This year has been a crazy wild year...
I have been deemed 'essential' soooo I didn't let Covid stop me.
I know, I know, BAD ME! I did stay well away from anyone who didn't want to be around me, and I was super careful in stores and keeping 6 to 8 feet away from people. And I am super respectful of others who wear a mask and those who don't wear a mask. I agree with both points of view on the subject, and mostly keep my mouth shut.
And being essential my job required covid tests every 2 weeks... mandatory, all of my tests have been negative so far...
We have only had 4 cases in our town, with the last one being cured in mid July.
We did have a big nasty come through here last November in which 3/4 of the school children were sick at home for about 3 weeks, a lot of people think it was covid, I mean the whole town was sick. I didn't get it though despite being exposed through the children so I either have a super good immune system or am really good at avoiding possible contagion. Not sure which but I'll take it.
Somehow I have become the leader of a group of miscreants...
My son said they were all looking for a leader, I said 'I am not a leader' but since I have to come up with ideas to keep us all entertained I guess I am an Adventure planner...
So I thought it might be entertaining for those who choose or are forced to self isolate (I stand and applaud you, you are awesome!) or those forced to stay home due to illness, to read about my 'misadventures' which start out sounding fun but I end up paying for in the end.
So this will be the spot I retell those tales at: words of encouragement, well wishes, and future advise welcome. And if anyone has an idea of something that sounds fun, please advise... I might just have to try it.

Misadventures by Month/year.

Spoiler: August 2020

1.) Fishing trip.
2.) Rain Camping.
3.)Fishing.

So last nights adventure...
Fishing. What could possibly go wrong?
The fishing group, 4 people including me. Fishing group ages? 20, 30, 40 and almost 50...
Location: river.
Fish type? Sockeye.
Weather? Rain of course... it has rained all summer with one or two sunny days as a change up.
Clothing? Not rain gear that's for sure.

So we start out at 6pm last night. It takes us 45 minutes to get to the river. It is going between heavy rain, light rain, and little time periods of no rain...
We pick our spots and start fishing...
Lots of snags, everyone catching moss. Of course my line gets tangled and I lose a lure.
Then I step a little more into the water and find my boot has a hole in it... Yup my foot is now wet!
Lots of fish biting and spitting out the lures.
Bugs, you bet... swarms of them. Since we were the only four on the river we were swarmed. I felt like King Kong trying to swat them.
I ended up catching 3 pinks... and one of the others caught 1 pink.
I couldn't land 2 and had to ask one of the others to reel them in... Oh my gosh were they fighters. My poor wrists were about to snap...
One of the fish was pulled onto bank and then after removing the lure, it found a rock cave and wedged itself into it. It took us 20 minutes to get the bugger out. Almost lost it.
Finally my fishing line tangled around the pole so bad I could no longer use it... I had to borrow the extra pole from the others.
I have to cut the line from my pole and pay the sports shot to restring it...Doh'
We came home at 9:30pm.
I gave one of my fish to the other family so we each went home with 2 fish.
Then I had to process them... I was up until midnight but I now how 2 weeks worth of food. Which makes me very happy.
Currently: My back hurts, I have a headache, my shoulder muscle feels like I will never go on another adventure again...
Tonight?
Pour down rain camping... We are going to see who can stay dry and warm, and who can keep the campfire going...
Boy this should be fun right?

Pour Down Rain Camping:
August 15-16
The Camping Group: 4 including me. (We started with 9 but 5 begged off and refused to go.)
Group ages: 30 year old, 40 year old, Almost 50 year old, Almost 70 year old.
Location? That a-way, a few minutes. . Our camp site is on an old flood plain. It hasn't flooded there in almost 40 years so we're almost positive we will be safe.
Weather: When we left town it was raining cats and dogs. When we got to the camp site not a drop. It had rained prior to our arrival but stopped from the time we arrived to a half hour before we left. ((a very pleasant and welcome surprise!)
Clothes: Not rain gear... Lol.

