I bought a tiny camper in the hopes of jettisoning us far from the farm. When its renovation, in time for a Fall getaway, looked hopeless, I bought another escape pod.
I'm not even discussing that one at the moment. So, I had to break it to my fam that we could only get as far as a tent and 5 backpacks could take us.
Their enthusiasm can be contagious :)
Taking 4 dogs hiking and camping is a daunting task.
No matter how well behaved 3 of them are:
It is purposeful that the fourth remain unmentioned:
Thankfully, the new dog's training regiment is rubbing off on Daxo.
Yes, may as well call Chester the new dog... his forever home in New Jersey didn't work out. His Aunt Deli cannot take him with her on her new life adventure.
He was due to depart next week. Fatigued and defeated, my only reaction was: whatever.
Chester loves me, he'll go through windows to make his way back to me; he spoons so close to me at night that between him and Dax, I'm the squished middle of an Oreo.
He finds it hilarious that he's weaseled his way into my heart.
Real funny there, Mr. Chester. He's become my right hand man, always willing to lend a hand-- like today, on my day off when I'm repairing screens he's busted through.
Omnipresence is his forte. No matter where I'm working, when I look up, he's there, watching me. Humbling to be loved so devotedly by a dog caught trespassing. After trying for 10 weeks to get someone to adopt him, from making promo videos of him, listing him on a national adoption website, canvassing every rescue group within a 400 mile radius, I capitulated.
Mr. Chester, you win, but now you have to learn how to camp like a Smith.
Two weeks ago, Dax heartily participated in the organizing of all our hiking gear. We were taking three days off and heading into the woods. Were...
Storms usurped our plans.
And the next plans.
And the third rain date plans. Are you kidding me??? I figured I'd just go back to work as I'd done the week before, but people smarter than me had been telling me I was plowing my way to a burn out, so I gave in to a word I loathe: staycation.
I'd been meaning to make homemade breads again for months. Now I have a few days to bake...
And try out new recipes. Those aren't wads of dirty Kleenex, those are uncooked samosas!
I've always wanted to know how to make those!
And no, it's not flattened roadkill on the mushroom lasagna that I slaved over 4 hours making, it's hand rolled pasta. Very disappointing.
Pineapple and water chestnut vegetable stir fry with fennel apple pork tenderloin...totally a success.
Kitchen is going to be a mess for a few days, but worth the detente of burying oneself in cookery.
Plus, with Deli and Flynn pulling longer hours this week due to the inclement weather, I can make myself useful as camp cook. Maybe backwoods hiking wasn't what I needed to refuel my tank this week, maybe, just maybe it was good food and camaraderie.
Plus, my butterscotch pear pie doesn't hurt!
Hope you enjoyed my postcard from my staycation, I have to hurry to bed, gotta get up in 6 hours to feed breakfast to the two people who make it possible for me to take a break from my duties for a few days. Thanks Deli and Flynn, mean it!
