Skip to main content

Camping HELL


I just experienced the camping trip from HELL. Sacrificed 1 DS, 1 Playbook, 1 Blackberry and 1 Satellite radio .. as a storm sent a river through our tent.  The afore mentioned electronics spent days resting in zip bags full of rice, in hopes the water would be sucked out and they would once again, zip, brrrrrrrrrg and ring to life.

 Ask anyone – I am NOT a camper, but, this past weekend, we joined some friends at Sandbanks Provincial Park, to surprise one of my best girlfriends for her 40th Birthday.  I watched the weather forecast ahead of time, wishing the threat of rain away – yet determined to make it for one night to surprise my pal. On Friday afternoon, all was looking good.  No rain in sight, blue sky, and another friend texted they had already set-up the tent for my family to sleep in.

 We arrived at Sandbanks, unpacked, and joined our friends for a BBQ and campfire.  After a night of great company, food and a bottle of wine,  I awoke at 8am to find my husband pulling electronics out of a river on the floor of our tent.  So great was his frustration, that we immediately packed up, said goodbye to our friends and headed for home. 

 As we were driving away, we saw a great number of tree branches down and it opened our eyes to our luck to be uninjured, have our kids safe, and only electronics as casualties of the storm.  The feeling of frustration was beginning to give way to relief.  Only then did I allow myself to suffer from the bottle of wine I had drunk the night before.  I opened the window to let the cool air abate my nausea.  My husband told me to open my mouth and stick out my tongue … it would help.  I did, it didn’t and I turned to look at him laughing as he drove the van.  I said, “it didn’t work.”  His giggled response was, “sure it did!  I feel much better.”  Another crisis averted with humour.
                                                                                        We had stopped at the first store to buy Minute Rice and Ziplocbags (and loads of cookies for breakfast).  The rice had worked for us once before with a camera that had gone swimming in a pool. Three days later, we are still down one DS, the satellite radio plays music but only works by remote in its cradle, the Blackberry can send and receive calls but no longer takes pictures or allows for apps, and lastly, we have a fully functioning Playbook – that our daughter says now looks  little 3D, because of the condensation still present in the screen.

 What sense came out of this adventure?  Rice works!  Tents don’t.  Losing a few electronics is nothing as long as our kids are safe!  And – it’s worth it to look like a dog in heat if it makes your frustrated husband laugh.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Depression Lies

Depression lies to us about who we are.   It tricks us into believing negative self-talk, and then tries to make us too tired to fight back.   It makes our bodies ache to discourage the physical activity that would create endorphins so needed to quiet the negative noise.   Depression may tell us to either starve or over-feed our bodies, both attempts to skew our self-image. Depression lies to us, and sometimes we listen. I know depression.   I used to be afraid to admit our acquaintance.   In my 20s it would visit infrequently.     I called it something else until I met it more often and our relationship grew. In my early 30s it was called S.A.D. (Seasonal Affected Disorder).   Turns out my body likes sunshine.   Once I left my retail travel career with 4 Caribbean jaunts each winter, my Doctor noticed a pattern of symptoms and a subsequent treatment plan was initiated.   In my late 30s we became intimately acquainted, after each child birth and many hormonal shifts.     Depr
Post a Comment
Read more

Is it wrong to tell kids that their future is limitless?

So many of us tell our kids “you can be anything you want to be when you grow up”.  But can they? The first time I told my daughter she had limits was during the naming of Catholic Pope Francis in 2013.  She was 8 and asked if she could be Pope one day.  I told her females are not allowed to be head of the Catholic Church.  I answered her “why” with my own bias; “because some people think tradition is more important than equality”.  I’ve watched businesses, young parents, grandparents all decide what toys are for girls and which for boys.  I guess girls don’t grow up to drive cars or build buildings.  Perhaps men don’t become Fathers or caregivers.  If that is true, it is a waste of time for girls to play with cars or blocks or for boys to like dolls.  We tell them they can be ANYTHING when they grow up, yet we limit their play as children.   If their future is limitless, why don’t we limit our children less? We teach our kids to be kind to all people.  Not to be a
Post a Comment
Read more

A Mother's Circle of Life Love Song

What does a writer do with strong feelings .....write.  A tribute to my Mum. A Mother’s Circle of Life Love Song  ~ Sheri Gammon Dewling ~ Good night sweet girl, Mum said as she tucked me in each night. May my loving arms enfold you and protect you from the fright. I know you like to be awake and join in all the fun. Now it’s time for you to sleep. Tomorrow will soon come. Bless your heart, Mum told me as I learned, fell down and grew. May you face each day with kindness and continue to be true. I know the right decision isn’t always plain to know. Now it’s time for you to lead.   I’m proud to watch you grow. Good night sweet girl, I told her, as I watched her body fail. May the love of family guide you as your spirit starts to sail. I know you cherished life on earth, where your joy has always played. Now it’s time for you to sleep – no need to be afraid. Bless your heart, I said to her, as she took her last, slow breaths. May your journey of
Post a Comment
Read more