August 10

August 10, 2004

DAY 54

 

 

Well ... another new experience. I am typing today's journal entry sitting outside at a picnic table, lit by a lantern.

Today was another cold day, but at least there was no rain. The little nieces and I started the day with a session of splashing in the deep puddles left in the comfort station's parking lot by yesterday's rain. One would think that wearing rubber boots, with plastic rain pants would keep their feet dry, but such was not the case. When I pulled off Amelia's boots ... YIKES ... they were filled with water ! We discovered that the field beside the parking lot had a lot of teensy little frogs hopping around. We had a great time catching and studying frogs, and placing them on the edge of the deep puddle, and watching them swim. Even Lorraine got to experience the thrill of catching a frog, a first time experience for her. Now everyone in the group, with the exception of Joanne, is an experienced frog catcher.

After the puddle splashing, and the frog catching, we went over to the playground and played on the slide. A big slide ! A fast slide ! "Like a rocket" 3 year old Amelia says. By the time lunch rolled around, Uncle Dan was ready for a nap. So ... after lunch, all the girls drove over to West Beach, while Uncle Dan read the newspaper, then napped. When they returned from an afternoon of sand castle building on a cold windy beach, I took the girls for a little nature hike, then had them assist me with building a campfire. They had never been camping before, so the concept of a campfire was new to them. We built a fire, then toasted marshmallows. I should mention ... Uncle Dan hates toasted marshmallows.

I cooked supper over the campfire, and it turned out exceptionally well. Chicken and vegetables of all sorts, wrapped in foil. While Joanne and Lorraine were inside the trailer preparing supper for me to cook on the fire, I was outside with the girls preparing dessert. I found a recipe in a magazine recently that I thought would be neat to make with the girls. They did enjoy making this dessert, and enjoyed eating it even more. I sliced almost all the way through bananas lengthwise, then the girls stuffed chocolate chips and marshmallow pieces into the split bananas, wrapped them in foil, and we roasted them on the camp fire. MMMMM ! ! ! They were great !

We ate supper outside at the picnic table, as it was warming slightly as the day progressed.

My sister-in-law is reading over my shoulder as I type this. I wonder if I should mention to her how irritating I find that ?

After supper, I made the bed for Lorri and the girls, and put a Disney video on for them. By the time the video was over, the girls were ready for sleep. They seemed pretty worn out from a day of campground activity. So were we.

DSK