So what went wrong?
We had a group of 9 going but right off the get-go 5 of them said they weren't going. They wanted to not camp in the rain. (Why ever not? It almost always rains here with a change up of sun once in a while. If you wait for the sun you will never get anything done!)
So I waited until everyone else showed up at 5pm to find out if we were going or not. I was packed but hadn't loaded up my truck in case everyone begged off.
So it was a rush to get loaded and get on the road. The plan was to camp, then cut wood, then canoe. Fun right?
The 70 year old left well before us and was already at camp getting the fire going when I arrived.
I had a six man tent that I was able to set up all by myself. (Impressive because it is only the second time I have set it up and the first time I have set it up by myself.)
I didn't have the attachment for the air mattress so I left that at home, only to be told I could have borrowed my friends. Doh'!
I got the blankets I was using for a pad in the tent, along with my clean clothes and sleeping bag.
I forgot my pillow! I know better but I did. I forgot my pillow. So I am kicking myself and imagining my cat back at home curled up on the pillow happy as a lark, while I try to use my sweatshirt as a pillow.
So the 30 year old is our cook. An outstanding one at that! So we break out the food... Guess who forgot all the condiments?
Red faced little me! I hate rushing! I should have just went out but I delayed and I forgot stuffs.
We had fabulous cheeseburgers on dry bread but no one complained. I love my friends!
They were so good in fact that my dog decided he could help himself and scored one off the plate when no one was looking! Rude! We had 6 but the 40 year old didn't get his second burgar. Everyone laughed but I was red faced again.
We all went to bed around 11pm.
I never sleep on campouts, I don't know why I go, except that it always sounds fun, but I regret it at bedtime. Stupid of me, but there it is.
So I crawl into my tent with my dog, Turn out the lights and go to bed. I pretend to sleep for about an hour. I hear giggling and slamming doors then silence.
My dog gets cold and tries to crawl into the sleeping bag with me. This is a 110 pound dog with a giant head. I am in a sleeping bag so small it unzips every time I roll over. This isn't going to work. I argue with the dog for 30 minutes. We compromise, I wrap him into one of the blankets and he is happy and goes back to snoring. And farting... The spices on the hamburger didn't agree with him... I give up on sleep and start reading my kindle.
The No Spend Challenge Guide: How to Stop spending... By Jen Smith. It has some great ideas, which don't include campouts with the food stuffs we take along! I would recommend it for anyone trying to save money.
It sprinkled twice during the night but not enough to get anything wet. Cool!
We got up at 5am. We had coffee, pork steaks and baked potatoes. Oh man the 30 year old can cook! Another great meal!
We hung out until about 9am then headed off to go wood cutting. We hauled about 2 cords... In the down pour. I was soaked. At 1pm we decide to give up on canoeing and head back to town.
In town it is not raining but we find it had rained all night. We were in another eye of the storm... lol. Perfect!
I go to Grandma's to collect my bird who was very mad and had torn up his travel cage and gotten loose multiple times. He starts yelling 'Stinker!' when he sees me. and "Come here!" I think he missed me.
I find a message asking me to go blueberry picking with some other friends... So I go over and make arraignments to go today. My very last day of vacation.
I am so exhausted I go to bed at 4pm and sleep until 6:30am I woke once at 9pm to put the dog out and put the bird to bed.
Rain camping, so much fun I recommend it!
Today? Blueberry picking in the rain. This should be easy, I got this!

The blue berry picking went well. Only one mishap when the 70 year old fell down due to wet conditions.

Last nights adventure: Rain fishing.
The Group: Just me.
The Location: The river. That a ways, a few minutes.
The weather? Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain.
Clothing? Not rain gear... (One would think I would buy rain gear eventually.)

