Day 3

Day 3
Continuing from yesterday, when all seemed well at the end of the day, surprise!, I developed a migraine and mysterious leg cramps, severe enough to end me up in the town ER. I had been carrying heavy objects and running up and down 2 flights of steps about a thousand times and training the dog. They surveyed the damage and declared dehydration and muscle strain, pumped me full of saline and painkillers and after 6 hours sent me home with no further help. It was a rough night. These backwoods university Docs need to catch up with the 18th century.

The main wagon pulled up this morning, along with the pregnant packer person. 4 hearty men and a nursing mother came along to help with the packing. It’s a family affair, the main driver being the father of the baby. Once again everyone seems surprised at the largesse of our belongings. Someone, somewhere missed the boat here. The group is good spirited and I am encouraged from the beginning. Needless to say, everyone received a bit of “Snack” money at the end and lots and lots of Gaiter-Aid.

We have reached our first encampment this evening. The children are restless and in need of nourishment. I have sent Robb out to hunt a chicken, but he keeps getting distracted. We are hoping he will bag something before sunset. We plan to play in the water hole after dinner, and our host will provide breakfast in the morning. The youngest keeps writing notes about her desperation,

“I am soud…”
“I am stil sad…”
“I dont no what to doo…”
“Im stil var var sad nou…”
“is dad going to be hom soon?”

Obviously we are in dire straights…