After Hours: Sunshine and Sparks

Admittedly, I am a wee bit on the tired side as I loaf once again on my squishy sofa. Stretched out, I am very relaxed but I can also see the chores for the week ahead, and along with it, the busyness of it. However, I am still coming off the weekend after hours events and think that it was all worth it.

Up here in the north, the forecast for the weekend involved rain and thundershowers, or sunshine and warmth, depending on which forecast that you looked at. I sized up the situation and followed an impulse to head out to Gregoire Lake early Thursday to set up a tent. Campsite hunting in itself is a bit of an adventure. First, you have to plot out your potential neighbours to try and find some solitude and friendliness in the surroundings. Travelling with small people means that I prefer to be away from the late night partiers. It turns out that the campsite was well booked and there were only three spots available so I snagged the first tent friendly one that I found. There were puppies and children so I thought the neighbours looked good. Back into town I went after setting up the site.

After we were done, I headed out. Supper was acquired on the way so by the time I got there, all the work was mostly done. That left time for an evening on the water with the girls and their sparkly pink fishing poles. It's a good thing their Dad has taught them how to use them, I wouldn't have a clue. I wasn't sad that they didn't catch a fish though. I got back to the site to find that friends had decided to wander out as well and had the trailer already set up. The girls had their playmates and I had company. Company is good as there were supposedly bears on the loose.

The other thing about having more than one adult is that you have the opportunity for sparks. Fire. We acquired some firewood and set up the chairs. The wood smoked. The paper bubbled. More smoke. That wood was wretchedly wet. My partner in crime looked at me and suggested gasoline? I agreed. Whoosh...sparks...we definitely had fire. A bit more than we bargained for. However, we settled back into the chairs with our drinks and watched the stars sparkle in the sky. It was stunning.

The other best part about ignoring the weather reports was that we woke up the next day to serious sunshine. Beach day! The whole day was spent lounging on the lake shore beach, soaking up sun and shade. Sandcastles were built and caterpillars became pets. Water was shunted from tap to sand. The children became absolutely filthy. I think it was a great way to spend a Friday. We added to our numbers in the evening, just in time for more fire and smores.

The trick to making a delightful smore is to first have graham crackers that are not crumbly. You place one cracker close to the fire on the grate and put a small piece of chocolate on top. Then, roast your marshmallow to your desired flavor. I like mine golden brown. Then put the marshmallow onto the chocolate by using another cracker as the lid. You have a smore with real melting chocolate. It is warm, gooey, sticky and delicious. Not to mention the inevitable smoke inhalation that comes with the territory at some point. The children were smored and sent to bed and then the wine flowed.

There still wasn't enough wine to drown out the rowdies. Or to enable me to ignore the repeated bathroom trips to the outhouse required by the girls. By three, I had gone about 8 times with the youngest. Mental note: less to drink tomorrow! Then at 3, my eldest awoke and needed the facilities. I was so tired and she is older. so I suggested she take the flashlight and head out on her own. I heard a high pitched shriek. I started to get out of bed. I then heard scrabbling back to the tent with a little voice going mommy mommy mommy....I got up and she barrelled back to the tent.

"There was a BEAR."

"What?"

"A BEAR, by the outhouse."

Of course there was. I haul myself out of bed and knowing that the bathroom is futile, persuade her to go in the trees. The next day, we discussed the matter with the conservation officers who assured me that yes, most likely there was a bear there. Whoo boy...the first time I decide she can be grown up enough to head out on her own and whammo....I think I just set myself back a few years. Whoops.

Bleary eyed, the other adults cooked breakfast while I lounged in bed. I just didn't have the energy to get up. I managed it around 10:30. And guess what? A second beach day! Ha ha to the folks that believed the forecast for storms. Mind you, we did hear them but not a drop of rain fell until late evening. We had another sunny day on the beach with more castles and more fun. I read a book and got transported to Italy in the process. And in the evening, more fire....more sparks.

Of course, Nemesis in the form of rain came in time for take down. But that is such a minor blip from the benefit of relaxing on the beach all weekend. I'll take it.