Skunks ... and more factoids of my MB trip, summer 2009

• I smelled skunk 10 times and saw one dead skunk. By the way, have I mentioned I don't mind the smell of skunk?
  
• I saw a cougar on the edge of a ridge in a field. Or an animal that was that size, sandy coloured, and a similar head shape
• I saw a porcupine crossing the road in front of me.
  
• I was around people 24-7 for 20 days straight (including when dad came back with me and stayed here).
• I went camping for 4 days at Stephenfield Provincial Park and stayed in a yurt. The view was amazing. Our yurt was right next to the lake and we had a nice big deck that looked out on the lake. (hopefully I'll get around to posting pics)
  
• We saw an eagle, several pelicans, and oodles of ducks. I didn't get any good pics, though.
• Mom and dad came for one day. For supper we cut up potatoes, veggies, and sausage and put them in foil over the fire. Mm mm good. :)
• We had AWFUL instant coffee that literally curdled the milk! So I bought a camping perk and Casey bought fresh coffee. I gave the perk to her as an early birthday gift before I left. Oh, yeah, and I remember why I don't like milk made from skim milk powder. It is GROSS! Particularly when hot.
  
• Compost toilet outhouses are clean and NOT SMELLY! :D
• There was a nice big spider in the outhouse. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture. :(
• I went to West Hawk Lake for a day and went boating.
  
• My friend got engaged while I was in MB. I was unable to attend the party where it was announced due to the next point.
• I fell ... I didn't see a doctor, but I don't think I broke anything. Thank God! But I'm still noticing the injuries. I injured both feet, my left knee, and my left hand. Oh, and I scraped my left arm. There may be pictures of my bruised up feet to come. My knee is still tender if I kneel but I have full Range of Motion and I don't have pain in my knee when walking.
  
• I baked a cake ... in a glass bread loaf pan. Apparently that was the wrong thing to do because it took a very long time to bake. However, it was so easy to cut cake slices. Mmm ... chocolate cake with homemade strawberry preserves.
  
• I read a lot after I fell ... a book a day. Hopefully there will be a post on one of the books and what I took away from it. Some of the books include "The Last Lecture", "The Hunt", and a book about the 'Cuckoo Bird' - I don't recommend this book.
  
• I slept on a couch for 6 nights. I don't think I've ever done that before!
• I saw some friends I hadn't seen in years.
• I met with a potential contractor (is that the right word?).
• I had 2 telephone interviews.
• I drove all the way to MB by myself. And I didn't get bored until, maybe, Brandon.
  
• I went swimming in seaweed, or algae, or something green. My skin got stained, as well as my swim suit. And I could see little green floaties that looked like small little upright strings all around me. What I do for my nieces! I kept on telling myself people go for seaweed spa baths all the time, so it must be good for me.
  
• I went through the Caddy Lake tunnel for the first time.
• The theme of my weeks seemed to be 'Deep calls to deep' - it kept on hitting me before I fell, beginning with a challenge from a friend to write a blog entry on what that means (still to come some time). Then I listened to the song while driving. While flipping through the Bible, I learned there is actually a verse with this phrase in it. And, while trying to figure out the purpose of my fall, the fact I don't have an income, the fact I'm moving and don't really want to move, the feeling that things are NOT going according to MY plan, and just, overall, feeling overwhelmed, reading Ps. 42 and 43 repeatedly. Strangely, or maybe by the hand of God, my first Sunday back at church, the message was exactly on this passage.

That's all for now ... I may add some things to the list if people remind me of stuff.