larkin in wonderland

Today brings us our 2nd in a series of 2007 highlights. We have a Very Special Installment for you!

After giving up a weekend a month all year to do restoration work for the Student Conservation Assn, Larkin then spent 15 days on Mt. Rainier last August. Her group worked on closed portions of the Wonderland Trail that were ravaged in last winter's storms. They tented in a rustic Forest Service camp with pit toilets and no showers.

Upon her return, I asked Larkin to be a guest writer on LaughBlog to tell us all about her experience. Unfortunately, school started soon thereafter and the idea was pushed to the bottom of her to-do list. But I have the next best thing: Larkin agreed to let me transcribe this letter she sent from camp.

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Sunday, August 19th, 2007

Dear Mom, De, Robo, Rita, Eartha, and Fish,

I miss you guys a lot. But mostly I miss home. I'm ready to come home now but I won't. It was all fun at first. Now it's just getting up early, eating dehydrated food and sandwiches, working 8 hours a day, peeing in the woods, trying to hold poo until I can get to the camp bathrooms, eating cheese and rice with every dinner, and sleeping in a tent with 3 other girls. Not to mention that I smell terrible and may never be able to scrub away all the dirt on my skin. And the blackheads, so many new blackheads. And right now it's raining. It's our rest/rec day and R**, M**, and I are hiding in our tent until noon, when we all have to pack into the van and drive around Rainier looking at places we haven't seen yet. That is, places we don't live or work.

When I get home I am going to immediately abuse all the privileges I don't have here. I am going to take at least a 30 minute shower then spend the next hour in the bathroom with my mirror and beauty products. Then I am going to go on the computer and email or message everyone I have ever known. Then I am going to watch High School Musical 2 on demand, then I am going to do something else disgustingly self-serving that I haven't thought of yet. The whole time I am to listen and sing along with loud music. And at some point I am going to eat a large steak and/or a large amount of raw fish.

I'm really sorry if this sounds disappointing and you wish I would talk about more fun things, but I'm really tired and I don't want to do anything but sleep and write today. We have had 5 workdays and will have 6 more. The next rest/rec day is Thursday.... I have made some really good friends here at least. B** is uber awesome and W** is really cool (but totally geekin'). I wouldn't ever see M**, but I'll probably talk to him on MySpace. M**** and R** both go to Ballard, and B** is switching there this year from Summit.

I'm tired and I think we're going to be eating lunch then leaving soon, so I don't know how much longer I have to write. Again, I miss you guys and the real world so much. I can't wait to see you all in about a week. Mucho hugs and kisses.

Love you all, Larkin

P.S. I meant it about the steak and raw fish, I've been having cravings for 3 days now.

P.P.S. I figured out Fish's name, it's Murcucio, as in Romeo & Juliet (my spelling is wrong though).
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By the time we picked her up 8 days later, she was glowing--triumphant, proud, and oh so smelly!

Disappointed, she asked? Tim and I were both in tears by the end of her letter, between all the laughing and the swelling pride. She's really quite a person, that Larkin. -k8-