Camp Dad, Day Two

June 23, 2009

I did it. I tired the child out. After about three hours on a horse, Bel said: “Can we just go inside and rest now.”

Music to my ears.

She’s been riding Black Bart bareback the last couple of days, learning to get her balance at a trot. There’s no better way to get in rhythm with a horse than bareback riding. It forces you to use your “seat” more than anything else. And it’s absolutely beautiful to watch. Just don’t ask me to do it – ouch. Eleven-year olds seem to do it better…

–

Guest Lecturer at Camp Dad: Yep, we also got a visit from my long-time friend Dylan today. He popped in to say “hi” and catch up on old times. I met Dylan in my Walden days when he was a mere middle-schooler. His father, Gary, taught me the ways of the wild and did a damn fine job teaching Dylan the same.

Dylan’s a recovering carpenter, having spent years building houses for the rich and famous in Stowe (hey, it pays), but has now moved onto a more “regular” job (read: benefits). Good for him.

Today’s visit included a story about one of the last houses he worked on for the CEO of Union Carbide. Yes, of Bhopal “fame.” Dylan knew his patience for building houses for bastards was over when they helped move a plaque into the newly constructed 15,000 square-foot house that featured this message from the officials of Bhopal: “Thank you for the $250 million contribution to our relief efforts.”

Kill and maim thousands, cough up a couple hundred million and get thanked via a plaque? Nice world, huh? And what kind of person would proudly display such a plaque? Oh yeah, a CEO who retired at the age of 52 to live in a 15,000 square foot mansion in Stowe. What happened to “no justice, no peace”?

Many years ago Dylan and his dad taught me how to hunt: Skip the bullets, enjoy the woods. His father bought me my first and only hunting rifle – a Browning 308/pump action – as a gift. But it was also to make sure I could participate in the hunting tradition of getting up early to hang with the fellas, walk the woods and collect the tales of the wild (“you know what I saw!). Good times, indeed.

But the best news of the day is that we got Dylan to take his first horse ride. After reporting that he was “scared to death” of horses, we let him know Black Bart was just the horse for him.

So up he went – without a hitch. I’ll let you decide how nervous Dylan looks:

Good day, for sure. Thanks for the visit, Dylan.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog 

Comments

5 Responses to “Camp Dad, Day Two”

  1. mentor on June 24th, 2009 8:55 pm

    so dylan drops by, rides,drinks, and gets his picture on the blog. i do all those things and more———–

  2. M. Colby on June 24th, 2009 9:06 pm

    Yes, but Dylan kept his clothes on….

  3. Fearless on June 25th, 2009 12:13 am

    Lame Blogging

    “….You get what you pay for.

    Hint, hint.”

    What value do I get out of your blogging?
    Entertainment?

    Useful information?

    Anything that enriches me to be able to share my enrichment?

    Just wondering.

  4. dilldawg on June 25th, 2009 1:02 pm

    Look Dad I am famous!!!

  5. M. Colby on June 25th, 2009 3:40 pm

    Fearless: You should answer your question (”what value do I get out your blogging?”) because you keep coming here. It must be worth something. Or maybe it’s just the web equivalent of looking at a car wreck: Look but don’t enjoy.

    If you don’t donate, may I suggest therapy?

Got something to say?





*
To prove you're a person (not a spam script), type the security word shown in the picture. Click on the picture to hear an audio file of the word.
Click to hear an audio file of the anti-spam word