been a flurry of last minute improvements. In a twisted sort of way, it felt like being on one of those ever-present home decorating shows...the sort where everything is supposed to get accomplished in 24 hours. Amid the downpours we had someone painting our kitchens, another trying to finish off the dining shelter, and lots of general tent and site maintenance in between. Another sprint tomorrow morning, and we should be looking good and ready to welcome our visitors.

It's the time of the hilarious red bugs. These little critters are all over the ground since the rains started. They are absolutely the most amazing red...cartoon red...brilliant almost florescent red...they look like they're lit from within-- Tiny, harmless, and every time I see a bunch of them I feel like laughing. And I'm not sure if it's them, but in the moonlight, the ground is covered by tiny glowing lights...like grounded fireflies, or fallen little stars.

I've turned a corner here at the camp, since the night of the big storm. I've had a few solo nights and have truly come to enjoy them. I suppose part of me figures...what could be worse than what we've been through? And while I probably shouldn't tempt the fates to show me that answer, I've really gone past a whole level of unfounded fears, and am light years more comfortable now. Maybe I've got a little of my grandpa's 'hermit' nature going on...I was actually a bit resentful (only a bit...it's actually wonderful to have us all back together) when everyone came back to camp yesterday, after having the place to myself for a few days!