So yesterday I got my reel restrung at the local sport shop. I bought 4 new lures and two packages of swivels.
Lets just start by saying I am not a fisherperson. Nope, not at all. I get impatient and bord. Cast, reel, cast, reel... yeah not fun for hours.
I am trying to slow down a little though.
So I go to the river where we went the other day.
There are three fishermen in the lower river and 2 at the mouth of the lake. Two I don't really like. I ask the one closest to me how the fish are biting and I get this response:
"I don't know, I just got here!" It was snapped out and very rude.
So I go upstream away from them and pick my spot.
The line cast beautifully and far out into the center.
I caught moss from the bottom of the lake.
Cast, reel, I caught a snag. Grrrr.
Cast, reel, and the line tangles. WHAT? Some how it has doubled over itself and wrapped around and eye. 15 minutes later I get the knot untied and start again. I don't know, but a little annoying.
Cast, reel... snag... snap. I have lost the yellow lure. So I restring the line, put on a new swivel and a new hook.
Cast, reel... I caught a huge fish. The pole bends almost in half, I fight it in almost to the bank and... the lure pops loose and comes flying at me. UGH So clost!
Cast, reel... Another one on... same thing. Get it almost in and out pops the lure. AGAIN. Seriously?
In the mean time the Kayaker across the lake see's I have a fish on and moves into my spot in front of me... I am like Dude you get hit with my lure its your own dang fault!
How come some people are so rude?
Cast, Reel... tangled line. I have to let the lure sink to the bottom while I fix the line... Not a good idea and of course it snags. 15 minutes of fighting and I have to cut the line.
I have been for an hour so I decide to take soaking wet little me home. My plan is to watch a youtube video and see why the line keeps tangling.
As I head back to the truck I pass one of the fisherman.
I say "I'm done. My line keeps tangling."
He says "I just caught one."
I say "Oh thats great congrats."
He says "In the mouth of course. It takes time but one has to be patient."
Woah... Like really aggressive. He made it sound like I accused him of something. All I said was congrats... So rude. This one needs lessons in how to be polite. I didn't ask because I didn't care and I assume we all know the rules so if we break them and get caught its our own fault. That response makes me think he didn't catch it properly and cheated... Why would you say that? So weird.
So instead of being relaxed and feeling accomplished, I am wet, bug bit, broken lined, and now put into a bad mood by a comment of rudeness.
So fun right?
I got my line fixed now though and am hoping it won't tangle again.
Next adventures:
Saturday Kayaking.
Sunday Blueberry picking...
Its supposed to rain both days.

I say, stick with the blueberries

Lol. They have so far been the easiest.
I have never went in a kayak so am looking forward to trying it. If my friend doesn't back out on account of the rain. It could be fun? I hope.

Today's adventure Kayaking:
So Kayaking got cancelled. The person I was to go with went for a 5 hour hike then went out fishing instead... The trouble with summer is, it is so busy bringing in the harvest it doesn't leave much time for 'fun'. Ah well there may be another day.
Tonights adventure: Fishing.
The Group: 3 person's, varying ages.
Location: Over there... Where the fish are.
Weather: Overcast, not raining.
Cloths: You know... on the body

So we go to our river. And right away there is a huge group of people, not social distancing, all fishing around each other. I notice one person right off. I have tangled with him before and he is not pleasant to be around. We should have turned around right then.
So we pick our spots and start fishing. Tonight goes much better.
I get a couple of fish on but they get loose right away.
I end up standing in a tree, which was nice because I am well hid from the other group of people and the one unpleasant one.
My line only tangles once. I got the reel fixed finally.
Almost lost a lure due to the plants in the bottom of the river...
On a side note the yellow lure I lost last week... I was informed today by a co-worker that his daughter had pulled it up. Brand new... kinda cool... Doh'!
So I finally get a fish on and land it. A little pink salmon. Probably around 7 to 10 pounds. I am super excited but keep it low key due to not wanting to be the center of attention.
No one saw me land this fish except the one guy I was with who came over to help me.
Then from the other side of the trees I hear, "She snagged it. Totally snagged it. Not fair. Cheating."
Mr. Unpleasant strikes again. This guy has it in for me. He was telling everyone. He didn't even see me land it. Ruined the whole trip for me...
AND we had two dogs running loose jumping in the water making casting difficult and trying to steal my one little fish. Yes one of the dogs belonged to Mr. Unpleasant. I was nice to both the dog and the owner... Some day I hope my continuing kindness pays off and he leaves me alone.
Several people came and went, then out of no where this little boy runs up behind me and throws a handful of rocks into the river. Really dude?
I caught two more snags, my boot filled up with water and I quit...
That didn't go as planned...
Coming back from the river we saw two bears, which was cool, and a bunch of people standing in the roadway blocking traffic and taking pictures, which wasn't cool.
Tomorrow was supposed to be blueberry picking but the people I was going with cancelled...
So tomorrow we all intend to canoe around a lake, about 3 miles in diameter... This should be fun right? Right?

