So this is my busy season at work, which is why I didn't shack up with the clan all weekend. But Saturday morn, I drove out to the lake and the crew picked me up in our big blue canoe. We paddled about 30 minutes back to Big Goat Island, where we were the only campers. The site was spectacular with a long sloping shore where the lake had recently been drawn down for the winter rains. It was at the top of the slope in a grove of trees. Pictures are still in our cameras, which are still camping. So, soon...
We unloaded my gear and just did nothing. It was a whole glorious afternoon of nothing. I sat in a camp chair overlooking the lake, watching the kids dig in the mud and throw rocks in the lake, and read a book. Later in the evening, "we" built a fire and cooked dinner of backpacker's freeze dried Pad Thai (kids had spaghettios), followed by toasted marshmallows. Oh yeah, and a couple of Newcastles, which was a major treat.
When we retired, I slept between the kids in one tent and Spence in the other. So, all you people who co-sleep, you're crazy! Both kids have runny noses so that made for an interesting cacophony of snoring. Then I worried about keeping them warm, so every time I turned over, I sat up to recover their bodies, which were turned some weird way or crammed into a different corner. Really, they both slept great. I was the deprived one.
Next morning, we had turkey sausage, freeze-dried eggs and bacon, bagels with cream cheese and coffee. We did some more of nothing until lunch, then braved a swim in the cold water before they ferried me back to the boat dock.
I spoke with Spence twice today, and they're still having a great time. They all bathed in the buff in the lake today and spent some time exploring other islands.
So, yes, it appears they'll make it all week.
