07-29-07-06-51-89 06

Dear Katy,

(A slight carry-over from yesterday). I finished the diary I was reading, I'll write about it later in this entry, but first I want to describe the trip home from Mud Lake.

First a little background, as I stated last entry the drinking water was at best - tolerable. And so, a few days beforehand I had purchased several cans of soda and a 32 ounce Werblers Orange. I had drunken all the soda except the aforementioned orange drink. I was saving this for the last day - perhaps on the way home. Anyway, Tony had been bugging me for several days to open the famous orange drink. I kept telling him he wasn't invited to the taste sensation. Now on the last day, I finally gave in to let Tony have some as I opened it. Yet I was getting the first, refreshing, thirst quenching drink. I opened the bottle very carefully. I let the fizz die down. I swished it around to get the feel of elegance, and being very important. I slowly put the bottle top to my mouth. I closed my eyes and felt the sun beating against me. I realized it was a hot day indeed as a drop of sweat ran down my forehead. I loosened up ready for the soda to quench my parched, dry throat. I finally tipped the bottle bottom up and allowed the soda to enter my mouth. I took a whole mouthful, pulled away the bottle, and let it sit in my mouth. But you know what? It was awful, the worst I'd ever tasted. Even Tony turned his nose against it. What a big waste.

I know that episode of the orange soda was long winded and perhaps a little pulled out of proportion, but I had to have something to write about the vacation. Really the only fun came at 'lights out', or when we went to town, and so I'll leave it at that - gives you a real sense of just how much fun we really had. And the trip South wasn't much of anything either. We stopped in Greenbay for lunch but that didn't go anywhere. I wanted to state one more point of the return home. When we had just left Mud Lake I was listening to WYCO - Y108, and was complaining about the station, as I had the whole week. The reason being - the station played a wild and untamed mix of songs at pot-luck. They played maybe 5 songs than 5 minutes of commercials. Anyway, I was now at my limit, the reason being that now I was getting static. Well Ed asked for my headphones as another commercial was being played. I decided whether I should or not. Finally the D.J. made up my mind. He came on and said, "This is WYCO - Y108". And I thought about that. Finally I concluded, "Yes, why 108?" I then turned off my radio and gave the head set over to Ed. I picked up my Anne Frank book and read it practically the whole trip home. I finished the book later the same night. And this morning I took a nice hot shower and cleaned my bedroom and washed my dirty clothes from the trip.

But back to subject of Anne Frank, a fellow writer. I suppose that's why I've always found her so fascinating. And now that I've read her diary, I find myself even more fascinated with her. I guess it’s an admiration. Threw all her troubles she found time to write and be human. She always wanted to be a journalist or writer so she'd "live on after" she died. I guess that's the dream any writer in any form (Including diary writing), wishes. Well, I'm not sure this is what she wanted (HER DIARY BEING PUBLISHED), but at least she lives on. And so, I feel a great urge to read her stories she had written in hiding. I'll let you know what I think of it. But you know it is difficult to really express my thoughts; one must think me crazy for finding such wonderment in someone who has passed away. I feel like informing you later a little more on the subject of my thoughts of someone 'passed away' but I'll not bore you with it now.

And you haven't read the book yet? I suppose I can only tell you what I think of this book. It was a very sad book in whole, but written with warmth. At times romantic and funny, yet the sadness was well woven 'between the lines'. If you haven't read it, I encourage you to; if you have read it I hope you don't disagree with my view of it.

I'll close tonight with words Anne wrote to herself - but fine words any writer must keep in mind during slumps and writing fatigues. Keeping in mind writers must never give in to slumps but keep the creative juices flowing.

"So I go on again with fresh courage; I think I shall succeed, because I want to write."
Yours, Jeff