Over the July 4th weekend I went on my first camping trip!  I’ve been “camping” before with the Girl Scouts (we were in cabins with full kitchens and bathrooms) and I’ve slept in a tent before at the cottage in Bayfield, but I’ve never been camping.  Eric, Jessi, Kelly, Erika and I went down to Waxhaw, NC to Cane Creek Park for some camping fun!  We arrived on Thursday evening and set up our campsite.

Thursday night we got settled and sat around the campfire for a while before hitting the hay.  I made my way to the bath house to brush my teeth and take out my contacts.  Now, I hate bugs and I was expecting to see some along the way, but I was not prepared for what I saw.  There was a huge moth on the wall of the bath house that was nasty, but I slowly walked by it and made my way to the door.  Nothing was there that I couldn’t handle so I opened the door and right in the door way was a huge cockroach.  I let the door close and jumped back about three feet.  I took a couple deep breaths and tried to pump myself up to get by it (cmon Meg, you’re 25 years old, it’s just a bug, you can do it!).  I pushed the door open again and then the cockroach started moving…I could not do it.  Gives me the creeps just thinking about it now.  I ended up brushing my teeth in a cup of water and that was that.

Friday morning we ate a hearty breakfast of corned beef hash, potatoes, bagels and fruit.  We then looked at the park map to decide which trail we wanted to hike.  We decided on the 2 mile hike to the other side of the park where there was a public beach.  We filled our water bottles, packed our swim suits and were on our way.  I was not expecting this to be a strenuous hike and, while it wasn’t strenuous, it sure wasn’t easy either!  Nor was it 2 miles, it was 3!  Add in the 90 degree heat and humidity, I was ready to jump in that water!  We made it to the beach and looked across the lake and saw that there was another beach on the other side of the lake in the camping area.  While swimming in the lake, we were trying to think of ways to avoid the 3 mile hike back.  I said that we should rent a canoe, take people accross with our bags to the camping beach, then I would drop the canoe off and swim across the lake; the others didn’t think much of that idea though, so it was on to the trail.  The hike back seemed to go a little bit faster, thank goodness!  The rest of the afternoon was spent napping and reading.

Friday night, some more friends joined us at the campsite for a late night campfire with hot dogs and smores.  It was a wonderful evening and the food was deeeeelicious!  Saturday morning Jessi, Kelly, Erika and Ben went on another hike while Eric and I chose to stay at the site and read and relax.  Once the others returned we enjoyed a nice lunch and then packed up to head home.

Guest blogger: Eric Welch

Ok, so, I think this has been coming for a while now.  I’ve been telling my wife that I would hack her blog and be a guest blogger one day.  Well, that day has arrived.  So sit back, relax, grab a soda (yes, I said ‘soda’ – you southerners refer to it as ‘coke,’ but soda rhymes with ‘Yoda,’ and Yoda’s the man, so we’re running with it) and prepare to delve into the mysterious chasm that is my mind.

I titled this blog entry “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”  You may be thinking I’m going to delve into some deep philosophical discussion, or that I’m referring to the quality of today’s automobile, or whatever.  Sorry, no.  Today we will be looking at…cartoons & classic TV shows. 

The cartoons of today’s generation are nothing compared to the cartoons that I grew up with.  I think that my generation may have been the last to experience what I call a “real” cartoon.  Like the old school Daffy Duck, Mighty Mouse, Porky Pig, Popeye, etc.  You get the idea.  Now there’s Sponge Bob Square Pants, and Rugrats: The Next Generation, or something.  Whatever happened to the good old days?  I know, I know, if you’re older than me you’re thinking “you don’t know what the ‘good old days’ were son!”  But those cartoons were, for me at least, the good old days, even though they were re-runs.  Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Sponge Bob Square Pants; I’ve never watched it, but I hear it’s good.  All I’m saying is that they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.  Full-blown hand drawn cartoons are quickly becoming a thing of the past.  More and more cartoons incorporate CG into their shows.  Now I love CG, but not for Saturday morning cartoons.  To me, they just look too “real,” or fake, however you look at it.  The hand drawn stuff of old is where it’s at.

Remember when cartoons used to have a moral at the end of the story?  Like at the end of He-Man, for example, someone would always say “In today’s story, Orko learned a valuable lesson about stealing….yadda yadda yadda.”  Or the ever popular G.I. Joe; they’d always say something at the end of the show like “G.I. Joe says ‘don’t smoke!’” or, “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!”  When was the last time a cartoon of today’s age gave a lesson and a moral?  Now that doesn’t mean that you can’t pick up good, moral-centered themes throughout some of these new shows, but it seems like today’s cartoons are all about entertainment. 

Remember Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show (skinnamarink a dink-e-dink, skinnamarink e-doo, I love you!)?  Remember singing that with the arm gestures that went with it?  When was the last time you watched a cartoon or show where the performers said “I love you” to little children?  I don’t think that would fly too well in today’s world.  Remember Today’s Special?  David the Gnome?  The Smurfs?  Inspector Gadget (did he EVER catch Dr. Claw?!)?  Eureka’s Castle?  Dumbo’s flying circus?  Pinwheel?  Reading Rainbow?  Fraggle Rock?  Ok, so those last one’s weren’t cartoons…but they were still good! 

Those shows are classics! Oh well.  I guess I’ll just have to buy some of ‘em on DVD so someday my kids can watch the good stuff!

Jib Jab is the best hot dog shoppe in the world.  It is located in Girard, Ohio close to the town where Eric grew up.  Eric and his friends would frequent the restaurant in high school and Eric once at 13 hot dogs in one sitting!  If you’re ever in the area you have to go!

Jib Jab is also a website where you can insert photos of yourself and others into funny videos.  This video was sent to me by my sister Katie on St. Patrick’s Day.  Enjoy!