Vacation

First off, one should always understand that traveling with small children does not count as a vacation. I did not have to work, however, and that was GLORIOUS!

We arrived at our cabin near Poteau, OK in the early afternoon. The cabin looked tiny after DH's stories of his cousins' exploits as a child. I couldn't see how more than 2 or 3 people could stay there. Of course, I didn't know I couldn't see the basement, which was as large as the room above, and the cabin can comfortably sleep 12, more if desired.

It is deep in the woods, not near a public road, and surrounded by trees. I understand from DH that the trees are young, as tree poachers came through a while back and cleared all the good trees. Why do people have to be so selfish?



Upon opening the door, I should have been greeted by a full-wall spectacle of the valley between us and the next mountain. Instead, I was captivated by the carnage of dead and dying wasps. Apparently, the wasps have set up housekeeping somewhere in the ceiling, and once they got inside, couldn't get back out. Needless to say, there was plenty of sweeping and swatting with brooms and shoes. DH broke the fly swatter with one ferocious swat. Now I understand why his family had a "wasp dance." Oh, my. Fortunately, there were no wasps in the sleeping areas, so we didn't have to worry about them at night, and the wasps only moved much when the sun or the furnace warmed the room. Late afternoon was a busy time of "cook, kill wasps, set table, kill wasps, eat, kill wasps..." You get the picture, right?

The view, however, is amazing. I was so blessed to enjoy it for 3 days.












I did spend the better part of 2 days killing wasps and cleaning mouse poop out of the silverware drawer, the utensil drawer, from under the kitchen sink, out of the bathroom cupboards, etc., etc., etc. If I never see mouse poop again, HALLELUJAH! That's what happens when no one is in a cabin for a while, so I know it's just par for the course. The last time a cousin was up, he did set out poison for the mice, but they must have taken their time eating it! There was a bonfire of bedding that was so badly chewed and soiled that DH and his friends built. Later, after the nasty burning was done, they enjoyed a real bonfire (one you didn't worry that the smoke might make you ill!). If it had been EITHER mice or wasps, I think I would have enjoyed our time better, but either way I think we intend to go back again.

I hiked down to the river with the girls and the other two wives. The assistant was captivated by moving water. I ended up carrying both girls up the bluff, mostly by myself, as Screamer was on my back and the Assistant couldn't climb well. One of the other men joked that he had to redeem himself after hearing of my heroic feat. You know, when you gotta climb a bluff, you gotta climb a bluff. You just get it done. Needless to say, my feet were tired afterward.

Oh, yes, and on our way down, I stopped at a quilt shop in Sand Springs, OK. The owner was terribly unfriendly, so we won't go back again. And in Poteau, we randomly found a quilt shop. After seeing it's unkempt interior, I understand why Poteau quilters go to Fort Smith for fabric!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.