The last time Jean's parents were here a few years ago we went west visiting Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns and the Davis Mountains. So, this trip Jean researched a trip northeast to Ouachita National Forest in southwest Arkansas. A colleague of mine did some backpacking in the area and highly recommended it. Jean and I had planned to visiting Ouachita last year but the Memorial day flooding drove us west. Fortunately, Jean's research did not go to waste. Arriving at our campsite we found an abundance of RV campers and a dearth of fellow tent campers.  3/20/16 Hiking Bear Mountain Hiking on the Lake Ouchita Vista Trail (LOViT) Now would be a good time to remove your antler hat. The LOViT is 40+ mile trail on the south side of Lake Ouachita. Jean and her parents did an eleven mile section of it along a ridge of Bear Mountain. I doubled back at the halfway point and brought the car around. A mighty big lake   03/21/16 Canoeing the Ouachita River Oh, ...

When I was child, it seemed that whenever we had relatives visiting we would inevitably have some project going on. I remember laying down sod, doing decking and roofing with aunts, uncles and cousins. So, it's only keeping with family tradition that within a couple of hours of landing we had Jean's parents working on the shed. Fortunately, in their retirement my in-laws have taken up hard labour as hobby. They've also been following the building progress in detail so they were well prepared.     Father-in-law observes technique. Eye contact is important! The bottle window is coming together nicely. Unfortunately, I'm running short on blue bottles. A body can only take so much Bud Light Platinum. Father-in-law does some non-OSHA approved acrobatics on the scaffolding By the day's end we knocked out the 13th course and a significant portion of the 14th. Thanks for the help May and Colin! Welcome to Texas! Friday evidently wasn't grueling en...