Camping Pictures - Because I Know You're Curious!

I recently went camping for ten days. Yes, I love being in the woods. However, I hate dirt and bugs - so it's an interesting conundrum for me! Below are a few pictures, and over the next several days, I'll post reviews of some of the books I read during the trip. YAY for books!

Except for the creepy bugs - we had a terrific time! :)

ACK! Bugs - I do NOT like them!!

Okay, so yes ... I've been home from Girls' Camp a few days, and I know you are all dying for pictures and stories - - right?  Well, I've still been a bit busy trying to catch up with my runaway life.

One thing I've been busy with: sending my 16-yr-old son off on a rock-climbing and camping trip with a youth group.

He came home tonight (11pm) from the trip. At first, I thought coming home late would be fine. Right? Have him shower and send him to bed. Easy peasy.

Until he stiffly came to my room and said, "Mom, whatever you do, please don't panic. I can't handle that."

Deep breath.

"I won't panic." I slowly sat up (I had been reading THE ART OF HAPPINESS while waiting for him to head to bed).

Jacob said, "I have a tick. Could you please remove it?"

Deep breath.

Fire? Oil? Tweezers? Google?

Flashlight! Maybe he only thinks it's a tick! Maybe it's a blood blister!

Upon closer examination ... definitely a tick.

Have I not had enough encounters with bugs this month?

I very calmly asked him, "Did you use bug spray while you were camping?" YOU KNOW ... THE KIND THAT DISCOURAGES TICKS FROM HITCHING A RIDE?

"No," he calmly responded.

So, while I saturated the tick with olive oil, I wondered if I should've started with a flame, but then thought the two ideas shouldn't reside in my head at the same time. Is olive oil flamable? YIKES. Using tweezers, very close to his skin, I sucessfully removed (as far as I can tell at 11:30pm) the tick. Minus one leg.

Think I can sleep peacefully tonight?

Creation of YA Horror Story

Okay ... I went from freaking out about bed bugs yesterday to dealing with about 35 young women last night ... preparing a skit for next week's Girls' Camp.

I ate a few chocolate chip cookies as a result.

Did I mention how excited I am for camp next week? I'm really looking forward to all of the bugs fun.

Maybe I should write a theraputic journal entry a YA horror story about camp ... and bugs that infest the human body causing the teenage girls to appear pregnant ... but they won't be giving birth to human babies! And imagine the attitudes of the parents when the girls come home from camp "with child" ... and ready to burst.

... BWHAHahahahahaa ...

I feel better already. How 'bout you? :-)

Bed Bugs! YIKES!!

Truth: Sometimes, I exaggerate. Sometimes, I over-react. Sometimes, I even FREAK-out unnecessarily.

Question: Why did I hear the news report on the radio and see a separate news report on the t.v. AFTER we went on the Alaskan cruise?!

Crap-olah!

When we checked into our room on the cruise ship there was a tiny bug on the bed (see "adult unfed" above). Of course, I immediately freaked out. But, my ever-calm husband simply squished the bug with his fingers, *insert my high-pitched shriek* and he said, "Don't freak out."

Seriously? Yup.

So, I tried to convince myself it was nothing. But, I also ripped open the bedsheets and inspected every inch. Nothing. All right.

Right?

Next day: another single bug.

Me: "THIS BED HAS BED BUGS!!"

Husband: "Calm down. We're fine." He squishes the bug with his fingers.

What could we do? Complain and have the stewards spray our room and bed with pesticide?

Should've.
Could've.
I really wish we would've.

Instead, I checked the bed constantly and never found another bug.

Then, driving home from Seattle, there's a news report on the radio about the increase in bed bug infestations. YIKES!

Husband: "Calm down. You're over-reacting."

News report this morning on t.v.: PICTURES of the bed bugs! Yup. That's what was on the bed on the cruise ship!! YIKES!! Report tells of increased infestations in hotels and how the bugs lay eggs in your suitcases and travel home with you!! News report says you shouldn't itch because you can get an infection that can kill you.

Me: FREAKING OUT! and suddenly feeling very itchy.

Daughter: "Mom! Stop it!"

Google it.

Me: FREAKING OUT EVEN MORE!! and checking my skin for bites.

Google results say to wash all your clothes and call a pest control company.

Really? Do I have to call a pest control company? I didn't complain on the cruise ship because I didn't want to sleep in pesticide, and now ... Google says my whole house needs pesticide?

Am I over-reacting? What am I supposed to do???