Reid has been talking about camping a lot lately and pretending to camp often. In addition to choosing camping over planting last weekend, we have been spending lots of time in “tents”. Pillows and blankets are the preferred building materials or maybe they’re just what Reid has on hand. Of course, Reid considers her quilt pulled over her head, without any support other than an extended arm, to constitute a tent. On Thursday I even got Reid dressed while she laid under her covers. She was delighted to dress in the “tent” and perplexed by my assertions that I was not able to dress for work while laying under blankets. Reid was sure that if she helped me I could manage but I turned into “Super Mean Mama” and went to my own room to dress.
We’re going to miss the KOA free camping night in May but we’ll have to get ourselves organized for another weekend in the not-distant future. There’s a KOA with cabins just about an hour from Ottawa. I like having the camping experience without the hassle of setting up a tent or trailer, especially without the need to find a place to store them. My memories of camping as a kid are almost all about being outside – playing, exploring, riding bikes, eating (especially eating!), sitting around the camp fire, swimming – with the occasional memory of falling asleep in a bunk in the trailer while listening to bigger people at the campfire. Reid can build her own memories when we stay in a cabin. I think I might be too old to learn to camp in a tent and a trailer would make me feel guilty on all of the weekends we don’t use it. I have enough in my life to cause me guilt.
All this to say, if you’re looking to go camping this summer, head over to our part of Ontario or even Quebec. We’ll bring the marshmallows