Those were the days my friend just like the song saids.When we first started camping ,It was just my girlfriend Wendy her husband Greg and the kids and my family and brother Irving who was living with us at the time. As time went by the group became larger and larger, My brother Edgar and Diane his wife my brother Eddie, my sister Janet, my cousin Millie and her husband and kids, my uncle and aunt ,cousins, friends and on and on even my mother came up to the campsite. It was a magical experience were we all got to be kids again .We built campfires and at night we would all gather around and tell stories, laugh .drink, roast marshmallows and corn {the silver queen corn, oh so sweet}One time the men decided to go get some corn for the campfire that night ,and everything was close, So they decided to borrow some corn from a local farmers corn field and the farmer came out with a shotgun. they had to haul their little butts out of there real quick, They came back with bags of corn for the fire that night proud as peacocks telling us about there near death experience, but when we went to roast the corn that night it was no good it was old corn just used for feed .We laughed so hard at their exploits. crime does not pay Ha! Ha! Another time we went to collect wood in the forest and there were these long vines so they decided to give Tarzan a run for his money. Except they kept crashing into the trees, silly city boys! Gregory hit a tree so hard we thought he would wind up with a concussion. but alas !nothing a couple of shots of bacardi didn't fix .The following night Greg got a giant bail of hay we burnt the whole thing and danced and hooped and hollered pretending we were Indians around the burning bail. In the morning one of the campers came over and asked if we had seen this bail of hay Greg said no and as soon as he left we looked at the campfire still strewed with straw from the night before , and started laughing hysterically .were we crazy or what? Then there came the softball games. we chose up sides and started to play. We got so involve with these games that it became the highlight of our camping excursion. We were so intense that we did not realize until one Saturday when we saw all the other campers bringing there lawn chairs and gathering around us that we had become there favorite activity too. They laughed and cheered us on and everybody had a great time. Then everybody washed up got ready for supper and mellowed out. As nightfall approached Irving and Edgar would get out the guitars and we would all sing .I can still picture Diane exciting rendition of I got a bad case of loving you doctor doctor it's for sure I got the fever you got the cure or My brother Eggys Kansas City then we would wind down with California dreaming and a John Denver medley I don't know why but bacon and eggs never tasted so good as they did camping .As the years passed by things changed as they must and everyone went their merry way to continue the business of living But everyone without exception looks back and saids Those were the days my friend Ah! Camping what good memories!

Homepage The first time you meet yourself Recipe for Happiness When I was ten Funerals,deaths,families Things that make me wonder The Old man Article on faith Breath of Life Gardening by intimidation My Mother(it's time to tell them the truth) Article on Camping The search for meaning or is there a purpose to Life Ode to New York Coqui Coqui Coqui June 23,1998 Christmases Past