We camped

We went camping this weekend with the family. We do this every year. This year, it rained and dropped to freezing temperatures overnight.

I don't like camping. I'm not crazy about it even when the weather's good. I still spend a chunk of my time cooking, cleaning and wrangling children — just without any of the convenient tools that I have at home. No, instead I'm doing it while spending my not-so-restful evenings sleeping on a pad that, even should I avoid the roots and rocks, is still about an inch thick and has no insulating properties whatsoever.

I pinched my sciatic nerve about 2-3 weeks ago and I thought it had resolved itself. Oh no. About 20 minutes after I laid down, it started with the shooting, screaming pain through my hips and down my legs. I flipped this way and that way, kicking the dog the whole time. I think I finally fell asleep around 5 am. Oliver was cuddled as close as he could be and shivering like he was standing on an iceberg. The dog doesn't do cold weather well. Actually, neither do I.

The next night, I downed 3 ibuprofen just before we hit the sack and did pretty well until about 1:30. But the pain wasn't quite as horrible and I was warmer because I'd had the foresight to sleep in my sweater.

I enjoy spending time with DH's family. They're all fun people. But I dream of hotels. With restaurants. And things to do and places to go. I'd like a real vacation that doesn't involve me cooking for an army, or cooking at all. Just for a change.