Adventures in Camping sans husband

Mike went to speak at a camp last week and so instead of spending the week home alone with the kids with no help around, I decided to be daring and take a trip.  Our first stop was the Shuswap Provincial Campground where me and my friend Kate and my three children piled into the overpacked van to set up camp for two nights.  The first afteroon it took us a few hours to set-up, figure out exactly how this tent contraption worked and by the time we were done, we were hot and ready for an ice cream.  The kids easily agreed to that and we headed off to cool off with our favourite treat.  Yes, I had ice cream and yes, my stomach hurt after.

Came back to camp to make a fantastic meal of greek skewered chicken and turkey, brown rice and raw veggies with homemade goat yogurt tzatziki.  We even managed to make a fire that first night which proved to be quite delightful as we succeeded without the help of the opposite sex or an axe!

Our first night we were exhausted so Kate and I headed off to bed early.  Had a hard time sleeping that first night.  Caleb kept wanting to sneak into the double air mattress that I was already sharing with Abbi.  I finally let him in as I felt bad for the kid - being a sibling of twins he often 'misses out' on sharing things, including beds, rooms, toys.  Most kids would be thrilled they get their own beds, but to him it's tragic.  And so I settled in for a long night's sleep squished between two children who, by the way, are awesome at moving and kicking in their sleep.  

Anyhow, I woke up every hour, it felt like, sometimes to the pitter-pattering of rain.  Then I would lay awake and pray until it stopped because we were too tired to put up a tarp the night before.  When I finally fully awoke, it was coming down hard and we need to jump out of bed to get the tarp secured and all our belongings under it.  When I jumped out of bed I realized I was wet before even heading outside. Not just wet....soaked actually.  Turns out one of my children must have drank a LOT of liquid the night before and decided to let it go in the night all over themselves and me.  And so stinking of pee, the child in question and I headed to the showers and then to a trip to the laundromat - $10 later we had fresh clean sheets, jammies and a comforter and were ready to take on the day.  

Unfortunately, the day was raining and dreary.  We decided to be pioneer women one more time and attempt another fire at lunch as the kids really wanted to roast something.  So we roasted our hotdogs over the fire which was the best part of the day.  Caleb said it was 'Awesome!' and so fun to cook our own food.  

The remainder of the day ticked on as though there were 36 waking hours instead of 12.  We did crafts, read books, played games, had a scavenger hunt, went for bike rides, went for car rides, went window shopping, book shopping, for ice cream again....and then it finally stopped raining in time to eat dinner out on the picnic table.  

A family 'moved in' across the way and had a 6 year old Caleb as well, so they all spent the rest of the night playing and enjoying new friends.  Which they continued on the next morning as well as Kate and I tore down the campsite and with the sun shining, decided it was best to head to the beach before heading back to Kamloops.  

We enjoyed a few hours at the beach and then headed to my friend Sonia's for two days of quiet and rest.  Despite having 5 kids in the house, we had a relatively easy time chatting and catching up in the midst of it all.  The kids loved just playing and staying around the house which gave us time to chat, have naps, plan the next meal.

All in all, it gave me good perspective to go camping without Mike.  I realized that with the help of a friend, I could do it.  Sometimes it's good to remind ourselves of the things we are capable of!  Of course, I did miss Mike and I know that having him around would have made the trip much easier.

So here's to the husbands of the world who pack the vans, unpack the vans, set up camp, make fires and so much more.  And here's to the women of the world, who on occasion get to do all that and more....and survive!

The Help - A book review

First off, I'd like to say I am not a book critic nor do I try to be.  In fact, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett is the first book I have read in a really long time.  Being a mother of three young children, time doesn't always lend itself to me for personal pleasure.  But when we were away at Camp Likely with only one child in tow, I had the time to read the book...devour it is more like it.  I can see why I shouldn't read on a regular basis because I get so addicted that I can't put it down.  Not a great quality with three kids running around.

Anyhow, here it goes.  Both my mother and mother-in-law recommended this book to me and because I knew there was a movie coming out and I would have some time, I decided to purchase it.  It takes us back to a time in Jackson, Mississippi, where coloureds and whites do not have equal rights.  Privileged white communites hire African Americans, of course you won't see that term in the book, to raise their children, clean their homes and work their fields.  This is a standard; there is no thought that life should be any other way. 

Miss Skeeter, a young, unmarried college graduate, is not quite as exuberant as her best friend, Miss Hilly Holbrook, who has started a Bathroom Sanitation Initiative to ensure that all white homes have a separate bathroom for hired help so as to not get any communicable diseases.  She is actually apalled as Hilly's ignorance (though she keeps those thoughts inside as no one wants to mess with Miss Hilly) As time goes on, Skeeter, an aspiring writer, decides to persue an idea of writing a book from the point of view of the Help. 

This task isn't as easy as it seems because what black woman is going to share secrets about their white employers with another white woman?  As fate would have it, circumstances align to allow Miss Skeeter, not one, not two, but a dozen women who are willing to help her with her book. 

Through the process Skeeter learns much about her own outlook on life and grows into a woman who walks against the grain even at the cost of friendship and status. 

This is a wonderfully written book and is definitely a 'must-read' in my opinion.  It made me wonder what I would behave like if I lived in the same town and era.  Would I have been blinded by the ignorance around me or would I be stirred to do something about it? 

I've fallen in love with these characters and can't wait to see the movie, though I know, movies are generally not as good as the book.  Even so, their courage to stand up for truth in the midst of hardship is inspiring and even if you can't read the book, go see the movie.  I'm sure it will inspire as well. 

PS - My favourite part is The Terrible Awful...made me smile, made me laugh!