That one person ... You know, nasty people just assume that everyone around them is nasty, too.

Are you sure you shouldn't rather go for the blueberries?

You are so right Flederfalle, Nasty people just assume everyone is nasty too... I wonder why? I wonder how many times now this person has been hurt by the words and actions of others? Sighs. I will continue to be nicer now then I was before just because.
Blueberry picking certainly sounded more fun than yesterdays fishing trip. I should have went that a ways and not the other.

Tonight's adventure canoeing 3 miles around a lake.
Well two people backed out, too wet they said. Then my son skipped town and went to work on his truck. So that didn't go as planned.
I told Mom I would go to church with her but than the Pastor cancelled church for tonight. So that was out.
Than around 4pm Mom calls and asks me to go out to dinner with her. She says she will pay. In fact she insists on paying, she knows full well I will most likely sneak off and pay the bill. She makes me promise not too. I promise.
We head out at 5pm. Everything, and I mean everything is closed. The town wrapped it up and called it a night. There is only one place left open but it is over 60 miles round trip.
Please please, I really want to eat out. Mom says. We so seldom go out to eat when we decide to it is a huge disappointment not to...
We leave the rain soaked town and the further away we get, the less rain there is. Finally we see sun through the clouds. So cool, and the last for the rest of this week anyway.
We get up to the spot and have burgers. We run into some old friends and visit with them for nearly half an hour. It was so nice to see someone different.
They leave before we do but we had a good laugh or two over our pets.
Then I get up to go get the bill for Mom and get told the meal was already paid for. :O
Our friends had paid for us, wasn't that the sweetest? (We maintained social distance from them and everything but man I wish I could give them hugs!
So we start back. Mom has an old old friend in that area who only comes down in the summer for a couple of months. She's leaving here at the beginning of September and hasn't yet seen Mom this year.
So I take Mom over there. They are both elderly so if they don't see each other yearly they may never again.
Anyway this friend of Mom's daughter is my friend who told her Mom my favorite Author is Anne McCaffery. So the Mom got me a hardback hard to find edition of one of her books. *Jaw drops* A free meal and a free book? How cool is that?
This adventure went awry in the most positive way.
And Mom's friend will come into town tomorrow for a good visit with her while I am out wood cutting for her daughter.
Blessed, so very blessed tonight.

That sounds awesome I'm glad that day went so well for all of you!

Yesterday's Adventure: Cutting Firewood in the rain.

The Group: 2, myself and my hired hand...
The Location: My property, that I am trying to clear, that a way, a few minutes.
The Weather: Really wet in town, no rain falling out the road.
Cloths: Jeans, sweatshirt and crocs.

