The Camping Trip

It started with a list days before. Every time we thought of something we’d need we’d add it to the list. By the time we were done we nearly needed a 26′ U-Haul. I swear we had as much stuff for a 3 night camping trip as we did for a two week trip to the States.

On the highway, DW likes to spot eagles soaring overhead. She’ll point them out when she find them. Then this happened…

We laughed and laughed and laughed…

Then on the Ferry to PEI the boys found a puppy to sit and pet and talk to. Five month old Riggs was a good dog. An English Bulldog. They played with him for a solid hour. The owners thanked our boys for entertaining their dog during the trip. Likewise, we thanked their dog for entertaining our kids.

Back in the truck and en route to our campsite Bang was restless and bored and so he decided to look for trouble. He usually doesn’t have to look hard. This time he put his hand in his mouth and tried to wipe it on his big brother. DW told him to keep his hands out of his mouth since he was just getting licked by a dog who had probably licked his hole.

Bang replies in complete horror… “I didn’t lick his hole!”

The weather was fabulous, though a bit hot. The nights were cool and perfect for sleeping. Even if our camping neighbors talked until 12:30. Even if the sun acted as a damn alarm clock at 6 am. We really didn’t spend much time camping. Our 8 person tent was more of a bedroom than campsite. Once we were awake and had breakfast we weren’t back at our site until bedtime.

Do you know how hard it is to cook pancakes on a BBQ? Once you get past the whole needing something to cook it on because a grill won’t hold pancake batter, you better have something to make it non-stick. I used a tin bowl. At first I just poured the pancake batter in. It cooked up like a loaf of bread. Except it was still liquid in the middle. And the top wasn’t cooked because I couldn’t flip it over. So, being above average intelligence, I cut the tin so it would lay flat, then poured the batter on. Worked like a charm until it was time to flip it. It was stickier than a toddler with a roasted marshmallow.

We went out to eat for breakfast.

After breakfast we went to visit Anne Shirley’s house. She’s the character created by L.M. Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables. The boys really enjoyed it. The house was set up as Lucy would have envisioned it in 1908. There was even a girl dressed as Anne and in character!

After this we joined DW’s brother and his family and went to Sandspit – a small, carnival-like amusement park. There were lots of laughs, lots of screams and endless rides. It was so hot there was barely anyone there as they were all at the water park. We could ride a ride, get off, and get right back on. No lines.

lovebirds atop the ferris wheel

Then it was off to supper to feed hot, hungry, thirsy (a deadly trifacto) people.

Then back to DW’s brother and his family and the trailer they had rented for a week. A dip in the campground pool, a bonfire, and meeting up with new and old friends. A friend I went to high school with in Maryland, now lives in Ottawa. She and her family happened to be in PEI at the same time as us and even camped at the same campground! So we got to play catch up on the last 20 years.

Then back to the tent to sleep.

Day 2 started with another attempt at pancakes on the bbq. We borrowed a bottle of olive oil and I used that to keep the cakes from sticking to the foil pan. Worked like a charm. Other than them taking 15 minutes to cook…

We spend most of the day hanging out with family. The kids visited the campground store for treats. They rode scooters and bike and played on the playground. They were inside and outside and back inside and back outside and back inside then kicked back out.

It was hot. We were hoping to go to Shining Waters, the water park, asap. DW’s brother said, “Nope. You don’t want to spend the day there. You are going to be there for a couple hours and then you’ll be done and ready to leave.” He was right.

The lines were long. 45 minutes long. Bang rode a big water slide with mom in an inner tube built for 2. He was skipping and jumping and hooting and hollering the whole way up the stairs. He was singing a different tune on the way down the slide.

He hated it. Both times. Both slides. I’m pretty sure he was convinced his mother was trying to kill him. After that he wandered the park with his older cousin to ride some rides that had neither water nor slides.

Then Saturday night happened. The wind picked up. Gusting at 50 kph. 31 miles per hour. Not really all that bad unless you’re in a tent under some trees. The boys were fast asleep. I lay my head down to sleep after reading (I’m reading The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay) and then a thought crossed my imagination and my stupid brain decided to wreck havoc and tell me that with that wind a tree might fall. Stupid stupid brain.

We woke Sunday to overcast skies and the wind still howling. Then it started raining. Not so bad in the tent. We were dry in there. Except that it was Sunday and time to take the tent down. We packed what we could and I backed the truck up as close to the door of the tent as I could without running it over. With my history of backing up, that was an impressive feat.

We got it down in record time. It didn’t fit back in the tent bag, but I didn’t care. It was down, packed in the roof top carrier and I was in the truck, mostly dry and ready to drive.

We stopped in Charlottetown for some more Cows ice cream and to visit the Provincial House which is under construction. So we visited the replica at the Confederation Centre of

 

the Arts. This is where Canada’s forefathers came together from across the Great White North to create the country now known as Canada.

 

One forefather and 2 foresons…

While the Province House wasn’t all that exciting they did have Lego sets so the boys could build their own Lego Province House….

 

That’s our trip in a nutshell… if a nutshell were 1,140 words.

