Pitching a Tent

This last weekend I had a first - I slept in a tent that I set up all by myself!  I've slept in a tent before; however, I think the last time I did I was 12.  I don't remember how the tents got put up or taken down.  I don't remember much other than my cousins peeing on the fire (boys!) and my Scottish relative saying he was a "balding Scot" while trying to say the shower was "scalding hot." 

I was at the Gentlemen of the Road (*I noticed today that the GOTR of Gentlemen of the Road is the same as the Girls on the Run*) Dixon Stopover and I purchased a tent.  It wasn't my first tent purchase, the previous one had to be sold before I moved to France.  I didn't even get to pitch that tent.  I had gotten it for a road trip with my friend; alas, my throat started to swell with an abscess right before our trip.  We had to cancel our explore the northwest and Canada trip due to illness.  Silly body!

I thought I'd be spending this weekend in a cabin - turns out I might be in my tent again.  At least my nephew will love crawling around in it!  So two weekends in a tent for me - I'm not that sad about it.  I had a great experience and there is something very empowering about being able to do something all by yourself.  I didn't have one of those tents where you basically take it out of the bag and it pops out into a villa.  Me, a couple of poles, a tent, and a set of instructions later: behold a dwelling!  I had brought a flexible lock that enabled me to at least lock the doors to my tent.  If anyone had really wanted any of the stuff in there, they could have easily just slit the thing to pieces; however, my recent friends (I parked next to them at the Stopover and they ended up living a town away and in my college town) and I stored our stuff in my tent (I had plenty of room in my 4 person tent).  My friends had several instruments they felt safer leaving in my locked tent.  I slept next to bagpipes, a banjo, and a violin.  It got so cold at night that I could see my breath!  I had to huddle down into my sleeping bag and zip up my hoodie. 

I expect to be cold at night up north as well.  I might have a cuddler this time though, a little nephew that is practically a furnace - he likes to cuddle too!  I am excited for this weekend and all the wonderful people I will get to spend not enough time visiting.  I need to go finish cleaning and packing! Bonne Nuit!!!!