It's a long, long journey

Last year at this time, B and I were talking excitedly about our imminent first encounter and our trip to the poly camp in southern Wisconsin. In our e-mails back and forth, we had been counting down--the count started when we were in triple digits. Exactly one year ago, it was down to a single digit.

Today, for this year's camp, the countdown has reached 4.

Outside of a quick trip to visit my mom late Saturday afternoon and finishing up a feature story, my main focus this weekend was packing for the trip to this year's poly camp. I'm planning to hit the road fairly early on Thursday morning; early enough, I hope, to drive about four hours to Oshkosh, pick up S and her GF and then drive another three hours to the event. The driver will probably feel quite weary by then, even before unloading everything from the car and setting up the tent and campsite.

For now, all I can do is get ready. During my trip to Ironwood Tuesday (which included a visit with N), I invested in a backpack (which I will use in place of the larger duffel bag I used last year) and a new supply of condoms (for obvious reasons). During Saturday's trip, I bought two small LED flashlights (with batteries), four alkaline "D" batteries (for the air mattress) and a second solar shower. We should be OK on flashlights--I think I have four now.

Flashlight overkill is a good idea because we may be roaming around at night in a very dark area, trying to find our way here and there (such as to and from the porta potties). If it's dark out and clear, star-gazing can be a great deal of fun. Let's check the moon's phases. The calendar says the full moon was Saturday, and the last quarter is July 4th. That's all I could find out at home last night because the internet had gone out.

Towel prank

Copied from a letter I sent to Betty this morning ...

Hey (yes, yes, I know, you're not a cow), I think I told you that I'm visiting Nancy this afternoon. Now remember my prank from last September? (I stopped about 200 yards from her house, took off all my clothes, then stopped at her place, got out of the car naked and said, "I stopped at the casino on my way here and didn't do so good.")

I just got the bright idea this morning while I was taking a shower and thinking about the trip. We have been having rain and occasionally storms here lately, and it's the same at her place. So here is my idea: I will take one of my wife's big bath towels along with me. Then I will stop about 200 yards from her house, take off my clothes, wrap the towel around me, then step out of the car at her place. When she sees me in the towel and starts laughing, my line will be. "Sorry. I ran into a shower on the way over here."

Of course, Nancy routinely lifts her top when I arrive and wiggles her boobs at me. Same when I go ... and the T-shirt is all she's wearing.

So that's the plan for today, and then I have to start getting things together for next week's trip to FF. I feel strangely calm about it--not stressing out about it. Not yet, anyway.

Yes, a visit to N is on the agenda for today. Then I start planning for next week's trip to FF with S. As I said a few lines earlier.

****
Postscript--written a week later.

Just for the record, the joke did not work as well as hoped. Two reasons:

--1. The day was very sunny and warm. No showers like we had been having recently. So I obviously wouldn't have driven through showers, thus undermining the entire premise of the joke.
--2. She was preoccupied with a Hotmail-related trouble call (lost her address book) and had been on the phone for hours with someone apparently from India. So she was focused on that and didn't notice me drive up, though I had called just a few minutes before.

We had a good time, though. Pizza. Two movies. Etc.

Blues Brothers off black list

Well, isn't that nice?

Thirty years after the movie made its debut, L'Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper, has given its official stamp of approval on one of my all-time favorite movies: "The Blues Brothers."

The flick that starred Dan Ackroyd and the late John Belushi has been named on a list of "Catholic Classics," along with some more predictable entries. It's a nice switch in perspective. Time can do that.

Back in 1980, the old Legion of Decency in the U.S. gave the film an "adults only" rating. "The plot is interspersed with scenes of wholesale destruction and frenzied chases which are spectacularly unfunny and uninvolving," said their original review. "Some good musical portions from Cab Calloway and Ray Charles, but not enough depth from director John Landis to save this zany comedy from milking cheap laughs from rough language and crude situations."

Wholesale destruction? Check. Frenzied chases? Check. Good music? You betcha. Cheap laughs? I suppose. Rough language? If you say so. Crude situations? Yeah, OK.

