Dotti was recovering. We thought. Well tonight she still needed to get out and of course it was a clear night and 4 degrees. That was measured in the bus, so imagine the temperature outside. Since she is tough as a nail and beautiful like no one I know, Marjo got the benefit of going twice and I once. So it was only fair that I made breakfast. You know the drill by now with as only variant crisp bread (for the Dutch readers: Beschuit).
We ate that in bed as the sun was just only now defrosting the soil and our beds were still nice and warm. Nossi thought so too and settled under the top blanket between us. We imagined that the 7 hours up and down hill through 52 blind curves did Dotti’s stomach much good so we decided to stay another night. That meant work today. meanwhile it got 26 degrees and we were comfortably in shorts and a shirt.
First we needed to pay the camp fees. Second we had barely any dried firewood and third I still had to do my final expenses. No idea what that last had to do with the rest but Marjo had some good reason to bring it up.
Marjo got with Nossi for a walk and got some sticks, nice to start a fire. Then she did a bigger loop around the camping and returned with some bits of solid wood left behind by people who only camped for a night. During the day it seemed that the majority of the camping people had that idea and now only a few diehards are left. And the homeless like us.
The idea to gather the left overs from others sounded good to me and I did a tour as well. Of course I got the log that measured 40 cm thick and about 70 cm long, iron bark, weighing a ton. I got Marjo’s bike and the guy who left it to us had to see me take it. I barely got the log off the ground but managed to get it on the back of the bike. He hoped I would get on the front and fall which would have given him hysterical fun but I couldn’t give him the satisfaction and walked back, the bike guided by hand. Twice I almost dropped the log but we arrived safely back at the bus.
There the process of slicing started. Two blisters, one broken axe handle and many curses later the 70 centimeters was reduced to half and the missing half reduced to slices of wood ready for the fire. Amazing how something trivial before like pieces of wood for a fire can suddenly mean quite a bit. That evening I was proud to offer my slices of wood to the tongues of fire, while at the same time feeling sad to see it consumed. The warmth was welcome though as it was another friggin cold night.
That afternoon was a multitude of activities, Marjo and Nossi went for a walk where Nossi met with horses, Axel played guitar and is trying to pick up songs he could play before such as Hotel California (Eagles), Everybody Hurts (R.E.M) and Better be home soon (not going to happen).
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Marjo took her bike on her maiden voyage; she thought if it can take a log twice my weight, I can probably trust it.
The creek is quite a bit down a grass hill and makes nice gurgling sounds, nice to listen too, and stimulating for the waterworks. Dotti thought so to and before going to sleep for the night she decided that it was very inviting, walked down, turned into an unplanned run and plunged into the cold river water. Marjo was handy to fish her out and dried her off as good as possible. That night she had to go out 4 times which makes us wish harder and harder that she recovers soon.
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