Chapter 20

It was nice to have a goal in our sights, menu planning. Claire, Susan and Sandy really brightened up as they got into it. Food is definitely a subject for all ages too. So I sat back, watched and listened.

As for me, I've done my share of cooking, but kept it simple. Camping is like that. The simpler it is the easier it is. Steak! There's a good one. A little charcoal. A slab of meat. Dinner.

But camping with the younger ones, extra simple. A branch or super long fork. Hot Dogs! All you need is some sort of fire and Voila, everyone's a cook. Plus, add in marshmallows and the forks do double duty.

Breakfasts are, or can be easy. Or add in a little TLC and they can wind up the fanciest meal of the day. Of course, coffee is a must. That has to be set up first. Put a pot of water on to boil along with the percolator and add in some instant oatmeal it becomes the easiest meal of the day. For a thrill, have mini marshmallows to top it off.

One thing I like in the mornings is an omelet. With a buttered pan, medium heat on the low side, all you need is eggs. Thoroughly beaten, poured and allowed to set. Easy perfection. Much better than scrambled or fried. With a variety of shredded cheeses, omelets can be used to keep breakfasts interesting.

But eggs cooked that way can lead to a myriad of varieties. Dice a small onion along with a green pepper. Saute that in the skillet and when the butter starts to brown, add the eggs and another Voila ... a Western Omelet. Or my easy version of one.

So, I was only half listening when I got a kick in the ankle. Susan became violent. Well, it was her version of, 'Claire to Jim'. Just as effective but not as subtle.

I was tempted to give the 'Ouch' routine but thought it better not to do it. After all, I did have three of the most gorgeous smiles looking at me. Without a thought I glanced around and just softly said, "What?"

They all started giggling. Girls. 'Arrrgh' I thought. I couldn't strangle them all. Even just one of them. They can be frustrating but on the other hand, they can be lots of fun ... pleasurable, too.

So rather than complaining by saying, 'What?' again, I waited for them to settle down and let me know what they wanted. It didn't take long. Sandy brought it home with, "Metal or Plastic?"

Well, I hoped they were talking about 'Silverware'. So, I offered my choice as, "Plastic," then added, "But the good kind, not the fifty for a dollar. Ones if we want, than can be reused or thrown away."

All that got was more giggles. Then I knew I was way off. Plus, I figured I'd better pay better attention to them. Finally though her laughs, Claire offered, "Chairs you goof. We were talking about getting a couple of chairs and a folding table.

"That way, we wouldn't have to always sit at the picnic table."

Now I was all for that. There were four of us and a folding card-table set was a good idea. Makes playing cards simple. Or a host of games. They're also easy up and easy clean and easy store.

"Change my vote ... Metal," I said. "Kmart or Target should have a set."

From there things went rather smoothly and I was into the conversation and kept away from zoning out. What was strange was Susan's lack of camping expertise. After all, her home base was the Lazy K.

I was polite not to say anything and along the way in our group's conversation she admitted she'd mainly observed 'Travel Trailer' camping. The tent style we'd be doing was foreign to her. Now I'd had some experience with Pop-Up trailers and they did provide a full range of amenities, especially even with the most basic being a bed that was not on the ground and a simple kitchen which included a sink and a basic two burner stove.