This week is going to be busy. There is no getting around it, so I've decided to be cheerful and not complain about the amount of work that is crossing my plate. I sat last night and tried to break the tasks up over the days I have to work with. Otherwise I can get overwhelmed, accomplish nothing due to procrastination, and then burn myself out during the last 24 hours.
Basically, we're doing 4 days of lessons and practice, plus I have to get us ready to go camping for 10 days. I used to find that a challenge before I was trying to stick to a budget and to feed a child gluten-free, so now the task seems really daunting. I have a lot of baking and food prep to do. I need to make packing lists, and pack the various categories - toiletries, clothing, medication, pantry food, cold food, camping gear, etc. A lot of stuff stays in the trailer, which does help. I'll also have to go provisioning.
Yesterday Papa and I pulled out the trailer (with some help from the boys) and he gave the outside and the tenting a good scrubbing. I washed the Melmac (melamine) dishes my grandmother gave me from her years of camping, and put them in our trailer. Some of it is older than I am! In general I hate plastic, but it has its place and if well cared for can be used safely. We never cook in plastic, and we don't wash it in the dishwasher. My grandmother also gave me some old Tupperware tumblers dated 1954. She only ever used them for cold beverages and always hand washed them, so they are in good shape.
So, we are finally make the leap to camping without disposable products. A couple of weeks ago I came across a set of cutlery we had purchased 10 years ago to use for a Thanksgiving meal, which we only used once or twice. It was an inexpensive set from Ikea (or perhaps 2 small sets), but is functional, and is far better than the service for 4 (now incomplete) that we did have in the trailer.
I also have to get the house in shape this week. We didn't do any housecleaning this weekend; I have been so low energy (this morning I started some prescription iron that I had leftover, so I hopefully I will perk up soon, and once I run out in 17 days I will switch to a lower dosage over-the-counter product) and mentally I needed a break. So we rested and relaxed (some - we did get a lot of things done), but now we have to pay the piper. Papa suggested that we spend some time each evening working on it.
I know if I can get past the work I can enjoy our upcoming vacation. We'll have 5 nights camping beachfront at one state beach, and then 4 nights camping bluff top at another. We'll start the trip with family, have a couple of days to ourselves, and then finish out the trip with friends. I can harldy wait to hear the ocean.
I am so jealous!!! We had some great camping vacations when my husband was still working in VA, he had five weeks of vacation and we loved taking extended camping trips. It was always such an adjustment to come home to all the hoop-la of day to day life. This will be a terrific trip!!! We have an OLD pop-up camper we bought of of ebay a couple years ago, and need new canvas for it. I need to get on ordering that! I would love to get in some late summer/fall camping trips this year.
ReplyDeleteWe are on our 3rd pop-up in nearly 4 years; we bought this one almost 2 years ago. We started with a small, really old Palomino, bought a new Coleman after 1 month, and then bought the 2005 Fleetwood (Coleman) Highlander Niagara when it came out (hardside potty and shower).
ReplyDeleteSometimes I'd really like a regular travel trailer, but this does fit in the garage and we don't exactly have RV parking.
New canvas can be pricey! We looked into that option when we first looked at used trailers.
For the past 4 years we've camped a lot (like at least once a month), but we scaled it back this year to help us meet some financial goals. This is our 4th trip out this year and we have 2 more planned, and might fit in a few at our private membership campground depending on the dog. I'm thinking I may go out this fall for 2 weeks with the boys if we can swing the gas money for DH to commute from the mountains to work, and if Missy (the dog) can behave herself and not bark.
Yeah, I think it runs about $1000.00 for new Canvas, ours is an OLD Shenandoah, but it is great because it has a king, and two queen beds, so we have so much room in it for all of us (and the dog). When we priced the new ones at that size they were just outrageous. Although we have no potty nor shower! So that is more difficult than I would like. We paid like $600.00 for it and basically gutted it and rebuilt the inside of it. It was so much fun to do, now Im emotionally attached to the old gal. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the trailor!! I would love one too, but I dont want to have to look at the darn thing whenever we arent off camping in it. That would really annoy me. In VA we kept ours set up in the back yard for a lot of the summer (it was a big backyard) and the boys would sleep down there with my husband on weekends. They loved it so much. It was fun to pretend camp when we couldnt get away, or when friends came over.
Ours needs so much work now though, I just dont know. But New Mexico has all these great places to go and if we could get away for just the weekend to see it, that would be great. Unfortunately this summer is consumed with renovations to our house. I cant wait until that is all over!!!