This one is going to take some explaining. Let me first start by saying my personality type is INFJ. Which means I thrive on helping others to help themselves. So when the need arises I arise to the occasion. I come up with solutions, often with a lot of hard work, that can be done or not done as others choose. The problem is that while I can see the solutions so clearly, people seldom can, myself included, and we almost always choose the harder pathway.
So in 2018 my friends husband up and left her. Abandoned her and her two boys after turning ugly. He destroyed the house, disabled the car and power, took out the water system and left her in a real rut. She didn't say anything to me at the time because my Father was dieing and all my focus was on helping him and my Mom. Last fall, 2019, I was able to help her with a couple of cords of wood once I dragged the story out of her. So this year I determined to help her in any way I could...
Last year: 2019 we had a sever drought here. One of my other friends was out of work almost the whole summer because his job involves fire and he was unable to work. I hired him on at $10 an hour to split firewood for me. This year, Covid, and again he was out of work. So I hired him on again at 10 an hour to help out as there are no jobs here at this time and his family needed help.
Anyway once he learned I was going up to my property to get her wood, he offered to help out. So I pay him to help me get her firewood at no gain to myself. I lose gas money, for the truck, chainsaws and 4-wheelers when we use them. I lose the money I pay to him, and I lose the hours spent getting her wood. BUT it is worth it to help her dig out of a huge hole she didn't make. The firewood, she needs 10 cords to make the winter, costs about $250 to $300 per cord. She feels super guilty about not paying for it BUT I am hoping this will help her get the house fixed and take care of the boys.
Now onto the Adventure of wood cutting:
We started out at 9am. I got a coffee gift card so after picking up my worker I went to the coffee shop to get White Chocolate Mocha's for us. I intended to pay for the overage with my credit card as the gift card was for 10. Somehow, no one is sure how, the waitress messed up the credit card machine and it refused my card but said I had paid and the order vanished. So I got two free Mocha's out of the deal at no cost. COOL!
We picked up sandwiches and headed up the road. As we are going the rain lessons and lessons until it completely quits falling.
30 minutes later we arrive at my property. I am kinda disappointed that the huge pile of wood we had brought down the week before (Right after camping) is still there. I was really hoping someone would come steal it. It would have been more work getting more, but less work because we would have only done 1 load instead of 4.
So we load the truck. My helper is a beast of a man. He can easily pickup 150 pound blocks. I mean really strong. He would be a hard one to take down. I would not like to fight with him.
We get the first load on, it takes about 30 minutes as we are figuring out how to get these huge rounds into the back. Steps of course... doh'!
Then I have to put the truck into 4-wheel high because the tires are spinning out on the mud. We drive the first load over to her house and off load after making her move her vehicle forward 20'.
We throw the wood out, go back, re-load in 15 minutes, we have a system now, and return to her house. "Already?" we are asked amazed. "Its a turn and burn." I say. "The wood is down, we just load and go... One more load for today."
So we do it again. We got her about a cord and a half.
As we head back for the 4 load for my house, I notice on the down hill section my gas guage goes down to less then a quarter of a tank. I am a little worried about running out on the trip back to town, but it evens out on the flat stretches so that's good.
We have a ton of branches to cut up on this load so it takes us a couple of hours. No turn and burn this time, just pure labor. By the time we are done, we are both coated in sweat and tired, to tired to eat.
The whole operation took about 5 to 6 hours.
My helper says we have taken her about 10 cords total. I think it is more around 7. I guess I will know when/if she fills her woodshed right? I will ask her before we head out next week.
On a side note: I have lost 12 pounds this summer on adventures:
Live to love, live to help others! Life is to short not too.

{hugs!}

So did you learn your rain lessons? Do you consider getting a rain coat or somesuch?

Rain Coats are only for smart people.
I am not smart.

Actually, wood cutting is much the same as running. It is a very heavy exercise. As such, it takes about 10 minutes before one starts sweating. Than the layers come off. The cold rain feels good and keeps the bugs at bay. So no rain coat while wood cutting for me.

I think for me, after 10 minutes MAXIMUM my bones would start to come off I'm just an office chair jockey!

Lol. Most days I am an Office Jockey too. But I am trying to stay very active, and lose a few pounds from last winter that won't go.

Yeah, I also have some of those pounds. Wish I could just detach and dispose of them! It's really just extra belly as if I was a guy ...

Sometimes I think those pounds jump off others and attack me. Lol. They just won't go away.
In other news the Lake road that takes us to the fishing and Canoe spot will be closed From Sept. 1 to April 15 of 2021...
They plan to resurface it. BUT!
So my adventures will now include mountain climbing and hiking.

Yesterdays Adventure: A trip to the Library. (Yes that can be an adventure )

The Group: 2 people. Mom and I.
Location: A magical place where all your dreams come true? The only vacation spot left during covid?
Weather: Overcast, not raining.
Cloths: You know... on the body

So our local library does a huge book sale on the 4th of July every year. All books for .25 cents. But the 4th was cancelled due to covid, as I imagine everyone's was.
My mom has been stuck at home. She has read every book in her house. About a week ago she says "Oh I am just going to re-read them all again." So I decided to get her some new ones.
The Library announced on Friday all books were again on sale for .25 but I was working at 12 hour shift that day and they were closed by the time I got off work... Bummer.
On Saturday, I bit two hours off my work schedule and went home early so I could hit the sale with Mom. (On certain occasions I can leave early when we overlap. Not often but sometimes.
So I go get Mom and we go to the sale. The girl at the counter says "I want those gone, today it will be 5 for a dollar... So upon walking in I went from 4/1 to 5/1...
Mom of course only brought 4... Good thing I know her so well, I took extra money.
Mom is stuck at home, I have to go to work, wood cutting, volunteer time at our local pet shelter, and 4 + yards to take care of so I have maybe an hour or two a week of reading time... Who needs the books more?
I take 29 to the counter fully planning to pay $6.00. Nope, the Lady at the counter says "Take them all for $5.00." I say I have 6 but she won't hear of it and is happy to see the last of them...
I got myself 4 new books and I got Mom 23 new books to go with the 4 she bought herself. (The smile on her face was worth it!)
So This adventure was a huge blessing to both Mom and me... And yes when we are done with the books they will be re-donated to the Library for resale.

