Chapter Six

I woke up to Grandpa making pancakes, and a foggy lake. I can't say I slept well, not just because of the hard ground. Thoughts of school and wanting to talk to my friends, wondering if dad had any luck resolving our situation kept my mind from shutting off. I sat down and he handed me a plate of pancakes as if he could sense my melancholy. I truly had fun that first day, but seven more days of this couldn't sustain me. Without the ability to get updates I was left to the whims of my mind. No one can torture you like the fears and anxieties going on in your mind. I was feeling isolated this summer and now we are in one of the most isolated places in the world. "How was your first night out in the woods?" Grandpa was pouring his morning dose of coffee. "Oh about as good as expected when sleeping on rocks," I said in light jest. He chuckled. After breakfast and breaking down the campsite to move further north, we headed out of the lake to traverse another river. We came in on the Moose River, and now we make way on the Nina Moose River. We have to portage around two rapids, and on the trail, we saw some evidence of foxes but nothing was sighted.
We choose to take the Oyster River which branched off, instead of taking the Nina Moose all the way into Lake Agnes because it was less traveled. The Oyster River is a generous name as it is barely 3 feet across and entrenched in tall reeds and mud. We slog around and get hung up on occasion, but make it into Oyster Lake.
The weather was still warm and the only downside was that the wind had picked up making paddling on the lake more difficult. The waves bounced us a little but the weight in the canoe helped us sit deep enough in the water to keep us stable.
We saw a lot more people in a camp, as we went looking for tonight's base camp. I saw someone throwing a ball and the dog enthusiastically tear through the water to get it. There were some men out fishing in the distance, as we maneuvered a long peninsula cutting through the lake.
"Grandpa, what was it like when you went to High school?" I lightly broke our long silence as we paddled slowly in no rush.
"Well, I went to a farm school and graduated with 15 in my class. If that's what you're asking?" He said more paying attention to the pine tree forest on the lake hoping to spot a creature.
"I mean, you didn't worry about fitting in or anything?" I pushed a little more.
"Fitting in is something that you care less and less about as you get older. You just have to find people who let you be you, and move on from the ones that don't. The sooner you learn that the better." He said seeming more engaged in the conversation.
"So what do you do when you don't know who you are or whom you are supposed to be?" I push forward seeming to have his attention.
"I'd worry more about just being and less about trying to figure it out. Whatever it is, it already is there, just give it time to reveal itself. When you feel you are the best version of yourself, that's what you should be. Whatever that is." I was grateful that he was opening up in ways I'd never known him to be capable of. We found a new campsite just in time because I needed the lavatory immediately. We had the tents up and things covered with tarps just in time for the rain to start. Up here you have to watch the clouds for the environment can change very quickly. Grandpa and I went into our tents, and he said he was going to take a nap while eating for the rain to stop, as I lay down to read a book. I tried to concentrate on what I was reading but my thoughts of what my friends would think about me about all this. What sort of fun are they up to that I'm missing out on? Without realizing it I had fallen asleep, and when I woke it was still raining. I heard Grandpa stirring in his tent and then he emerged wearing rain gear. He came over to my tent and handed me his extra pair. We fired up his propane stove for there was no chance of getting a fire going. We cooked a number of the just-add-water meals as there wasn't much else to do, and he set up a tarp to give us a sheltered place to eat.
"What do we do if it gets worse? Is there a place to go and shelter?" I asked just realizing the danger. I knew there probably wasn't anywhere but I was hoping.
"This is it. If there is lightning or high wind it's not great to be near all these trees but it's not much better to be out on the lake so no, not really. He said glumly That wasn't at all reassuring. Luckily for us, the rain began to slow down, and the wind never picked up as the sun came back out. A Canadian Jay flew into camp and I put some of my trail mix on the log I was sitting on to see if I could get it close. It was cautious at first but soon came close enough to grab something and fly off. Red Squirrels, Chipmunks, and Co. were quick to follow in for their share too. I got the feeling they were quite comfortable mooching off all the campers that come their way. It was going to be too cloudy tonight to repeat the stargazing but Grandpa promised to make s'mores if he had enough dry wood to make a fire. When things are going well in my life, I should always expect the other shoe to drop.