It all Began with a Maple Syrup spill. Camping.

As things began to unfold during our first camping trip of the summer, Carl said, this is all bloggable. You have to tell about this. I think it is funny now, can laugh, and actually the during part I did really well with. I didn't freak out once, almost, when I couldn't find the keys. but, that is further in the story of Camping At Peaks Kenny summer 2012.

First trip of the season. We decided it was a good idea to invite Ryan, Kristen's beau, since he had never been "real" camping, meaning, sleeping in a tent camping. He is a good egg, and said sure. Parents, when your child has a significant other, I would give you a recommendation. Bring them on long trips with you. You will very quickly find out about their character, heart, strengths & weaknesses. Camping is fantastic because there are no distractions. And Yes, of course he had his own tent, Carl's tent, which he called  "Coffin Tent" because that is what it felt like to lay in it.

I went to the van to get something. We had unpacked at the site, and had come down to the beach area. The dog needed water. I opened the van door to notice a maple smell. My lovely, wrapped in a shop and save bag, maple syrup dispenser was on its side and its golden contents had seeped out all over Kristen's sports bag which still held the contents of her books and clothes. I quickly used 100 baby wipes and cleaned up as much as I could, then opened the bag. Big sigh of relief, none had dripped inside. Of course, since we were camping, we bring the good stuff, the $34 gallon good stuff syrup, when I told Carl about it, of course he said, was that the $34 a gallon stuff. Of course, I responded. what else would it have been??? Kristen took it well, I was actually kind of glad it had happened to her stuff and not her sister. Another blog.

I then proceeded to cook food on the beach. We were using briquets because we were cooking while camping, which means charcoal. Oh I love charcoal. I need my yearly dose. Good thing I never smoked, but oh how I love charcoal. Only, I forgot how to cook with charcoal and we had many many laughs waiting for that chicken to get done, but it finally was, and it tasted awesome.
The big event of the first night had not yet occurred. We went about our business, having a campfire, marshmellows, a walk. Getting Daniel settled went well. He absolutely loves Ryan, couldn't believe he was around all the time, we had to pry him off the poor kid(Ryan) to get him to bed. All was well. Ryan had a little bit of adjustment to his coffin tent. But he was game. We all went to bed relatively early, 10 ish. Normal, peaceful start.

At 2:30ish a.m. Carl says to me, I am in massive pain. My kidneys. I am serious, I'm gonna go talk to Chris about it. He gets up, and walks over to the Dobsons tent. Chris is an EMT, and the pain was greater than Carl had experienced to date. Chris told him, there is really nothing you can do. Get some pain meds, ibuprophen, or something, and just ride it out. Oh Really. He comes back to the camp site, I can hear him grimacing through the tent. Carl is the last person I would ever label a whiner, I do know some whiny males, but he is definately not one of them. He says, do we have ibuprophen? No, or maybe look in the dash. He does. Nope. so he tries to "walk off" the pain. NOT WORKING. He then feels bad, but remembers Ryan says he had 2 emergency kits in his car. He even showed us one to get for Kristen for her car when she begins driving by herself. So, off to waking up Ryan. He quickly comes out, looks through both his kits, finding no pain meds. While he is looking, Carl begins vomitting. I know, gross, but imagine hearing it in the quiet woods. EVERYONE heard this. He is sick because he is in that much pain. Now, the only time I was in that much pain and vomitting was at 9 cm dilated while in labor with Kristen. Only happened with her, but I am feeling so bad for hubby right now. I get up. Do you want me to bring you home? He can barely talk. yeah, sure. Daniel had woken, I said, oh adventure time. lets go for a ride. And then, I remembered, when we went to bed we didn't know where the keys to the van were. If you have ever been in the woods, there are no street lights, and when you flash a light around, its almost too bright to see anything up close. The Keys. Where are the DAmn Keys? Oh hell, oh damn, oh helldamn, where are the keys? Carl is drenched in sweat, leaning over the van, baby in car seat, oh we are on an aventure, oh NO KEYS. Come on God, where are these keys? After searching and searching around in the dark, Carl says, I am going to have to get Ryan up again. He goes to his tent, which is right next to ours. Im sorry Ryan, what do you Need. Lets go. thats it. thats all he said. I love this Kid. I just love this kid. He is such an awesome boy/young man. No delays, just ready. He gets us, Carl gets into his car and off they go. Carl being the frugal myster that he is, thought, lets go to Mayo hospital, I can get free tylenol there. Nope, not unless he was admitted. By this point the pain had subsided, very weirdly. He said to Ryan, I'm not paying $150 for Tylenol. In the middle of nowhere, Dover Foxcroft Maine, they have an all night Irving. Carl put 10 bucks in Ryan's tank (which he told Kristen later he could not believe Carl would do that for him) and bought 6 tylenol for 1.66. He had stopped sweating and was not in pain anymore. Amazing. He came home, went to bed, and got up the next morning ready to go. My husband is Amazing. He is a trooper. But what we both were impressed with was the willing nature of our daughter's suitor. He even offered Carl his camel back to drink out of when Carl was in his car on the way to the E. R. Carl was impressed with that because the kid had just watched Carl hurl, obviously not a germ a phob. Good Hearted.

