Hello everyone!  Here we are with the conclusion of our adventure…

Amazing how much they can stretch, I said.  Probably wants some cookies, I continued.  Dad agreed, they’re all broken anyway, he said as he tossed a piece to the squirrel.  And you thought the bear was back, didn’t you?  After our coffee break we headed down the tracks looking for that old town site.  Just a little bit past that curve, I said to Dad.  He never replied.  I don’t think he believed me. Past that curve there was no sign of the town site.  We kept going.  Should only be about a quarter mile from where we had our coffee, I remarked. 

Dad just looked at me.  Then he said, we’ve gone at least a mile already.  Really, doesn’t seem like it, I answered, but time always goes by fast when having fun.  We’re having fun?, asked Dad.  I certainly have been, I said and started laughing again as I remembered Dad falling into the mud.  Ha, ha, said Dad.  See, you’re having fun too, said I.  That was sarcasm, he said.  Odd.  Finally we came to a very long stretch of swamp.  We’re not going any farther, said Dad.  I agreed.  Very odd we couldn’t find the place.  Back we went.  As we neared the place where we had our coffee I said that perhaps we should go the other direction.  Dad looked at me.  I could tell he didn’t like that idea. 

It’s too late in the day now, he said, we’ll try again another time.  Sigh.  Now you’re getting me doing that sighing, said I.  Back down the trail we went.  Seemed to go a little faster on the way back, that’s the way it usually is though, unless we have a lot of insulators to carry back.  We didn’t even find any of those this trip.  At the creek we looked around for a better tree to use as a bridge.  None appeared safe to use.  Hey, why not go over to the dam and walk across that way, it should be easy to jump across that little gap in the dam, I said.  Dad looked and then actually agreed that might be a good idea.  You lead the way, he said.  Naturally.  It was a bit tough walking along the dam, lots of willows growing along it.

Whap!  AAAAA!!!!, yelled dad.  Seems a willow hit him across the face and knocked his hat flying into some water.  You should be more careful, I said.  I should stay home, he replied.  Dad retrieved his hat without any problems.  The gap where the creek flowed through was narrow and dad and I jumped across easily.  Then dad stepped on a loose stick and lost his balance.  He grabbed me to steady himself.  Not a good idea.  Dad was bigger than me.  I imagine the look on both our faces was priceless.  Down we went, landing in some water.  We were both soaked this time.  You’re not laughing, said Dad.  Ha, ha, I said.

That was enough for Dad.  He started laughing.  That got me too.  And I joined the laughter.   We managed to get up and made our way around and back onto the trail.   Back at the car dad said, I’m still soaked.  That got us both laughing again.  At home mom looked at dad’s mud covered clothes.  She shook her head and said to dad, you really need to be more careful.  I started laughing.  Dad asked, how can you laugh so much?

I hope you have enjoyed this adventure, it was definitely one of our more “fun filled” adventures.  Have a fantastic Friday everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod.