March 26: Brazoria County Camping
After a slew of errands yesterday and today, I drove onto a beach in Brazoria County, Texas, where camping is wild and free. I almost got stuck crossing a strip of sand where vehicles seem to have torn up what should have been hard packed sand. I didn't drive too far down the beach. Thankfully a woman nearby came by to say hello and urged me to move 40 feet closet to the dunes because a storm was blowing in. I knew about the three-day storm, but I didn't think the water would come up to where I first parked ... but I was basing that on what little I knew of Texas beaches. About 9pm it began raining and winding. This time I have a large disposable roasting pan sitting up against the window with the air conditioner so that I won't have to empty the small container I had wedged in on top of three organizers with some of my most used altar items ... which were moved to the top of the tool chest next to the magic tool chest ... all in preparation for this. I also had my solar up to 100% Float. I am being miserly (no toasting a bagel, no boiling water for tea, no cooking) to see how long I can last without having sun, or without driving to let the alternator charge the battery.
The only reason I know the waves aren't coming closer is because a truck is stuck down about where that messy sand is and his headlights are illuminating the beach. Otherwise, it's pretty dark.
Two days ago, I pulled that last card of The Witches' Wisdom Tarot for an intuitive tarot class I was taking. It was an add-on to the coven I have been joining each fall for shadow work until spring. This year, I got caught up in the extras – tarot and working with moon phases were just two. Next week those of us who "graduated" will do readings for others in the coven. I am excited to use this deck. It's so very different - working with the elements rather than the traditional suits, and having the major arcana pretty much go in reverse. I've had the deck about three years, and rarely turned to it for the card-a-day pull I do ... and never for a reading.
One of the stops I made today was to pick up a hammock that came home from Brazil with a woman after a medical mission down the tributaries of the Amazon River. The threads are so close, they form a fabric rather than the rope weaving on other hammocks I've had. I hung it up and sat it in, going all the way to the floor. Switching to my smaller carabiners brought it up some, but I still sank almost to the floor. The only solution I could manage was to tie the ropes at each end into a large knot, raising the hammock up to my armpits so that getting in was a challenge. Getting out was more difficult. (I think falling out will be easy, though.) It's been about four hours now that I've been sitting or reclining in it, tightening the knots and lowering it a bit. I'm hoping a week from now I'll be comfortable with the changeover. If not, I'll wash the old one and let this one go instead.