Should have been posted last week

Wrote this last week, but was too busy to edit.

 Spent the week packing for camp. We haven't been since 2019 so a lot of camp things had melted away into household use or been spoiled by dead batteries or are just among the missing.

However, as I delved into the totes and stacks of stuff from previous years I realized that despite my actual 4-H background I may have been a boy scout in a previous life.

I mean, there are ropes. All kinds of ropes. Despite the fact that we will be staying in a reasonably civilized cabin, I HAVE to have ropes. I have paracord, dock rope, heavy twine, camo cord, rope we used to use to tie down the canoe on the dock when it stormed...and a dog leash. We are not taking a dog, but hey, you never know, so in it went.

Found my hatchet, which by an amazing coincidence, has been missing since 2019....because it was still packed. Can't camp without a hatchet. 

Discovered that I don't have to buy matches, as I have a brand new (in 2019) box of strike-on- box, plus a pack of waterproof ones. Plus there's a lighter or two in my quick travel tote that goes everywhere we do. I had to read Jack London's To Build a Fire in high school (unforgettable story, but no fun) and I rarely go anywhere without a source of ignition. After a lifetime of heating with wood most of the time I am good at producing flame.

The list of guy things goes on and on...a knock-off Leatherman tool, needle-nose pliers, heavy side cutters, extra fishing line, ninety-pound tackle box...or at least it feels like it....even though I predominantly fish with worms. When Dad passed I ended up with some of his lures and they are in there too. As a preschooler, taken along on evening trips to this very lake, I loved to sit and peer into Dad's tackle box admiring the lures (while fishing with worms.). I always coveted his River Runt Spook.

People bike across the county with a couple saddlebags and a backpack. I fill the car to groaning with things we "might need." 

I cannot lie, I am tired of packing. It is the worst part of the trip, other than packing to go home, which is mildly worse. We always seem to have more stuff than we came with.

However, I cannot wait to baptize the fishing license part of the lifetime hunting and fishing license I bought myself last year...already used the hunting part...

And to swim and look for mountain birds and maybe go out rowing. See you next week with another adventure in store.

***Update: We had a nice week! I walked thirty miles, saw 61 species of birds, only caught three Rock Bass, but one was a nice size. Hopefully we can do it again next year.