Afterglow 2013 - Day 1 Saturday

Kevin brought a couple of friends up to Afterglow this year. Some real good friends. In fact, it was his girlfriend Clare and her daughter Bella. The two of them were first timers here but they quickly acclimated to the lifestyle by putting on their swimsuits and joining us for a swim. If they keep this up, they will fit in just like a bear on a unicycle at the Circus. They still have those, right? I don't know. I haven't been to the Circus in years. Perhaps I should ask Bella. Kids still go to the Circus, right? I wouldn't know. I don't have kids.

It was a pretty tame fire tonight. There weren't a lot of people down there and we didn't bust out the guitars for a sing-along. You can't rage until the wheels fall off on the first night. How can you expect to roll if the wheels are off? I went up to KK by myself. I didn't ask anyone else to go with me. I wanted to be alone. Well, I wasn't really alone. I had the moon. And my Timmy candle. And whiskey. What else could I possibly need?

We always go swimming as soon as humanly possible. If Mom didn't need help putting away the stuff I would tuck and roll out of the car and right into the lake when we first got here. I know that Kevin would do the same. That's why I love this kid.

Beege had some car trouble this morning. Well, if you consider someone stealing your catalytic converter so they can sell it for scrap metal car trouble. It took Jenny longer to get up here than she had hoped but the import part is that she got here. Rage.

By the time we get out of the water it is already the evening and the darkness signals the end of the first day. Since we get up here a little late, the first day goes by way too fast. Soon we are wearing sweatshirts and pants and hunkering down for the night. I stopped by Cabin #5 to see what Stacy and Aunt Sandy were up to. I don't have to tell you because you can see it for yourself - not much. Not too much at all.

Stacy is in College. That would explain why she has her eyes closed. Confused? Apparently you've never been to College. She's thinking really hard. That's what College kids do. And when they do, they have to close their eyes. I'm surprised you didn't know that. And Dale? He's not thinking at all. He's on vacation. He knows how to turn off his brain and enjoy the serenity around him. Stacy should take lesson from Dale. She could stand to learn a thing or two from this mountain of a man.

Every year we talk about going night swimming. Most years it is just talk because we forget to do it. There's only one way to make sure that it happens - you go on the first night before you give yourself the chance to think about it. Thanks for joining me kids.

I don't know why the recliner is on top of the bed. I don't know why Kevin is on top of the recliner on top of the bed. But why ask questions? It's Afterglow ya dummy - just go with it. If you have time to stop and ask, you have time to figure it out for yourself.

Despite it being late July, it tends to get pretty cold up here at night. We are in the Northwoods after all. A few extra layers and a roaring campfire are usually in order, especially after a night swim. Whiskey helps too. In more ways than one. It fuels the fire if you know what I mean. Oh you do? You know what else fuels the fire? Wood. Forests have wood. Good thing we are in one.

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