camping in the suburbs' wilderness / elys.

There was a time when Elys didn’t really care about his birthday. It was a good opportunity to spend time with all the people he loved when he was in the country, but other than that, it was just another day. Now, that day had more special place in his heart. For a time, he had thought he’d never live to see his thirtieth birthday. And yet, here he was, celebrating his thity-first. Well, celebrating… not really. No Marley to share it with, no family around. Just him, Luna, and their pack of furries. It was bittersweet. Not that he wanted a day where he’d be the center of attention, but he was looking forward to some family time, and he’d get just another day of self-isolation, which wasn’t a really fun time or him. Being locked up once again, even if it was in the comfort of his own home, wasn’t a nice feeling.

At least, a normal self-isolation day was what he thought he’d get. Luna had another thing in mind, which she announced after a nice birthday kiss. Camping, in their backyard, next to the lake. Holidays and week-ends away were out of the question right now, so really, that was the next best thing, given the circumstances. A shower and a breakfast later, Luna was gone who knows where, and Elys was outside, with the dogs, building the camp. Jet would enjoy it, they’d taken him through a whole road trip in Mexico and he had had the time of his life, and Echo was an army dog, tents didn’t scare him - as long as they didn’t explode, that is, which was not likely to happen.

Obviously, trying to build a tent with two excited dogs wasn’t the easiest, and he had spent some time on the phone with Marley, who had taken advantage of her breaktime at work for a facetime call. When Luna came back home from wherever she had gone to, he wasn’t done yet. He was finally joined by his wife, carrying a whole lot of food. Elys rushed to help her, before something fell to the ground - the food? Luna, unable to see where she put her feet? who knew?. The dogs would have loved it. Ants too. You know, if we need something we can go back inside? Or is this a “no getting back into the house” kind of backyard-camping trip? Maybe that was her plan, who knew? He wouldn’t mind, he was outside, and was at least as happy to not be cooped up inside as Jet was. The more the merrier, I’ll go get him. he said when Luna suggested they let the cat join in on the fun. It didn’t take him long to go back him, and come back with a Koala-Cat. Hum, am I getting cake? he asked, noticing one of the boxes Lenny had come out with. Taped to it was an envelope, which he opened, to discover a drawing, signed by Mateo, his little nephew. Adopted, but still, his first one. Remind me to call Lenny, I need to thank them both, he said. His phone was… In the tent? Somewhere under the food? somewhere, definitely. Marley called me during her break, she says hi. She said she’d call back whenever she can, just so you ‘don’t use the self-confinement as an excuse to not shower her with love this year’ or something like that. As if she needed to be told she was loved.

@Luna Alvarez

Luna always loved birthdays. An excuse to celebrate with loved ones, to annoyingly sing happy birthday outloud in the grocery store, to eat one to many slice of cake and buy gifts she wouldn’t dare buy for herself.   Lucky her, she had a sister to help out with the cake part otherwise they would end up with salty cake for dessert. I mean, I love camping  but I’d like to pee inside if I can. Cleaning up after dog poop outside is a thing, but she’d avoid doing her business outside if possible. She need indeed took everything she could out though, maybe she was too excited about this birthday to think about the possibility of dropping things. Getting dirt on food packages. On another day her heart rate would rase thinking out it, but today, she’ll just avoid thinking of that possibility.
Elys and Koala came back out pretty fast, the little kitty happy to be out and about with his big brother. Not really aware he wasn’t a dog himself. Running to his best buddy has Elys discovered Lenny’s cake. Mateo will be happy, he was really sad he couldn’t make it. His house is filled with pets and toys way more interesting then want Luna and Elys had at home to distract him, but he liked visiting them or really wanting to get out. Either way, Luna would have want to camp with them too if things were different right now.
It was weird to not have Marley celebrate with them, it was her birthday after all. Luna would be happy to talk to her later, but right now, it was pizza time. The boxe says how long to put it in the oven but on a fire? Luna would have to keep her eyes on it. I won’t burn this one, I promise. She might have in the past burnt other things. Somehow the house was still up so she wasn’t that bad right? She lived with a firefighter-to-be now, no need to worry anymore.
Pepperoni, cheese or deluxe? There was only two of them, but America might be running out of frozen pizza because of all the option Luna got. She just wanted the night to be perfect. Elys’ birthday wasn’t going to be as festive as it could have been so at least he’d get the pizza he wanted.
I think Echo is voting for the pepperoni one. The big german shepherd smelling the box on the table. We all know Luna’s vote was for the meat free one, but they had all night, they could cook them all. Luna isn’t the best with picking one option it wouldn’t be the first time she came one with too much of the same thing. Coffee bags is one of them, but she never waste coffee. I’m sorry we are celebrating alone, we’ll do whatever you want next year. She didn’t make people sick, but somehow felt responsible for making up for that one birthday. Maybe I’m talking about the one ruin by the virus… or the one where she cried over an empty coffin.
@Elys Howell