July 31, 2004

• I just got the LDS News blurb that Elder David B. Haight passed away last night.  Is it some sort of record to lose 2 apostles in 10 days?  He was apparently the oldest apostle ever at 97.  I look forward to October conference for our new apostles.  I will miss the little messages and waves from E. Haight  and the amazing words of E. Maxwell. 

  
  

  Yesterday SV and I returned from our overnight camping trip with the “tuzzins”.  We tagged along with Garry and Liesl and kids to Lake Casitas.  It’s about 45 minutes from us northward.  Liesl arranged it all and did all the work.  She picked out a fantastic spot as close to the lake as you can get in this series of dry years.  We also had close access to a little playground that the kids took advantage of  often. 

  
  

  We arrived Thursday afternoon and after setting everything up and getting a dutchoven full of food cooking, we headed to the entrance of the campground where they have a little overpriced water park.  Unfortunately the main attraction was closed just as we got there because someone laid a little dookey in the water, but the river was still open and so around and around we went in innertubes for a about an hour.  SV liked it most of the time.  When we had to go through places that got sprinkles of water on her face she balked but other than that she had a great time.  I caught Joseph playing salmon and few times trying to swim upriver, and I don’t think I saw him with an innertube the whole time.  He is quite the little fish.  Katrina latched onto a single tube and went around and around in her little pink wetsuit.  GGnana probably had the best time.  She seems to like the water just fine in her onesie and swim diaper.  Gary helped her out a little.  Poor Jacob started the whole adventure with a yellow jacket bite right on the neck.  When we got back to the campsite and were all eating he stayed in the tent because he was afraid to get bit again.

  
  

  Mom and Dad Arnell joined us for  dinner and campfire pyromaniac fun.  Liesl did a great job with the cooking and the kids loved roasting marsh.  It was a lot of fun.  Later after half went down.  A few of us stayed out by the fire and enjoyed a nearly full moon reflected on the lake.  It was really nice.  Not to cool either.  SV didn’t think staying with me in the little tent was quite the thing.  She want go with her cousins in the “tint”.  But we slept well and arose early to Joseph and Katrina starting a fire by themselves. 

  
  

  We ate breakfast  in the tent to keep away from the millions of yellow jackets and then packed it all up.  Just as we were finishing a howl from the play ground sent Gary and Liesl running to Jacob.  Stung AGAIN.  He must have the sweetest or meatiest smelling skin around.  Poor kid is traumatized and will probably never want to go camping again.  I will be interested in his verbal account when he has had time to process it all in his little brain. 

  
  

  Brian has but one week left of this semester.  It’s all going by really quick for me but he is stressed and frustrated.  This one has been a challenge for him because of having to depend on undependable group members and having to pick up the slack. 

  
  

  Pictures to come in the next week.  They need to be developed still.  The woes of using film. 

  • 12:33 pm
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