Friday, March 19, 2010

Friday, March 19, 2010

The camp had it's first campers of the 2010 season last night! I arrived out at the camp this morning and saw that everyone was up at the upper pond doing some fishing. Eddie Kimbrough had called the day before about coming up to spend the night with his three boys and a friend of theirs. My wife, Denise, had checked with them before bedtime and everything was well.

Overnight there was a little incident with a skunk and their dog, Biscuit, which stirred things up a bit. It seems that they were doing some sleeping out under the stars (without a tent) around the campfire, when the polecat wandered in. Biscuit commenced to chasing him and the skunk found a place to hide among some chairs and and old lectern underneath the pavilion. After all the excitement settled down there was a distinct smell in the air and especially on the dog. In spite of it all, the group managed to get a few hours of sleep before the sun came up--but not much!

I had never met Eddie before today but have spoken with him a few times on the phone. His family has reserved the place for a family reunion later on in the spring. Now I know Eddie's dad, Wayne, pretty well as we were part of a group that used to meet regularly on Mondays mornings for about a year or so. On the phone Eddie & Wayne sound close to the same. Well when I walked up to the pond there was Wayne with a pole in his hand.

We all made introductions and settled down to talk a bit. Wayne had some business to tend to connected with the church, and had to leave about 10:00 a.m. I sat down there with Eddie and talked for a couple of hours at least. The boys were in and out and catching a fish now and then as well. I managed to get in a picture or two. I don't know if there was anything Eddie and I talked about that we didn't agree on . . . especially church-related things. He caught several bass--one that I would guess went about a pound--while I was sitting there. Oh, and a few bluegill as well.

Then kids came running up with news that Biscuit had managed to run the skunk out of his hiding place at the pavilion, and had caught and killed it. A few minutes later the dog came running up, dove into the pond, and then rolled around for several hours in the dirt. Glad he wasn't coming home with me!

I went up to the RV to get a bite to eat and change clothes while they went back to the pavilion to eat as well. I started back on the project I had worked on earlier in the week, clearing out the overhanging tree limbs from the lower road. I am thinking about calling that road the "back door." After hauling two good loads to the brush pile, I stopped back and went out to check on the crew. Eddie and I sat under a tree and talked a little more there with his youngest son. While we were all sitting there the boy caught one, which I promptly took a picture of for posterity.

We saw the buzzards circling overhead . . . not sure if it was for the skunk or not . . . but they were getting mighty low. The Kimbroughs loaded up, skunked dog and all, and we all said our goodbyes around 3:00 or so. I hauled off one more load and then called it a day. I went inside, made me a late afternoon cup of coffee, and waited on the deer to come up by the RV which has become a near-daily ritual.

It was a beautiful day, some things were accomplished and I made a new friend!

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