I come from a family where one side of it loves to camp. When I was a kid I enjoyed it. There were these long weekends with extended family that everyone went to. I got cramped in the back of my family station wagon with all the camping gear and could barely breathe. I was stuck for the 6 hour drive to the campsite. When we got there the discomfort of the travel was forgotten. We played, we ate, we swam and we ate some more. The parents got ripped. Mostly on beer and rum. There was one time in particular when a cousin got himself wedged headfirst onto a covered slide made of metal that was ultimately so dangerous that it’s a wonder any of us survived childhood. But we did survive and we laughed a lot. Ultimately now though I hate camping and won’t do it. I felt bad not giving my kids the experience so I offered. I had suggested to my 6-year-old that we go camping for her birthday and the exchange went like this:
Me: “Hey baby, there is a festival going on during your birthday weekend. Would you like to go camping for your birthday?”
6yo : “Camping? I am not camping. Ever. I will camp in my house.”
So we’re not camping but we will cottage at the beach. Get sticky with sand, eat freezies and play all day long. But I don’t sleep on the ground. And I can’t wait for it. Saugeen Shores is my happiest place on Earth.
Moderate Life 