my apologies to Miss Strawberry Shortcake

for bunching her up in a ball and hiding her under the seat during my improptu nine hour "nap" on the way home from New Hampshire last night.

sacking out in the back of the wagon seemed plenty safe in the campground parking lot...

NOT so kosher in the Best Western lot in somewheres-ville Massachusetts (WAS it mass?).

I couldn't decide...in the open in the light? hidden in the dark? somewhere accessible to fend off would be do-no-gooders? or somewhere out of the path of potential random drunken miscrients?

while I was pretty sure that anyone stumbling upon my sleeping form in the back of the car wouldn't be able to discern gender through sleeping bag, hoodie and window tint (although how many men do you know that drive a faggity ass volvo wagon?)...

I was fairly certain that the pink blanket and recently removed bra would be a rather convincing hint or two...

so they got the shove.

what was supposed to have been a brief rest before continuing on my way ended up being a full out night's worth of sleep. I needed that.

after dealing (emotionally) with the not so subtle attack on my parenting...I decided a day late to head up to Rumney, anyway. the kid was already with her father...and quite happily so. after actually GETTING to rumney...I decided two days early that it was time to get my ass home.

two eight hour solo drives in 5 days' time.

not too shabby for a road wussy like myself.

the climbing was so-so. I felt tired the entire time...and EXTREMELY unballsy-like. I didn't lead a thing. I wasn't digging deep...and i was alright with that.

the company and hostel camping were AMAZING. the farm was spectacular. library, common areas, communal bonfires, HUGE festival saturday, yoga room, Will the Cat, a few disgusting and despicable nasty pigs (I'm not eating meat again, btw), Elsa the french intern "making bicycles" to the "secret swim place" and general cooperative and enlightened environment rocked my suki socks.

I gotta get the kid there.

it was also SOOOOOO refreshing to hang out with some of my old climbing friends, again. I've been oh-so caught up in other things, as of late...and it was nice to spend a huge chunk of time, not only alone on the road, but in posse around the back of the mini-van.

camp food rocks.

josh, drew, the t-rav, christine and a brand new friend monica made for spectacular company. made me feel cozy. made me have fun. made me feel young (I'm a spazz).

the bees, on the other hand...unrocked my socks considerably. it was cold. they were rammy and omnipresent and I didn't feel like dying an hour off of any civilized road because some ornery insect was a little peeved about the weather.

missing the kid, the oqui-pah, the dogs and even the hub were all compelling reasons to bring my ass home early...

but the bees took the cake. I went with my gut and hit the road at 10 at night.

12 hours later one of my climbing group was attacked by a nest and stung in the face and head a gazillion times.

I. left. just. in. time.

so I'm putting in a call to my doc for a 3rd epi-pen...and getting on the horn with an allergist to see if there are any other options for me. between biking and camping and climbing I spend ALOT of time far from medical care which makes for a lot of anxiety this time of year.

which...as you all can guess...

I don't exactly need any more of!