Infinity to one

I wrote this in front of the fire while camping, and went into the week smug that I’d already done my blogly duty. Then I forgot to schedule it for publication. In the immortal words of Homer, d’oh!

There was less cursing than usual Friday morning. Part of that was because we’d done a good job of prep late into Thursday night. Part of that is because we have it down to a science – and a Google doc. “Did you remember the dish detergent?” “I don’t think we need a full complement of beach towels this time, do you?” “Which outfit do you want pemrethrin impregnated?” By 11 we were on the road. By the time we’d gotten to Miss Wakefield’s for lunch, I’d stopped paying attention to time.

We were camping.

Many of my friends humorously (right – that was a joke?) mentioned that they’d be sure to plan for rain this weekend. It’s true that it has been historically soggy on our camping trips. The second year we went, it rained every day, every trip. Last year we were “blessed” with snow in the Memorial Day trip and extreme thunderstorms on the 4th of July (to the point where a friend of mine, watching the radar, kept texting to see if we were still alive).

But this weekend, no rain on the forecast! It’s incredibly novel! We have no tarps strung!! We are sitting OUTSIDE. (In 40 degree weather, with 30 mph winds. I mean, I wouldn’t want it to get boring!)

Last night was very cold – down near freezing. We were prepared for it. I put the kids to bed in layers and wrapped up like caterpillars in cocoons. Adam and I have found a two layer approach to be the best, since our sleeping bags are rated for a warm day with a light breeze. (It’s possible we could do better in the sleeping bag department – the kids’ are better. We lay in bed and listened to the loons and I thought “This is the life I want.”

This morning is even better. My husband made breakfast while I stayed warm and cozy in the sheets. (In retrospect, it was a good idea to set that precedent while a newly wed, that I’m completely useless until someone hands me a cup of coffee.) Right now, Adam is playing with sticks (“I’m doing useful work in the kindling department! – he objects”), Thane is reading in the tent and Grey has disappeared to go play with a newly minted friend. I’m sitting by the fire drinking coffee and blogging. This is the moment I’ve fantasized about for years – the fulfillment of my dreams.

Other than the cold wind, which manner of misfortune is the spice in the chili-pot of life, I can’t honestly think of anything that would make this better.

Last night, as we sat around the fire and told tales, I asked my boys if they thought they would bring their children camping. “The probability” quoth the eldest, “Is infinity to one.” “Yeah,” chimed in the youngest, “Infinity to negative infinity.” Since their numeracy is still nascent, I verified, “So you’d bring your kids camping.” Grey sighed a deeply contented sigh over his hot cocoa. “Oh yeah. I can’t wait.”