Last night a bunch of friends came over for a beach party at the Tiki Bar. The Tiki Bar is a creation of my brother’s. It’s a rough wooden bar made of driftwood and scraps, topped with an umbrella and surrounded by beach chairs, a fire ring, a barbecue grill and a bunch of coolers.

The Tiki Bar comes to life when friends drop by. Last night it was: (top row) Ken, Karen, Bruce, Sue, Eleanor, and old brother Steve. (Lower row) Emma, Mom, Caroline, and Kathy. Also in the front row you can see Caroline’s dog, Nina. The black blob swimming in the water is Kathy’s Newfoundland dog, Allie.

A highlight of the evening was when Emma gave everyone a hula lesson. Below you can see the group reaching up to pantomime the sun, wearing the lightsticks that Emma distributed earlier.

Earlier in the afternoon we had all set up tents by the water for a big sleepover. Emma was really looking forward to spending the night “camping in a tent”. You’d think she had not gotten enough camping by now. But of course, sleeping in a tent is a completely different experience.

I have to admit, it wasn’t just for Emma. I like tenting a lot. The night was warm and clear, and as we were going to sleep we could listen to the sound of the small waves lapping the rocky shore of Lake Champlain. And I was able to share in Emma’s excitement about sleeping out in a snug little tent on the grass.

Since our tent is an ultra-lightweight backpacking version for two, Emma and I shared it and Eleanor stayed in the Airstream. This tent was bought back when Eleanor and I were childless backpackers. We used to go backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire regularly. The last time we were in this little tent together, Emma wasn’t even an idea and we were camping in Death Valley. How things have changed …

It was a very nice night. Emma, of course, loved it and wants to “camp out” a lot more. We’ll definitely have to get a family tent now. I’m already eyeing spots in the Airstream to store a larger tent, plus sleeping bags and camping miscellany, as we travel this fall. I’ve got a few places in mind I’d like to use it, including the Florida Keys, Glacier National Park, the national forest near Prescott AZ, the Huachuca Mountains in southern AZ, and other such places where the Airstream can’t go.