Here's what I did with the birthday money~ Thanks, Mom and Dad!

I've always loved nature and being outside, even when it is blazing hot. I appreciate AC, and when I'm around home base, I will turn it on if the house feels like an oven. I'm just as likely to turn it off and open the windows though. The only draw back are the incessant barking dogs. 

I am home for a few days to do my weekly lawn mowing, laundry, bill paying, etc. While on errands in North Platte I decided to purchase a few camping supplies with my birthday money (thanks, Mom and Dad!) A random thought trickled through my brain and before I knew it, I was unpacking, repacking and gearing up for a spontaneous night out. 

Pictured above is my minimalist camping spot. Yes, that would be the kids' play tent. I wanted a "trial run" and I didn't feel like dragging out the slightly larger (and as it turns out, much more spacious) dome tent from it's neat little pouch. I grabbed a twin memory foam pad, blanket and pillow and threw down right there on the ground. 

I'd love to say it was a restful night but that would be.........false. It was glorious to watch twinkling starts, breath fresh night air, hear the ripple of water and locust attempt to lull me to sleep. I missed more than a few winks trying to get comfortable but I have overcome the ability to sleep in. I am officially a morning person when I camp because I couldn't stand to sleep on the rock hard ground a second longer. That's the best motivation yet. 

The good thing was that there was no one for miles to share my grouchy mood with. The birds clearly didn't care that I was trying to rest. I was rewarded with a pretty view and a really nice hike. While this isn't the mountains, it was a great change of scenery. The solitude was glorious and the weather was actually very pleasant. I was grateful for the stadium blanket and old NorthFace jacket that I haul around.

The picture is a little blurry, but I am most proud of my breakfast arrangement. Usually I am not a breakfast person but somewhere around 4 pm, Maple Syrup sausages with shredded cheese started to sound really good and so did the Starbucks Mocha Java. I've had this little camp pot for several years. I bought a stove burner, the propane tanks, and small skillet. I impressed myself (mind you, that doesn't take much!) I enjoyed a lovely breakfast by the lake.

While this may sound a little tongue-in-cheek, and YES, I am poking fun at myself, this was really a significant personal victory! I've wanted to do this for a long time and I always manage to talk myself out of it. I've realized that this is something I've done a lot. Prior to this summer, I played out and planned out multiple adventures, ideas, schemes and scenarios in my head. And that is where they stayed. They never actualized. I thought about them, played them out, got into the energy of how it would feel and that's all the further it got. 

I've become more aware of what (and who) I am putting my energies into, where my focus is and what I am doing to make things "real". As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm not planning much of anything. In fact, I rarely have a clue of how my days will go. For example, I had the guidance to call for a tire balance and alignment today. I'd noticed my car's been shaky. I called at 8:20 (because, well, hey, I've been up since 5 and 8 felt pretty late!) They could get in by 10. 

Since I was still in full on camping mode, I hustled home, did a quick recovery prep (ball cap, ponytail teeth brushed) grabbed my computer and checkbook and headed out the door. I am typing this from the library, enjoying a coffee and the shade. Did I plan this? Nope. Am I enjoying my day? Sure! A special kind of grace has arrived in letting go of structure and controlling how my day should/needs to go. I have no idea where I'll be tomorrow or the day after or the day after that. I'm learning to live more fully in the moment. At times, I still flounder, the old default program can be hard to let go of if I forget where I'm still hooked. For the most part though, I'm feeling more free, definitely more grateful and much, much more excited about life and living. 

Part of my journey this year is finding myself and rediscovering things that I've given up or pushed aside. Camping is definitely one of the activities that I've always loved and have found again. While it wasn't necessarily comfortable, it was an adventure and these types of activities are what help us recognize and remember who we really are, how to play, how to create, how to generate and how to have FUN. 

What is something that you've forgotten, gotten away from, pushed aside and are ready to re-discover? Whatever it takes for you to jump back to it, I encourage you to actualize it. You'll be delighted that you did! Please share you adventures in the comment section below!