1. “Rustic cabins” means no running water. No big deal. (Truly.)
2. Next year: wellies for the children, and many changes of clothes. Kate got wet over and over again, and ended up in her pajamas WAY before the day was done. M, too, could not stay out of the water. Which would have been fine except for the fact that within 30 seconds of checking in at the park office, he lost a shoe in a massive leaf pile. I’m glad he had two other pairs.
Kate perched on a rock. Notice she’s down a shoe.
Less pensive, more Kate.
Michael is wrapped up with Daddy because M got soaked from the waist down. He would go through two more outfits and all his shoes that day. Campfires dry things out really really well!
3. You know what’s a bad idea? Reading scary novels in the month of October and then going to the woods where you have to make bathroom trips after the sun is down or before the sun comes up. I gave myself the willies a couple of times on that ominously quiet trek to and from the bath house.
4. Firestarters. Much needed, especially if you haven’t gathered kindling before the sun sets.
5. This weekend could not have come at a better time or on a better weekend. It was much needed.
6. This weekend in the woods had a different dynamic than our trips to Cook Forest in the spring. First of all, there were fewer people, only 12 of us, five children, seven adults. Second, each family had our own little rustic cabin — I think ours was the biggest with three rooms (and two of those were bunk rooms). I’m grateful the weather was good enough that we could spend lots of time outside. I don’t know if we all would have fit in one place very comfortably! We all gathered at one fire most of the day, and retired to our own spaces as needed. It was very peaceful.
Flora was the oldest child on the weekend, and I think she kind of dug it. She stayed up late with the grownups on Friday night; I finally chased her to her bunk after 10 p.m. She and Kate stayed up a little late on Saturday, but a day out in fresh air wears out little people. M hit the hay by 8:30 — by request — and Kate and Flora were bunked by 9-9:30. Heck, Saturday night, I think Dan and I were up the latest, and we didn’t get past 11:30!
7. Upon learning that we adults were consuming adult beverages, Flora got a little stressed out. “But the sign says, ‘Alcohol prohibited’!” Uh, sometimes even adults break the rules.
8. I need to learn to cook over a campfire. My Girl Scout days are long behind me. Suggestions for resources are welcome!
Red Pen Mama 