Recon Mission

I have been reluctant to write about this until now and do so with a heavy heart!

You see I have been on a mission since December 17, 2007. There is another one of those special boxes close to my home and I have been OBSESSED with having it, obsessed but unsuccessful.

My first attempt at this special box was back in December, it was a beautiful day and I was in need of some stress relief, MAJOR stress relief. I went down the road to Table Rock with 4 boxes in mind but REALLY only one, this very special, coveted box. The thought going through my mind was, WHAT in the world is wrong with me, NOT knowing it was RIGHT here!

I knew pretty much where the clue was sending me, I was on a quest. The other boxes I could not find did not PHASE me at all, they would be there forever, not this box, this was a once in a lifetime find, and it was sitting there waiting for me. (yeah I really am this nuts !)

I approached the spot from a different direction then the clue but I KNEW, YEEEHAAA, this is it. With it being a weekday, there was no one on the trails, so I climbed onto the ROCK, and went across and climbed the hill to where the box rested. My heart racing, I reached into the small little cave - nothing ! I looked around under the larger rock, nothing, I grabbed a stick and started pokin around inside the small and large cave, nothing, I took the stick and whisked the fallen leaves back and forth in front of the 2 caves, nothing, I climbed above the caves to a smaller cave and a hollowed out root ball, nothing .............. I read the clue again, yeah this was it ..... I was POSITIVE, but no box. AUGHHHHHHHH I probably did scream into the sky, I was this close, THIS CLOSE, and someone beat me to it. You see this is one of those special boxes that when you find it you TAKE it with you.

I was MAD, my Irish blood whirling, ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I climbed back and navigated the trail back, again looking for the other boxes I had come for with no luck - I was too mad that I missed my window of opportunity.

I drove home mad at myself, walked in the house, over to the computer and emailed the owner of the box. Now that I think about it, she probably thought I was totally RUDE, because my email was something like this:

OK ...... WHO HAS IT .......... Who has _ _ _ _ _? Who has it because if I know them I am going to their house and stamping in that BOX ! I can not believe it has been there over a month now and I just found out about it and I MISSED IT!

(you have to again remember about my stress levels with my job, I get a little wound too tight at times, and yeah there is that Yankee in me that shines through at times!)

The email back was short and sweet:

No one has it HOLLY ! It is still there.

OMG..........

Now I am FLIPPING ........ Beating myself up, HOW IN THE WORLD did you miss it ??? I went to bed mad and thinking about it.

The next day was still a really nice day, I called the school, I went and picked up Sean after school instead of him getting on the bus. He had NO IDEA. He gets in the car and says "Why did you pick me up MOM?", I said, "You need to come to Table Rock with me there is this SPECIAL box that you need to help me with that I could not find yesterday and we need to FIND IT !". It really is a good thing my child is into this hobby, because if anyone else witnessed this conversation .... well ..... I am sure I was something like HEMI (over the hedge).

Over to Table Rock (GOD BLESS Park Passports!), and I drag my child down the trail. We get to the spot, I read him all the clues and we climb onto the rock, up the hill, to the caves. NO BOX........ CLIMB in there I order him, climb up under that rock and look around in case it washed down. I hear, "NOTHING MOM".

AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Ok I relent and back down the trail we go and head home.

The Troll wants to know where we have been, LETTERBOXING we say!

I go to the computer, email again and tell her:

I went back again today and I can not find the box. I am almost 100% positive that I am in the right spot. The clue is very specific, and the box is not there!

The owner and I both email the last planter, I describe where I go, they have a picture (not great) but a picture of the spot - It looks right, I FEEL TERRIBLE, I know this box is missing, I don't want to say that but in my heart I KNOW it is missing.

Last Sunday, Sean and I went for try number 3 - NO BOX - it has been now 2.5 months we have been in search of this box. I email the owner yet again and tell her that I tried yet again, no box.

The last family to plant this box (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) was going to check on it today. My GREATEST fear was to be sitting here when I received an email saying:

HEY HOLLY, IT IS STILL THERE !!!!!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU !!!!

SO .......... I told them I would LOVE to meet them and go with them to check on the box, to see where I was messing up.

About 1:00 I got a call, grabbed my pack, the purse of communications and a water bottle, made arrangements for someone to get Sean off the bus and headed down the road to Table Rock.

I was really thinking that I was an idiot, honest, I wanted her to tell me, HERE IT IS, but when we got to the spot and crossed the rock and I showed her, she said YEAH that is where we planted it. I was crushed. We looked everywhere around, moved thousands of leaves, followed the terrain in the direction that it appeared water would flow, we spent a lot of time (not that I have already spent 5 times this amount of time in my last 3 attempts). NO box.

She was as crushed as I was. OH how I just wanted someone to say Holly you idiot and hand me the box, the last thing in the world I wanted was this thing to be missing or muggled. But I guess at this point we can honestly say it is not there, and AGAIN, I say that with such a heavy heart!

I sit here tonight yet again CRUSHED and feeling sorry for the owner and the last planter, because this is a total heartbreak.

SORRY ....... how I wished this story ended happy with Holly being the village idiot !

BTW

the one other box I have also searched for 3 times - I found today - thanks to my companion - TINK - your Couch Tater is fine and resting!