No monkeying around today

When our son Jim was a teenager he saw me working in my 'Daytimer' (a smartphone calendar you actually had to use a pencil with.  Oh. A pencil makes marks on paper when you press down on it.  Oh. Paper is...) he made a remark I believe he forgets after 25 years.  Something like, "Dad, why must you be so 'planned out'?  Why can't you be a little more spontaneous?"  Well Jim, I think Mom and I have finally made the grade.





Last evening we were set to rise this morning to head for Pastor Bill and Spivey UMC on the NC/TN border. We were going to pass through Dayton, TN, today and see the courthouse where the famous 'Monkey Trial' took place in the 1920's. This morning we got up and decided to dump the tanks and fill with fresh water at Falls Creek Falls State Park, And just looking at the pics online of that park sold us on checking it out further.  So tonight, and tomorrow night, we are actually CAMPING!!!

Yes, we took two nights with full hookups deep in the woods, except for a neighbor or two.  Its way off season now so not very crowded during the week at any campground as the temps go down.

Speaking of temps going down, its going to be in the low forties up here in the Appalachian foothills tonight.  OK Jim, I hear you saying the Appalachians ARE foothills.



But cool means one good thing to Mona.  Notice I did not say cold.  Cold means nothing good to Mona.  But cool evenings mean CAMPFIRES.  And we have finally built our first (TY O'Rourkes for treating us to a beautiful one at your home in the Rockies months ago).

Reading till the supper munchies attacked us then hot dogs over the fire. Ah, heaven.  But we'd forgotten to buy baking potatoes at the camp store this afternoon! And ice cream trumps marshmallows every day.






Much of camping has remained the same over the decades we have been in and out of this mode of life.  But one has changed alot, and that has to do with campfires.  Time was, part of the camping gear you packed was a box or two of firewood from wherever to burn at your site.  No more.

Now most parks refuse to let you use any but wood from their own forest, which we went in search of after we arrived, or wood you purchase from the camp store or bring in marked as 'certified' bug free.  Bug free.  I wish I could leave a campsite, church lot or Walmart and be 'bug free'!  I think anyone who drives a vehicle knows we are all carrying bugs of every kind everywhere we go.

Especially if someone where you were was sneezing!

-Ken

PS:  Hey!  I titled this blog NO MONKEYING AROUND, I didn't say a Monkey couldn't come around.  Hey!  Put me down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!