Category: Family

“Dad, can we go crayfishing today?”

They had both been introduced to crayfish a few weeks back when visiting family. Their initial attempt had proven futile as none of the critters were found in the stream. Scout camp had rekindled their interest because one of the Nature activities was to go crayfishing in the stream at the camp. They both had success there, getting a chance to see a crayfish for the first time as well as catch one.

Now, they wanted to go looking for crayfish in the stream that runs along the back of our property. To be honest, I didn’t.

The stream is not easily accessible, with lots of tall grasses and steep, muddy banks. Not to mention bugs the size of my fingers flying around and mosquitoes that carried around syringes. Plus, the only spot I could think that might be suitable for crayfishing was a bit of a hike away.

So, I let the question hang in the air and figured they’d get distracted by something else today. After all, when we ask them to do things they constantly get distracted by something else.

Naturally, such was not the case today and late this afternoon, I begrudgingly took them on a hike to look for crayfish.

When we got close to the spot, we lucked out that the property owner was around and he told us an easy way to get down to the stream where we wouldn’t have to deal with tall grasses. Plus, the bank got nice and close to the water for easy entry and exit. When we arrived at the spot, we got another bonus- it put us right in a spot in the stream where, if there were crayfish to be found, we were where they’d be.

So the boy and the lass, armed with plastic cups for catching purposes, plopped down into the stream. It was only about a minute before the boy was pointing and asking if that was a crayfish.

It was indeed, and a rather large specimen to boot. Bigger than any of the ones he’d seen at Scout camp. We didn’t catch that one as it shot under a large rock. But a little further upstream, we hit the motherload with 3 and 4 inch crayfish just sitting out in the open, rather than hiding under rocks.

The boy went about his own way catching them. I had to lend the lass a hand. She couldn’t quite master the coordination of getting the cup behind the critter and then driving them back into it. She finally scored a success with a smaller specimen towards the end of the adventure. The boy scored a success when he spotted and captured the biggest one of the day, probably close to 6 inches long.

When it was all said and done, I’d had an enjoyable time. In spite of myself, really. I had to admit that I was glad I’d let the kids convince me to take them out. Many times, they’ve got ideas that don’t quite pan out (like “The 13 Amazing Shows”- but that’s another post, maybe.) But this time, they got it right.

Where I come from, c-r-e-e-k is pronounced “crick”. Kinda like how “roof” rhymes with “woof.”

I’m firmly of the opinion that there is no better source of entertainment for a kid than water. Even better, the amount is irrelevant. Give a kid a cup of water and it’s a magic potion. Give a kid a tub of water and it becomes an ocean full of high adventure. Give them a pool or more, and they create their own worlds.

We got to the creek a little after lunch time. The kids would have happily gone in without eating anything. The parents were a little savvier than that and made sure to get some nourishment in them. After they finished their sandwiches and drinks, we barely had a chance to spray them down with sunscreen. The water didn’t beckon, it was pulling at them like a black hole.

The parents joined them for a time as well. They searched for tadpoles and fish and crawdads. We turned over rocks and searched for whirlpools and deeper water. They pretended to slip and fall. I’m not sure why they felt the need for an excuse to get wet. They were in their swim suits. Like there was ever any chance they’d stay dry.

After exhausting the search for intriguing forms of life, they moved on to finding some areas with stronger currents that they could ride for awhile. They took turns “riding the rapids” and trying to catch each other’s hand as they went by. They took turns “surfing” through the currents.

When the water finally began to lose some of it’s allure, they made their way back to the shore and started practicing the fine art of skipping stones. First, the right kind of stone has to be found. Not to big for their hand, a side that’s almost completely flat (though a bit of a curve doesn’t hurt), and round like a dish. After that, comes the grip. Without the right grip, the stone won’t spin, and if it doesn’t spin, it won’t skip. And if it doesn’t skip; well, that just won’t do. Finally, there’s the throw. Not too far, not too close, not too fast, not too slow. Every stone is different, and every throw has to be just right for that stone. We spend a lifetime honing our stone skipping skills. That’s why we start ’em early. It never gets old.

