The flexitarian prescription

Bugs. Bugs and wild animals. But mostly bugs. That’s what crosses my mind when I think about anything that has to do with the outdoors … so when the opportunity hit for my favorite man and I to spend the weekend in a tree house, I was like “ummm, thanks, but no thanks.” But, in the spirit of “taking one for the team”—and an overwhelming curiosity—I took the bait and before I could back out, we were on our way to what was sure to be a frightening delightful weekend in the mountains of northern Idaho … in a tree house at that.

We stayed an entire weekend in a tree house and I survived.

I have spent a good portion of my adult life living in a big city, but I grew up doing things that might surprise the people who “know” me now—like riding horses, climbing trees, fishing, and pretty much just being outside, barefoot, with not a second thought about dirt in between my toes, let alone bugs or wild animals. But, for whatever reason, as I got older I stopped doing all those things and truthfully the mere thought of a campfire or a horseshoe pit or jumping into a cold lake and having fish nibble at my undercarriage, well, the thought of doing any of those things frightens me. Makes me cringe. But like I said, “in the spirit of taking one for the team,” I committed to the whole treehouse thing because my favorite man loves doing things outside. Caveat, I love a beach with pina coladas on demand, but he’s a little more into the “rugged” stuff—and by rugged, I mean things where there might be bugs. Big bugs.

And, honestly, it was lovely. OK. Maybe “lovely” is a bit of a stretch, but it was pretty damn cool. I had no idea how to use the Coleman stove, or shower in the industrial-sized bucket with previously collected rainwater. Nor did I know how to use the coffee press, the lockbox, the “toilet” or most of the “amenities” but, I was in good hands (literally and figuratively) and again, I survived. And though I may have freaked out a little when a wasp made its way inside, I didn’t get one single bug bite the entire time and just doing something outside of my comfort zone with the man I love made for a delightful weekend experience.

Would I do it again? Eh. Probably not. But I wouldn’t trade the experience or the memory of it for anything. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

TREE HOUSE SURVIVAL GUIDE

• Read the online reviews and the owner’s list of what the house has and doesn’t have
• Make sure you and whomever you go with, can handle the ascent (it’s no joke)
• Bring a wine opener, coffee filters (just in case) and a sharp knife
• Ask if there’s a refrigerator or an ice chest—and if it’s an ice chest, don’t forget the ice
• Do your shopping before you get to the remote mountain town because chances are the store there won’t have what you want
• Don’t forget the bug spray, sunscreen and bottled water
• And if you’re a little sketchy about using someone else’s blanket on those cold mornings when you sit outside and watch the sun come up, bring your own
• Lastly, have a good attitude cause you’re making memories ; )