I've loved the movie from when I first saw it way long ago, and who cares what some humorless Catholic bigwigs say. It was just fun. At that time, I wasn't into blues music--mostly guitar rock and '60s music and psychedelia. "The Blues Brothers" opened me to a whole new universe, populated by John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles and James Brown and Aretha Franklin and the magnificent Cab Calloway.

With that kind of foothold, I explored further into blues and pop music from past generations. There was much to learn, and I'm still learning it. Today, my iPod has music of many different styles and genres and ages. It's all good. It's all wonderful. "The Blues Brothers" helped open me to that world, and I'm terribly grateful.

As for the Legion of Decency (now known as the Office of Film and Broadcasting) ... It must be terribly difficult to be so terribly "decent" all the time. To know that the moral fiber of the world hangs on every word you say. To know that if it weren't for you, people would be exposed to such morally toxic content as "The Blues Brothers" and may even be inspired to explore the new ideas that come to them, ideas that may not come from the pope's mouth or the pages of the Bible.

I'm sure I have written things over the years that I regret now. That's part of life and writing for a living--even something as ephemeral as a small weekly paper that nobody cares about outside of town.

As you get older, presumably you get wiser and you learn more things. You get a little more worldly and come to realize that the world doesn't give a rip how you feel about this and that ... nor should it. You also understand that you're just one little person, and one little person can't change the world. So you do what you can in your own little way by being a human being and treating other human beings with kindness and respect and love.

At times, that has led me towards the church. At other times, it has led be away from it.

Can't say how "The Blues Brothers" has influenced your life. But it made my life a little happier. And I believe in happy.

Planning for poly camp

All through March, April and May, I had been worrying about our weather. How warm it was--much warmer than normal. Especially how dry it was--much, much drier than normal.

And then June arrived.

Flipping the calendar to June apparently did the trick: Since then, we have had plenty of rain. Just rain--no thunderstorms. But you should see how lush and healthy all the weeds on my lawn look now!

I was out, covering a truck pull earlier Friday night. Some of you may have read how scintillating I find truck pulls. On Saturday night, it's a demo derby, and Sunday has a car show, art fair and steak cookoff. How tasty!

No rain over the weekend--it's supposed to be back next week. Today it got close to 90 here. But it was a dry 90, with low dewpoints, so it was nice. Major storms passed through southern Wisconsin and the Lower Peninsula and northern Illinois (plus all the storms in Minnesota last night). It was cloudy here for a while. That was as close to rain as we got.

Of course, I've been following the World Cup, too.

****

Since last week's visit to S and her friend, I have been planning for our visit to the poly camp during the first days of July. It's been eventful.

My mission: I am to drive the three of us to the annual event, which takes place in southwestern Wisconsin. I will first drive to Oshkosh (eastern WI) to pick them up and then the three of us ride together--it's about 130 miles away on state highways. A three-hour drive.

Betwixt and between: The rest of the story

In "Betwixt and Between," I wrote about the visit to see S and her girl friend. Now ... the rest of the story.

One thing I didn't write earlier is that I bought S a DVD player for her birthday (the day before). It's fairly cheap ($40), and it's to replace the one she had, which is temperamental--sometimes it works, and sometimes not. I brought along a big box of DVDs (the one I take on my visits to N), but "Alice in Wonderland," which we bought at the same time, was the only movie we watched.

And then we spent a lot of time trying to hook it up to the old, crappy TV in their room. Besides having poor color, a connection in the back is bad. In the end, I hooked up the new player to the TV they have in their living room. We watched "Alice" on the crappy old bedroom TV, on a DVD-VCR that decided to be nice to us. The video quality of the TV didn't do the film justice, but they enjoyed it--neither of them had seen the movie before.

I wrote about the sleeping accommodations, which I described as "very soft and warm and pleasant." In fact, what happened is that they have a queen-size bed, and I was invited to be the creamy filling between the Oreo cookie. S was on my right, and her GF was on my left.

We had gone to a bar, had a couple drinks and didn't get back in until about 11:30 p.m., maybe close to midnight. Time for bed. S got in bed first, then I undressed and joined her, and the GF followed. S and I were both naked. The GF kept on her panties.

