"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

I see a lot of old pocket watches on my travels, but they're pricey, and since I know next to nothing about them, I've resisted the urge to purchase one. I have a couple of cheapies (Smiths), which were my grandfather's.

Years ago when I was about ten, I inherited a wrist watch from my grandfather's younger brother. Uncle Frank had never married, so had a bit more money, and he had a reputation for always having bought quality stuff. Everyone assured me that it would definitely be a good watch if Uncle Frank had bought it. A year later, it stopped working. My dad took it to the jeweller's, and was told it was so cheap it wasn't worth fixing! :D
 
Jack Black said:
Years ago when I was about ten, I inherited a wrist watch from my grandfather's younger brother. Uncle Frank had never married, so had a bit more money, and he had a reputation for always having bought quality stuff. Everyone assured me that it would definitely be a good watch if Uncle Frank had bought it. A year later, it stopped working. My dad took it to the jeweller's, and was told it was so cheap it wasn't worth fixing! :D
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That's funny. I guess even if you have some money you still have to occasionally prioritize where to spend it. Me, I like steel, so I always make sure to budget for matter separators and lead dispensers. But other stuff, I'm much more amenable to compromise. I'm a three-season car camper, not a hardcore backpacker or ultralight disciple, so I buy a lot of my outdoor gear at the local big box store. My tents and sleeping bags and heavy and not the greatest quality, but that's okay. They do the job I need them to do. Should they ever fail I'll upgrade, but if they don't I won't be replacing them.
 
We're kind of backwards in that we usually compromise with the necessities, while buying the best we're able for our hobbies. Our camping gear is pretty expensive, as are our electronics. Our furniture is the cheapest stuff we could find. It should be the other way around, but when we have to buy something that's a need we make do with what we can scrape up. When we want to buy something for our hobbies we hold off until we can afford something nice. We end up making do with less than most of our peers, but the stuff we have that we care about is pretty nice.
 
I thought it was just me who had those sort of messed-up priorities! :D :thumbup: I have lots of great lightweight camping gear, but now I'm older, I've begun to look at those big, spacious tents with an envious eye! I'm getting too old for crawling in and out of lightweight tents, I'd like something I can WALK into, or maybe a camper of some sort! :D :thumbup:
 
Jack Black said:
...I'm older, I've begun to look at those big, spacious tents with an envious eye! I'm getting too old for crawling in and out of lightweight tents, I'd like something I can WALK into, or maybe a camper of some sort! :D :thumbup:
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Lol...I'm still fairly young, but I like my space. Getting out and sleeping outside is rough enough, I don't enjoy making it into the outdoors equivalent of self-flagellation.

Here's the tent we have, a 14' x 8', enough for eight. There is room for our packs, two queen air mattresses with plenty of space between. It's tall enough for anyone shorter than 6'2" to stand in the center without touching the ceiling. So far the most it's ever slept is four people, two of them kids. As I said, I like my space...lol.



:D
 
Wow Christian! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! :) :thumbup:

I usually take a 2-person tent even if I'm camping alone (I'm 6ft 2" and over 200 pounds), but I remember 5 years ago in the English Lake District, it rained solidly for 9 days, and after throwing myself in and out of the tent to avoid getting mud inside, it took me a week to recover! :eek: :D
 
I admit it might be a smidge overkill, but the roominess came in handy. Two summers ago when I bought this tent I went camping for the first time in maybe twenty years. I originally looked at smaller tents for four people, but SWMBO put her foot down. She was willing to participate in our outdoor adventures, but every woman has her limits. There was no way she would stay in a tent packed like sardines. Totally reasonable, the important thing is that we get out into nature and away from it all.

Everything was perfect until the last night of our camping trip when it rained. Had to call it an early night and head indoors. I thought the kids would be disappointed, but they didn't skip a beat. There was plenty of room for them to play, hence the dominoes and foam darts you see on the floor.

They like this tent so much they always ask when we can go camping, even if it's just in the backyard. Can't say I blame them, this thing is almost as big as my college dorm room...hahaha.

philllll said:
Cute kiddos Christian!
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Thanks Phil. The little girl is mine, the boy is my nephew/godson.
 
Great looking children Christian. Your little girl is beautiful. Enjoy them while they are young because they grow up mighty fast. My baby just turned 32 in December and between my 4 grown kids I have 13 grandkids and I'm just 29 how did that happen. :D
 
kamagong said:
They like this tent so much they always ask when we can go camping, even if it's just in the backyard. Can't say I blame them, this thing is almost as big as my college dorm room...hahaha.
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Sounds like a fantastic trip Christian :) In my experience, kids love the adventure of camping. I once camped on a farm there was a guy who had a full-sized yurt there, which was set up all year round for him. It was very hot weather at the time, and the yurt seemed fantastic. When I was a youngster, me and my friend used to camp out in his garden. Tents were pretty rubbish at the time, but even so, in retrospect, I think the tent his parents bought him might have been some sort of 'play tent'! If it rained, we simply got wet, and the thing was so small, my feet stuck out of the end! :D

r redden said:
Great looking children Christian. Your little girl is beautiful. Enjoy them while they are young because they grow up mighty fast. My baby just turned 32 in December and between my 4 grown kids I have 13 grandkids and I'm just 29 how did that happen. :D
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Great post Randy :thumbup: My eldest daughter is exactly the same age, and that's the same advice I always give people :) I was a child-bride myself! :D :thumbup:
 
As requested; Rory at 13 months.

giving me the same look his mother does when I'm interupting her


out in the yard (recognise the hat, Jack?)


breakfast is the most important meal of the day - as you can tell he takes this very seriously.


Paul
 
Welcome back Paul. Rory is growing into a big, strapping lad. Must really enjoy his breakfasts. ;)
 
Fantastic Paul, wee Rory is really growing up fast (as they do)! Looks like he's a Boy in Blue already! ;) Thanks for posting pics my friend :thumbup:
 
Great pictures, Paul. I love the one of him in the yard with the dogs. There's nothing better than a boy with a dog. ;)
 
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