Day off

I received an unexpected day off today and how lovely it is that it is unseasonably cool. Tonight should be perfect for sleeping in my tent. The only thing that might spoil it would be the noises from the demolition derby going on at the county fair. It's surprising sometimes how far sounds can carry. This bit of resort weather really ought not to be wasted.

In a few days, I'm heading to the city to do a bit of book shopping, hit GAP for some shirts and then wander through the aisles of one of my favorite emporiums Gander Mountain. If you need serious hiking boots, this is the place. If you need a bedspread with a fishing lure design, look no further. And their selection of jerky is second to none.

I am taking a college kid with me who loves bookstores. She doesn't get the opportunity to leave town much, so I thought she'd like to come along. On the way home, I want to check out the camping facilities at a state park that I've never visited. If the tent camp sites are separated from the RV sites, it's a good sign to me. I'd prefer not to sit by my campfire with a soundtrack of Wheel of Fortune in the background. Some camp grounds are wonderfully designed with lots of privacy. Other camp grounds are afterthoughts. The park we are going to check out also has lots of hiking trails. Hiking and scouting out a good spot to watch the sunset are key activities of any of my camping trips. Sunset watching spots often takes some effort to find, but a good sunset is often the high light of my trip.

My latest recommended book, a gift from my sister, is Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi. It is the true story of Salbi's childhood growing up in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. She lived in protected privilege because her Dad was Hussein's personal pilot. It is a terrifying tale and an insider's view of this despot's regime. It is also gave me some understanding of the current unrest in Iraq. Twenty years of stirring up suspicion and pitting ethnic groups against one another can't be undone over night. Even the insiders paid a horrible price. There is reoccurring her question, the same one I would ask myself, why did they chose to stay when they had the opportunity and means to leave. It's a fascinating read.