The Bestest Summer EVER!!!

I'm back from camping and staying at the lake, but I'm soon off again! The camping trip was really awesome, and I'm not being sarcastic for once. There wasn't a cloud near Mt. Rainier and we got to bask in its glory for a few days. Dad took several pictures of Youngest Sis and I playing in the snow while wearing shorts and t-shirts; Youngest Sis was dressed like she should have been sitting by a pool. Snow is so much more fun when it's hot out! I'll post the pics whenever they get developed, but knowing Dad that'll be sometime around next Christmas. Stay tuned, hahahaha!

I decided a few things during this trip: 1) I'm going to climb Mt. Rainier one day. 2) Climbing Mt. Rainier requires climbing several other mountains first, so I guess I'm going to have to learn to climb. 3) I'm heading back there this summer to camp, with the intention of hiking the Wonderland trail, a 95-mile loop around the base of the mountain; I'm drooling over the map right now. 4) Snow isn't all that bad - so long as the army isn't involved. 5) Eight years is entirely too long to have gone without camping with the family. 6) My family is still insane. 7) Dad is getting old. He actually made us turn around on a hike. Dad's side of the family will finish a hike come hell or high water (literally), and thinks that bringing things such as food, water and a map is wimpy. So it's a little strange when Dad whined about the sun being too bright, about not having the right shoes to be sliding around in the snow, his back hurt from trying to keep his balance, etc etc.

Tonight I head down to the parents' house and tomorrow Dad is driving me up to Seattle for my flight to Ireland. Six weeks in Ireland! I still can't believe it. I'm going to be out on some island north of Galway doing archaeology, so internet access may be sketchy. I'll blog when I can, but don't expect much.

Take care, everyone!