My wife likens life in our new Florida home to being in camp. She enjoys structured activities like yoga, water aerobics, walking, bicycling, and even visits to the dog park to be part of her every day social  exchange with our neighbors, drawing on her childhood experiences at Camp Tecumseh. In the afternoons, she retreats to our “little cabin” to relax. There are, of course, mosquitos, frogs, and other creatures to deal with, while it’s really been to hot for a campfire. She’ll get out of her “bunk” about 9 a.m., after I’ve completed my run, to get her day started. I’m thrilled she’s enjoying retired life. 

I guess my camping experience, from her perspective, would consist of running, swimming, and writing.  We used to get ribbons and trophies for participating in these things. I was never much of an outdoorsman so I went to basketball camp and slept in air conditioned comfort. I tried the YMCA day camp and even the Boy Scouts, but both were unpleasant experiences. (See Post #288). Between home sickness, injury, and a counselor’s death, to leave the comforts of home was never a good option for me. Rustic is not in my vocabulary while nature and I just don’t get along. Even spending the night in my grandparent’s various mobile homes was never pleasant, especially when they didn’t have indoor plumbing. I’m clearly a city boy!

Obviously, the last thing I want to think of our home is as a cabin in the woods. I have yet to get into the organized activities available in our resort style  community. The only time I go outside most days is my forty-five minute run every morning. The post-swim is in our caged lanai where screens protect me from Mother Nature. I did wander out there in the middle of the night to watch for meteor showers and I think I actually saw one, but not the fireworks anticipated. The stars were beautiful and it made me feel like I was in a backyard planetarium. However, I soon lost interest and went back to bed. While I write this, my wife has started her day at camp. I’ll probably sit inside and watch the History Channel’s Curse of Akakor where others endure the dangers of the Amazon River. The closest I’ll probably ever get to the Amazon is ordering something via Prime!