But Everyone Else Is Doing It…

You can call me spoiled names all you want but growing up, we had a Summer Cottage in Vermont that had been passed through generations to my mom.  It backed onto Lake Memphremagog and was absolutely beautiful.  We lived there from the moment school let out until right before it started again.  Because of this for the entire time we lived in Montreal we had no need for camping.

When I was 8ish we moved from Montreal across the country and no longer within practical travelling distance from the Cottage.  But still, Camping wasn’t something we did.  Aside from the odd Girl Guide trip I never camped as a child.

When I graduated high school, it was the thing to do for After-Grad to camp for a weekend long Graduation Party.

I stayed in the closest hotel.

Why?  Cause I don’t like camping.

 I realize this is a snobby sounding thing to say. Some people might even be shocked and appalled.  Let me just point out that this has nothing to do with high-class.  I spent my last Saturday night at a small town Rodeo Demolition Derby that at one point had Combines smashing into each other for fun.  Clearly it has nothing to do with me feeling I am “too posh” for camping.  I just. don’t. like. it.  I actually wish I did.  But I don’t.  Who knows.  Maybe I will one day.  But not today.

So now I find myself living in Camping Country.  I mean, you just don’t live in a small town in the Canadian Prairies without spending every available Summer weekend out with the tent or trailer.   Almost every friend I have here, camps.  A very small few tent it.  Most have modest sized 5th wheels.  Some have trailers that cost the same as my mortgage.  But they all will insist that it’s virtually impossible to live here and not be a part of the camping experience.

But, in fact, it is possible.  Cause I do it.  Every summer.  For many reasons:

1.  It may be a cheap vacation, but these days it’s no where near a free one.  Buying the supplies, the camping groceries, and then the $25+ a night for your spot…. ya.  That adds up.

2.  Some army guys love camping in their free time.  DH is not one of them.  His sleeping in a tent and living on rations quota is covered by the stuff he does for work.  I’m okay with that.

3.  I have a kitchen, bathroom and shower at home.  It is a blessing of living in a 1st world country.  Why would I pay to live as though I don’t have these things?

4.  I have a hard enough time keeping track of my children when they are confined to my home and my yard.  Having to keep them directly next to me for the entire time so they don’t get lost or end up alone in the lake does not sound relaxing or fun.  Have you met my youngest?  You take him camping.  Let me know how it works out.

5.  I like bubble baths and being clean.  A lot.

6. I dislike bugs even more than I like being clean.  All bugs.  Even butterflies are bugs.  They may have pretty wings but up close, gross hairy bugs.  Ew. 

7.  I am absolutely petrified of severe weather.  It causes me a lot of anxiety.  For whatever reason, wind especially makes me panic-y.  See next point.

8.  The one time we went camping as a couple the sky that night turned green and the winds were terrifying.  I kept saying ‘tornado’ and kept being told ‘ooooh, no, don’t worry, it’s not tornado weather…’.
In the morning DH’s cell-phone rang to let him know his Squadron was being deployed to clean up the horrifying mess left by the tornado that had touched down at a Camp Ground in Pine Lake, about an hour from where we were.  I was done packing to go home before he was off the phone.

9.  I am not a super “outdoors” person.  We don’t have much of a yard at our place and I realize that many people think our kids are missing out on something.  They probably are.  But it won’t kill them.  I can picnic, hike, go for a walk or any number of other outdoor activities and have a good time occasionally.  But the outdoors does not call to me.  Maybe it’s a genetic flaw, who knows.  But I’ve probably passed it on to my kids.

I have felt pressure to be a camping type person.  Like I said, most of my friends do it.  I feel like I miss out on friend bonding time.  And despite the cost factor, I’m sure we could find ourselves a tent we could afford and head out every once and a while in the short summers we have here to do some ‘camping’ with our friends…. but I think I’m too old to do things because everyone else is.  I feel like I need to apologise that I don’t camp.  I’m sorry.  I really am. 

Ya, my kids might really enjoy it and who knows, maybe one day I will too, but until then I think it should be obvious at this point why if I was to enjoy camping I would need a trailer that would cost as much as my house.  And with that money, I could take a vacation every year to a resort.

One with a bathtub and a minimal number of bugs.

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