This week with Arlene and Jeff:
...When the commotion was over, and they were alone again, Phillip stood grinning as he took in the volume of "necessary" backpacking equipment strewn about the room, supposedly in some kind of order.
"Don't you dare say anything," Dessie said before her husband could comment. "A lot of that is yours. Besides, we have a base where most of it will stay until we have a use for it."
"I have a feeling that our first backpacking trip will be cut short."
"Why?" Dessie asked with a frown as she began moving boxes, apparently searching for something.
"Because we'll want to go back to the castle, rest up and lighten our packs."
"Oh, poo. Both of us are in reasonably good shape. We'll be sore for a few days, but we'll get used to it. Besides, we've done this before - many times."
"Yeah," he responded, chuckling, "twenty-plus years ago. I don't know how much loving you're going to get out of me after I lug that backpack all day."...
Have a goodun;
Roust