In-Didj-In-Us!!!! Day 1
Just changed into my curtain shirt and Aussie hat, but I ditched the glasses, the fashion frames are getting too much use and I don’t want people to think I actually wear glasses, you know? Then I gotta answer questions when I take ‘em off suddenly. I also desperately need a drink and I must hike back down and across the stream to the port-o-potties which live Downtown under the Apple trees, all eleven of them along with the molded plastic sink with liquid soap and a foot pedal to work the water pump. Right now, from inside my tent, all I can hear are the unintelligible exchanges of stoners wandering around the camp and the chittering and gibbering of young children playing Frisbee as the gushing sound of the rushing (and freezing cold!) water runs nearby. The echoing, haunting droning of didgeridoos fills the air, this cool Oregon air heavy with flies and other winged nasties. Oh, I just caught the ripping sound and subsequent thud of a falling tree off in the distance, no doubt an integral part of tonight’s entertainment, as cool nights require much wood. Firepits are the new televisions, after all.
The only bad thing so far was when I got stung by a large black wasp with a white head the moment I opened the door of the truck, scrambling to get out into the sunshine after driving up steep and twisting logging roads all morning. Nature’s preemptive strike, I guess, Mother’s protection from further, more painful or humiliating harm. Whatever. I am grateful to not be allergic and feel blessed that I got it out of the way early, plus I took it like a man and wasn’t a big crybaby about it, only sobbing uncontrollably from the extreme pain for two hours (Joking!!). And I feel blessed to be alive. But I am a bit lonely here, as I was just getting things together back home and feel like I am neglecting some duty or other. I miss my East Coast pals and wish I could bring them all out here too, it would be a blast. Oh well, maybe next year. I am trying not to think about home right now, as there is so much to be done and I cannot do any of it from out here, so the worrying is pointless. But some planning isn’t always a bad idea either. We’ll see. First I need a new job, so I’ll hit that early on during my triumphant return.
The only bad thing so far was when I got stung by a large black wasp with a white head the moment I opened the door of the truck, scrambling to get out into the sunshine after driving up steep and twisting logging roads all morning. Nature’s preemptive strike, I guess, Mother’s protection from further, more painful or humiliating harm. Whatever. I am grateful to not be allergic and feel blessed that I got it out of the way early, plus I took it like a man and wasn’t a big crybaby about it, only sobbing uncontrollably from the extreme pain for two hours (Joking!!). And I feel blessed to be alive. But I am a bit lonely here, as I was just getting things together back home and feel like I am neglecting some duty or other. I miss my East Coast pals and wish I could bring them all out here too, it would be a blast. Oh well, maybe next year. I am trying not to think about home right now, as there is so much to be done and I cannot do any of it from out here, so the worrying is pointless. But some planning isn’t always a bad idea either. We’ll see. First I need a new job, so I’ll hit that early on during my triumphant return.