A Trip for Lily before School Starts
Friday, July 15, 2016
We arrived at Fort Yargo at about noon, hoping to grab a spot by the lake. It was not meant to be – others had arrived first & those few great spots were taken. <sigh> Not that the other spots at the park are bad by any means. It’s truly one of the Georgia Park treasures. So, we cruised through both Campground #1 & #2 before we decided on a pretty pull through site relatively near the brand new bathhouse in Campground #1. The new bathhouse is a huge improvement over the old! It was squeaky clean & the shower stalls have actual locking doors which makes me happy. The bathhouses at this park have always been clean & well maintained but I personally like a solid door on my shower stall instead of a curtain. Enough about the bathhouse for now.
It was hot (like over 90 degrees) when we arrived but it doesn’t take any time to get Wilbur set up & ready to enjoy – never more than 30 minutes. However, soon after set up, I was using the microwave when it & the air conditioner both stopped! YIKES! Perry opened the electric box, checked all the breakers & fuses & all was good. So he called his go to guy, brother Paul in Florida, who was also stumped as to what the problem was for a bit. Then the two decided to check the breaker at the campsite pole &, sure enough, the breaker had tripped. Turns out it wasn’t just the microwave & air conditioner that tripped the breaker, it was also the additional pull from our outside fan. Good to know these three electric drainers need to take turns in the future. Another glamping lesson learned!
Our goal on this trip was to try out a few new gadgets we had gotten over the past few months to see if they work, are worth the space they take up (I’m a big minimalist when it comes to packing Wilbur) & if we needed anything else before we run off on another long adventure. It was also a great opportunity to have Lily camp with us for a night – one of our favorite pleasures. Sugar & Spice are crazy about Lily so they were glad when she arrived, too. Robby & Lisa brought the Princess (face painted from a festival she attended earlier in the day) out to the park at about 6 & we grilled steaks & made some veggies. One dish was Campfire Potatoes which are a big favorite. Here’s the recipe … 2 lb new potatoes, cut into bite size pieces then boiled for just a few minutes to soften them slightly. Mix 1 can of celery soup, 1 pkg of dry onion soup mix & ¼ tsp parm-garlic seasoning in a bowl. Drain the potatoes & mix them & the soup mix together & pour it into a greased metal pan. Cover with foil & cook on the grill at a low temp for 15 minutes. They are a fav of ours! I had intended to bake a dessert but I could not get the stove lit. Frustrating! I will need to break out the instruction book soon – or call my sis-in-law Cyndi who is much more advanced with the whole camping trailer business than I am.
We had such a great visit with the kids it was late before we had dinner & they left soon after. A very tired Lily insisted we go right to bed because she was exhausted. She has been attending day camp all summer & having a great time but she is physically worn out by night fall. The child fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow!
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Perry said he could hear a little voice whisper. “Honey, are you awake?” at about 6:45. Apparently, I was still dead to the world because I didn’t hear her. Perry said to let me sleep so she was quiet for a bit. When I began to stir, she said, “Honey, you ARE awake! We can have out talk now!” It’s hard to have a coherent conversation when one doesn’t even have her eyes open but the first thing in the morning talks are very important to a certain 5 year old so they are to me, too. We talked about some of the dogs Perry & I had years ago & how they loved her daddy when he was her age. Nothing earth shattering or of particular interest to anyone but her at that moment. Just a time to share memories & family history with my sweet granddaughter. Perry had taken the pups for their early morning walk &, when he returned, we were ready to get up & put the beds in place – up in the wall (Murphy bed) so we had more room in Wilbur.
I made breakfast which was simple boiled eggs as requested by Lily. Then we got her Activity Box down & she colored & practiced writing letters & a little reading. She made butterflies out of pipe cleaners & colored some more, insisting we color along with her. These special moments are what lasting memories are made of & I cherish the opportunity to make them with her. Some of my own special memories revolve around the times I spent with my Grandma Ethel. She & I would play cards – Gin Rummy or Go Fish or War – or we’d put puzzles together or snap beans or catch dragon flies & tie them to the clothesline with sting (don’t worry, we’d turn them loose in a short time). When I’m gone, I want Lily to remember me with as much love in her heart as I have for my grandmother in mine.
Noon came far too soon & Lisa returned to get Lily Bug. They were going home to play games with Robby & have a lazy weekend – something we all need to do more often. Perry & I hopped in the truck with the pups & went home to take showers. Yes, the new bathhouse at the campground is really nice but, given the choice, my home shower is so much nicer. I was also able to get the mail off the porch the mailman delivered. I don’t like to “advertise” I’m not home, thus the reason you never see my posts on Facebook about an away trip until we actually return. Alarm systems & cameras are useful, but why invite trouble when it can be avoided in the first place?
When we returned to the campsite in the afternoon, the sky was a bit darker & the threat of rain was in the air. We went on a walk through the campgrounds with the pups & then decided a quiet afternoon inside Wilbur was appropriate. So, the two of us watched a movie – with the air conditioner keeping us cool. This is our version of glamping – don’t judge. Grilled Cajun Chicken, leftover potatoes & a crunchy salad was perfect for dinner. Then an early night for some good sleep while the rain pitter-pattered on the roof. Bliss!
Sunday, July 17, 2016
I can always count on Sugar to let me know it’s time to get up. A wet tongue in the ear does the trick. Then Spice walks along my back just to reinforce the desire to wake up. But, they do wait until after 7 so I can’t complain too much. Perry took the pups for a walk while I stripped the beds & put the Murphy bed back into the wall. I made fried eggs & bacon for breakfast & it was accompanied by the best coffee. It’s the same coffee we have at home but it just seems to taste better while camping.
We packed up at leisure & got out at about 11 & home before noon. I ran several loads of laundry through the wash to make everything nice & fresh in Wilbur – a good cleaning every once in a while is always good. Back to reality! It was a great SHORT camping trip & we had fun!
