Buh-buh-buh-BRRRRRRR!

We finally arrived at the cabin last night around 8:15, after a retardedly expensive & long trip to the local Wally World. I must say, I was not in the best humor... I was tired from the trip, wearing a sleeveless dress in the 45 degree moisture, in need of a bath, and still had to set up the cabin. The cabin was built in 1902, and still has no heat, other than the giant pot-bellied stove in the center of the living room, and no insulation. Needless to say, it was FREEZING, and covered with a layer of dust, complete with leaves & bugs. I was, quite literally, not a happy camper. We finally got the cabin all set up, wiped down, beds made & fire lit.

If you've met me, I'm sure you can imagine the effect all the dust & cleaning supplies had on my allergies. I sounded like I had swallowed a squeak toy, and I was dreading the prospect of taking a shower. In my head, I kept remembering the pure misery of bath time at Blue Haven. If you are unfamiliar with that form of torture, imagine Hades freezing over. Then imagine having to take a shower there. That's right, BRRRRR. Since I was not quite looking forward to it, I decided to skip it & head straight to my bunk.

Did I say where the beds were? They are outside, on a screened in porch. Yes. I said Outside. It was 35 degrees, and the fire was in the next room. Fortunately, the cabin is stocked with Magic Blankets (i.e.: extraordinarily warm), and I think I was zzzzing almost instantly.

I awoke this morning to the sound of birds outside, the stream babbling just below the porch, and a light rain of the tin roof. And I had a Max on by belly. The view from my bunk is AMAZING. The cabin is surrounded by giant pine and birch trees, sits on the side of the mountain, about 20 feet from a creek, and is home to a whole little flock of very tame hummingbirds.

This morning, I felt much more optimistic about the shower situation (plus, I was getting to be a bit yukky, what with all the nature & no bath). The tub is an antique cast-iron claw foot tub, and luckily, I just happened to bring my bubble bath. I used up about half a bottle, and all the hot water, and had the bathroom steaming in no time. It was possibly the most positively delicious hour and a half I have ever spent in a tub!! And the shower head? Forget those new fangled “water saver” showerheads… HaH- this one was the old fashioned full blast kind that bullies you into being clean. PURE BLISS.

James and I spent today working in this cute little coffee shop, bumming off their free WiFi. We had a fantastic lunch of green chili burgers & Cuban sandwiches. We hooked up the caffeine IV when we arrived, and it flowed coffee all day. After work, we headed to the local sports bar to watch the Spurs tie up the series against the Hornets, then to the Inn of the Mountain Gods to blow a quick H at the blackjack tables.

Now, we’re headed back to the cabin to see how Max fared the day. After sleeping for practically 12 hours straight on the way here, Max was the posterkitteh for Ritalin last night. He RAN and JUMPED and EXPLORED and HID and FELL and SKIDDED and ATTACKED and STREAAAAACHED and got a little singed and got stuck and got in a fight with a rug and his shadow and a bug and a leaf and finally crashed, evidently on my tummy.

Ok, now that this blog has officially reached “epistle” length, I’ll go, and I promise I’ll try not to be so windy tomorrow. It is still raining, and is supposed to snow tonight & tomorrow. James is making a fire, and Max is still being Max, and I am still cold and not a fan of nature, but I am in a much better temper than I was last night.