The drive was good. We brought the Game Cube for making the drive a little easier, especially for Wesley. MP3 Players go a long ways, too! Sunday was nice. We camped right across a from a boardwalk to the beach. THAT was handy! The dunes make for a great workout, but the boardwalk is good for when the dunes become a little bit much. We were out at the beach and noticed some dark clouds over the lake. I thought they looked really neat, lol, but not everyone agreed! Some like their sunshine uninhibited, I guess! especially when it’s still so early in the swimming in the lake season.

As we were enjoying the beach, the dark clouds moved closer and closer and we realized, they were extremely low clouds - as in black fog! It was very unusual - for most of us, anyway. We could see it sweep in closer and closer, even on either side of us, then right where we were, too. It was such thick fog that it just blocked out the sunlight, making it seem black. It made the beach a little chilly, even! After supper, we came back and the fog was clearing a bit and I’d carried my bagpipes down to the beach and played a few songs for the other homeschoolers at sunset. The fog was still there enough that it was really quite amazing. We mostly had the beach to ourselves at that point, too - was great!

At the end of the day, the kids were playing and the adults had for the first time, a wine tasting. Seems every family that was there, that particular weekend, makes their own wine. I found out about the proposed winetasting, about two and a half weeks before hand, so I thought I’d give it a shot and see what I could have ready in that amount of time. I found a recipe online and made about 3L of white wine, around June 1. It wasn’t quite ready for the weekend, but everyone tried it anyway, and it was given full credit as having "great potential". They’d actually like to try it again, in September, but um, well, it didn’t last that long! ooops!

Soon after the winetasting, we hit the hay. Actually, I should have brought some hay. I was going to bring the memory foam pad off my bed, but forgot. The Pinery may be all sand, but the ground was still plenty hard where we pitched the tent. Everytime I thought I fell asleep, I’d wake up with either a numb arm or numb legs. :-p Then I was chilly. Then I’d hear racoons ‘talking’ and almost quarrelling, not too far away. Then Wesley started getting a little stuffed up. By 4am, he was awake and I had no chance for sleep. I had to go to the washroom and asked if he’d come too. We jumped in the van and drove, so as not to have to walk in the dark, though we weren’t far from the washroom, anyway.

Got to the washroom and as we were driving back, I asked Wes if he thought he might sleep better in the van. He thought he could, so he asked if I’d get his pillow and sleeping bag. Sure, no problem, right? lol there has to be a catch! I got out of the van and walked behind it, just to have a racoon race, practically across my feet, and under the van. There was another one, chattering in the tree, not too far from me. I was surrounded! lol

ok, reality check, here. I grew up in the days of rabies being BAD all around where I lived. Apparently we had the worst in ALL the world. Trust nothing that wasn’t proven to be vaccinated and even then, be wary. AND any raccoon I’d ever met around here, has to fight for food, shelter and territory. DO NOT MESS WITH THEM!!! I even knew someone who was hospitalized because a "pet" raccoon bit her and she got really sick! I have NO experience with these semi-tame critters that live in provincial parks! Now, you understand where I’m coming from??? lol :-) Not only that, but I do NOT see well in the dark, at all!

ok, so I was surrounded! Somehow, my trusty dollar store flashlight and battery weren’t really armourment enough. PRAYER! and yes, a little bit of panic! I jump at our tent, unzip as if my life depends upon speed and accuracy, grab Wes’ gear and try to gently hollar at Wes to open the van, quick, there’s raccoons everywhere! So, he opens the van, I throw his stuff at him and he slams the door shut as fast as he can. I dropped my flashlight! At that point in time, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. (yes, two raccons! - and yes, I can laugh at myself, now, in hindsight!) :-D

I let out a little cry of panic and then, just as quick and slightly quieter, a "sorry, everyone!", grabbed the flashlight off the ground and jumpped into my tent. Sarah moans from her tent, right beside mine, "Will you two be quiet!!!" (yes, mom!) "Sorry, Sarah, there’s racoons everywhere!, good night!" lol I call out to Wes. He can’t hear me. He tries to open a window. They’re electric. I have the keys. He started to seem to try to open the front passenger door - which is broken - he can’t do that! I have to get his attention. I finally get him to open the side door windows, which have manual latches on them.

"Wes... are you ok?"...

(very quietly...) "ya"

"OK, good night"

"Good night" and then a brief pause and then he recites his nightly prayer.

Sarah: "will you two be quiet and go to sleep?"

"Sorry, good night"

"Whatever" (teenagers! lol)

Then Wes, "mom, I’m scared"

"Nothing can hurt you in the van, Wes, go to sleep"

"OK, good night"

"Good night" lol, and I so badly wanted to be in the van, with him! At least he was safe! ;-D

I had a cardboard box in the tent - brought Wesley’s blanket up in it. I opened it up, flat and put it under my sleeping bag. Helped a little, I could at least close my eyes and be a little more comfortable. Then... yup, the Whip-poor-will started calling. Fascinating! I may have heard a couple of them, but one in particular, I could hear it moving about as it was calling and it even seemed at one point, to get as close as our own campsite! It moved around a lot and was just amazing to listen to. Then, yup, the morning songbirds started chirping! lol what sleep?! I think I did eventually nod off for a bit! I so needed it!