The next morning, which came pretty quickly, Carl said, I really want to have breakfast in the cove. Now, we all went along with it, amazed that he was doing so well. We got to the cove, set up, and were almost blown away. The winds were of the tonado force, and here we are trying to cook bacon on our coleman. Kristen kept saying um we ARE hungry Dad. Oh it will cook, it will cook. Almost simultaneously one of the pans blew off the grill onto the ground, and Penny, our dog, got breakfast. There was of course some bacon left, uncooked, that blew into me, my shirt, and neck area. Yup, bacon grease. SO PRETTY!!!!
THATS IT!!! We are going to McDonalds!!! Was my batttle cry. oh, and when the pan blew off, Carl let out a supurlative I hadn't heard since his precious motorcycle tipped over. I didn't hear it, I was being accousted by bacon, but everyone else did.  Later Carl apologized to Chris and Angie. Chris said, really, do you know what I hear at work all the time. I know, but I shouldn't have said that. Chris said, now we are friends, you use my stuff, you wake me up in the middle of the night, and you/re not perfect with your mouth, we are friends. Thank you Chris.

Oh, and Carl's Uncle Dickey dies in the early a.m. No one can get ahold of us because we have no service, so the park ranger was trying to find us, but we were at McDonalds and got service and found this out. Someone has to go get Elizabeth at the gate. She had spend the night with Aunt Jenny and gone to a pool party with cousins and friends.
Yes, Night 1, Day 2 camping.

Now, as many of you know, I am an advocate for camping as a family. And I still am.

Why?

#1 We learned alot about human nature that night.
#2 No one will ever forget Carl hurling.
#3 When someone is in pain "inconvenience" doesn't exist.
#4 When someone has had it, you take them to McDonalds and all is right with the world.
#5 Seeing each other foibles is the only way to get to know them, and accept them.
#6 Ryan will NEVER forget Us, no matter what!:)))))
#7 I just love my family.
#8 Find your keys before you go to bed at night.

I love how we can play together, get rip roaring mad at each other, nothing holding back. We are rude, loving, kind, big mouths, who know how to have a good time. When I met my husband in 1987, God KNEW I would need someone in my life to stretch me. To smooth out my hyper intensive edges. And he knew Carl needed someone to care for him. Someone who would willing load a baby in a van at 3a.m. to take him home to suffer through kidney stones.

We stayed on 2 more nights, no incidents, just lots of good food, swimming, fellowship, and lots of marshmellows and chocolate and bacon with breakfast.

Just another day in the Robbins Nest.
Love, chief Engineer, Julie Robbins