Rainy Days

This weekend was bitter sweet. It rained the WHOLE TIME. Rain in North Carolina is a little different than rain in Montana. It floods here, a lot. Umbrellas don't work very well and shoes do not stay dry no matter how hard you try to avoid puddles. We were wet. Everywhere. We (my interpretation skills class) started out in South Carolina at Brattonsville. We toured a sort of plantation area where people were dressed up in olden day costumes, had their own metal welding station, and churned butter by hand. We got to walk around and watch a sword swallower. That was disgusting. He would make weird gurgling noises and cough a lot after he took the sword out of his mouth. Yuck. We then went to Kings Mountain National Park where we camped... in the rain... all night long. Now let me explain a little about the people in my class. I have always thought of them as "hardcore." They are all always talking about camping and hiking and new gear. At the field trip one of them was so nice as to point at my nonhiking boot shoes and say, "You are the only one who isn't wearing hiking boots." Everyone then looked at my shoes and my umbrella, I was also the only one who didn't have a raincoat but just an umbrella. So that is just a little background at how totally ridiculous I was feeling in a class full of "hardcore mountain men" (and women). So we get to our camping site and set up. A few of the tents flood with water. Another is floating on a puddle. Those people move their tents to higher ground. (I thought that was taught in camping 101?) So now it is night time, everyone sleeping, sort of. It is still raining, harder. Rolling thunder! LOTS! There was one time where the thunder went on for atleast a whole minute nonstop! Beautiful! So we wake up. Turns out half of the class ended up sleeping in their cars. Really? And part of the other half had a tent made for 20 people with a blow up queen size mattress and a BBQ Grill. Hardcore now became Lamos. Ya I was totally disappointed. And I have never heard so many people complain in my whole life. So that day we headed back into North Carolina to Gastonia and the Scheile Museum. I loved it. It was great. They had dino bones, stuffed life size animals, NC wildlife exhibits, indian exhibits, and even a few live animals including a porcupine. We got to watch the interpreters also. A few were shearing sheep. I got to try. It was nasty, their wool had waxy stuff on it. I didn't cut very much before I got too grossed out and had to wash my hands. The other interpreted was named Steve Watts. Heard of him? He was the guy who taught Tom Hanks and his cast all the primitive living techniques they used int he movie Cast Away. He was M-A-ZING! I wish I could have video taped his whole presentation, it was on cavemen and how they came up with the different weapons they used. Pretty boring stuff that you think you know until he talks to you about it. He even made fire in his hands! We know how he did it but he did it in such a way that I felt like a kid watching the best magician in the world. He was good. Look him up. After that it was Home Sweet Home. I slept for 12 hours the next night and loved it. I loved the trip and will definitely take Matt to that museum sometime.

Now that I am home I have had to focus on homework again. Bummer. But I am not the best a focusing so I crocheted a bit more. And I love it more than ever. It is amazing how string can turn into such beautiful things! I also found some cute things to knit so I am going to have to take that up again. I can't wait to have all the time in the world to sit on my butt all day and crochet. I need to start an ETSY shop. I have a cardboard box that has all my crocheted stuff in it. Just sitting there. Who wants to buy something??