S cuddled on my arm, I pulled her close, and we started hugging and stroking one another. As we did that, though, the GF was quickly falling into a "sound" sleep. She was snoring softly within minutes, much to our amusement. But we soon focused back on each other. I did this, she did that, and before too long, she and I did something we hadn't done since a December night in southwestern Ontario 4 1/2 years earlier. It was good. The GF never woke up, and soon we were lying next to each other, falling asleep.

I usually don't sleep well in a new bed, but I did pretty good this time. At times, I rolled to one side and put my arm around S. Later, I rolled over and hugged the GF around her middle. The night passed, and the dawn came.

S, who was out like a light, woke up a little after I did and rolled back towards me. She put her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her. We talked and looked at each other. We caressed one another. It felt really good, and I responded to her. When I felt between her legs, I discovered that she was feeling the same way. Much to my surprise, it was time to get another condom.

The GF was still sleeping very soundly. Amazing--I even had a knee against her back. But again, we focused back in on each other. The night before had been good. This time, it was better. S had a good one--several good ones, I think. And I didn't do too bad myself. When it was over, she had this grin ... and a glow about her. She had a great time. We both did.

And the GF slept through it all. Both times.

Since then, things have been moving swiftly. I had said I would take them to the neopagan camp and take care of the fees, too. So I was expecting to drive the three of us to the event. Then S was writing about the stuff she wants to bring. Apparently, she wants a full camp kitchen and knows how to do that. "We will eat well," she said.

Then, fate threw me a knuckleball. While at the bar Tuesday night, S introduced me to a young woman, in her 20s, who's a stripper at a local club. She has been talking to S and her GF about doing massages for her and the other dancers. That could be good money for S and the GF. Anyway, S introduced her, I said hi, and didn't think about it again.

Until a day or two later, when S wrote me and asked if the stripper could come along with us to the poly camp and sleep in our tent. S said she is quite interested. For one thing, I wrote back, it definitely would mean the Mazda can't make the trip--way too small for all the stuff four people would bring, including the kitchen gear. Anyway, wouldn't someone her age just get bored being around older people like us?

S wrote back and said she wouldn't, so now it seems I will be driving three people and myself to the event. I may have to rent a minivan in Oshkosh--that may be the only way to get all of us and all the gear to the camp. Who knows what that will cost?

The situation evolved rapidly and unexpectedly. I don't quite know what happens next. But I did fill out the registration forms for the three of us, wrote the check and sent it all out Friday. The stripper will fill out her own registration and pay for it herself.

****

A brief backgrounder about my history with S may be in order.

I met her during the summer of 2005 at that neopagan camp in southern Wisconsin. (The same poly camp the three of us plan to visit in early July.) She left her husband not long after that (a fight over religion), and I visited her twice later that year, once in Wisconsin and once in Ontario. She returned to her husband the next spring and had been with him since then--until they broke up a month or two ago.

Recently I wrote about it and added, "That will be fun, too. A lot to look forward to, isn't there? Things have definitely changed."

She wrote back, "Yes, things have definitely changed ... for the better! It will be so good to be able to snuggle with you again!"

Many moons had passed since our last snuggle ... but through it all we remained close friends, even after she decided to give it another try with her husband (which meant we wouldn't be lovers again for a long time). She gave it a good try, too--about four years. I know she is grateful that I stayed a true friend through all this time, even when we could only write e-mails back and forth.

What happened five years ago at the poly camp is this: I had gone there by myself (my first time there) and had a whole tent to myself. On the next to last day, she and a girlfriend arrived, but they didn't pack along a tent. They planned to sleep under the stars, but there was a threat of rain. (There was distant thunder and lightning that night, but it never rained.) Anyway, I said they could stay in my tent, since I had plenty of extra room. And ... things happened.

I have visited S a number of times in recent years, but either I was accompanied by my wife or she was accompanied by her husband. Neither was the case last week.

