The Sands of the Desert

Dearest Rachel –

I seem to recall a phrase, used metaphorically in terms of the permanence of one’s love, that it would continue “until the sands of the desert grow cold.” My first exposure to the phrase – and its context – was a single-frame Peanuts cartoon in which Lucy is calling to an out-of-shot Schroeder about how had apparently told her he would do so.

It was actually a marginal illustration in a science book aimed at kids, and it went on to explain the joke, in defiance of the rules of comedy; the sands of the desert do, in fact, grow cold, and quickly. Even the Sahara, as close as it is to the equator, is unable to retain the searing heat it absorbs during the day, and can have temperatures fall into the mid-twenty degree Fahrenheit range overnight – not just cold, but below freezing. That being said, maybe Schroeder did tell Lucy that (although even given such a loophole, it seems out of character for him), but since a day had passed, he was free of any obligation to her.

Things aren’t nearly as dramatic here at camp, honey, but I will say that the dip in temperature caught me by surprise. I had brought both of the jackets that I had worn when I took off on my last trip, so I wasn’t completely unprepared, but I will acknowledge that I didn’t expect it to go from the low eighties during the day to the mid-fifties, I would reckon, at night. And for all I know, it could have been that much colder outside; while I don’t know whether there’s a heat regulator in my cabin (and even if there is, I don’t know where it is or how to adjust it, and so I didn’t), at least I was shielded from the elements. There was a brisk wind around the campfire at times last night, and by the time Junior was ready to put his girls to bed, I was aware of a drop or two of water, and hurried off to my cabin before the heavens opened up – which, to be honest, I don’t know if they ever did. The place has gotten at least a little bit of rain every day for the last three weeks, I’m told, but last night was not one of those times, to the best of my knowledge. That extends into this morning as well. We’ll have to see if today is the day the camp breaks its skein.

So yeah, I wound up sleeping not only fully clothed, but wearing one or the other of the two jackets I brought with me, as the night grew that much colder. I did spot a blanket that I had unwittingly brought with me in my car; maybe I’ll have to break that out for tonight.

Still, the night wasn’t entirely uncomfortable; I’d finally brought a foot pump with me, as well as the inflatable couch that I’d tried to use the last time I was up here for an extended period of time. That means that this time, I was actually able to blow the thing up, and use it as a bed.

Which sounds silly, considering that the cabin has a bunk bed setup, but lying atop the equivalent of two air mattresses does make a difference; as I’m typing this to you now, I’m dealing with none of the back stiffness that I used to find myself dealing with after a night on a camp mattress – and this before I’ve tried to soak it away via a hot shower, as it still feels a bit too cold in here to strip down for that.

Maybe in another half hour or so.

***

Well, the good news is that the shower works a treat. Sure, it takes a moment or two to heat up, but don’t they all? And the water is aerated to the point of feeling like vapor on one’s skin. I don’t think I’ve experienced anything like that before, and I admit to finding it rather to my liking, especially since it warms oneself up all over.

My only regret is in forgetting to bring any shampoo with me – and for that matter, very nearly forgetting about soap, too. Thank heavens for the fact that, since I’ve been spending so much time in hotel rooms lately, I’d left a bar or two in my overnight bag without thinking about it, so I had what I needed. You’d have gotten a chuckle out of my inadvertent preparations. Anyway, it’s enough that I’m more or less ready to find out what the day has for me.

So with that being said, honey, keep an eye on me, and wish me luck. I’m going to need it.