I'm not sad but I sort of lost a friend today :)

**samsara** · 05-23-2013, 06:15

Today is sort of a bitter sweet day. My daughter is preparing for a 2 month long trip to India to volunteer at an orphanage (she leaves late next week) AND her birthday is Monday. The financial help for the trip (and various loaned gear) would theoretically be enough of a birthday present but you parents know that you always want to do more for your kids...

My daughter definitely isn't as fanatical about hammocking as I am but she loves her hammock (I gave her a big mayan for her birthday a couple of years ago) and she loves my WBBB. She has been borrowing my BB more and more and wanted to take it to India for some relaxation with bug protection.

So... I decided to give her my good friend (WBBB) and now I have about 5 months to get myself a replacement for my lightweight backpacking hammock with built in bug protection. I have the time and materials to make my own so that is where I'm headed until lack of skill forces me in a different direction

I'll miss my good friend but I also don't need to worry about my daughter enjoying and using it frequently (she might even use it more than I have). She even has plans to use it for a few weeks in August when she returns because she will be a camp counselor and prefers to sleep in the BB.

I also told her that she's going to have to make some time to attend a hang or two so that she can meet the gang

Here I go... blackbirdless into the wilderness

Dave

**G...Hawk** · 05-23-2013, 06:19

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Good use. Good gear. Good daughter. Good Dad.

G

**MAD777** · 05-23-2013, 06:25

I know the emotions that you feel, Dave. But I firmly believe that our kids need to go and see how the rest of the world lives their day to day lives. She will come back with a new perspective.

Oh, and by the way, you probably will never get the Blackbird back again

**old4hats** · 05-23-2013, 06:25

Yeah, bittersweet. I wish her much success on her trip. I also hope you find no snags on your way to a new friend. If you do hit a snag, give us a heads up, my wife has had some remarkable success with cloning friends of this type. If not before, see you in Jan.

**perrito** · 05-23-2013, 06:29

Make yourself a simple gathered end and a Fronkey net ASAP and get out there! It will help with the withdrawal symptoms.

**samsara** · 05-23-2013, 06:42

Originally Posted by old4hats

Yeah, bittersweet. I wish her much success on her trip. I also hope you find no snags on your way to a new friend. If you do hit a snag, give us a heads up, my wife has had some remarkable success with cloning friends of this type. If not before, see you in Jan.

Thanks and THANKS! I'm actually contemplating a trip up to GA this summer to stay at a friends cabin and I might have to shoot up for some sewing help and teaching from your wonderful wife. My sewing experience/training is limited to eighth grade home ec. and my current DIY projects (which were minimal in complexity). I'll keep you posted

Originally Posted by G...Hawk

.

Good use. Good gear. Good daughter. Good Dad.

G

Yes. Yes. Thanks. and THANKS

Originally Posted by MAD777

I know the emotions that you feel, Dave. But I firmly believe that our kids need to go and see how the rest of the world lives their day to day lives. She will come back with a new perspective.

Oh, and by the way, you probably will never get the Blackbird back again

Yeah, I've been exposing her to that attitude since she was young and then a year and a half ago she had the opportunity to go on a "Mission Assistance" trip to Haiti for a week so I used some savings to pay for that trip and she was hooked on travel and helping the less fortunate after that.

Yes... it's gone... *sniff*

Originally Posted by perrito

Make yourself a simple gathered end and a Fronkey net ASAP and get out there! It will help with the withdrawal symptoms.

I actually have done both of those. My first hammock set up was a DIY gathered end with Fronkey bug net but I like the features of the BB and I had issues with mosquitoes sneaking into the hammock with me even though I had the net. Fortunately they don't seem interested in biting you when they are trapped inside a bug net (sort of like how a bug tries to get out of your car and is no longer interested in the occupants). I have plenty of hammocks for hammocking but this is not hammock season any more down here... way too hot and humid for me so I will wait until Oct/Nov and I want to get the features and light weight of the BB for hiking/hammocking season in the fall

**islander** · 05-23-2013, 07:13

A good friend is always hard to say goodbye to. I didn't lose my WBBB, but its not gotten as much love as my Switchback. Best nights sleep ever in that hammock. Just saying.

**Rain Man** · 05-23-2013, 09:42

I sent two daughters overseas for a year each, as high school exchange students (we ourselves have hosted a dozen exchange students over the years). Mom cried when they left for 11 months, not to be seen at all for that period, but I was as proud of them and happy for them as could be. And the year went by in the blink of an eye. And yes, travel and living as a resident of another country really changes people ... for the good.

Anyway, good for you and good for her!

On the issue of your hammock in India-- have you thought of treating it with Permethrin before she goes? I would.

Rain Man

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**lazy river road** · 05-23-2013, 10:35

That is awesome what your daughter is doing it really takes a special kind of person to be willing and able to take on the challenges she is going to be facing in the upcoming year. Kudos to her and hats off to you for being a dad that raised this wonderful daughter who now wishes to make the world a better place. After high school I lived in another country for a year and it was very hard on my parents as well. I missed them and they missed me. But it really helped me grow as a person and find my place in the world. Wish her the best of luck from me and hearing these stories makes me all that more excited to become a parent myself this upcoming year and feel the same sense of pride in my children that you feel today in yours.

"The best way to find yourself is to loose yourself in the service of others"

Mahatma Gandhi

anyways as the hammock goes. Well this gives you the perfect excuse to now DIY a hammock or check out some other ones besides the black bird.