Been Missing In Action Lately

@moffittjc (123276)
Gainesville, Florida
March 27, 2025 10:00am CST
My son and I went on a camping trip together for a week, so I've basically not been around much. Usually, we do a wilderness backpacking trip this time of year, but we decided this time to just do a remote camping trip with a couple of day hikes sprinkled in. The weather was beautiful, and throughout the day when we weren't hiking or exploring we would just lay around the campsite in our hammocks just enjoying being away from the chaotic world for a little while. I totally would have myLotted each day while in the hammock if it wasn't for the fact that I forgot my phone charger. Anyway, the camping trip was pretty much uneventful (which is exactly what I needed), and I'm back in the real world now. The weather this time of year in Florida is spectacular, and I wish I could go camping every week! Oh well, at least the world didn't end while I was off the grid. Now it's back to the grind. Did I miss anything important from the past week?
23 people like this
19 responses
@snowy22315 (186815)
• United States
27 Mar
Hmm, pretty much per usual here. I used to love camping..but at my age, crawling around in a ten walkig to the bathroom in the darkt doesn't do it for me. I would need a pop up at a minimum. and even better, something with a bathroom included.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
That is the one thing I hate about camping, is the fact that I can never seem to make it through an entire night without having to get up to pee. How come at home I can sleep through the entire night, but every single night I am camping I have to get up to pee in the middle of the night?
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (144474)
• United States
27 Mar
Hiding out with your son isn't usually considered MIA... That's just considered having a lot of fun. I'm glad you both could get off work and enjoyed yourselves. I'm sure you both needed a vacation.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (144474)
• United States
27 Mar
@moffittjc I totally understand.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
@DaddyEvil You and I are in similar circumstances where our daughter lives with us, but in my case I also have a son who moved out a little more than a year ago for work and school purposes, so I don't get to see him as often as I'd like. I feel bad that I get to spend more time with my daughter than my son, but I try to make up for it with the quality time I spend with my son when I do see him.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
Hey, I don't mind going MIA every now and then if it's good for my soul. And spending time with my son is always good for my soul!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72795)
• United States
27 Mar
You did miss the fact that I was elected pope. Other than that… Welcome back! Glad you got to recharge your batteries!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72795)
• United States
28 Mar
@moffittjc — I hope not!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72795)
• United States
28 Mar
@moffittjc — alive, released from hospital. No update since he was released.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
Oh no, the other pope finally succumbed to his illness?
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (52693)
• Canada
27 Mar
Good for both of you guys to take time to spend together away from it all. It is so important to teach our next generation that quietness and being together is paramount to our overall health and well-being. And I feel like it is a blessing that you didn't bring your charger, you didn't need to be online, your experience is much fuller without having had it. Quite often when my husband and I get away I stay unplugged, and he does also, although our family knows how to reach us, but only in the event of an emergency. We like to make a little video of the 2 of us in the car coming back home again and send that to our son so that he and his wife and the twins can enjoy a chuckle over it and realize that all is well and that we are on our way back home again. I don't have anything exciting to report over the past week. I am under the weather and have been off from work all week except for part of Monday. I have a viral infection but nothing that will put me 6 feet under I hope.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (52693)
• Canada
27 Mar
@moffittjc That really sounds amazing. Nothing replaces the live interactions, and the feelings that come with togetherness. You've made great memories, I am certain. I will make a recovery, slow but sure. At least I am not dealing with the stress of having to go into work tomorrow, thanks to the doctor's note and the fair amount of sick time that we have.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
I agree that it was a blessing in disguise not having my phone charger with me. It gave my son and I a lot of time on catching up (he lives 4 hours away). Even though we talk and text all the time, nothing beats face to face interaction. Plus, we got to hike together (both night and day hikes), and we did a lot of stargazing late at night. You wouldn't believe how many stars you can see when you get away from urban lights! Sorry to hear you are under the weather. I hope you are improving each day, and will be completely healed and healthy again soon!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
@Juliaacv It's always nice when you don't have to stress about going into work when you are sick. I hate knowing I have to get up and go to work when I'm not feeling well. Thankfully, where I work now has a very generous leave time policy so we don't have to stress about not getting paid for missing work.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45744)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Mar
Would have loved to see some pics from your trip. Love nature.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
Unfortunately, because I didn't have my phone charger, I didn't take any photos. Usually, I'm all about taking pics.
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
Unfortunately, because I didn't have my phone charger, I didn't take any photos. Usually, I'm all about taking pics.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45744)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Mar
@moffittjc Bummer. Maybe next time.
1 person likes this
@porwest (98457)
• United States
28 Mar
Sounds like a fantastic, relaxing time. Looking forward to our first camp coming at the end of April. But of course, ours will be more of a glamp. lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
I’m trying to plan one more “primitive” camping trip before the weather turns hot. So possibly in April or early May.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
11h
@porwest The benefits of having a camper! In addition to the heat and humidity in the summer here in Florida, we also have to deal with the daily deluge of thunderstorms, so it just makes camping tough even if staying in an RV. But I will admit, I do visit the local springs quite a bit in the summer, because the water is a constant 73 degrees year round. It feels SO good being in that cool water in the summer.
