My life is to make everything around me beautiful.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Another Camp Out In the Sawtooth Mountains

Before I begin you have to see the most recent picture of Miss Caroline, our new great granddaughter. Yesssss, I'm just like most grandmothers who have to brag, but I won't bore you with a lot of pictures. She's looking at the fish in their backyard pond here. She looks like me: wrinkled and can't sit up straight!
~*~

We were off again to the wilds of Idaho camping! This is how I looked as we were getting ready for the camp out.

Let me tell you the story. Please! It's cathartic and therapeutic...for ME, trust me!

I keep telling Love Bunny I hate camping anymore so why does he want to take me or better yet, drag me along. I make no bones about NOT wanting to go. Whimper, whimper.

Let's just say here that my body "doesn't function well" out in the woods. Do you get my drift here? We have a flushing portable toilet that really is a dream when camping outdoors. I'm not a woman who can "go over a hole in the ground" and proved that in Puerto Vallarta Mismaloya beach one year. I had Love Bunny hold a towel around me while I changed into my bathing suit in the parking lot of the beach because the bathrooms (using the term ever so facetiously here!) were literally a hole in the ground and the stall had only 3 sides to it out in the open. Anyone walking by could see me! Couldn't do it. And, yes, you can get out of pants and a shirt into a bathing suit with a beach towel wrapped around you in the parking lot MODESTLY. Trust me, I did it!

Anyway, he accused me of stopping up the portable flush toilet. Now, how in the world can you use too much toilet paper out in the woods? He told me to use less paper. Chicks, it IS what it IS. I can't help it if I have to use more than Mr. Macho! Go munch on some tree bark, Mr. Outdoors!

And this is what I looked like when we got home.

No, that's not the ending. I'll tell you the story.

We arrived just in time for lunch. He wanted a ham and cheese sandwich. I forgot the cheese. He grumbled slightly but adjusted quickly.

I planned us a menu for 3 dinners. Breakfast and lunches were going to be easy. Dinners: Hamburger Helper with salad and veggie, hamburgers on buns with corn on cob and steak with potatoes and salad. Dinners were flexible however as to which we would eat on each night. So the first night I wanted hamburgers on buns.

He: Where are the angus hamburgers?

She: I don't know, either the fridge in the popup trailer or one of the two coolers.

He: I can't find them.

She: Okay, let me look.

She: Well, where are they? I can't find them so go ahead and use the half pound of regular hamburger for HH salisbury steak dinner.

He: That burger isn't here either.

She: Okay, what about steak then?

He: I can't find that either.

Mumble, mumble, grumble

She: I guess I thought you had put the meat into the coolers or fridge.

You can see where this is going, can't you? Both of us forgot the main dish: MEAT! So we had cheese/broccoli rice with 1/2 ear of corn on cob and a salad.

He: did you bring the salad dressing for the salad?

She: do I look stupid or what?

He: looking at me with a snide remark poised on the edges of his lips.

She: DON'T EVEN SAY IT!!!!

We had extra food stored in the camper so we had cheesy/broccoli rice friday night. We also had some freeze dried chili mac and freeze dried meat sauce with spaghetti in our food storage kit. I told him to take me up to that tiny little restaurant about 15 miles up the road and buy me a dinner. Okay, it was sunday and we don't shop or eat out on sunday unless traveling. So we broke sabbath for us but there was NO WAY I was eating USMC MREs. I had a brownie he's had for 25 years maybe and it was horrible—like a soda cracker thick covered with chocolate. Soldiers love them in the field but I'm not a soldier and almost choked on it. It's like a very flat cracker with nuts in it and about 3 x 3 inches square.

So when we came out of the mountains I had a Subway sandwich and Coldstone Creamery ice cream. It was heaven.

I also forgot my hiking shoes. I travel in my pink Crocs so I can slip them on and off easily but they are NOT for walking up and down the mountain trails. I did however get 3 books read, 4 magazines that gave me several ideas on what I'm going to do for this house. I didn't cook, clean a dish, make a bed, lift a finger. He has always promised me he would cook, plan, wash up everything and I could just relax. I was dying I was so bored. Plus, again, it was in the upper 80s and rather hot and I hate heat. I love cold so I slept well at night. We think it was in the 50s and very pleasant sleeping. But I'm truly happy to be home.

Oooooh, and what did I take for me? Moisturizer, tooth brush and toothpaste, 3 underpants, 3 tops and 2 pants. No brush, comb, makeup, dryer, shampoo, mascara. I "finger-combed" my hair each morning. If I can do this YOU can do this. Of course in the Food Mart at Horseshoe Bend, people gave me a wide berth in the store.
~*~

19 comments:

  1. OH, she is a cutie! And I don't say that lightly. :)

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  2. oh Connie, you truly crack me up!!! I can so picture everything like I was there with you..only at a distance if you get my drift...jk..:) glad you are back safe and sound..and your little granddaughter looks so cute..:)

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  3. Girl, you are so funny. Thanks for making me laugh. Neil and I would have been in a full screaming match with him doing most of the screaming.

    You sweet granddaughter is just beautiful! I'd be bragging too. Be sure to keep us updated with pics.

    I've got a giveaway ending tonight (Wed) I hope you get a chance to come by and enter.

    Hugs....Tracy :)

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  4. Oh Connie!! I can just imagine it. I wouldnt be that keen either.
    We have friends with a Camper van, and it is lovely that they can go off at the drop of a hat on holiday...but, not for me!

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  5. I have never been camping in my life and after hearing this, I don't think I would want to go!

