Camp Week

Two weeks ago we rented our house out and went camping for the week on the quiet side of the island. The campground, I must say, was ideal for long-term camping with kids. There was a pool and (very) small playground and paddle boat you could take around a small pond that forms in the quarry, you could walk to the sound in about 8 minutes, and the bathrooms (including hot showers--5 minutes/$1) were clean. When I said how nice the campground was, Mike said, "Really? You think so?" I smiled, thinking he was joking. When I realized he wasn't I said, "Hello! We're going to be here with three kids and a dog for a week!" He said he felt like he was a country club (which just goes to show, we have never been to a country club) but at the end of the week he said he agreed--it was perfect for long-term family camping.

We enjoyed s'mores almost every night.

Elvis wasn't allowed to run around with the kids--he had to be on leash. So he hung out with me and Petya in the door of the tent. You can almost feel they're wistfulness.

The weather was alternately humid and damp for the first half of the week. We would start out unable to breath in our sleeping bags--or even just being on top of them--and part way through the night we'd be shivering from the damp air.  The first half of the week was also full of, ahem, setbacks. We got there Monday afternoon, and Monday night Finn wet his sleeping bag--twice. So Tuesday, I went to my amazing, generous friend Trish on what turned out to be her busiest day of possibly the entire summer and used her laundry to wash Finn's bag, pajamas, underwear, and SECOND set of pajamas and the extra blanket we brought. 

Here I am making beef stew on cast iron in the drizzle. Not to worry; the cast iron was promptly treated and, more importantly, the stew was excellent.

On Tuesday afternoon, our rear brakes, which we knew needed replacing, started to grind. We had taken the van in the week previous for new brakes (which we bought, but couldn't get on because of a rusted bolt) and--wait for it--a new rear-door handle. Yes! Our rear door handle broke, just broke, and they ended up ordering a part and we ended up not having any practical way to load the back of the van for a week-long camping trip. It was so fun getting stuff in and out of the back of that van. The quote for the brakes and door handle seemed really high, especially since we already had the brakes, so we decided to wait until after our trip and just do it all together after the renters left. The great news was that when the brakes started grinding and we really had to get them done, we decided to go to the closest place, which was in Southwest. They were wide open ("When can you fit us in earliest?" "Well, huh, how 'bout whenever?"), so we got in the next morning, and they charged us about $450 less than we were quoted at the other place. New mechanic: check. 

This is the campsite Sunrise at the campground we were at. It's right on the sound. We're already on a call-list for next year, only next time we're taking kayaks out every morning.

At the sound with Dad.

Tuesday night I told Madie my goal for that day was to be more cheerful in the face of adversity. I was given the opportunity to practice on Wednesday morning when an almost-full bottle of vegetable oil spilled in tent all over canvas bags, my wallet, bags of food, clothes, lava lavas--. How pleasant to clean up an oil spill with diaper wipes while your kids complain that we aren't doing anything fun and, "We thought we were going to the beach with the Vs!" 

The good news was we did fit in time for the beach, and the rest of the day went pretty smoothly. And I found wicked cheap firewood!

Elvis and Madie happily shared sleeping pads. We told Madie she would probably prefer sleeping on her pad instead of Elvis' stinky, hairy towel, but she insisted on snuggling up with him, so we suggested she invite him onto her pad. He was happy to oblige.

The kids walking along by the sound.

The view from the sound in morning.

Friday was wholly uneventful. It was glorious. I walked with the kids down to the sound once more, then I took the kids on a hike up Flying Mountain. Then we headed out to D's camp with Anne. When Greg and then Mike got out there, we loaded up the boat and left camp for the beach on the far side of the pond where we went tent camping.

Mike wants a camp on this pond so badly.

Petya loathed that preserver, which, yes, I realize we have on backwards. It was a fight to get it on at all, so that's how it stayed.

The beach half of the campsite.

Our set-up.

The kids loved it. This was a much-needed break from our accident-prone Monday night, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Teaching Greg how to cook corn over a fire.

Wrapped in a lava lava, playing with the dog.

That night we enjoyed ribs, corn on the cob, chowder, fruit salad, and excellent blue berry cobbler. I'm not a fan of peach cobbler in the dutch oven--I know, it's like a camper's heresy. The only way I've ever had it is with cake mix on top and canned peaches, so maybe if I'd had it a different way? But I've had it probably four or five times by different people and it's always mostly tasteless with a mushy top. This though, holy cow. The berries were thick and sweet, and the topping was perfect. Great job, Anne.

Donnell in the morning.

In the morning we ate breakfast, followed by s'mores and one of the loveliest little hikes I've ever been on. The trails around there are less-frequented, so it reminded me a lot of walking through the woods around my house as a kid. I love hiking Acadia, but the trails are packed in the summer and you can feel it. This was leisurely. 

Lounging on the beach.

Me and my girls. 

Of course the kids found a rock to climb.

Heading back across the pond. Finn kept saying, "Dad! You're Smee and I'm Capt. Hook!"

Donnell was the perfect ending. Despite all the craziness of the other days, I did enjoy them over all, but Donnell was just great. Of course, it's hard to beat time spent with Anne and Greg. Seriously, Greg, I think, is my happy place. He is so happy all the time. And you'll never meet anyone as generous adventurous as Anne. The two of them are just fabulous to be with. I recommend everyone get themselves a pair.