holidays 08: Mormon Battalion Trek

Dec. 25th 2008

With every step, mud squelches between my blistered toes.  The straps of my packs & blanket are cutting painfully into my shoulders.  My bayonet wags uncomfortably every time I move my left leg.  My musket is slipping in my right hand,

 leaving red dye residue and moving old musicians' finger calluses to my palms.  Under my raincoat/poncho/trash bag I am hunched over; trying to hold up my waterlogged pants and skirts wit

h my free hand.  With every drop, I see rain creating ripples in the red lake that has invaded the desert.  I try to stay away from the knee deep patches.  I see only shrubs, mud and endless

 rain in all directions.  I ripped my jeans on the barbed wire we crossed years ago--or maybe this morning.  The rationed crackers and cheese seem like years ago too.  Water is dripping from my nose.  merry christmas.  

Dec. 26th 2008

Waking to a drum roll, I was surprised to see the sun had risen after monstrous storms at night.  The ground is once again hard, cracked and dusty (I wish my shoes could dry like that).  We made biscuits this morning for lunch in the dutch oven along with our cracked whea

t breakfast.  There are now rocks to diversify the trail; we have come upon hills and

 mountains.  In fact, we are in a forest, a saguaro forest.  It is unlike anywhere I have been or anything I have ever seen.  There are all kinds of cactus--tree & teddy bear cholla, hedgehog, barrel and of course the saguaros.  I ate 2 prickly pears today.  Kevin and Peter even pulled out a four-wheeler to drive Becky, Jane and Grams when there strength waned!  we sang and danced down the trails.  We feasted on stew, Grams's rolls and watched the stars appear across the wilderness.  We listened to Mormon Battalion stories by our three experts for 'date night' family home evening.  What faith those men must have had.  I am so grateful that I can honor them through retracing their steps.  I miss doing music things all day and eating fresh food (out of non-larded tin!).  

Dec 27th 2008

Nights are so cold here.  I am wearing 8 layers, in a 'Cat's Meow' sleeping bag that I cocoon myself in (except fro a 2'' diameter breathing whole.  There are blankets under me and on top of me, I am wearing 2 thick socks, hats and gloves.  and I am Freezing!  This morning, 2 families joined us to walk the day out.  As I furiously clapped my hands and feet in front of th

e fire (my rubber soles are melted in several places), I saw the newcomers walk in through the fog.  They were dressed in lovely pioneer dresses, clean and coiffed.  I am suddenly vibrantly aware of my appearance: my hair has been braided for several days now, mudded down in place, and enough hair has come loose that I have grown a halo of frizz.  I'm sure I smell horribly as I've been sitting in the fire most of the last three days.  about half of my layers stay on permanently... at least I've been able to wash my face.  someone calls my name and I look up... there is Sarah Lyman (good friend in my ward and dinner group the last semester).  We both burst out laughing.  What are the odds! our families are both crazy enough...?  Needless to say, I felt our walk was even more enjoyable today.

Dec 28th 2008

Today is my birthday.  Grams saved some dough last night and made cinnamon rolls in our dutch ovens.  It must be a special day  It is the sabbath too, and I say an extra long prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father.  We drove to a little branch to worship.  The chapel is slightly bigger than our kitchen... but there is running water.   !   We 12 smoky bodies (doubling the  attendance) walk in, thinking we are early, and realize that they are closing their sacrament meeting.  We stay for the second hour (provided by us trekkers telling stories) and I forget how much we smell of smoke.  The Branch President offers to let us have our own sacrament meeting and we enthusiastically accept.  It is so beautiful.  I wanted to sing 'How Great Thou Art' over and over again.  at least they had me lead the music.  God is Gracious.  

Dec 30th   We finally arrived home.  Everything is so clean and beautiful.  there is my piano.  and my violin.  and a shower.  Adam cooks a dinner that we are all drooling over: mahi-mahi spinach sauce over rice.   and I have a bed to sleep on.  There is hot water without warming a kettle over fire.  I can change my clothes.  I have shelter from the wind.  I can turn on music in a stereo.   I can write music on my laptop.  I have a pillow.  There is beauty all around.  and I am again closer to my family.