a peak into the week

Date April 13, 2009

Below are entries from my journal.  The rest to follow.  I promise.

Day 1, end

Dear Jesus,

Please help me not to do bodily harm to my friend, Jill.  This torture is all her fault.  Amen.

Got up early, met the crew and guide.  Jill and I volunteered to ride los motos to the pueblo as there wasn’t enough room in the Jeep for all of us.

The Colombian man I was smashed against asked me over the course of the 40 minute ride if I’d have his babies.  I informed him politely that I neither spoke Spanish nor had sex.  Muchas gracias y bug off, creepster.

Oh, and dear Jesus, Could you please forgive me for all the curse words I said today?  That’d be swell.  Amen.

The mountains are gorgeous and we are, by all accounts, in the middle of nowhere and I am, by all accounts, sure to die before this is over.

Still, we are here and Day 1 is finished.  Hammocks are hung, we’re all laughing, and believe it or not, excited about tomorrow.  I bow out at a ripe 7:30 p.m. and wave like a Southern belle at the rest of the crew still sitting at the table.  ” ‘Night, Profe,” they say to me as I climb beneath my mosquito net and let a much needed sleep take me over.

Day 2

Another day of nothing but climbing.  Straight up into the Sierra Nevadas.

Reached our campsite by early afternoon and went down to the river for a swim and a nap on a sun-baked rock.  A group of 18 men and women all over the age of 65 just arrived to bunk with us.  They made the two day trip we just finished in about six hours.  I do not hate them.  I do not hate them.  In fact, it’s impossible to hate them.  Their zeal and humor is downright contagious.

Dear Lord, help me not to be old and ornery at retirement age.  Instead, let me think about hiking into the middle of nowhere with a bunch of other crazies even if I don’t actually do it.  Amen.

5 Responses to “a peak into the week”

  1. Lou said:

    Reading all this just excites me for more. It was great to see you smiling in the picture especially after reading Day 1.

    Can’t wait for more.

  2. Trava said:

    Sounds like fun to me, but where is “The rest of the story?”, Paul Harvey? When I retire I think it will be me that is in the group as long as you’re in the group, too!!

  3. Anya said:

    I just love reading absolutely anything you write. 🙂

  4. Sisser said:

    what is that nastiness on your head? and i’m digging those sweat marks. you are smoke, sisser.

  5. sherry said:

    What a hoot you are! I think God hears those prayers!! I’m praying for not being grumpy and stoggy at retirement age too ( oh no- I am that age but just can’t make myself give it all up. I did notice that today’s chatter during animal projects did make me a little testy!)