Today I built my first fire of the year – and a grand conflagration it was!
Truthfully, I have always been rubbish at lighting viable fires, even though I enjoy burning stuff. I’ve been on the river three whole years and it seemed like I learned nothing – every winter the learning process started right at the beginning again.
Hard to believe I was ever a Campfire Girl! I really hated sleepaway camp though.
This morning when I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and sat down with my kindling and matches I was sure that it would be a smoky, messy failure – but no! Within a few short moments I had a merry twinkling and then a nice cozy boat!
Holding out until Halloween meant that there were several days of shivering with hot water bottles, but it was worth every second of the wait!
A few weeks ago I was at Bacchanalia and one of the fellows furrowed his brow and said On Saturday I was walking down the river. Did I see you … washing…. a boat??
-Um, yes.
-Why?
-It is, um, mine.
He blinked in astonishment – clearly I do not radiate the sort of wholesome outdoorsy energy prevalent in my fellow boaters!
Nor do I wear the correct uniform.
The day I scrubbed the hull I was dressed in a pin-striped skirt, black turtleneck, and of course, the ubiquitous sunglasses and lipstick.