Big Bend

A tradition of JB's family (going on 40-some years) is to spend a week each summer at Big Bend, a campground filled with sweet rental cabins. It borders the South Fork of the Eel River.

I was invited along this year, though I missed the first round, I was lucky enough to go on the return visit.

It was one of the more spectacular weekends I've had. The days were filled with the following activities:
Eating/grilling food
Swimming in river (with cliff jumping!)
Playing dominioes
Drinking beer
Munching snacks
Playing voleyball
Reading
Playing Badmitton.
Sketching
Roasting Marshmellows
Drinking Coffee and Scotch (seperatley and together)
Sleeping,
Sitting around a fire pit in the evening (when we weren't eating, drinking or playing domnoes).

Does life get too much better? I mean really.


This was my first sketch of the weekend.
It was the morning after we arrived and I am drinking a cup of coffee prepared by JB's pop. He and I were the only ones up.




Our cabin.
Hard to see but JB is sitting at the table on the left reading the second 'Flight' book.
(The first succeful on the spot water color I've done)


Feeding the previous evening's food scraps to the chickens behind our hut.







Woman sitting next to us on the small gravely beach edging the river. She is putting suntan lotion on her daughter.




JB chilling on a beached tube drinking a Red Stripe. Not too long after we all jumped into the river. Lovely isn't she? Can I brag here that we are dating now?



Since last session:

* Drinks: I've learned to apreciate a wonderful 12-yr-old scotch that JB's pop had on hand for the entire weekend. Johnny Walker by the bye.

* Read: Blood Meridian, Cormac McCArthy hhhhh
On the back page of an old sketchbook I have a list of novels suggested by the International Playgirl and Neo. This was the second to last of Playgirl's choices (Lolita bieng the final)

As for the book: fuck. Terse as Hemmingway, but more dry. Sometimes intentially plodding . Profound, but requires strict attention. Oh, and gorey as hell.

* Watched: Alien vs. Predator hhh
This gets three stars, not because it is a good film, and not better than The Island (which I gave two) but becuase it delivers what it advertises. Some Aliens and Predators fucking each other up. The plot, while not great, does not pull any midcholrian-bullshit and stays within the mythology of the two movies.

* Listened to: Shake the Sheets, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists hhh pop pop catchy kizz, oh what a relief it is.


RATING SCALE h Utter shite hh Don't bother hhh Average hhhh nicely done hhhhh farking brilliant