Tip-toeing through sewage and mosquito death squads

A few of years ago, I learned about this cool thing called geocaching - which is like hunting for treasure using a GPS (with a “take something, leave something” rule).  And, my FIL and all of his coolness GAVE me a GPS.  Yes, he rocks.  Anyhow, I fell in love with geocaching, and until yesterday hadn’t been for ALMOST 2 years (pregnancy and then comes baby).  Yesterday, I had the awesomely bright idea of TAKING our newly independent 14 month old toddler geocaching WITH US.  Yes, yes…I’m brilliant.  I packed snacks, water, a couple of toys, “special all natural” bug spray, and an awesome baby carrier (to free up my hands).

I made a list of 3 different caches in our area, and we set out.  First cache required us to go in some woods.  That should’ve been the first sign of trouble.  So, I lathered Lorelei and myself up with the bug food spray, and in the 3 of us went despite the weird stares of those around us.  The GPS said we were within 500 feet of the cache, and we figured very quickly that this cache would NOT have any trails…although, we were secretly hoping that once we got in, there might be one.  Nope.  There were however lots and lots of knee-high plants.  And, guess what else?  SEWAGE.  Of course, I didn’t know this until after I tried to tip-toe through it in my flip flops.  And, guess what lives in this neat SEWAGE swamp?  Death squads of mosquitoes, who cared not that we had lathered on bug repellant.  No, they wanted to eat us and our hair and our bug repellent.  Hungry little buggers wouldn’t get off of us.  They even came after my eyelids!!  At one point, we came to a fallen tree over more swamp land (probably more poo), so Steven went ahead without us.  But, as we waited for daddy to come back, we came under attack again.  This time, they were going after my head and getting in my hair!  So, I attempted to call for hubs, and of course he couldn’t hear me (much like at home), so what did we do?  Did we sit there waiting for daddy?  Hell no!  I ran out of those woods and through the poo swamp, screaming (very softly) “Abort! Abort!”  I then proceeded to the nearest water pump and cleaned my legs and flip-flops of any swamp material and any poisonous -itchy plant residue.

Quick Side Note:  Yes, I wear flip-flops to geocache.  You never know when you’ll need to take your shoes off and wade through poop.  Or, something.

The second cache wasn’t much better.  Not that I would know.  Lorelei and I didn’t leave the SUV.  We made daddy go and get it (maybe that’s why he doesn’t like geocaching anymore?).  This time, it was better.  A grassy tick-filled hill and a little bit of woods.  He came back with about 10 ticks (NOT KIDDING) up and down his legs and arms.  Note to self:  NOT going back there.  Bloodsuckers.

The third cache rocked.  Unfortunately, it was past supper time and L was having NONE of it at this point.  She wanted to be held, but she wanted to stand and run.  And, then eat rocks.  And sticks.  We plan to go back to the third cache we visited, only next time…either minus the baby (grandparents?) or…with many more snacks.  Anyhow, the third cache we went to had a mystical twist to it.  You had to find a starting point with one set of coordinates and at that starting point, you’d find a rock.  Painted on that rock would be a tree.  You had to find that specific tree and at it’s base, you would find another rock…and so on.  It would lead you up the ledge of this hill, and we could see the sun setting on the lake.  Very pretty.  Beyond that, was an old hotel …or what had been left behind of it.  We got to walk on an old balcony in the woods.

Anyhow…THAT was my wonderful weekend.

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