Eddie and the Campin' Couch Potatoes

What an adventure this weekend was! As mentioned, we went camping with some friends and participated in the Whatever Floats Your Boat Race. For those unfamiliar with this concept, it's a race in which teams of daring folks build "boats" (and we're using this word very loosely here) out of anything that isn't commercially designed/sold to float - so no rafts or inner tubes, no actual store bought boats. Our team does it with a bit of a twist, too, especially these last few years - we build the boat the day before. Other teams show up with their fancy-schmancy months-of-work crafts and we show up with a truckload of raw materials and a drawing. To be totally honest, our Captain does do whatever work ahead of time that requires power tools, since there aren't many outlets in the picnic area of the beach. This year we were the Couch Potatoes and our idea was basically a floating living room. This idea appealed to our team because it was a relatively simple design and since we were dressed as couch potatoes, we weren't expected to really put ourselves out in the speed department. So we went up Friday, camped over night, got up Saturday, ate a hearty breakfast, played some Uno, and decided to go build. For a detailed photo journal of this process, from raw materials to end of the race and the destruction of the boat, go here. Once again, no one expected us to float (that's half the fun, when we actually do) and again, we proved them foolish. Not only did we float, we had a decent enough speed and maneuverability that we actually PASSED two of our competitors on the way to the finish line. And we looked darn cute doing it. We took second place for costumes and we got the Wazoo Award, which is the trophy they give out basically as the best spirit award. Solely decided by the head judge, it goes to the team that he feels best gets people involved and is most into the spirit of the competition. It's the one I think is the biggest honor. As for the camping, well, that's always a good time. Eddie didn't dig it the first night, he woke up a bunch of times and was fairly unhappy - enough that the Husband took him home at 2:30 am; it's only a 1/2 hour drive - but the second night he was great. Of course, during the non-sleeping hours, he loved that there was plenty of dirt to play in and a bunch of people who enjoy playing with him. He got to stay up a little later, see a real campfire and play with glow-sticks which may have been the highlight for him. Lastly, I leave you with this - Sunday morning, I was brushing out my hair and looking for my hair gel. I friz something fierce in humidity and gel is the only thing that prevents me looking like a giant orphan Annie. I finally ask the Husband "Have you seen my hair gel?" He says yes, I'd left it at home; he'd brought it with him Saturday when he returned to camp. This concerned me - see - Saturday, by the time he and Eddie returned, I was long dressed and ready. "Uh, then what did I put in my hair yesterday??" Because it's not possible that I just "forgot" that step. It'd be like forgetting to put on your pants. As far as I can tell, I may have used the Purell. It's the same basic shape as the gel bottle, and vaguely similar in the texture department, at least initially. Plus, I was pretty tired. So I have really, really clean hair . . . For pictures of Eddie's First Camping Experience, go here.