I hope everyone had a holly jolly 4th of July weekend. I went camping with friends, and while the general merriment (bless you, makers of alcohol) and activity was great – fun was had, blah blah – a couple of unexpected hitches put a bump in our stride.

Hitch the 1st was my own damn fault. I’m possibly the most accident-prone person alive, and when you combine my propensity for self-harm with my take-no-prisoners thought process, it usually equals BAD things. Like me deciding that despite the NO SWIMMING sign I should show off (HA and please, because it’s so necessary, another HA!) and dive off the end of the boat dock. Of course, I do it every year, but this year I miscalculated the distance between the surface of the water and the concrete at the bottom of the ramp, which led to the concrete proving that clearly it is made of tougher stuff than I. The evidence is all over my face, in the form of scrapes and large chunks of missing skin where I hit bottom. Enough said.

Hitch the 2nd was the storm (more of a hurricane, really, and I say that knowing very well it’s an impossibility in Montana) that completely thrashed the lake and the surrounding area. It started to rain, and then the next thing we knew seventy mph winds were whipping through, blowing stuff in every direction, including the picnic table. We all hustled into the camper, elbowing each other for room, watching the boats stranded on the lake as it rocked back and forth.

It was over within a half an hour or so, and then we got out to inspect the damage, which was pretty severe for some (awnings ripped away, damaged boats) and less severe for me – my tent and air mattress were soaked beyond comfort, so I ended up packing it in at about ten and watching the fireworks going off in my neighborhood.

Of course, it was all worth it because you should have SEEN the rainbow that stretched over the lake afterward. It was vibrant and misty and perfect, and I was, as always, tempted to drive off the road and straight toward it until I reached the end. Not necessarily for the pot of gold (not very convincing, am I?) but for the adventure.

All in all, it was a success. Which kind of makes me wonder what it would take for me to call it a failed trip, but not as much as I want to know how you all spent your holidays. Details, please!