Posted by Kath on August 11, 2000, at 13:54:15
Hi all - I'm finally getting to this & I just wrote one, tried to send it & my machine konked out! Now I have to write it all again!
My son (16) who had been kicked out, went for a week to stay with his sister 1 1/2 hours from here. He liked it in Guelph & is now staying in an "independent living"-type house with 5 other guys 16-21. It's government-funded, they have to be going to school to live there, there is a curfew & good sensible rules - ex no drugs, alcohol, sex or violence on the property. They have to help shop, cook, keep the place clean. They can get therapy if they want to. When he came to pick up some things, we had a nice hug & he said he really likes it there. FEELS GOOD!!!!!
Thanks all who supported me through all that; I certainly appreciate it.
Trip #1 - Drove to Guelph to pick up my 24-yr-old delightful daughter. We had delicious Indian dinner, shopped & bought Henna to decorate our hands with on our trip. Bought us each a long, soft, fine cotton summer dress; ankle length with a slit, cool, spaghetti straps - flowing - feels like being in a cloud.
Drove to the 15 acres of non-inhabited land belonging to my daughter's friend's Mom. We pitched out large tent on a flat, partially-cleared area with various types of trees here & there, forest & pond visible. Cooked on a camp-stove on the ground. Gabbed, read, lazyed, walked. Got to know each other a bit better as friends instead of mom/daughter.
Went on an "expotition" (expedition, as in Winnie-the-Pooh) to the back of the property where there was a stream. My daughter lent me her watershoes & went barefoot behind me walking in the middle of the narrow stream, holding my hand for support as she found secure footings. It was fun having the little fish brush past our feet & ankles. We trudged along, beside grass taller than us, dark forest, overhanging branches, mud banks. It was really fun & there was much laughter. We made one "portage" due to obstacles. Finally ended at the pond & were too tired to wend our way back, so got our directions straight then trudged through the forest to the road. Walked exhaustedly back along the road then through the trees to the tent. That night we took our folding chairs & watched the sun set & stars rise & bats fly. Went back to the firepit. Moved a log & found a cute little snake (no dangerous ones in this area). The diameter was about like my baby finger. Had a starlit bonfire for a long time.
Next morning my daughter had got up & went out while I was basking in the sun in my sleeping bag trying to get the gumption to get up. All of a sudden I heard a very loud splashing in the pond; sounded like a moose. Went out & was told that it had been a huge deer. We found its tracks & followed them but no deer was spotted again. Later went to see if Mr. Snake had come back. Lifted a stone & found 4 little cuties. When 3 had left, I gently pressed my fingers against it's neck & lifted it up. It wasn't scared & was sooo cute.
Later that day it was so hot & nobody around at all, so we took the double air-mattress we'd slept on to the pond & went in in our underwear. She wore her watershoes & walked the "raft" to the little falling-down dock where I managed to get partway onto it without having to touch the gushy bottom with my feet. We held onto the "raft" while kicking with our legs in. Much screeching when we hit weeds with our legs & even more when we got out into the deep middle & lowered ourselves into the cold deeper water, just holding our raft with our hands. We were being totally silly & crazy & it was great fun!!
Next day we made a canopy in some trees with a nylon tarp, put the mattress under it & lolled, drank tea, ate grapes & cookies, put henna on our hands with fancy stencils making neat designs, read, talked, dozed & had a lazy wonderful time.
It was great being friends & realizing that we really LIKE each other even more than we already knew!Part 2 of trip to follow.
Kath
poster:Kath
thread:42612
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000811/msgs/42612.html