Surfing

I have been entranced with the Internet since the first time I played Zork and discovered listservs in the mid-80's. It's like wandering in a visual library with endless rows of card catalogs. So I thought I'd share a few of the sites I've found recently and some I've admired for a long time by adding them to my favorites on my blog www.prospectorwife.blogspot.com.

Because, while I don't get outside and dig in the dirt like a true prospector, I do share the excitement of searching for "gold" and finding the treasures buried in the Internet.

He Crosses the River

Today, after almost 2 weeks of trying, Mike got across the river. That's him the yellow life vest up on the rocks.

We'd started out planning to use a raft but it's large surface area meant it couldn't glide across the current and was just pushed downstream. And the plastic paddle broke. We tried using a boogie board to get across the current to the rocky shore on the other side. No luck. We both got within arm's length but couldn't grab on before either the board or the rope towed us back downstream with the current. So Mike pondered his options and decided a better craft was needed. He went into Medford Monday and picked up a 7 foot inflatable canoe and sturdy wooden paddle. Today would be the day we made it!

After inflating the canoe, Mike practiced a little in the water and then made two attempts to get across the current into a cove of calmer water. Both times he was pushed back out into the current and dragged downstream with the rope. Pretty exhausting.

My turn next. I paddled across stream twice, brushing the branches on the far side but not able to maneuver the canoe to get a grip anywhere. By this time, Mike was very silent.

I jabbered about some options and then finally got the hint to just keep quiet. He switched to a lighter rope, strapped on his life jacket and headed for the water. Before I knew it, he had headed up stream and launched into the current. In about 5 minutes, he had breast-stroked across and was able to latch onto a rock and climb out the other side. It took another hour or more to anchor a second rope across by floating the end on a buoy till it caught on Mike's line. He then swam out on the first rope, which was anchored on my side and tied to him, and retrieved the second line. After climbing the boulders on the far side and securing the cross-stream rope, Mike swam out into the current and I pulled him across until he could swim upstream again. That was one exhausted prospector and he hadn't done any digging today!

After getting some rest, he ratcheted the near side of the rope up above the water to 12 feet height, for the safety of any rafters that might go by. That was enough for today --tomorrow its the challenge of getting the dredge across and all the equipment-- and getting back again.

All in a day's work for us retired folks! We'll keep you posted.

Napping

Relaxing is a skill I have rarely practiced and still am quite clumsy at. Doing nothing goes against my irrational need to be productive every minute, or at least hourly. To counter this sad state of affairs, I've been pursuing the art of napping.

One spot is my camp chair with the foot rest on the path side of the 5th wheel. It's under the giant pine next to us and looks out at the park and people passing by to get to the swimming hole. I've mastered reading here and of course chatting with the other residents. Today I *put down the book* , closed my eyes, listened to the birds and dozed off! I think I could get the hang of this!

I've read where napping is good for your heart and could improve memory, so it could be productive after all.