Campers In The Mist

I am back from camping finally!

It was okay, but my Dad and I fought the whole time and my family just sat around most of the time. We did however, go up to Watkins Glen and I took some really great photographs. I think I'm gonna print them in black and white... they'll turn out awesome. Hopefully I'll be able to get a few blown up bigger so I can post them in my dorm room. I'll post them here when I finish.

I have adelightful camping story for all of you. I didn't get to hike as much as I wanted, but I found observing otheres is just as enjoyable.

I present to all: Campers in the Mist!

Boy, age aproximately 16, is camping with his family in the site next to us. Mostly Boy enjoys badgering Little Sister or honking horn of Mother's truck obnoxiously.

One day, Boy becomes particularly bored, so decides to start tossing hat up in the air. This is going well. Boy moves under a tree, and see's how far he can toss the hat up into the tree. This is going even better. After about two tosses, the invevitable happens- the hat gets stuck in the tree. Boy seems genuinely surprised that the hat would get stuck up in the tree, and declares loudly- "Aw, shit!". Boy needs his hat back.

So Boy, being as creative as he is, decides to take off a flip flop to nock the hat out of the tree. This does not last long. The flip flop gets caught right away. Boy lets out another highly original "Aw, shit!". Boy repeats this with (get this) the other flip flop! Ah HA!

Boy apparently has more tricks up his sleeve than I originally thought! But oh no! Could it get worse? The second flip flop gets stuck! Cruel, cruel world! "Aw, shit!" is his sound of dispair. Now Boy is really thinking. He disapears for a second, and then comes out with a basket ball! Boy tosses up basket ball into the tree, is momentarily stuck- I bite my lip to keep from bursting into laughter- but alas, the Camping gods smiled upon Boy and the basket ball fell out of the tree. Three more tries, and both flip flops and hat are safely out of the tree... and the basket ball falls into the ashes were from last night's camp fire. "Aw, shit!"

It's comforting to know this boy will some day be our next senator...

Other Boy, possibly brother or cousin of Boy, is also a mine field of joys. One day, Other Boy sneaks a beer. "Woah!" Other Boy exclaims, "This was made in Canada!". Other Boy tells this to Boy, both are thrilled. Canada. Woah. Other Boy starts humming national anthem of Canada. Only gets through first line. "Oh Canada, my home and native land...". Other Boy can't think of what comes next, but is delighted to start whisteling the first line over and over and over again. After about 5 minutes of this, and making good progress through beer, Other Boy turns to Boy and says "Woah. What's our song?"

Both are stumped.

Forget nature, why would you want to watch deer run through fields when you can be constantly amazed by the wonders of the human mind?

I love this country.

And it's good to be back.

Until Later,

Sondra