I spent a lot of today in anticipation. I was waiting for Dennis the girls at arrive and trying to guess which daughter would not be coming. I was concerned about being near the creek to help them but I didn’t know when they were coming. I went down to the creek at 1pm, but that was too early.
I spent my time going upstream and checking out the stream bed in the flood and going downstream where I saw a mink gamboling along the bank. I had my camera out quickly, but he was soon in the creek and I took two blurry 
pictuces as he crossed since my camera focused on the branches instead of the creek. I doubt the pictures will turn out, but that’s the first mink I’ve ever seen and that made the wait by the water more than worthwhile.
When the family didn’t show, I went back to the cabin to stoke the fire, for they will likely be cold when they arrive, and then I went to wait again. This time I sat for a while as well as walked around and collected white ash poles beavers had cut and were in the stream.
When they still didn’t arrive, even though it was nearly 3pm, I went back to the cabin to shove in some more wood and then wait a bit. It was getting late when I was next at the creek, and I waited for a while and had just given up that they would be arriving at all when I turned to go back to the cabin and kept checking behind me for them arriving. Once I was nearly out of sight I saw them, and came back to the creek to help them cross.
The water is not too high and they employed my method of garbage bags in boots you don’t mind getting wet and then changing on the other side. Dennis brought over the packs and then went back to assist Erin and Miriam. Katie was not feeling well so didn’t come.
Once they were rebooted, we were on our way to the cabin and there relaxed in the more than warmth while we unpacked and organized. Dennis did a bit of a tour, while the girls toured the inside, and after socializing through the 
evening I cooked tofu and tofu sausage and onion which we ate with bread and hummus. After that we ate chocolate Dennis had brought as well as oranges which need to be eaten before we leave.
Late that night the fire was burning hot and I put together the double bed for the girls while Dennis took my bunk and I took the floor. I stayed up a bit later than Dennis and chatted with the girls and then finally we too went to sleep.
The girls had thin sleeping bags so I woke up repeatedly as they went to the bathroom (how brave they are compared to my other guests who are too timid to go into the woods at night) and I tried to keep the fire going enough to make sure it was warm for them. I had given them an extra sleeping bag but I wanted to make sure it was a good experience.
