Get Lost! And Take Your Kid With You!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

At least that was the plan. Not the actual getting lost part, I hardly ever do that any more. But I was going to take Soupo out to a local park for a day out. Hiking and digging and beef jerky. It was going to be a full day. It was going to be a full weekend. A Big Time Camp Out to compliment last year’s Big Man Camp Out. But, alas, schedules conflicted and no one could make it this past weekend. It would have just been Soupo and me and he gave it some thought and decided it would be better to reschedule for some time when, say, Uncle Skippy could make it too. Apparently, I’m not fun enough.

So we didn’t go camping. But Soupo decided I would be fun enough to go hiking with. At least for a day. As long as there’s other things to do too. So that was the plan. We were going to get up Saturday morning and eat doughnuts and head off to the woods. We’d hike around a little, maybe try to find a Letterbox cache or two, maybe stop by the nature center and see what they had, and then go to the “fossil area” and dig a few holes. It was a big plan for a big day. Only it didn’t work out.

First, when I tried to get on the Letterbox site, I couldn’t get on the Ohio list. This meant I couldn’t find the clues for the cache I had planned on hunting for. Oh waily, waily waily! That was pretty sad, but as it turned out, it didn’t matter. Not at all. It decided the weekend would be a faboo time to rain. Just rain like crazy. It’s still not finished raining yet. We gots us a bunch of rain. So the hike got scrubbed. Instead we went to the Children’s Museum and saw Children Throughout the Ages! It was a little creepy seeing the frozen kids in the glass cases, but the were Authentically Dressed, so it was educational. That’s what you look for when you’re six, a chance to go to a museum and learn something. You should have seen how quickly he pounded out his report when we got home. Five pages, type written, double spaced. He was on fire!

Then for dinner, since we had all the stuff and weren’t going to use it, we grilled out some hot dogs and ate peanuts out of the shell (but we couldn’t throw the shells in the fire since I have a gas grill and it would screw it up and also since I’m just no darned fun) and drank purple soda (he drank the purple soda, I had root beer) and had rip bread and for dessert we made s’mores.

To continue the Special Day theme, we let Soupo stay up late and we all watched a movie together. The whole family, gathered together to watch a movie. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Man! That Amy O’Neil can act her ass off.

Since it was Soupo’s special day and we didn’t want Katcha to wreck it by being a baby, and since we’re watching our pennies with the whole move thing, we just locked the little whiner in the closet. Didn’t want him getting into anything dangerous. Oh, that reminds me. I should probably let him out now. Gotta go.
-Rue.

2

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the SDMB’s nominee for Father of the Year, Rue DeDay! :smiley: Educational fun - what a dad you are! But I’m curious about Uncle Skippy - do tell - surely there’s a story there somewhere. He’s your brother, right? Ya gotta give us a peek into the childhood of little Rue and Skippy.

No fair, though - you got rain and we got dusty dry. Well, at least until last night, when thunderstorms finally rolled across the county. I didn’t mind the early evening storms, but I coulda done without the midnight storm. I think I speak for my dog too - she managed to open the laundry room door and come into my bedroom when the thunder got too loud and too close.

Anyway, sounds like you had a fun weekend, but mine was funner! I dined with swampbear. It was an evening of firsts - I’m the first Doper he’s met IRL and he’s the first Doper to be in my house. Plus, that sweet-talker told me that Im a cheap date! A pleasant time was had by all. Hugs were exchanged. And the scallops were excellent.

3

What an odd coincidence, Rue, I was camping this weekend too! Well, semi-camping. I was at a re-enactment, and it was very rainy and muddy so I quickly assessed the situation (whined), realized that no amount of effort would allow me to erect the tent (too lazy to clean it after), and decided to take the manly route of sleeping in my car.

But I did do all of the rest of the camping stuff, like marshmallows over the fire, and hot dogs over the fire, and a new player over the fire. I also peed in the woods and stuff, which is natural manly stuff to do when camping.

The point is, though, what kind of dad would refuse to let his child throw peanut shells into the gas grill? Half the fun of eating peanuts from the shell is finding creative stuff to do with the empties.

So: The judge from Fairfax gives Rue an 8.2. The spending time with kids thing was a big plus in points for the father of two, but he lagged off in his end game with the peanuts and closet thing.

4

Thank you for the Monday morning smile, Ruebaby.

5

Rip bread?