    I found some MRE's in the cabinet yesterday at our house and threw them in the trash. I hope the Commander won't miss them. If he does, too bad. I will tell him I heard they were gross and tossed them. *giggle*

    Love,
    LuLu~*xoxo

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  6. Heyya Connie dear, reading your post today reminds me of my parents.. they are just like you both when traveling.. hehehe.. always forget things.. this and that.. and my mom is very particular about toilet and so do I, for that matter.. heheheeh..

    btw your great granddaughter is adorable!

    xoxo
    fitty

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  7. LOL! Don't you just love the great outdoors !
    What a funny post, It was like watching Lucy and Ricky :)
    Bet you're glad to be home!
    And Miss Caroline is just the most precious thing!!!
    Blessings, Mary

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  8. OH my gosh!I won! I won! I knew today was going to be a gooooood day! Thank you I am sooooo excited! I am jumping up and down and doing flips off the couch ...well not the flips,but my daughter is! Hey, don't feel bad...I hate camping and if it were me i would refuse to go...well, probably not, but i would do some fussing for sure!
    Hugs,
    Olivia

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  9. That is hilarious and sounds pretty miserable ~ I used to love camping but now I have to have a motor home complete with pretty much everything like home ~
    Thank you for the good laugh this morning ~
    xoxo
    Lori

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  10. Oh my Gosh Connie,
    That is so funny!!
    You could have always gone fishing to get something for dinner! LOL only kidding!
    I guess canned chicken and turkey aren't a bad idea to have stocked in the camper... just don't forget the can opener (something I would do!)
    Funny post!
    Sparkly Hugs,
    Tobi and the Pixies!

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  11. First of all, Caroline is ADORABLE. Neil Diamond's song "Sweet Caroline" comes to mind!!

    I am not much of a roughing it type of gal either, so your camping story reminded me of myself. I definitely don't do outhouses!!! And I only want to camp in a campground where there are showers, as I MUST shower, do my hair, and put on makeup EVERY day. (Still, though, I HATE using community showers...definitely have to wear shower shoes, so I don't pick up athlete's foot)

    I can relate to the food mishap. Before we got a FoodSaver, we relied on Ziploc bags, which really don't seal all that well. The ground meat we had put in one bag leaked blood all through the cooler...we threw everything away....and we didn't have back-up food stashed in the camper like y'all did.

    We sold our pop-up this past spring, so I guess our camping days are over. (My husband and son have discovered tent camping, which I'm definitely NOT going to do!)

    Sorry for the rambling comment. Have a lovely day.

    Hugs,
    Patti

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  12. Hahahaha Connie!!! I used to love camping when I was a kid but now... no thanks! I have decided it's cheaper and better on my sanity to rent a cabin somewhere. I'm not fancy but I have to have a bathroom and shower if I'm going to be civil to anyone. Sounds like you had an adventure, thanks for the smile!!
    Kathy

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  13. Connie thank you for my morning dose of smiling and imagining you out in the woods. Sorry, but I had to chuckle. Camping is not for me unless they can find a way to plug an air conditioner in a tree-lol. Glad you are safe at home where it is cool and food to eat.
    Your granddaughter is beautiful and I can see why you smile every day. You are truly a beautiful soul. Hugs, Pat

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  14. Good Morning Connie Sweetie...
    Oh my goodness I am so laughing. I needed this today. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don't know how many times we have planned a meal, and something somewhere goes wrong. I mean what is a person to do when you are out in the woods and you forget something? Make do. You are a make do girl. I am so proud of you.

    The nerve to be told you used to much tp. Now that is just NOT possible. I refuse to count squares let me tell you.

    I recently had my beautician cut my hair quite short. Shorter than it has ever been. If I cut any more there will be none left. I mean that literally. I love it though, and I can wash it, and flip it with my fingers. I could go without my comb or brush now. I love.

    Oh does that creamery ever sound good. I could go for that too.

    Your little grand daughter is SO precious. She looks like a little rubber doll sitting there. She is so beautiful Connie. Wrinkled and can't sit up straight. Oh you caught me on that one.

    I love ya girl. Have a gorgeous day. Glad you survived the trip. Many hugs and so much love, Sherry

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  15. Connie, you take to living out in the wilderness about like I do!! Glad you survived and are back to the comforts of home. Your greatgrandbaby is sweet as can be. I can see why you all are so proud. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week. Sending love and hugs to you~ Vicki

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  16. thank you for stopping by! there is no way you can have a GREAT grandaughter! Oh, I am with you I am to old to go camping....not my deal either!

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  17. Hello Connie, I'm still making my Pink Saturday visits. Your pink post is adorable but this post is so funny about your camping trip! Caroline is just so sweet! Enjoyed your past few posts that I missed.
    Love ya, Shirl
    Shirls Rose Cottage

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  18. Hi Connie, I know it's late but I'm here. Your camping trip sounds way too familiar. HA!. "Where's the beef?" I can so imagine everything you wrote about. I HAVE been there. Now we have a Fifth Wheel. Believe me this is uptown compared a pop up. We leave this Saturday for the Smokey Mountain Nat'l Park. A week of camping with our children and friends. It will be fun. I am concerned about our pup adjusting to sights and sounds un familiar to her. Barking will happen!!!

    Caroline is adorable. How absolutely wonderful for you. I love her name. Pretty, just like her.

    Thanks for the laughs tonight. Love your post.
    Hugs, Jeanne

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  19. I'll let you in on a secret - I love camping, tent-put-it-on-your-back-and-hike-into-the-wilderness-where-you-don't-see-a-soul-for-days-camping. Of course, I too have to have my luxuries - journal, camera & wool socks.

    Welcome back to civilization.

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Comments are so nice and I thank all of you that leave one for me.