Now for the skunks’ turn
Wednesday February 13th 2008, 11:11 am
Filed under: Family,Life

My husband and I went camping in the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia on our honeymoon. Borrowed his folks’ trailer for it; we did it civilized style, y’all. Even if his grandmother got his little sisters to sneak open the camper and throw rice inside the sheets beforehand.

We were toasting marshmallows over a campfire one night–I mean, isn’t that one of the reasons people go camping? The marshmallows? You’ve got to find just the right stick for it, you’ve got to get the fire burning down to just so. There’s an art to it. Besides, when you’re learning all about this new person you’re now married to “for time and all eternity,” and he’s 22 and you’re 21 (and a half–don’t forget that half) and you’re just starting your way into life in the first place, really, who knew that he had the patience to hold that stick there like that, waiting and holding his high, turning it slowly like a spit till the entire marshmallow was (for him) just the right shade of medium brown all over and an even temp throughout? But why would you want to do it that way anyway? Isn’t the glory of a campfired marshmallow having it burn to a satisfying crunch on the outside while totally melting on the inside? Heh. I could not only cook but also get to eat half a dozen of mine to the time of his one, easily.

It’s all about the marshmallows.

Yeah, the skunk agreed with that assessment. And also Richard’s way of cooking the things. It sauntered out of the woods, came up between us while we sat there frozen in placeย in disbelief–reached over, grabbed his perfect marshmallow off his stick from right over that fire , and sat back to savor every last slow bit of it. Taking its time. The way a marshmallow ought to be enjoyed.

With its tail caressing my new husband’s arm.

He had this look on his face, turned towards me, pleading with me with every molecule in his being, Please don’t laugh. PLEASE don’t laugh.

It was all I could do, but I managed not to laugh. Or move, either.

It finished up, it ambled off happily, then it called its friends and threw a party. Bunch of gate crashers. By the time the four skunks we could see were dividing up the rest of the bag on our picnic table, we were well out of range, following their antics with our flashlights.

I’m sure nobody sells skunk-shaped chocolates; I may have to get my sweetie a bag of Campfire marshmallows for Valentine’s. He’ll know why.


11 Comments so far
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Aw, what a great story.

Comment by Amanda 02.13.08 @ 12:56 pm

I like that story!! How cute, and I bet you were WAY outa range:-)

Comment by Danielle from SW MO 02.13.08 @ 2:01 pm

I was laughing until I had tears…thanks for sharing. ๐Ÿ™‚
-Abby

Comment by Abby 02.13.08 @ 4:02 pm

Danielle, hon, I was right there beside him, I’d have gotten it as bad as him if that thing had gone off. ๐Ÿ™‚

Comment by AlisonH 02.13.08 @ 4:10 pm

That is priceless!

Comment by Sonya 02.13.08 @ 8:29 pm

I think that’s the best honeymoon story I’ve ever heard!!!!

Comment by Toni 02.14.08 @ 6:39 am

You are a master storyteller!

Comment by LizzieK8 02.14.08 @ 7:25 am

That is way closer to a skunk than I ever want to be!! Wow, what a story. Just a few days ago, my husband sent me all these recipes for exotic kinds of s’mores. I said “I’m on a diet! What are you doing!?” Now I really really want a s’more. One traditional s’more with browned marshmellow, hold the skunk, please!

Comment by Joanne 02.14.08 @ 12:35 pm

LOL too funny – and I could see it all in my head perfectly ๐Ÿ˜‰

Comment by rho1640 02.15.08 @ 10:19 pm

In the interest of truth–grandmother supplied the rice…(well, I am sure it really came from the food storage) but your darling bridegroom had the trailer wide open for hours–unsupervised–and the sheets were crying out for large handfuls of rice to be thrown between them :p

Comment by little sister 01.04.10 @ 2:02 am

I can’t believe how much our lives are alike. I, too, married my college sweetheart. 34 years ago, come Sat. July 2. I was a mere 20 years, and almost a half, too. We didn’t have a skunk in our honeymoon, but the smelly pickled herring and cigar smoke came close. We, too, ate still happily married, which is a rarity these days. Take care and enjoy your anniversary!! Janice

Comment by Janice 06.27.11 @ 8:29 pm



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