Delicate Matters in the Back 40

I've been joking that I'm going to start a blog teaching people all the skills they should know when backpacking and addressing all those awkward questions you'll never see covered in Backpacker magazine. Such as, how, exactly, does a lady pee in the forest?

This week the question of how one deals with being a her period while in the back 40 was presented. I answered the question, and my girl friend had a fabulous time. She also told the caretakers of the campground they ended up in all about my advice. All my advice. They agreed I should start a blog.

My sister has recommended that I illustrate it xkcd-style. So, now I need a scanner or one of those pads you attach to your computer and then draw on.

Accidental Commune

"So, you said you were raised in a commune, right?" The question came quite out of nowhere and was presented to me by a woman I've spoken with maybe twice in the 7 months I've been in my current ward.

I laughed. "Oh, no! I'm a total dirt-eating hippie, and my parents are kind of Mother Earth types, but, no, no commune." Then I got to thinking about all the random people we had living in our house over the years, and the interesting living conditions, and the outdoor shower, and the garden, and the composting (way before it was cool), and, and, and... and then I said, "heh, well, sort of..."

"Oh," she said, "where were you raised?"

"A very small town in rural Northern California just outside of Yosemite."

"Maybe that's where I got it--Northern California is kind of, liberal."

When I got home I told Mumsy. She laughed and agreed with me that, yeah, sort of, when you think about it, my childhood was quite communal. I proposed a memoir of growing up in an "accidental commune." Dad has declared that I'm not allowed, at least not until he's dead. Maybe I'll start it now. He's got only a few more years in him anyway.

Happenings

Yes, it's been too long. I'm sorry. I got out of the nightly habit and have yet (years later) to get back into the swing of it.

However, here are the interesting happenings:
Midge graduated from University (yay!) and got turned down for grad school (boo!) and then couldn't find a job (booooooo!) so she decided she needed a change of pace and invited herself up to Seattle.

Annnddd... now I have a new roommate.

She and I agreed in the very beginning this would be a 3 month affair. No more. Period. I'm prepared to box her up and ship her butt to Tibet if she hasn't found a place in 3 months.

Brisk isn't so convinced. So, we have a friendly little wager. Current stakes are: if she's out by some date in November he goes vegan for a week. If she's not, I have to eat 5 pounds of meat over the course of a week. Where at least 2 pounds of that are red meat. Good thing for me I know I'm willing to kick her out the week before Thanksgiving. :D

Yes, I'm a terrible sister.

Related: despite my warnings, she has a crush on Brisk. This will only end poorly for her.