Then, finally, after all the good stones have been mined from the shore and the water, we get one last treat. The boy turns a rock over and there’s a salamander. He found it and caught it. So what if he thought it was some kind of weird worm and didn’t realize it had legs until he picked it up. He shows his prize to anyone who is willing to look.

When the time to leave finally arrives, the boy and the lass are too tired to argue. So are their cousins. The youngest falls asleep almost immediately, and none of them make it back home awake. The best indicator of an afternoon well spent.

After their marathon lack-of-sleep session in the tent, the Wife and I decided a little revenge was in the offing. I didn’t let them take a nap all day yesterday. They both tried at various points. The best attempt came from the boy first, while running some errands he nearly fell asleep in the car; and then second, while waiting for dinner he snuck upstairs to his room. The lass didn’t try too hard. I was prepared for some epic levels of fatigue induced confrontation; remarkably, none was forthcoming.

But it was worth it come bed time. The didn’t argue and were both in bed shortly after 8. They were asleep by 8:15 and the boy was the first one up at about 7:30. The lass slept until almost 8:30. I can’t remember the last time she slept that late- it might well be never.

The boy wanted to sleep outside in his tent last night. It took some politicking, but he eventually peaceably agreed to allow his sister to join him. He just wanted help getting his tent setup, which I agreed to do. My only condition was that he helped with the setup, and he did. So everyone went to bed happy last night.

But not everyone woke up happy this morning. Since being outside in a tent together is such a unique experience, neither of them was able to fall asleep until late. The Wife and I expected them to be up a bit, but not until almost 10:30 with their shucking and jiving.

But the worst of it came at about 3AM this morning when they both got up to go to the bathroom. Their entering and exiting the house woke up both the Wife and I. And then we both stayed awake as we listened to them chat. And chat. And chat. And chat.

And giggle.

We both let it ride initially because we figured there was no way they’d be able to stay awake that long. But after 45 minutes, the Wife went first and told them they were keeping us up and to go to sleep. Shortly after the Wife climbed back into bed, it was like she’d never been down there. So I took my turn telling them to go to sleep. At least at this point, it was still dark outside.

But not for much longer. Once the Sun started to rise, they started talking again. And when it became clear there would be no more sleep to be had, the Wife went downstairs to knit and drink some coffee. I also eventually yielded to reality.

So when they go to take that inevitable afternoon nap, I’ll be sure to pick them up and drop them in the pool. Multiple times if necessary.

The lass arrived home at her usual time. The boy got home after only a half-day of school. So it’s now officially official, the school year is done.

The Winter had a lot to do with how long it seemed in the end. We had a bunch of snow days to make up and the administration decided to tack the extra days on to the end of the year. That decision chagrined many of us parents whom, when it became clear that days would have to be made up, felt the days should have come out of the Winter and Spring vacation. Interestingly, we’ve received advanced word that next year, there will be no Winter vacation and makeup days will be taken out of the Spring vacation. Go figure.

Another contributor is just how busy the kids end up, even with a seemingly minimal number of extra-curricular activities. The boy was the busier of the two, with Scouting, karate and then hockey and baseball. The lass had dance and learn to skate. The thing we (the Wife and I) didn’t appreciate is that there are only 7 days in the week. The weekend, particularly, is only 2 days. All those activities have to happen some time, and they eat the days up quickly. That leaves little time to just sit and relax. Throw in the occasional have-to-do kind of event, and that reduces the nothing-to-do day count even further.

Consequently, we don’t have a lot planned for the kids this Summer. The boy has a Scout camp and then both will be doing a swimming camp. But the swimming camp doesn’t really count because they both love to swim. I don’t imagine there will be any complaining whatsoever when I have to cart them up to swim lessons. So really, they have nothing to do this Summer.

Which probably means I’ll be a nervous wreck by the time Summer vacation is over. At which point, I’ll need my own vacation.