Who is Murphy and why does he have a law that sucks? Truly, why is it when you have the best laid plans, everything in order, all people on board and everything a go...something gets f'd up....or it rains on your camping trip....like it just did.
We had a camping trip planned for months. We had four SUV's full of kids, 20 people and a boat load of food, marshmallows, tents and booze (allowed in WI state parks) and it had to freakin' rain. At first we were very optimistic. We had to be. We also had two camping newby families and we wanted them to have a good time. We got our stuff set up and had a dry evening of smores and hotdogs and a little flashlight gaming...then around 10:30 it began to rain. Not a sprinkle, but in drenching sheets on and off...it felt like being in a car wash. It rained all night. My air mattress, which I had to share with my daughter because she wouldn't sleep in the stupid pack and play she asked me to bring, deflated. So we laid on the ground with no padding. I kept putting her on the bit of air I had trapped and she would roll off it to the ground and I had to haul her back up. Needless to say I didn't get any sleep. My son had no clue it rained-even though he woke up in the middle of the night and I had to help him pee out the window and it rained on his head.
We had a pretty decent morning. Still optimistic. We lost one family early. The bugs there were relentless. The mosquitos were impossible. No bug spray kept them away, they were superbugs or some kind of mutation. The kids are now all doped up on antihistimines to help keep the swelling down, it was bad. And the flies. It was like a bad Amityville Horror movie, so gross. We lost the second family by late afternoon. Then it started to rain again. Now more stuff was wet. The already wet tents and bags got friends of soggy clothes and pillows. Now it was starting to suck. The two of us left are diehards. We are not girly girls and we are hardy, but we needed to make a decision because the husbands were attempting to join us for two more nights. So- then the husband situation took a turn for the worse and they weren't going to get there until late, it was raining, everything was annoying....so we threw in the soggy towel and packed up.
To add stupidness to wetness and pissed offness and disappointedness, I had to pack up with my little one. (Here is where the husbands really do come in handy. ) She was tired and clingy and I took down the tent with her hanging on me in the rain, I was having a blast. But if Sacagawea could guide Louis and Clark down rivers with a baby in a primitive Bjorn, I could take down my stupid tent. I also put on a movie in my car for her. She also turned on lights, the fan and put it in to four wheel drive without me knowing.....needless to say, when it was finally time to leave, my truck was dead.....it was now 9 pm and we are two hours away. Just figures.
To my rescue were campers next door who were just getting settled in. I got jumped (highlight of the night, he he ) and off we went. I thought my truck was sluggish, but didn't know what was going on. This morning my husband moved my truck and said it was in 4 wheel drive the whole ride home...good thing gas is so cheap!
Anyway, I woke up crabby and in a slump. I did nothing all day. Nobody did. It kind of sucked. I wanted to be camping and hiking and doing all the fun stuff I had planned. We had a great group and the potential was there. All the kids were great, we all hung in there as best as possible and we tried. We had an awesome set up and great company.
Mother Nature can sure be a bitch sometimes.
Oh well, there is always next time..............
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4 comments:
THE THINGS WE DO FOR OUR KIDS
I am one of the nuby families to give camping a try....me and my 3, 5 & 9yr old boys. I've never camped but thought this would be an adventure and the kids would enjoy it. I am a true believer that we (humans) were meant to spend the night in a big comfy bed in an air conditioned room with a REAL toilet...not a hole in the ground. Putting those thoughts aside for the sake of my boys....I got all the gear and planned our meals.
My 3yr old is currently on steroids because his eyes began to close up from mosquito bites. However, I WILL CAMP AGAIN - given the right circumstances. I figure I have seen the worst of it....no...we did not have a run in with a bear. Camping can only get better from where I sit and I look forward to planning the next trip. It was truly COOL caravaning with four women and 13, yes 13, kids to camp in the woods of Wisconsin. If I may be so bold to suggest that everyone must have a vodka/fruity something drink while putting up their tent on their first campout.
Thanks girls for including me....I hope to be invited next time!
OH....I got this and wanted to share. I don't know how to navigate this site yet so here it is:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters,granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.
Yeah!momwifedaughtersisterme! (wow, that is a long name)
I think we should try again over Columbus Day weekend in the fall when most of the damnm bugs have died of-or we could ditch the little lovelies, husbands and pets and go to a spa....
Hope to celebrate awesome womaness soon. By the way, our campsite rocked! We set up everything so fast and well with all the kids and no husbands and missing directions!
I'm sorry. I don't mean to be compassionless, uncaring, unsypathetic, or trite.... but that is why we don't do camping "that way".
We set up the tent in the backyard or basement and everyone is as happy as a clam. I know that this isn't, "real" camping; but it serves its purposes. The kids sleep in their sleeping bags, in the tent, and play with flashlights (which is what they want). My husband drinks beer (which is what he wants). And I make yummy smores in the microwave and eat all the leftover chocolate (which is what I want).
But... look at it this way; there were two positive outcomes: you have some strong memories that will last a long time and you had an interesting experience to blog about. Now doesn't that just make it all worth while? -Oliver
What is best about having a variety of friends is that we don't all have to see eye to eye on what is considered "fun". I love the creature comforts of home on a vacation, but intrinsically I am a nature loving outdoorsy girl who grew up camping and playing in the dirt and feel very obligated to give my kids the same experience. I loved watching my kids, all the kids, being covered head to toe in rain and mud playing and getting along fabulously. It goes to show why kids are great, they realize that it is the company and what you make of a situation that is fun, not whether it is perfect or not. I need to learn from that.But for the record, I will come over to your basement for beer and smores anytime....
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