I didn't know what to expect as I drove south last week, but I came prepared. B taught me that last year; now, whenever I visit a lady friend, I bring condoms along. I bought a box last summer, just before my encounter with B and our trip to the poly camp. There were 14 or 15 in that box, and B brought others along that she left with me.

But I have been visiting N from time to time (including a few days before last week's trip), and the supply was down to four when I drove south. When I drove back north again, there were only two. Better add that to my mental shopping list!

Betwixt and between

Transition time. Last night, June 9, the Stanley Cup playoffs ended when the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime to win the big mug for the first time since 1961.

Tomorrow, June 11, the World Cup opens in South Africa. The world-wide soccer competition lasts for a month and will hold much of the world in thrall. The sports-obsessed, non-American part of it, at least.

I may not exactly be in thrall, but I will be watching the action whenever I can. Where I live (Central Daylight Time, which is UCT-5), the games will be broadcast live in the morning and afternoon. South Africa is seven hours ahead of us.

That's what I told my wife. We just completed the annual Stanley Cup marathon, which is two months of hockey nearly every night--two games a night during the early stages. I watch as much as I can. Once in a while, she joins me for a little while. Otherwise, it's Hallmark movies or the History Channel--she was delighted to see that a new season of "Ice Road Truckers" is starting.

I told her the bad news first: As soon as the Stanley Cup ends, the World Cup starts.

Then I told her the good news: The games will be played in the morning and afternoon where we live. So there won't be live games played during the evening, when we often to sit together and watch TV.

But, in the name of full disclosure, I guess I have to tell her sooner or later the bad news: CBC will broadcast a "game of the day" in prime time. during the evening, and then another game at 11 p.m. (Don't know if it's the same game as at 7 p.m.)

ESPN is broadcasting the games live in the States but won't be having any prime-time replays. A few games will be repeated during late night or overnight hours, as it suits their needs for "content."

Of course, I will pay special attention to the U.S. team, especially its Saturday game against the U.K.--their most important game of the group stage. The thinking is that the U.S. will get out its group and make it as far as the group of 16 before the water gets too deep.

But once they are eliminated, I will keep watching it to the end. It should be a good show. South Africa is a beautiful country.

****

Betwixt and between, I got out of town two days this week to visit S and her girlfriend. I drove down on Tuesday and returned Wednesday. It wasn't a long visit, and I went by myself.

We had planned to all go down to visit a wildlife park/farm south of Oshkosh, but it was raining too hard, so we spent Tuesday afternoon at their place, watching several recorded episodes of the "Angel" TV series, about this vampire with a human soul. It's by Joss Whedon, who made the "Firefly" series--I really liked that. Several hours passed by. Maybe I dozed off. An "Angel" marathon isn't what I had expected--but I didn't expect rain, either.

Then it was time to get some supper. We went to Golden Corral for their buffet. While eating, we talked about some plans. I am going to take them to the neopagan camp this year; we are going to stuff everything into my little car and go there during the first days of July. (Last year, B flew down from Alaska to go there with me--but she can't get away this year.)

S has been there just once--five years ago, which is when I first met her. She has been wanting to go back ever since, but circumstances (her husband) didn't permit it until now. Her GF, of course, just moved up to Wisconsin this year, so she hasn't been there. This year's theme is "deep friendship," which is a topic that resonates with all of us.

While eating, we also talked about other stuff. They hadn't yet seen "Alice in Wonderland" with Johnny Depp, which just came out on DVD. So we stopped at Target to get it, went home, popped it on the DVD player and enjoyed that. Then, off to a bar, about two blocks away. It had been S's birthday the day before, and we had a couple drinks to mark the occasion. I had a rum and cola, which was, eh, OK, and a Smirnoff pomegranate cooler, which I liked much better.

From there, I drove us all home. They saved me some money by putting me up for the night, and the accommodations were very soft and warm and pleasant.

The GF slept in Wednesday morning, so S and I got up and talked for a while before I hit the road for home. I got back about 3 p.m., and my wife and I quickly went out for some shopping.

