The Sausage Pad Lays Siege to St. Joseph, Pt. II

(contd.)

The next morning, chowin' down on some pancakes, sausage, and orange juice for breakfast.  This crowd will put down some serious food.

Zack's daughter attempts to spoon-feed Damon's.  This was commonplace.

After a lazy, sluggish morning, Zack, Rita, Kris and I drove down the road to a local Meijer in order to pick up a short list of 'oh crap, we forgot it' items.  While there, I picked up a four-pack of this summer favorite of mine.

We got back into camp around lunch time, where everyone ate and my kids fell back into their tried-and-true practice of climbing all over Smitty.

Kris, Carrie (Damon's wife), and Renee (Zack's wife.)

The big ticket item for today was the beach - the weather was going to be perfect for it (low/mid-80s and sunny.)  The wives and kids headed straight to the beach in order to nab a good spot and get the kids in the water as quickly as possible (the younger kids were growing impatient as we started getting into the afternoon.)  Us dads drove separately in order to pick up some more beer and a few other things before heading out there ourselves.

Seriously.  Couldn't ask for better weather.

Alayna's default face.

We had to stop at, like, five or six places to get all the things Zack and Smitty were after (Damon and I were just along for the ride.)  Here we're all hanging out in Smitty's car while he dashes into a store for smokes.

About an hour or so later, hanging out in the backseat in a Meijer parking lot.  It took us far too long to pick up all these last-minute things, and the wives and kids were growing mutinous (we had all the waters and snacks in our coolers, and they were without cell phone signal to let us know.)

The wives kept the kids entertained any way they could.  Like, say, burying yourself in the sand and making yourself into a mermaid. . .

Oh, rest assured, their hair was absolutely disgusting following this day's trip to the beach.

After an hour and half of driving all over Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, we finally got our asses to the beach.

This spot was close by and not crowded at all.  A definite win-win.

Not complaining at all, folks.

Ummm. . . . what?

Smitty

Heading down to the beach from the parking lot (if you look closely, you can see Kris in the background, heading up the walkway to try and get cell signal in order to try calling us again.)

After everyone got drinks and food in them, morale improved substantially.

Burying Smitty's legs

Some handsome guy, gettin' bronzed.

We stood around in a circle with drinks and hung out by ourselves.  No time for wives and kids on this trip.

Under the guise of posing for a group picture, we lured Zack out into lake.  While Kris started to take the picture, Damon pounced on him.  Love it when a plan comes together. . .

On the way back from the beach, Smitty went the wrong way and we got stuck on a bridge for, like, a half an hour (it was one of those ones that lifts up to allow ships to pass by underneath.)  Not fun.

Hanging out on a bridge.

Stopping off for more smokes for Smitty.

Back at camp, it was well into dinner time (the wives - who were totally thrilled with us taking forever to join back up with them for the second time today - had already started grilling burgers.)  Damon took the helm.

Smitty helps the little kids get drinks.

The infamous Zack Smith.

 

Womenfolk, chowin' down.

The Cannonball, not impressed.

Zack throws his kid into a choke-hold.  He's a good parent.

More sugar.  When we're out in a big social group like this, on vacation, more or less anything goes.

Round two for burgers (like I said before, this group puts down a lot of food.)

The Loftises

 

Gingersmiths.

I let Abby play around with my camera for a bit (under close supervision, as she's clumsy.)  Here she managed to capture my incredible handsomeness.

Following dinner, we dads - who were still in trouble with the wives for taking forever coming back from the beach - agreed to take the kids down to a putt-putt golf course that was located nearby the campground office.

Zack can't tear himself away from an ass.

(She wasn't very good.)

It ain't Pirate's Cove, but it'll do.

Heading back to camp, following some ice cream and playground time.

Later on in the evening, Smitty resumes his natural state around a campfire.

As always, I'm the guy who has to build the fires.  No surprise there.

The sun knocks it right out of ya.

Obligatory Tiki-Torch shot.

This is probably my favorite time of any day spent camping.

 

Smith grabbed a few of those packets that make fire change color.  Straight-up sorcery.

God, my kids are so frickin' weird. . .

Once the kids all went to bed, the adults decided to play some cards to pass the time.  Our neighbors - the friendly flamingo people - had this LED-moving light thingy that they pointed up in the trees for everyone, which gave us some pretty bad-ass ambiance for the evening.

No idea what they're playing here - I'm just here taking pictures, as usual.

The end of Night 2.

- Brian