Our Weekend

This weekend Mike and I went camping. We've done this before...we go up to his parents' old camping trailer in central Wisconsin, which has sat on a hill in the woods for the past 35 years. We always go up on Friday night and head back on Sunday morning, stopping in various towns and pretty much taking our time.

I like going on these trips because it's nice to have a change of scenery. Mike loves going because the trailer is full of memories for him, since his family went there when he was a kid. He's always eager to get going as soon as we can on Friday evening, but as soon as we get out of the city he immediately relaxes. When I ask him about our schedule or what time he'd like to get there, he always shrugs and says, "We can look at whatever we want. I'm not in any hurry." We stop at waysides and truck stops, and we usually eat dinner in some little local restaurant. It's nice.

Being out there makes me realize how numbing living in a city can be. There's constant activity and constant noise. You have to drive quickly on the streets and walk quickly on the sidewalks. There's stimulation everywhere. This weekend we spent a long while sitting on the bed, Mike turning the knob of his parents' old radio, trying to bring in a station, and me just sitting with my book and watching. If we were in Milwaukee, with our cable and internet and stereo, we would never do that. Being out in the woods is refreshing because it's nice to experience some nothingness once in awhile.

We got a bunch of camping gear for our wedding, such as a tent, sleeping bags, a lantern, and more. We're looking forward to camping in a few state parks in our tent. I can't wait.