I made a mistake during the trip, though. I had wanted to call her late that night. I did call after I arrived there (while watching "Angel"). She wanted me to call again between 8 and 10--we were watching the movie then, and I had turned the phone off. Alas, I forgot to turn it back on before leaving for the bar. By the time I remembered, it was nearly 11, and she is usually in bed by then. So I called her in the morning to make sure all was well.

So it goes.

****

Get out the ark! We may need it.

The weather forecast is talking about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of rain tonight ... 3/4 to an inch on Friday ... and 1/2 to 3/4 inches Friday night. Don't think I will be driving very far on Friday. (Earlier, they had talked about 1 to 2 inches Friday, but that's been cut back. One inch is plenty enough.)

Better round up the ice cream buckets. We have a leak in one corner of the attic roof, and the ice cream buckets come in handy.

Back from visiting N

Just a little private update this time.

I made my first visit to N since mid April yesterday. Well, it's been busy at work, plus we had the trip to southern Wisconsin in early May and then the kids' visit last weekend.

We had planned to go to Ashland, WI, earlier this week to look at cars ... but then I decided I didn't have my ducks in a row--hadn't studied enough. If we had, we would have stopped for dinner in the Ironwood area. I had asked my wife if we could have N join us. She said yes, and N said yes, so it likely will happen sooner or later.

Anyway, she told me a lot about her recent trip to the keeshond show in Oconomowoc--really enjoyed herself. We went out to dinner in Ironwood and returned to her place, where we watched three movies: Buster Keaton's "The General," Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" and Something Weird's "Blaze Starr Goes Nudist." That's some triple feature!

We also watched a pair of Keaton shorts ("The Playhouse" and "Cops") and two Blaze Starr burlesque shorts. In all, we got to bed after midnight--N usually goes to bed around 11. And we had something else to do once we got there. After that, we both slept well.

Rain moved in during the night, and it was a rainy drive home. For that matter, it was cool and damp all day--so cool and damp that my wife made chili for supper.

I took a nap after work and a quick trip to the store. My Ipod is in the car--I'm going to use it again Saturday because at about 7:30 a.m. or so, I'm leaving for the U.P. Track Finals in Kingsford. It's the longest, most demanding day of the year, and I spent a lot of this afternoon trying to prepare as much as I could with a pair of cheat sheets--a timeline schedule, marked up in blue, red and highlighter yellow. Nonetheless, I'm still only one person and can do just so much.

The track finals is a full day of walking almost continuously, all over the place. At least the weather will be a lot better than today. Highs in the 60s and cloudy. So I won't fry, bake, freeze or drown. It still will be about eight hours on the hoof. Won't stay up late tonight (unless the Flyers and Blackhawks stay up late).

****

Going back to the visit with N last night, I think I'm getting more and more used to using condoms. I'm less aware of their presence--it's now routine when I'm with another gal. And I'm doing OK with them. Next week, I probably will get more experience with them, when I visit S and her GF. (I checked my supply; only four left. Need to get resupplied before long, since the trip to FreedomFest is just a month away.)

That box had 14 condoms when I bought it, and I also had some condoms that B brought along for our visit last summer. Now the supply is down to four.

'The kids' come to visit

Our visitors left early Monday morning. Even earlier than me. I was getting up early to take pictures at an 8 a.m. Memorial Day ceremony out of town, but when I got out of bed at about 6:45, I glanced out the window, and there they were, packing stuff in their car.

They came back upstairs to say good-bye. A final hug or two, and then they were gone. It wasn't even 7 a.m.

Thus ended a short but eventful visit by my son and his girlfriend over the holiday weekend. They started the long, long trip north Friday night by bucking heavy traffic escaping the Detroit metro area for the first extended weekend of the summer (didn't get as far that night as they wanted). They called about mid-afternoon Saturday when they got to Escanaba (putting us both one hour from Iron Mountain), and we agreed upon an exotic rendezvous: Hardee's, home of the Thickburger.

We got there first and ordered a soda. About 10 minutes later, we saw his blue Prius pull into the parking lot and roll past our window. "Here comes destiny," I said softly to my wife. They climbed out of the car and walked inside.