Are there pictures of me canoeing 4 miles up river while herding 45 teen-agers in 22 canoes? Nope. But I have sun burned knees and a very shiny red nose! Use your imagination.

Are there pictures of all of us hauling said canoes half a mile up a steep mountain on our shoulders while walking a mountain trail for the width of one? Nope! But again my red knees buckled and my shoulders screamed and my arms don’t flap as much in the wind! (Trying to find the positive side!)

Are there pictures of hiking five miles (after unloading the canoes up said mountain!) to camp and arriving third to last just prior to the sun setting? The heck with herding those youthful souls! They bounced toward camp like Tigger!. I wanted to cry, but could not risk wasting WATER.

I did not feel any sense of accomplishment in this feat. I did not gain a higher respect for finishing the race. I did not gain more confidence in overcoming these obstacles. I went to bed with Motrin PM, hot chocolate and a dirty face. So glad Chris insisted on a mattress for my Tahoe! There was never a more comfortable bed then the one I crawled into that night.

The next day began with preparing breakfast then more activities, preparing lunch, then more activities, serving dinner with little enthusiasm, because I knew I had another 5 hours of youthful exuberance and activities before I could swallow that Motrin PM with my cocoa.

The next morning more activities, breakfast, breaking camp and a long drive home. My passengers were laughing telling me about all their fun adventures. They retold all the funny and tender moments they experienced and I wondered where I had been to miss those memories. I stopped for a DR and M&M’s because I was fading fast. Forgot about the driving part home all exhausted, stinky and anxious knowing in a few short hours we were hosting Ciera’s 16th birthday party. Tomorrow I will get to sleep. Tomorrow. I dream of tomorrow.

When did I get so old?

( I will post pictures if anyone took any…. maybe.)