Sorry this one is a few days late... I needed recovery time after that last trip.

The Group: 5 4 people . So one person got sidetracked and we waited and waited but we finally had to go without them because it was getting super late. Like 7pm and dusk is at about 8pm.
Location: Our lake, this was the very last time we could go out as the road will be closed until May 31 of next year. So we REALLY wanted to go.
Weather: Overcast, not raining. With bits of sun peeking through.
Cloths: You know... on the body

This was the last time we would see our lake til late next year. The road has been closed for maintenance. This is a good thing as some of the potholes are truck eaters. No really they are, I hit one and the bottom of my truck scrapped the road. My full sized pickup truck and the bottom scrapped the roadway. :O I was a little shocked by it. Truck eaters!
Anyway my son got a kayak and he was going to use that. I really wanted to try it but didn't want to fight with him over its usage. He would have let me but it was our last outing so I didn't want to spoil it for him.
My daughter decided she wanted to go. She hasn't been wanting to but that night she did.
So we load my canoe and get my son ready than go to our friends house at almost 6pm.
My friend says "I didn't know we were going out tonight."
I say "But we arraigned it last Thursday. Everyone agreed we would go rain or shine."
He says "I know but..."
So my daughter's canoe partner is off working on a project and has forgotten about the trip. We wait. And wait. And wait. Close to 7pm we call the other person but he is unable to go. So we go without him.
We are down on canoe. My daughter has to ride in the middle of mine.
We hit the lake at 7:15 off load and go. There is a little rubber raft with a motor just leaving the dock.
We decide to paddle over to the cove, around to the salmon spawning stream and back. We have less than 2 hours.
We hit the boats wake going out. I get so nervous when the water gets choppy. You realize how unsafe you are bobbing like a cork.
But we made it safely around the corner and into the cove. My son zipping all over, doing loops around us. He tried to get me wet by scoping and throwing water at me with his paddle... He missed and got my daughter wet.
So of course the splashing began. I think we all got wet. The weather outside was about 55 to 60 degrees. Not the warmest for getting wet in, esp. when darkness is falling fast.
So I asked my friend and co-paddler if he wanted to try the kayak. He did but didn't think my son would let him. I had to pull the MOM card. My son still respects me enough to let me do it too. He grumps a bit but usually caves in. He is an adult with a family of his own now soooo it is very kind of him to let me 'play' MOM from time to time.
So my son and friend switch places. My friend isn't as fast as my son in the kayak. My son complains the canoe is like trying to drive a tank after playing in a sporty car. Lol.
They trade back after about 10 minutes. My friend stands up in the kayak and his feet go out from under him and he's in the lake. He biffed it and was soaked. So we ask if he wants to head back but he doesn't he wants to go the the salmon stream.
We make the stream right before 8pm and decide its time to head home. We turn and...Ah man!
Remember that little rubber raft? It was zipping around on the other side of the lake for nearly 45 minutes and we hit its wake.
One foot breakers coming at us. My son loves it. Me? not so happy. We keep our bow turned into the waves and paddle for the dock a mile away.
30 minutes of wake. It just kept coming. And coming. And coming.
We finally get back to shore about 8:45pm as the last of the light was going and meet up with the occupants of the raft. I say "Man did we hit your wake coming back." They say "Did you enjoy it? Was it fun?" My son says "YEAH!"
Boys will be boys no matter their age...
All in all it was a good last trip out. I didn't go in the lake, we made it, and everyone was happy.
Todays adventure may or may not include salt water canoeing at a birthday party late this afternoon. We shall see.
Stay safe everyone!