Camping!

     In the good old days, I used to go camping with my friends.  It was always a great time, and we would go almost every 3 day weekend that we could.  There was plenty of drinking and debauchery, The best part though was the great food, as we each would be in charge of one meal, so as to ensure no one was stuck cooking all weekend. This led to a series of one-up-man-ships that would make any foodie green with envy.    

      I can't talk about camping without talking about Chloe-dog, my beloved black lab.  Chloe loved camping more than anything.  She would happily jump into any body of water, no matter how filthy.  She also had a penchant for fetching sticks the bigger the better.  Camping meant woods full of giant sticks (or logs or tree limbs).  These ginormous branches are forever termed Chloe-Sticks.

The old crew and Chloe-Dog

      

      The first summer my husband and I dated, he came with us, and earned himself the nickname of Caulk-and-Bawls (its a you had to be there kind of story).  Fast forward a couple of  years, and it is entirely possible that my eldest daughter was conceived on one of said camping trips (thought that mystery is another post entirely). 

     These camping trips continued after my first born in tow. I vividly remember having her there one frigid Labor Day weekend, which is the one and only time she wore the size 3-6 month snowsuit I had gotten as a shower gift.  

     Camping trips stopped after the twins were born.  I just had visions of one running towards the campfire and the other one for the lake, and having to choose my favorite to save.  That is until this past week.

     We decided to make a go of it this year.  With me taking summer classes and an additional 6 credits at the local community college this fall, we really didn't have the extra cash for a grander vacation.  Since we had all this camping gear, just sitting fallow for all these years, and camp sites go for a measly $22 a night, we thought why not?

     The first challenge was packing the mini van.  The last time we went camping, we had 1 kid and 1 dog, which all fit comfortably in my Ford Explorer.  Now we have a Chrysler Town and Country, 3 kids and 2 dogs.  We took out the 1st row of seats to make room for everything.  There were nay sayers.

No room to spare.

An old camping buddy, and my mother both said it couldn't be done.  We made it work with little room to spare.  This involved not using the booster for my 7 1/2 year old.  The middle belt is lap only, and there really wasn't anywhere she could go if anything happened. She had pillows and a dog on top of her. (There is also another dog on the floor.)

Are you comfy Buster?

     We arrived at camp around 2 in the afternoon.  Leo and I set right to setting up tents.  We then realize that the air mattress is missing.  This was a tense moment to be sure.  I will camp, but I will not sleep on the ground.  Despite cajoling from my husband, I decided take a drive up to the Fort Ticonderoga Walmart, which is obligatory for any camping trip.  The kids were chomping at the bit to get to the beach so I went to Walmart by myself and Dad took the kids to swim. I came back to pick them up and took this shot.  Amazing right?

     

2 mermaids and a ninja

     I have a friend who lives and works near to where we were camping.  She joined us for dinner and a little hike down to the rocks.   There was a gorgeous sunset.  Shortly after our hike, she left.  I wish she could have stayed a bit longer, say after the kids went to bed, but I will take when I can get.

Beautiful Sunset

     Day 2, and our only full day camping, we started off a bit rough.  We had used all of our wood for the campfire, as it was a bit nipply overnight.  We ate breakfast in courses.  I then took another drive into town, this time for fire wood.  

Note the long sleeves

     When I got back, we took the kids down to the rocks for some swimming.  This resulted in lots of whining.  It was chilly, the water was rough, the rocks were slippery.  Then we had the first of 2 dog fights for the day.  Our Dottie, who is the sweetest dog alive is not so fond of unknown dogs. The second dog fight, she broke the leash and went for the throat.  She spent the rest of the trip crated.    

Dottie - aka Cujo

     After the rocks came lunch. Then naps.  That is one thing that has stayed the same from the old days, everyone loves to nap at camp.  Then the children discovered the log swing.  I was not a fan, though they were.  Basically this was just a piece of fire wood tied to a tree, but they loved it, as did all of the other kids in the place.  There were throngs of unattended kids there.  So we swang for a few, but we had dinner to make, and I was not quite willing to let them stay unattended, which prompted much whining by my 7-year-old.  

Rope swing of death

     Then came dinner, and more whining.  I made corn and roasted potatoes to go with our chicken.  None of it met with much satisfaction.  We had the right idea in the old days, split up cooking duty.  It definitely takes a lot of pressure off.  I'm going to have to recruit some folks to come and cook for me . . . I mean camp with us next year.       

      Then we attempted s'mores.  Now, please tell me, who thought this up? Don't get me wrong, I love a good s'more, but seriously, who gives children a poky stick, then informs them to go stand in front of the fire until their marshmallow becomes a molten pile of goo.  S'mores resulted in me sending everyone to bed.  

     While we were packing up, a man walked by, saw that we had only the one vehicle. He of course inquired about how we managed to get 3 kids 2 dogs and all that stuff into one mini-van.  I guess we are just talented that way, able to pack so efficiently as to draw comments on our impressiveness from strangers.  

     It is so good to be home.  I'm really appreciating my couch, and my laptop, and my wireless internet. If nothing else, camping makes you appreciate the comforts of home.   

Buster in the brush