I only want to tell this story once...

We went camping this weekend. YAY camping!
A few friends, a fire, natural hot springs....this should be good, yes?

We got a later start than planned, which put us at our destination about 2 hours behind schedule. Half our group was leaving very, very early in the morning, so the plan was to hit the hot springs by sundown, then hike back, eat, drum, dance, drink, etc.

None of us realized that the springs were a 2 mile hike from the campsite, with an elevation change of 1000'.
None of us realized that we would have to cross an ice cold river to get there.
None of us realized that I was about to come down with digestive distress.

We lost the trail. We balked at the river. ("Dude...Darwin Awards stories start like this...")
At this point, it's dark, we really don't know EXACTLY where we're heading, just that there's warm water on the other side.
Oh hell. We go for it...stripped down, shreiking all the way across to the first spring, which is almost too hot to handle. Trying to find the second spring, a kind stranger with a flashlight guided us around the rocks to Nature's own hot tub.
We chatted, we soaked, we sang. Turns out the kind stranger with the flashlight is a christian missionary. Bless him for finding us amusing, and not offensive.
We did the whole thing in reverse...uphill. With excruciating stomach cramps. Took our time, singing, laughing, refreshed and (all things considered) replenished.

I've spent the days since conserving as much energy as possible, not knowing what was wrong with me, or when it would end. I survived a rehearsal for our festival on Monday, my classes yesterday, and bit the bullet and went to a friend's for corned beef and cabbage last night. Got good and drunk in the process. Either the booze or the beef did it, because today I'm right as rain...with enough energy to scrub my kitchen down.

No show and tell tonight, but I spent some time cleaning up my worktable, and playing in the UFO (UnFinished Objects) box...finding new ways to wrap up old loose ends that have followed me around for a lifetime. Set up a shop at ArtFire.com in hopes that it will reach a different audience...time will tell!