1 person likes this
@porwest (98457)
• United States
28 Mar
@moffittjc When it gets hot I just turn on the air conditioner. So much for roughing it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (162838)
• United States
28 Mar
You did not miss anything from my neck of the woods. It really was good for you to be off grid.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
It did feel good to be disconnected from all my electronic devices, although I found myself reaching for my phone quite often out of habit.
@kareng (71200)
• United States
27 Mar
Too bad you left your phone charger! This is the perfect time to go camping!! Let's see you missed my lost cell phone saga! It lasted for 4 days and found on the morning of the 5th day. I was going nuts trying to find it and getting behind on everything again.
1 person likes this
@kareng (71200)
• United States
29 Mar
@moffittjc I will have to look into that for "next" time!
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
You don't have a "find-a-phone" feature on your phone? I would go crazy if I lost my phone for more than a few hours! lol
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (76363)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Mar
Sometimes you need to take advantage of Florida's gorgous spring weather and unplug. Sometimes, you need a break from tech to recharge. The lot has been as slow as a snail, but we've come to expect that.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (76363)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Mar
@moffittjc We can pray it picks up sooner rather then later, but we can't predict what'll happen. People come and go. Life happens. Pollen is deffently a problem. We don't have a lot of trees around us. Many having been removed or trimmed back because of hurricane season. Local forstery companies have reached out, offering their services. Go figure.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
@kaylachan Gainesville has a dense urban tree canopy, so the pollen here is bad each spring.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
I don't like that myLot has become as slow as a snail, but like you said, we've come to expect that. I just wish it would pick up speed a little bit. Our spring weather is absolutely beautiful, but unfortunately not perfect due to all the pollen in the air. Luckily, there didn't seem to be a lot of pollen where we were camping at (Ocala National Forest).
1 person likes this
@pahak627 (5047)
• Philippines
28 Mar
That's great. I had only 3 times in a camping site. Twice when I was yet a teener and lately when we went to the Bicol Region sometime last year. The one in my teens, we were staying in a cottage. Lately, we were in tents. These were really great experiences for me.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
I camped at a cottage twice in my life. Most of the other times have been in a tent. I love it.
@RasmaSandra (83416)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Mar
My world got hit pretty bad I lost both my cats,
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
I’m so sorry to hear that. How did it happen?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
11h
@RasmaSandra Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that about your two cats. It's tough losing one beloved member of the family, but you lost two.
@LindaOHio (185183)
• United States
28 Mar
I'm glad you had a good time. You knew about my husband passing, right? And then a month later his indiscretions were confirmed?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
Just now
@LindaOHio I’m sorry that he cheated on you, but I’m glad the two of you grew closer in your later years together.
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
Hi Linda, glad to see you back. Yes, I knew about your husband passing. I’m so sorry for your loss and I have been praying for you. What does the last sentence of your comment mean? I admit I’m out of the loop on things right now.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (185183)
• United States
29 Mar
@moffittjc Found out in February that my suspicions of one affair were confirmed and found out that he had at least 2 more and was into some kinky and strange stuff. Sorry...you asked! Thank you for your prayers. I have forgiven him; and I miss him terribly. The last years with him we grew very close; and I think he realized that he wasn't immortal and had something good in me.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (55977)
27 Mar
I have never camped out or hiked.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
A lot of people haven't had the opportunity (or desire) to camp or hike. I was raised by my parents to be an outdoor enthusiast, and I've passed that on to my son as well. Now my daughter on the other hand, she doesn't want to have anything to do with camping unless it involves a hotel room! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
@Kandae11 She likes the outdoors, but camping is just not her thing.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (55977)
27 Mar
@moffittjc l would definitely be more like your daughter..
1 person likes this
28 Mar
Camping is a rather nostalgic pastime of mine. It is a shame really. Gazing up at the stars
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
It’s a shame that we gazed up at the stars? Lol
@Tampa_girl7 (52186)
• United States
27 Mar
I’m glad that you had a nice camping trip with your son.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
I never want to leave whenever I go camping. I wish I could just camp forever and ever. Well, except during the summer in Florida. LOL
@wolfgirl569 (113641)
• Marion, Ohio
27 Mar
Glad you had a relaxing week. Nothing exciting here
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
I need more relaxing weeks like that!
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Mar
Being off the grid sounds perfect and glad you enjoyed your camping trip
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Mar
I'm a people person by nature, but it sure feels good to be able to disconnect for a little while to recharge and refresh. People are just so rude and selfish and entitled these days, that even us people-persons need a break from them every once in a while.
@sallypup (63370)
• Centralia, Washington
28 Mar
Were you in the country where The Yearling took place? Remember that book?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
I was not too far from the Yearling site. Maybe 30 minutes or so. They have a restaurant nearby there called the Yearling. It’s the place to go to get wild game food and other exotic meat. Lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (349296)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Mar
What a great diversion that would have been. I'm glad it was uneventful. Camping trips are best if they are 'uneventful'!!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123276)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Mar
Those are my favorite kinds I f camping trips. Fun, yet uneventful.
1 person likes this