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This quote blew me away when I read it today and I discovered a person I'd like to know more about:

“This is when the magic happens: right when you feel like everything is going wrong, shift your attitude to accept that it’s actually going right. Our judgments of how we think our life should be are preventing us from reaching our Highest Potential. If you’re going through a storm, hold the belief that it’s the perfect storm for you to be going through and that you’ve been given everything you need to weather the storm. When the chaos subsides you will experience the Truth that is forever true; you are always taken care of, exactly where you need to be and your efforts are rewarded exactly when they need to be. Remember this Truth the next time a storm is on the horizon and you will grow wings and be able fly right over it and towards the calm waters of Trust and Universal love.” ~Jackson Kiddard

Yesterday I had some news that literally brought tears of joy to my eyes. Although Unemployment had told me the amount I would be receiving via mail, during the process it turns out I qualified for an extension since I've only been working temporary jobs since getting laid off, so I still receive the maximum amount. It's truly wonderful to be slightly less poor than I was!

Burning Man prep is accelerating. I reserved a car, bought a used bike rack, bought 8 two-foot ,1/2 inch diameter rebar stakes, bungies, gems to glue on my face, some toiletries, a paper thin full-length mirror and clothesline. I ordered two small solar lanterns for camp and my tent.

I really need to start hemming and embellishing my clothes. I don't really have that many. Which is fine. I think that's tomorrow. I have another big trip to an army surplus store for goggles and to see whatever else they have I may need. I need a pad for under my sleeping bag...I am EXCITED and nervous!!

I did major work in my garden today. My hot pepper plants are huge, I see something like a flower coming along but it's droopy. I cleaned the leaves cause a few were shriveling, so I think bug was sucking the juice out of them. I need a ladybug or two out there. I transplanted my biggest one and a smaller one into a huge pot, then switched a few others into the next size. Yesterday I cut back the basil and cilantro and have it drying. I think I may take a nice dried bag to Burning Man, my mates cook alot. After I clean up the balcony tomorrow --once the sun drys the floor-- I'll take a few pictures and post them.

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Thank goodness for an extension!!!!!!!!! I like news like that.

I see what the other stuff is used for but why do you need eight 2' sections of rebar?

It's always nice when unexpected dollars fall our way. It's like finding money in an old coat you haven't worn since last year.

The rebar is stronger than the stakes the tents come with, it's recommended for staking your tent down since the winds can get very very strong and the last thing you want is your tent blowing away. I think I only needed 5 or 6 but I got a few extra in case someone else needs them for something. Please tell me this makes sense.

I always leave bills in my coat pockets and jean pockets, I get happy easily. ;-)

That makes perfect sense. I'll assume the Nevada high desert is hard a dry like our low Sonoran landscape. You might want to take your rebar stakes to a machine shop and have them sharpened on one end. It can be done on a bench grinder in a matter of minutes and I doubt they would charge you much ..... if at all.

The bad news is you'll have to venture into a rough industrial area. Welding shops would have the necessary tools as would a local car repair shop.

Driving blunt stakes into hard earth is not easy.

(smacking forehead lightly) Your are SO right!

I wondered when I bought these pre-cut pieces why they were fairly blunt on each end. On the BM website they have a whole section on rebar and how Home Depot will cut them for you. The site give lots of warnings about rebar injuries, about stepping barefoot on the exposed end and suggest covering them with anything, tennis balls, those pool noodles, etc.

Well, my nearest Home Depot had them pre-cut, I don't know if they got tired of cutting them for people or if every store does this now.

My camp last year was set up pretty tight and we never had any issue with stepping on anything (they say it can happen at other people's camps or if people are stumbling through camps, which scared me last year when I read that and I never saw that at all, I never stumbled through anyone's camp, and no one thru ours. I was amazed at how logically it's set up, you learn your landmarks easily). I always wore boots when I went out anyway.

When I read your reply yesterday I was at my friend's house and her husband has a grinder and they said to bring them over, so that will be great. I'm not sure I would have caught on, so thank you.

Last year, it rained on Monday, the first day campers arrive, not for long, but it did soften up the ground some. Its funny, as the day gets closer the site starts giving reports on how the desert looks texture wise. I found that some parts were hard and some soft, like sand at the beach, like a dune but rougher. Good bike riding! :-)

Yeah, bike riding in sand is GREAT.

I've seen people tear open a foot on tent stakes. A late night bathroom trip can be hazardous. I never walk barefoot in a campsite. That's jjust dumb. Some people will wear flip flops which are no better than barefoot if you jam a toe against a sharp object. I'm cringing just thinking what rebar could do to a foot.

You should pack a heavy hammer (5 lb sledge would be perfect) to bury your stakes deep, and a roll of duct tape. After you drive the stakes wrap duct tape around the exposed ends so no one can get cut on them.

Better safe than sorry.

I just bought a mallet at the swap meet for the tent stakes, guess I'll bring my hammer too. I'll definitely cover my stakes, the duct tape sounds good, plus a cut-up pool noodle. The guy who lays out the camp does a really good job as far as tripping over stuff is concerned.

The BM site says foot + rebar is the most common injury. I had a vision before I went of a minefield of exposed rebar points with people splayed on them. LOL

You should go! ;-)