Things have a way of going different than you imagined. This has always been a harsh truth for me. I always find it hard to adjust when things do not go the way I'd hoped. Even a sudden new direction can throw me off... But if I am truthful, I think intuitively, I knew this would be a rough trip. That is why I asked for prayers. Our trip down went well, the van had air conditioning and was very pleasant. 
Once we got to the festival the reality of the heat started to set in. It was hot! We set up camp and went swimming -- that night we saw some of our favorite bands playing! It was lovely when the sun went down. 
Let's focus on Rick a bit... He had been struggling with lower back pain and some hip pain -- which made him a bit grouchy - but not too bad. First morning at camp, he got up early, as is his custom, and walked around the quiet campground - very meditatively. He got back to camp and laid down on the ground and when he went to get up -- pain shot through his body and he couldn't move. His back went out! Rose and I went to the Med Station (thankful they had medical volunteers at the festival!) and they sent a EMT guy to our campsite. He said Rick's muscles in his lower back were in a spasm and clenched like a ball. Rick spent several hours in the Medical Trailer (which had air conditioning) laying on the floor - with ice packs on his back and some pain relief medication. Meanwhile the Heat! OMG. Swimming was all the 3 youngest girls could think of. As a family, we debated: going home now, or seeing if things got better.... By 2:30pm Rick was able to get up and slowly walk. This seemed good. 
So he and I got ready for our 4:30 class. In the same tent the youngest girls made plaster casts of their hands. Rick and I did our class. 
During the last 1/2 hour Rick began to feel really worn down. Rose, our oldest realized most of her friends were leaving -- they had jobs to get back to and the bands they were in or liked had already played. This left her disheartended. Pearl, was struggling with the heat. 
We decided to stay. Next morning; it is now Thursday July 5th, (my 51st Birthday). After his 2nd night sleeping on the ground in a tent -- (he had a firm mattress the 2nd night) -- Rick is seriously considering going home. 
The 3 little girls want to swim so I take them, when I come back, the others have decided it is time to leave, between the heat and Rick's pain they are done. 
We pack up and go home... 7 hours of driving done by me. When we get home. No electricity! We don't have air conditioning anyway, but folks wanted to check emails and facebook etc. No electricity meant no internet, no fans, melting freezer... Luckily the electricity was back on in about an hour and a half. The next day -- super HOT! Rick goes to the chiropractor -- I feel like a zombie and we are still recovering... But the weather is cooler now and things are looking up!