6

Slight hijack: Rue, looks like the British Islesfest weekend should be open for us. Let’s make some plans to lose our children amongst men wearing skirts. Also there’s some cool stuff going on at the zoo soon with Spiderman and Wolverine making an appearance. Are you members?

7

Is rip bread like ripstop nylon? Do they make parachutes out of it?
Cause I don’t know how practical that would be. Especially in the rain. It’s fine if you’re invading some dry sort of place, but say you were dropping paratroopers on, I dunno, the Amazon rainforest, or something? Their parachutes would all disintigrate before they hit the ground (then they’d hit the ground a lot faster). They’d maybe even get eaten by toucans and stuff. I’ll be they like rip bread even better than they like Fruit Loops, or whatever cereal that is with the colorful animated spokestoucan.

On the plus side, bread is biodegradable, so maybe rip bread parachutes are a good idea from an environmental standpoint.

I’ll do a few field-tests and get back to you.

Kn(Geronimooooo!!)ckers

8

There was no fun Snickers. I was very clear on that. “Don’t have any fun! Learn stuff!” That’s what I said. Over and over. Some kids, sheesh, they just don’t listen.

What were you re-enacting welby? A famous camp out from history? Not from before there was Spam I trust. Who would want to re-enact that sort of horror?

You’re welcome Gazelle. It’s the least I could do.

Now listen Ex. Rip. Bread. If you paid any attention to these things as I’ve gone along, you would know all about rip bread. You could do a search, but I figure you’d just screw things up so I’ll just tell you.

You get a round loaf of (perferably, but not necessarily) sourdough bread. And you eat it by ripping of hunks. It’s best with some sort of cheese. Sharp cheddar is best.

Not just Spiderman, but Spiderchick too Shibb. Don’t forget Spiderchick.

I don’t know what it is, but the British Isles Fest thread keeps dying. Maybe a few shameless plugs will get it a little attention.

I think a crispy biscuity type bread product might last a little longer Knmad scientistkers. But you let us know how things are going for you. Just watch out for the ducks.

Hey! Did you notice the dot in the envelope that’s to the left of the thread title? If you posted to the thread, there’s a dot on the envelope, so you can find your threads easier. That’s so way-cool, it’s jake.

No, no Cecil. You just read along. Don’t bother replying in here. I wouldn’t want you to anyway. Don’t take up any of your valuable time with the likes of me.

(So? You think that would work?)
-Rue. (the observant)

9

I think the bread parachute has some serious potential. We just need to get in touch with Chevy Chase’s character from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. IIRC, he was working on some sort of coating to put on cereal to make it stay cripsy in milk at the begining of the movie. Just spray some of that on your riparabread (patent pending) and it should last until the riparabreadee is safely on the ground, enjoying the crusty goodness of his riparabread. The slogan:

“Use Riparabread! You won’t get dead!”

10

(Special Announcement! Pay Attention!)

I just bought one of them longish-tunic-and-loose-pants Indian outfits. I think they’re called Punjabi suits. It’s very comfortable, and has drawstring pants, so I can gradually get fat without anyone noticing. I decided that it looked good on me, it was $29 for the outfit, and I’m just ethnically confusing-looking enough to pass for Indian in one.

Therefore, since I’m feeling all Indian, I’m about to make naan. It’s a possibly parachute-able flatbread kind of like pita.

Another upside to the drawstring pants, as a friend who wants me to produce a small child for her to play with pointed out, is that they’d be excellent for maternity wear. I’m still not getting pregnant so she can have a baby to play with by Valentine’s Day, though.

I drank some bizarre Latin American soda yesterday. It wasn’t purple, it was red. I bought a bunch of them to keep some pork I got cold, and drank them all, and regardless of colour, they all tasted like cream soda, which leads me to believe that SOuth Americans have a weird cream soda fixation.

11

Hey, if you were to subsitute a sequined vest for the tunic thingy Lissla and kept the pants, would it be like a genie outfit? Not that I’m thinking of you in a genie outfit. (Yes Master, your wish is my command…) No, no, nothing like that. I was just curious.
-Rue. (as curious as George)

12

Rue we rarely re-enact campouts of old. Far too many things that we don’t want to remember. And almost no one brings Spam. We’re more the hot dog / bloody steak crowd.

So what we usually do is re-enact medival style combat and warfare. We hit each other and everything. There’s something to be said about eating a few hot dogs cooked over an open flame and then going out of your camp to beat the hell out of someone.

