tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25407346.post-47101412689717454952008-06-23T08:53:00.006-05:002008-06-23T09:08:11.100-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >(lost)</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Art</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">of </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Relaxation</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-rR3Ck-iI/AAAAAAAAB5A/xt__P8ffjZ0/s1600-h/pbsun.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-rR3Ck-iI/AAAAAAAAB5A/xt__P8ffjZ0/s400/pbsun.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215075216839211554" border="0" /></a></div>On Friday, four of us went camping at Point Beach State Forest in northern Wisconsin. The idea was to relax, eat and paddle. It was a nice enough place, however, the plan worked out for some, but not for me. First, there was the concept of relaxation.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-r42uFF5I/AAAAAAAAB5I/FBFmnZet9iE/s1600-h/getwater2.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-r42uFF5I/AAAAAAAAB5I/FBFmnZet9iE/s400/getwater2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215075886768134034" border="0" /></a>Take Doug (bless his soul) for instance. For a while I thought that he thought that he was at a Buddhist retreat site.You know what they say: Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-r-6B0lpI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/Y9tI8MhLEyQ/s1600-h/getwater.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-r-6B0lpI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/Y9tI8MhLEyQ/s400/getwater.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215075990735459986" border="0" /></a>So Doug...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-s80EgBqI/AAAAAAAAB5g/qZRKAWWHOqo/s1600-h/chop.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_HPgceAZgiNE/SF-s80EgBqI/AAAAAAAAB5g/qZRKAWWHOqo/s400/chop.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215077054287972002" border="0" /></a>That's o.k.. He enjoys that. But, then, there were the mosquitoes. It rained a lot, it was wet and there were at leas a bazillion of the hungry little buggers, and they were relentless.<br /><br />Since the shoreline was boring and the lake flat, I broke camp Saturday morning and packed it in. It just wasn't worth the misery of being constantly hounded by the bugs to be able to say that I went camping. Constantly smearing chemicals on my skin in order to survive is also not my idea of enjoying the great out of doors. On a happy note, my new 4 man tent was a real luxury...and free of bugs.<br /><br />Paddle safe...<br />DS<br /><br />x<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/25407346-4710141268971745495?l=silbs.blogspot.com'/></div>Silbshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12561606347525787459noreply@blogger.com2