ChrisTalbot.com

I haven't been camping in about six or seven years, but after a rather long hiatus, I finally returned to an annual guys-only camping trip organized by my friend Lawrence. This was the ninth annual Test Fest trip, but I hadn't been out to one since the second.

The trip moves around to different parks each year, with the group heading to Oastler Lake Provincial Park near Parry Sound this year. While not a bad campground, there's really not much to do there. As another friend told me, it's basically a last resort kind of place you go to when you can't get into one of the better, more popular campgrounds in the area. I can see that. The grounds are nice, and our two sites looked out on to the lake, but there aren't even any hiking trails.

I crashed at Lawrence's place in the city on Thursday night, and then we headed out Friday afternoon (we were late getting started). We spent most of the weekend hanging around the designated party site, having a few drinks, shooting the shit and occasionally playing some Texas Hold'em and Werewolf.

We got back to the GTA Monday afternoon. I got dropped off about 2:45-ish. After unpacking my stuff and taking a shower, I just lounged around for the rest of the day. After sleeping on rocky ground for three nights, I was really glad to be back to my bed.

I'm still surviving with the clean-shaven look, although I've found I'm a bit too lazy to run the razor over my face every day. That means every day other I've dealing with razor burn and a sliced-up face -- and then the flip side is dealing with itchy stubble. No wonder I usually have a beard. This shaving crap is for the birds.

The last few days have been fairly busy. What with get-togethers with friends and family, as well as that date, I haven't had a quiet day in several days. Tonight should be quiet (and even so, I might spent the night making mead), but then I'll be booked solid again until next Thursday. I'm not used to being this heavily booked, but it's kind of neat.

This will probably be my first and last post on the topic of dating, but here goes...

I had my first date last night since becoming single again. It was fun and went well, but it wasn't a match. It did help me get over a lot of my worries, concerns and nervousness about dating, though. It was something I was never good at when I was younger -- and now that I'm an old guy, it seemed like I was probably going to be in for a rough experience.

Not so, based on last night. If all dates go as smoothly as that one, I'll be a happy camper.

I got over my fear of razors and shaved today. Yep, I'm clean-shaven for the first time in at least two years (it won't last, I'm sure).