Home Sweet Home

Last year, a big rainstorm tested the limits of our nearly 15 year old tent and we got wet.  That was my signal that it was time for a new tent.  So this year we slept in new digs.  The tent was easy to erect and kept us dry in the rain and so we look forward to many happy camping trips under its cover.

 One of the things that I love about camping is the combination of the familiar (a favorite sleeping bag, a comfy camp chair) and the ease with which I slip into the relaxing at-camp living.  At night, I fall asleep to the sounds of wind in the trees and the sea coming ashore.  As peace descends I am grateful for the opportunity to share my appreciation of the outdoors with JT, just as my parents were able to do for me.  I awaken in the woods each morning and step outside the tent to smell the piney forest.  At camp, the biggest chore on the day's list is the act of unlocking the bicycles for the day's rides.

 And camp life pays off when I get home. A week of sleeping in the humid outdoors makes everything feel a bit damp.  I look forward to the cool, crispness of my bed.  I have a new-found appreciation for indoor plumbing located just a stone's throw from where I sleep.  And I have the satisfaction of knowing that my son has the memory of plenty of camp adventures to spur his imagination in the months ahead.