Denise We sure did miss some school but it never mattered much. However, not being home all summer meant that we had to reconnect each fall with our friends again. As a result, I'm not sure any of us kids were as connected at school as we could have been. Indeed, I share little in common with most of my colleagues even today. But I'd do it the same way again. My wife is very uptight about pulling the kids out of school. This is one reason that I now usually fly them up to the lake. However, sometimes weather forces us to stay up there (aw shucks!) I've told my wife that she cannot ever question my decision to stay up there if I don't like the weather picture for flying back, even if the kids will miss school. Missing school is small compared to dying. It isn't hard to make a no-go decision because that means one more day with the grandparents at the lake!
Mark I agree school is important, but a few days aren't going to cause a problem they way I look at it. A little harder since Paul entered High School as I know he could get behind quickly there. I took the boys out the week of Thanksgiving and didn't think twice about as I knew they really weren't going to be doing much for those couple of days in class. When I have called the school in the past I have always stated to them that "FAMILY" time is just as important and some times more in this day and age. "Missing school is small compared to dying." I agree! That is why I don't take advantage of three day holiday weekends, too many crazies out there. In fact the trip to AZ for Thanksgiving with my oldest was the first time I had traveled on a holiday weekend in 25 years!
Mark, I grew up that way and so did my kids. I think it is good to get them in the woods during the summer. My daughter had her own boat when she was about 12 or 13. She also brought friends up with her and she had her water ski friends. She still goes back up there camping. I thought it was great. My sons had sort of a test for their girl friends that went something like this. They carried the canoe and gave the girl maybe one paddle and a cushion to carry. The rest of the gear was in the canoe. Then they took off straight through the woods to a remote lake. The girls usually came back a little scratched up and muddy. If they survived that, they were OK. Razz Very Happy Confused jim
We all must be related. For me, the girlfriend had to be willing to ride from our lake into Boulder Junction on the back of my Suzuki 125 enduro on the snowmobile trails and logging roads. If she thought that was fun, then she was OK. And she had to learn to waterski. I haven't (yet, at least) enrolled my kids in scouts. I was a boy scout but always felt that it was a poor substitute for the time at the cabin anyway so instead of enrolling my kids in scouts we go up north and do nature walks, lumberjacking, fishing, canoe trips (including portaging over the beaver dams!) and, of course, waterskiiing - which occupies the most time. My dad makes the kids all go to boating school up there once they are old enough. Great stuff!
Swvski1 went hiking with her boyfriend and he hurt his ankle. She carried him back to the car!! I didn't believe she could do it so she picked him up and carried him around the yard just to prove it. That swivel skiing on the tapes looks very graceful, and it is. It also takes a lot of strength. Those one handed presses are about like a one handed push up. We had a couple of observed trials bikes up there. A 125 Honda and a 250 Yamaha. jim
Here is my wife's toy. I like to steal it from her as much as possible, especially on hot sunny days. I don't like driving it so much during the winter because it has the hard top on, and she has a sticker on the back that says "Silly boys... Jeeps are for girls". Everyone looks at you "funny" when they see a guy driving it. Greg It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand.
My Dad is a Jeep Guy here is a picture that I took a month or so ago. He goes out to the desert with me and my friends on a regular basis just to mess around. Daniel
So What Can I Do To Get Some Ideas For A Place For The Regatta??? The human interest quotient of this group is one for the record books. Help me help you get this group together. Preferably sooner than later so that we can move forward faster in terms of getting to know each other and enjoy each other's company and friendship that much more. Thanks, Tim
I forgot, it would be an unrivalled first to get the Dynes together as we hang out, ski, consume prodigious quantities of roast pig, corn on the cob, burgers, Wisconsin Brats (there are no others), and very responsibly, premium beer with the food. It is about 8 degrees here in the West Suburbs of Chicago and I am ready to start cooking NOW!!!
