I Still Have A Little Bit Of Skin On My Left Arm

My family (and Donna) headed out to Callaway Gardens Sunday to spend the day swimming, playing and enjoying the sun.

Callaway is a resort in Pine Mountain, Georgia that has been around since, well, long before I was born. It's a sprawling retreat full of cottages, day camps, nature attractions and scenic views threaded through with narrow driving roads, bike paths and hiking trails. At the center is a huge man-made lake for swimming, water skiing and, as you'll see later, tubing. The Masters water skiing tournament, the largest in the world, has been held on that lake forever. I had forgotten how big, beautiful and downright cool that place is.



Among the attractions is the huge butterfly preserve, where thousands of butterflies from all over the world are allowed to do what butterflies do. New specimens hatch every day in special cases where their cocoons are protected. It's awesome, though a little on the steamy side.



At the end of the day, my brother Andy hooked us up with some time behind the little red boat, which pulls tubers around the lake. To my surprise, this was Andy's first time tubing. It was, of course, a blast.

Pictured: me, triumphant, waiting for Andy and Macy to swim back
after being thrown off the tube. Not pictured: me, getting thrown
off the tube twice, losing the skin off my elbow and pinky from
holding on for dear life.

Couple all this with burgers, dogs, beer and family and it was pretty much the perfect day. My arm and hand will no doubt heal in time for Thanksgiving.