Kindling

"Go collect some kindling!"

kin⋅dling: noun
1. material that can be readily ignited, used in starting a fire 2. the act of one who kindles

I stared at a blank expression. We were five miles outside of Ithaca, NY, camping deep in the woods, maybe a quarter mile from county Road 34. Five feet away from the car, sure, but we needed kindling! Brian still stared at me. Brad knew the definition, but only because he had a few more years of vocabulary building, and he still had no idea how to collect it. Anyway, it's their Dad's fault for not initiating them into manhood properly.

"Look around you! Use your man instincts!"

Still blank. So we got in the car and bought some Topps Supermarket Firewood for 5.99 a bundle. I dropped a gallon of water on the way out and we ran without waiting for cleanup.

Going to be cold. Stopped at the VOA Second Hand for some pants and a flea infested sleeping bag. Bought a 34 waist what was I thinking I said goodbye to that years ago but the sleeping bag was awesome.

Blinded everyone with my sweet new Platz headlight all night (paid $40 for that at Eastern Mountain Sports after a 22-year-old salesman with cool sideburns said he couldn't live without it when he was winter camping in the Adirondacks). Bradley slept through my Evinrude Outboard Motor snoring but Chris didn't, he reminded me about it three times during our Coleman Gas Stove breakfast. I told him Ruth doesn't say I snore. Note to self: Don't grill toast over propane.

Brad and Chris schooled us at badminton (although Brian's overhead amd my Lin Dan serve will resurface with ferocity at Apple Valley next week), we swam in 62 degree water, we ate meat, ham, and twizzlers. All around a successful camping expedition in Western New York.