August 8, 2005

August 8, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 83 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 52

 

Today was mostly sunny, very warm and humid.

I got up early this morning. We were expecting Dwight and Jennifer around 9:00 A.M., although they didn't show up until noon. After regular morning chores, and showering, I drove to the park gate to make a phone call. I made an appointment with the GM truck dealer in Landmark to have the front brake pads and rotors replaced next Tuesday. Back at the campsite, I did regular preventive maintenance and inspections, then took Bo for an obedience training session. He did exceptionally well. Hmmm ... I wonder if he does better in the morning when he's rested and alert ? Maybe that's why we send children to school in the mornings, not the evenings. I usually do his obedience training much later in the day. Maybe later in the day he's hot and tired, and unmotivated to focus and perform. Maybe I'll try working him earlier in the day. The point of obedience training is to produce a well behaved family pet, who will respond appropriately to commands in order to function well in society, and perhaps even to save his life. Any time of the day, not just when he's rested and alert. However, if he learns better earlier in the day, and his lessons are reinforced more effectively, I guess that increases the chances that he'll respond appropriately when needed, even if hot and tired and unmotivated and unfocused.

I took my second cup of coffee, and the computer, outside to the picnic table, and did some work. I set up a new spreadsheet to track our investment withdrawals, now that we've used up our first year's cash reserve, and are regularly pulling money out of investments to finance our lifestyle for this second year of travel adventure. I was walking to the campground office to get the key to the power breaker panel padlock when I got side tracked, and began a conversation with a camper. As I was chatting with her, Dwight and Jennifer drove by entering the campground. I finished my conversation with her, and returned to the trailer where Dwight and Jennifer were already visiting with Joanne.

We had a great day of visiting with Dwight and Jennifer. We had lunch, then went to hike the campground scenic trail. Today I remembered to bring along a trash bag and pick up litter along the trail. Dwight wins the award for finding the most bizarre piece of trash. He picked up a gate post, complete with hinges on one end, and a long piece of chain on the other. Why would someone have taken a large wooden piece of a gate up on a difficult hiking trail, then discard it ? After the hike, we changed into swim trunks and spent the rest of the afternoon cooling off in the lake at Miller Beach. Dwight found a Frisbee on the beach. The last time I played with a Frisbee was about 30 years ago. With Dwight. On a camping trip. In the dark. With a glow in the dark Frisbee. I got hit in the mouth with it. Haven't touched a Frisbee since !

We returned to the trailer, and slowly prepared supper. By then the campground office had closed, so we dealt with late arriving campers, and a variety of campground problems, as we prepared and ate supper, and visited. Dwight and Jennifer stayed until 9:30, then headed back to Winnipeg. They are flying back to Vancouver tomorrow. After they left, I took poor neglected Bo for a walk. He didn't get as much attention today as he would have liked. As I was walking him, a high maintenance late arrival came in. The late arrivals who come in after dark need more assistance finding a suitable campsite, and getting set up. Some more than others !

DSK