Today I did my first day of programs at the fort exhibit. I did a couple of demonstrations of making fire from flint and steel. I am pretty good at it. People are amazed (and so am I!!) when I get a fire going in about 30 seconds. This year the costume I am using is different from last year. The way it works around here is that unless you have your own stuff (most people don't) you have to rummage around the living history room to find something suitable. I managed to cobble something together that will work for me. The sharp eyed of you are going to notice that the moccasins are different. Moccasins are a problem. There is a big box of them, most of which are rather poor in condition. I was happy to just find two that would work. Different colors is not a problem with me for two reasons. First, the real explorers would not have really cared about that. They were just happy to have something for their feet. Second, I am a guy. Guys don't care a rat's patoot about a fashion statement.

If I were a fashion columnist, I would say something like. "John's wardrobe presents a vision of frontier chic, including the handsome earth toned jacket covering the elegantly coarse cotton shirt. His britches are a statement of simple, yet functional elegance. The cleverly cut front flap is fastened by a masculine, yet endearing, row of buttons cut from elk horn. Most of all we were impressed by his devil-may-care selection of footware. Surely some other ranger is walking around with the complementary pair. If ever they would meet, a true coup in frontier fashion would be evident to the assembled throng. That, cherished readers, would be a very strong statement sure to endure forever."