Of course there was excitement over riding the ferry and seeing cousins and being allow far more freedom at the campground than they’re allowed at home.

We’re home now. All unpacked. We set the tent up in the yard to dry out. It’s now raining…

The whole gang (minus Nanny Moe and Pop)

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Questions I Asked My Kids About Camping

It’s official. We’re booked for 3 nights at a campsite in PEI. We’re meeting DW’s brother and his wife and 4 kids there. The boys are excited for multiple reasons, A) we get to sleep in a tent and B) they’ll get to play with their cousins for three days.

Also, we have a free pass for two nights of camping in a national/provincial park. The PEI trip is booked at a family campground. Wide open spaces, but lots for the kids to do. Bang wants to go (and I do, too) camping in a forest (as you’ll read in just a moment). So perhaps we’ll use the 2 night pass for forest camping. We might need a few practice nights in the backyard. Though, what I’m most nervous about what to feed the youngest, pickiest eater besides cookies, granola bars, and crackers.

1. What does it mean to go camping?

Crash: When you put up a tent, talk in a tent, roast marshmallows and stay up til 12:00
Bang: Like roast marshmallows, have fun, and sleep in a tent. You don’t do that at real bedtime

2. What is going to be the most fun about camping?

Crash: Going to Shinning Waters, if we go. (Shinning Waters is a water park so his favorite thing about our planned camping trip has nothing do with camping)
Bang: Roasting marshmallows, probably. Because i burn them

3. What do you want to do while we’re camping?

Crash: Doing our own comedy shows inside the tent
Bang: Go to sleep… err no.. Eat cookies

4. How many nights to you want to sleep in a tent?

Crash: 4 would be good
Bang: 30 years

5. What animal would be really cool to see while we’re camping?

Crash: A moose or an owl
Bang: Deer. I haven’t seen one in like ages

 

6. What is something you hope doesn’t happen while we’re camping?

Crash: The tent catches on fire
Bang:  A bear breaks into our tent

7. What would you do if we saw a bear while camping?

Crash: I know what I do! I would slowly walk away from it because in a book it told you how escape from a bear and it said to slowly walk away from it.
Bang: Get our guns out and shoot in the nose?
Me: Do we have guns?
Bang: We have toy guns.
Me: So you want to shoot it with a Nerf dart?
Bang: Yeah

8. Where (besides PEI) do you want to go camping?

Crash: Disneyland
Bang: In a forest. I’ve never been into the forest.

9. What are we going to eat when we go camping?

Crash: Probably granola bars and cheese and crackers
Bang: Junk, like cookies, granola bars. Oh, don’t forget my favorite kind of crackers from playgroup.

10. What is something we should do to be safe while camping?

Crash: Always have a first aid kit and don’t lose your mind and wander off.
Bang: Stick together so we don’t get lost.

This Summer’s Schedule

I love summer.

I love winter, too. But summer is way hotter.

Unfortunately, it’s not conducive to blogging. The kids are home all day. They either need entertaining or forced encouraged to clean something. They magically get along when they’re told to clean. It’s like a miracle.

Then there’s traveling. We don’t go far. Basically, around the block. Though we did make it to the beach yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we got home a bit late and after a day of sun, sand, surf, and supper, blogging didn’t make the to do list.

Then there’s the later than usual bedtime every night because “It’s still light out!” and “My friends get to stay up until dark!” By the time they’re finally asleep all I have left is to watch as many Game of Thrones episodes we can fit in.

Which is usually one.

There’s also baseball. It’s going to take up more time than a Lord of the Rings extended version trilogy marathon. Actually, that’s about the same length as just one game. This year, however, I have stepped into the role of Coach for Crash’s team. Yes, I’m a Coach Daddy. Except for baseball. I’ve coached soccer and wrestling and golf. This is my first stint at baseball. So far, so good. We haven’t lost! We won one and tied one. We have three games next week. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. So we’ll be spending a good portion of our summer on the field of dreams.

The boys have been begging to go camping. I love camping and used to camp frequently. I’ve never taken along two rambunctious kids. I would love to teach them what I know about camping and the wilderness and the night sky without light pollution and about cheese filled crust pizza (but not while camping). There are a few day trips we’d like to take and trip to visit DW’s brother and sister-in-law. The boys love playing with their cousins.

I’ll be Tweeting, Instagramming and Facebook our adventures so feel free to follow along. What will you be doing this summer?

Sorry, South-of-the-Equatorians, what will you be doing this winter?

Beach, Mountains, or Forest?

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Places.”

My blogging brother over at Gramblings wrote about getting away. He wrote about not having to leave to relax. We don’t need a cabin in the woods or the beach house or a summer home in order to get away and recharge. Simply being with friends and family is enough. Enjoying the quiet (or boisterous if that’s your style) moments is all it takes to get away. It’s work we are usually attempting to escape from. Therefore, once you’re not at work, once you’re at home and changed into comfy clothes, surrounded by family, then it’s unwind and getaway time. But, what if you have the opportunity to actually get away and go somewhere for a day or two. Daily Post’s Prompt asked if we’d get away to the beach, the mountains or a forest…