June 2005

We went on a boat-in, tent camping trip from June 23 through June 26.  Yes, us, the Straka's -- in a TENT!  Some of the group went on Wednesday.  Actually, I pulled the boat and all our gear up on Thursday morning as Mike had to work.   I met the Hyland's and the Fitzsimmons (minus Joe, who also had to work) at Starbuck's at 5:30 a.m.  With help from Pat, Bob and Igg, Boaty Boat was launched and driven over to the campground. And with help from Stacey, I (yeah, ME) pitched the tent.  Mike and Joe hooked up on Friday afternoon and came up together.  There were 16 adults, 16 children, 1 dog, 6 boats and 1 jet ski.  Lot's of fun was had by all.  This was mine and Mike's first tent camping trip since Eagle Lake 1997, before Nat was even born!  We did pretty well and the kids enjoyed the experience.  Not even the Dookey Monster swayed them.  You know, another of my phobias.  The big, brown, swirling, burbling, gurgling mass that reaches up and swipes at your bottom.  They want to do it all the time.  In our old age, however, we decided Sharkey (our trailer) is sticking around for a loooong time.

 

Last year, the lake level was much lower!  Remember?  Oroville 2004

 

Let's see how my memory is.  In the group this year were:

 

Pat, Stacey, Shane and Lauren Russell

Joe, Marcie, Kasey and Molly Fitzsimmons

Bob, Mitzi, Bridget and Matt Hyland

Scott (Igg), Saralin, Natalie and Michael Allin (Oh yes and Leo, the best dog ever.)

Steve, Beth, Christopher, Cassidy, Hayley and Hunter Lujan

Wes, Lorena and Colton

Brett, Karen and Layton

Mike, Rosy, Nicolas and Natalie Straka

 

 

The kids had a great time catching frogs.  Here's a little guy in the container of choice.  Our red drinking cups.

 

"Let me go!"

 

On Thursday evening, they caught a toad.  Here's Bridget holding him. 

 

Molly gets a turn before they let him go for the night. 

 

Yet another little fellow. 

 

Nat turned out the be the master frog catcher.  Hey, only the girls were catching frogs.  What's up with that, boys?  Nat found two toads.  They were "hugging".  She couldn't pry them apart so she let them go. 

 

Frog Island certainly had an abundance of them. 

 

They were even subjected to bunny ears. 

 

Unfortunately, one didn't make it.  The girls gave it a proper burial with everyone in attendance. 

 

Rosy

 

Stacey, Bob and Marcie

 

Pat, Igg, Natalie and Saralin

 

A group gets ready to get dragged around the lake. 

 

We took a day trip up the to the water falls on Saturday.  We anchored, tied the boats together and hung out for a while.  It was dubbed Boat Island.  The boats are from left: Fitzsimmons', Straka's, Russell's, Lujan's, Hyland's, and Allin's. 

 

Kasey caught a fish, bass we think!  She took a picture with him and then let him go. 

 

Some hikers returning from the falls. 

 

Layton, Kasey and Chris

 

I like the hood ornament, Hunter. 

 

Wes, Steve, Beth and Lorena

 

Had to take a photo so our family would believe we were in a tent!

 

Relaxing by the water.  We had the best weather ever.  Not too hot, not too cold.  Just perfect!

 

Nicolas was quite helpful on this trip.  Maybe a ploy to get us to tent camp more. 

 

Mitz and Stace

 

Shane and Nic.  Nic had a sleepover at Shane's on Thursday and Saturday nights.  The Russell kids have their own tent.  Lor Lor had sleepovers at our tent with Nat on those nights. 

 

Lauren, Cassidy, Bridget and Nat

 

Natalie and Lor Lor. 

 

Colton

 

Hunter and Matt

 

Kasey

 

Stacey, Pat, Beth, Mitzi, Bob, Joe and Marcie

 

The kids had a glow stick light saber something or other going.  Michael, thank you for the C batteries.  We're sorry you didn't get to use them!

 

One last ride.  Nic, Nat and Shane. 

 

The boys have to 'check the prop'. 

 

Nic helped break down camp, too. 

 

Heading out!  I got to drive in the peace and quiet of CT Speedy while Daddy pulled Boaty Boat with Big for the ride home. 

 

Great people, great weather, great fun!  THANKS EVERYONE! 

 

Oh yeah, I sort of messed up the Blonde Guy Joke.  Here it is for real:

 

Blonde Guy Joke
An Irishman, a Mexican and a Blonde Guy were doing construction work on scaffolding on the 20th floor of a building.

They were eating lunch and the Irishman said, "Corned beef and cabbage! If I get corned beef and cabbage one more time for lunch, I'm going to jump off this building."

The Mexican opened his lunch box and exclaimed, "Burritos again! If I get burritos one more time I'm going to jump off, too."

The blond opened his lunch and said, Bologna again! If I get a bologna sandwich one more time, I'm jumping too."

The next day, the Irishman opened his lunch box, saw corned beef and cabbage, and jumped to his death.

The Mexican opened his lunch, saw a burrito, and jumped, too.

The blonde guy opened his lunch, saw the bologna and jumped to his death as well.

At the funeral, the Irishman's wife was weeping. She said, "If I'd known how really tired he was of corned beef and cabbage, I never would have given it to him again!"

The! Mexican's wife also wept and said, "I could have given him tacos or enchiladas! I didn't realize he hated burritos so much."

Everyone turned and stared at the blonde guy's wife.

The blonde guy's wife said, "Don't look at me. He makes his own lunch