13

So, um, the parachute thing? Bad idea.
Well, maybe rip bread, or naan or something would have worked, but all I had was sliced whole wheat. And none of Chevy’s Chase’s cereal crispifier stuff. It wasn’t even rainy, but as you may be aware, yeast bread is FULL OF LITTLE HOLES.

I really should have realized that was going to be a problem.

Ouch.

14

I think I would have taken my father a lot less seriously growing up if I knew he had a brother named “Uncle Skippy”.

Good for Soupo.

15

Great story, great day, you’re a great dad, Rue.

16

I’m going to hijack this, because I know that Rue is a jake kind of guy and doesn’t mind, and because I think the parachute bread thing is a little bit lame. We’re kind of off our game today, aren’t we, kids? Livin’ for the weekend? Not that I’m helping! :wink:

Also, I don’t think this deserves its own thread.

My best friend is getting married this Fri., and I was really panicking because I just could not find a dress! I mean, this isn’t just any old event, I can’t just throw on that same tired thing I wore to everyone else’s wedding. Then, at practically the last minute, I found it! At a store I had checked weeks ago. Now, this is not my favorite store, because I think their line is a little old-lady-frumpy for my taste. I usually have a hard time finding a shirt or sweater that doesn’t have sequins, rhinestones or applique on it.

The clerk told me that the dress had just come in and was selling fast. They didn’t have it online, so I called the store near me. The store didn’t have it in my size, but there was one in Harrisburg, so I had it brought over from there.

It’s so pretty, and, even better, it looks good on me. AND it was on sale! Yay, me! :smiley:

Now, I just have to find some shoes…

17

Now don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but you’re kind of new around here, or at least don’t post all that much (read: you might have a Real Life), and so I don’t know you yet. Sometimes when you read a screenname it connotates, for the reader, an image or a gender. From the first paragraph I assumed you were a guy. So it was a little strange to read how much you needed a dress. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Whatever floats your boat, as long as no one else gets hurt.

Anyway, nice to meet you. And I’m sorry that you have to go to Pennsylvannia to get a dress.
Rue, there’s all kinds of fun stuff happening in town this weekend, and we’re invited to a grill out on Monday, so can you please refrain from any camping or hiking activities in the area? I’d really like to get some nice weather for a change.

18

Hopefully, Lissla won’t mind me linking to a picture of her teaching the Toronto Dopers to bellydance.

:smiley:

19

So that’s Lissla. Yum, yum, yum. I mean… uh… what I meant to say was… Nuh-uh! That ain’t her! She’s not wearing her tiarra. That’s how you would know Lissla in a crowd, her tiarra.

Ok Shibb. Just for you, I won’t be leaving the house for the next… 10 days. Does that work for you? This does mean I’ll miss the kick-off Church Festival right up the road this weekend. But no sacrifice is too great for you. That’s how much I like you.

You had the chance to go to Harrisburg and you skipped it Wintermute? You know Zappo lives there. You could have met up with him. Even though you might not actually know who ol’ Zap is. But it would be worth your time to go to Harrisburg and meet Zap. He’s that good a time. Heck, he’s worth a special trip. Now you know.

Thanks Zenster. You’re right. I AM a great dad. I’m the greatest dad out of all my sibs. ALL OF THEM! I’m the best. Me! (Don’t forget, I’m the good dad of the lot.)

Soupo’s dad doesn’t have a brother named “Uncle Skippy”. I have a brother named “Skippy”. (Really, that’s what I call him. It’s not a nom de web or nuthin’.) Soupo has an “Uncle Skippy” in his own right. Pay some attention here lieu. Sheesh.

Maybe if you squash the bread flat, the holes will fill in Knexperimentorixkers. It’s just a thought. I do that a lot. Think. You can’t always tell, but really, I do think a lot. I’m thinking right now. I won’t tell you what I’m thinking. But you could probably guess.

Oh, yeah, hot dogs. That’s way more hoity and toity than Spam welbs. It’s nice to see you have your standards. (I only say this because you’re waaaaay over there and you can’t whack me with your re-enactable bashy things over an Internet connection. If you ever showed up actually at my door, I’d say I wasn’t home and give you directions to Skippy’s house. What are brothers for?)
-Rue. (current)

20

Hey, welby, I was camping this weekend, too! Cabin camping, though, and it only rained for about half an hour. Got to run around in the woods and smack people with sticks and try desperately not to fall down and impale myself on a tree branch. I was here.

Rue, you still win. I left my kids at home so they could play on the computers all weekend while I got to drive to South Dakota and back. W00t.