Beaver Fever

This weekend was Ugly Dawg's inaugural trip. She treated us well and we had a great time on our annual Stone Mountain adventure. The weather was beautiful, there wasn't a dead body to be found and, best of all, we were NOT in a tent.

My friend, Jacquelyn, and I tend to be pretty chill about our kids getting dirty and having fun. The same cannot be said for our husbands. Twice Jacquelyn and I were met with subtle contempt when we let our kids run wild a bit. The first time was atop Stone Mountain where, unlike years past, there were several puddles left by recent rains. The puddles were filled with a soot-like substance. While this may sound like a cesspool, these puddles are not exactly teaming with life. This was new rain on a mountain made completely of stone. They were clean, in a very dirty way. The kids started wading in the puddles and we
did nothing to stop it. Our husbands fought us initially but gave up and distanced themselves from the entire scene. They sat on a rock several yards back, quietly judging us and watching onlookers do the same. I will admit that I did not see another child running through the mud but I cannot do that without also acknowledging that I did not witness another child having nearly as much fun as ours were. They were filthy little mongrels having the time of their life. I relished every moment of it.

The next day we all took a little hike through the woods at the base of the mountain. There are some short trails, perfect for young children. The hike led us on a bridge over a stream. The kids were hot and at the height of their afternoon, I-need-a-nap lull. What better anecdote for a case of the naps than some cool mountain stream wading? We consulted our husbands briefly about allowing the kids to get a little wet. Their response was predictably negative. My husband, however, took us by surprise when he mentioned the possibility of the ever-menacing "beaver fever." We both laughed and I tried to suppress thoughts of a 16-year-old boy, headed out to a party on Saturday night telling his buddies that he had a bad case of "beaver fever." Yes, I'm a little twisted, but it made me laugh. It's making me laugh even as I type this.

Still skeptical of the existence of "beaver fever", we decided to take a chance and let our kids wade in the mountain stream. They loved every minute of it. A google search upon returning home revealed that beaver fever is a legitimate condition. I'm happy to report that despite the warnings to the contrary, every one of our children remains beaver fever free.