Welcome to the Arid Zone - it's been a long, strange trip.

I can see that my characters will be out at the lake at some point.

See I spent my youth in the desert; but where I grew up (near Yuma) there are several lakes within in a short drive.

Where I am now (Arizona City) there is the town lake, which is scary, and Picacho Reservoir, which is basically a swamp.

I miss those lakes of my youth.

On a day like we had today (Sunny, warm, no clouds, no rain, dry) we'd hope in the car and go camping.

Shoot when I cut school with my brother my freshman and sophomore years of high school we'd cut school and would go camping.

Every year about this time I'd get spring fever; I hated being in doors. I wanted to go out and swim or just lay on the sand; I really want to do that right now.

Of course our way of camping is a relative thing; Our camping consisted of a hastily erected tent, a ton of hot dogs and cold cuts with soggy bread, tons of soda (Or beer in the case of going with my brother and his friends. Not that I drank it. Seriously.) A lot of ice that melted over a two day period; which you replenished with a run to the nearest over priced store.

We wouldn't do much; float in the water; float on the sand. Talk drunken people in to doing stupid things; occasionally we brought a 3 wheeler. We'd always stay up all night and sleep in the hottest parts of the day. When we got home we'd be hot, dirty, sun burned; but we had fun out there.

It's a day like today that brings those memories racing back into my head. Man I miss those lakes; shoot or even a decent river. (The one year the Gila River filled during my sophomore year in high school we used that as an even closer alternative.)

Now when I start longing for things like this my characters start longing for things like this. My newest strip has Cal day dreaming of the fantasies of my youth.

I still remember the first time (and only time) I heard the drunken call "SCHOON ME!" (Which means, apparently, pass me another beer) and "We're here to party and not to fight!"

Ah those were the days; drunken adults giving underage minors the ability to consume alcohol with ease.

Not like I took advantage of that situation. I hate the taste of beer...