Overwhelmed By the Choices

We spent a pleasant and fairly non-eventful weekend camping at the Raymond B. Winter State Park.  Nice weather - not too hot, mostly sunny or partly cloudy, and not too much wind (which makes it good for sitting around the campfire.)  No major wildlife events - few mosquitos and flies, and no snake sightings which would've sent me home.

Just a laid-back time of relaxing, reading and enjoying each other's company.  Sometimes you just need a weekend like that to calm down and rejuvenate.

A few small wildlife sitings made things just a bit interesting.
Two crickets were enjoying a honeymoon on the gravel in front of us:

                     

The hummingbirds were fighting for supremacy at our feeder.  This one is just coming in for a landing:

Later a butterfly stopped and visited on our picnic table:

So, back to the title of this post, "Overwhelmed By the Choices."  What choices does one have while relaxing around a campfire that are so overwhelming, you may ask?  It wasn't there in the woods that things got tricky, but the incident that led to the problem happened that last morning at the campground:  I brushed my teeth.  Yup, I brushed my teeth, and while doing so, calculated my toothbrush to be so ridiculously old that I believe it has been in use since we purchased our first travel trailer, like around 2003 or so.  (I am ashamed to admit this, but herein lies the problem.)  I NEED A NEW TOOTHBRUSH.

Usually I don't have the problem of shopping for a new toothbrush.  At each of my regular six month dental appointments, the dental hygienist sends me home with a new brush and package of dental floss.

Anyway, upon returning home from the campground, I went to my local Wal-mart to purchase a new brush, and OMG, it was crazy.  I stood there in the toothpaste aisle, totally overwhelmed by the choices, and even a bit sickened.  Take a look.

I walked away and shopped for other stuff I needed.  I guess the experience made me return to a memory I have from 1997.  My husband and I went on a short-term mission trip that year to Trinidad.  While there we learned from a few shopping outings that there are no choices.  If you want cereal, there is likely one type on the grocery store shelf.  If you want toothpaste, there is only one kind available.  And yup, you guessed it, if you need a toothbrush, you will be lucky to find one variety there for you, if any.  And amazingly, the natives are happy and content with what they have. 

Examining the plethora of toothbrush sizes, shapes, colors and varieties just made me think for a moment about how we are sometimes so privileged and spoiled.  I mean geez, some of these toothbrushes even sing to you while you brush!

I don't know.  Maybe simple is better.  What do you think?