Adventures

McKay and I have been going on adventures in the afternoons lately. 

He bikes.  I walk.  He takes the longer, less traveled, dirt covered paths, and doubles or triples around me.  I walk in straight lines, mostly on the road unless he leads me onto other paths.

Last weekend he led me to the new construction part of the subdivision and we explored in some of the unfinished houses.  I don't know what it is about empty houses that's so appealing to me, but I love them.  New, unoccupied ones.  Abandoned, previously occupied ones.  I really don't care.  I just like wandering around homes without residents.  

It turns out, McKay and I not only like the exploring part of our adventures, but we also really like collecting things.  I think my spirit animal must be a magpie or a blackbird or whatever those birds are that drag every sparkly thing into their nests.  We found tons of useless, but interesting treasures on our adventures this week.  Some of them we brought home with us, and some we just took pictures of.  His backpack and my camera are essential exploring equipment for us.  

That thing up there is a totally random podium, like the kind in church buildings, that we found out in the middle of the forest.  There's a microphone and a radio sitting on top of it.  And even though it's mildly creepy to think about what kinds of weird gatherings might be going on out there in the woods, it was definitely interesting enough to cross a suspension bridge to get a picture of. 

Holy cow, that kid is super fun!  Half the reason I like to explore with him is because I'm a little nervous to send him off by himself because he's adventurous and I'm a worrier.  If I can see where he's going, I'm less likely to worry about it.  And the other half is because he invites me?  What normal 13-year-old wants his mom to come with him to look for treasures in construction sites?  So, as long as he's inviting, I'm going.  Every time.  

Unless it's raining...because I hate getting wet.  

And while adventuring with McKay has rapidly become one of my favorite pastimes, I wouldn't advise following him anywhere without adequate shoes on.  After that first adventure, I learned my lesson.  No more flips.  Only tennis shoes or rainboots on all future adventures.