Storytime: What Planted The Seed...

Eons ago when Dave and I were in our first house, for our first wedding anniversary, Dave got me a Coleman lantern. I looked at him and asked why? He said "For when we loose power and don't have any lights". It sounded plausible. Second wedding anniversary, he got me a Coleman 2 burner propane camp stove. Again I look at him and the look in my eyes asked why? He responded with "If the power goes off you will be able to cook". I nodded my head up and down yes. The Third wedding anniversary saw 3 foldingcamp stools with chair backs. I looked at him and said " for when the furniture breaks"? "Nah, for when we have company", I smiled and nodded. The next year saw two matching sleeping bags that would zip together. Ah Ha I said..."For when the power goes out in the dead of winter and we can snuggle". To which he said " Your starting to get it". The following year saw a Coleman metal encased Ice Chest. And I said "For when the refrigerator looses power, right"? "Yep", he replied. My hubby is such a ham.

When our oldest was 4 I turned to him and said, "You know, now that we have all of this camping gear, why don't we go camping"? Dave looked at me and replied "I don't know that you would like it." To which I replied after I picked my jaw up off the floor, " How would you know, we've never been". So we purchased a dilapidated tent for $50.00 that had holes and no zipper, in which I set about repairing with jean iron on patches and a sewing awl and then spread this Sears 8 person tent out on the driveway and painted duck back on it to waterproof it. We also purchased a soft side car top carrier for $10.00 and put it on top of our little Volvo and off to Colorado we went, happy as larks. We had the best time, and have been campers ever since acquiring more gear along the way.

We love the out of doors. It invigorates us. Our kids loved it as well and continue on with the camping tradition. I grew up going to the lake on the weekends with my parents. Their idea of roughing it was a cabin. But later in life after dad passed away, my mom would join us on our camping trips in our Pop-up trailer. She came to enjoy it very much as we traveled to Christie's soccer matches all over the country. We saved lots of money by driving and staying at campgrounds. We could drive to the matches, camp, eat, sight see and return home for what it would cost other parents to only fly their families to the tournaments. That did not include the funds to rent a car, hotel, food or sight see on their part. Dave's mom would join us from Canada and camp with us as well even into her eightys.

Camping is a family activity that we enjoy. I can hardly wait for our grandson to get old enough that we can take him with us on some of our adventures. Of course mommy and daddy can come too.