Shari
IsItFridayYet?
This weekend is a group campout. Last of the year. We normally go.
I have to work tonight, so I did not plan to go. husband planned to go alone. He put what he thought he'd need in the camper. He made a grocery list. I reminded him on Friday that the camper needed a tire before its next trip out, and he pulled that together. He got money out for gas, groceries, camping fees, and next week. He picked up in the camper, packed his clothes, hooked it up, filled it with water, and took off.
As it turns out, Wee had wanted to go this weekend and had invited a friend, but the friend couldn't go. About an hour after husband left, the friend's mom called. Their plans had changed and the friend could go. This was a perfect trip to try the friend out on, as it is less than an hour from home, so I told the boys to pack up, I'd drive them down.
husband left at 6. We left at 8. He called us shortly after we left, lost. (now, try to recall our texas trip this summer). It turns out they have built a new bypass around the little town where we've always turned to get to this park. So the road was new, but it was well marked. BUT, he really doesn't have a clue how exits and limited access highways work, so when he was unsure, instead of taking an exit, he pulled off onto an unfinished country road and was not able to get the camper (26ft) and wood trailer (another 10ft trailer behind the camper) out.
He knew there was a particular restaraunt on the right, and he took the road to the left. He said he was in a particular town, but the restaraunt he kept talking about isn't in that town...so, he didn't know what town he was in. He knew he'd gone under an overpass, maybe 2. And this is an area that is not new to him. He asked me to come find him. He also did not know the name of the road he was on.
What happened was, he was driving along this new road and saw, 100 yards down the road ahead of him, a sign that said "state park, next exit" and he took the road that was immediately to his right instead of taking the "next exit" past the sign, which landed him on this suggestion of a road. I asked him to walk up to the highway and tell me what road he was on, he walked up to the highway and instead of reading the road sign right above his head for the road he was on, he read the roadsign for the exit 100 yards on down the road...which was Beach Ave. I scoured Beach Ave for him...obviously, he wasn't on it. It took me 2 hours to find him, but I finally did. We had to unhook the wood trailer and leave it. There was no way to get out of where he was at (literally, he had pulled off onto a service road in the forest). Once out, he followed me on to the park
We pulled into the campground at midnight. I went back for the wood trailer, since I knew how to get there, and when I got back, I just stayed.
While I was gone, tho, he had to make the beds in the camper for the boys. Had to give Wee his medications, make sure the waterproof pad was down, pull up on, sheets, blankets, etc. He discovered it isn't a breeze.
When it came time to fold beds back up this morning, he was there. He wadded up the sheets and blankets and discovered they won't all fit in the cabinets that way. (if you've never been camping, storage in a camper is a premium.)
I stayed a good while today, also, since he kids were there. They have a potluck supper, and husband had planned to make a pecan pie. I left him to it. This was his trip. He didn't have the pie crust. He didn't know where the sugar was. Couldn't find the syrup - told him I didn't know, he and the kids put the groceries away on the last trip, so he'd just have to look, but its supposed to be in the pantry cabinet. Finally found it. He couldn't find the recipe. He finally just asked for my help. I went and mixed it up, and he actually particpated and watched.
When Wee got tired, husband helped fold his bed back down. He helped carry the dishes back to the camper. I washed the dishes from breakfast and lunch and mixing up the pie, but I left the supper dishes for him. Wee came home with me tonight, but his bed is still down in the camper. So we'll see if dirty dishes and the folded out bed come home, or if it comes home picked up...
Anyway, I think husband's attempt at a solo trip ended up being a good reality check with REALLY good timing. Now, if any of it will just STICK.
And Wee had an AWESOME day with his friend. It was pretty awesome to watch him have such a great day.
I have to work tonight, so I did not plan to go. husband planned to go alone. He put what he thought he'd need in the camper. He made a grocery list. I reminded him on Friday that the camper needed a tire before its next trip out, and he pulled that together. He got money out for gas, groceries, camping fees, and next week. He picked up in the camper, packed his clothes, hooked it up, filled it with water, and took off.
As it turns out, Wee had wanted to go this weekend and had invited a friend, but the friend couldn't go. About an hour after husband left, the friend's mom called. Their plans had changed and the friend could go. This was a perfect trip to try the friend out on, as it is less than an hour from home, so I told the boys to pack up, I'd drive them down.
husband left at 6. We left at 8. He called us shortly after we left, lost. (now, try to recall our texas trip this summer). It turns out they have built a new bypass around the little town where we've always turned to get to this park. So the road was new, but it was well marked. BUT, he really doesn't have a clue how exits and limited access highways work, so when he was unsure, instead of taking an exit, he pulled off onto an unfinished country road and was not able to get the camper (26ft) and wood trailer (another 10ft trailer behind the camper) out.
He knew there was a particular restaraunt on the right, and he took the road to the left. He said he was in a particular town, but the restaraunt he kept talking about isn't in that town...so, he didn't know what town he was in. He knew he'd gone under an overpass, maybe 2. And this is an area that is not new to him. He asked me to come find him. He also did not know the name of the road he was on.
What happened was, he was driving along this new road and saw, 100 yards down the road ahead of him, a sign that said "state park, next exit" and he took the road that was immediately to his right instead of taking the "next exit" past the sign, which landed him on this suggestion of a road. I asked him to walk up to the highway and tell me what road he was on, he walked up to the highway and instead of reading the road sign right above his head for the road he was on, he read the roadsign for the exit 100 yards on down the road...which was Beach Ave. I scoured Beach Ave for him...obviously, he wasn't on it. It took me 2 hours to find him, but I finally did. We had to unhook the wood trailer and leave it. There was no way to get out of where he was at (literally, he had pulled off onto a service road in the forest). Once out, he followed me on to the park
We pulled into the campground at midnight. I went back for the wood trailer, since I knew how to get there, and when I got back, I just stayed.
While I was gone, tho, he had to make the beds in the camper for the boys. Had to give Wee his medications, make sure the waterproof pad was down, pull up on, sheets, blankets, etc. He discovered it isn't a breeze.
When it came time to fold beds back up this morning, he was there. He wadded up the sheets and blankets and discovered they won't all fit in the cabinets that way. (if you've never been camping, storage in a camper is a premium.)
I stayed a good while today, also, since he kids were there. They have a potluck supper, and husband had planned to make a pecan pie. I left him to it. This was his trip. He didn't have the pie crust. He didn't know where the sugar was. Couldn't find the syrup - told him I didn't know, he and the kids put the groceries away on the last trip, so he'd just have to look, but its supposed to be in the pantry cabinet. Finally found it. He couldn't find the recipe. He finally just asked for my help. I went and mixed it up, and he actually particpated and watched.
When Wee got tired, husband helped fold his bed back down. He helped carry the dishes back to the camper. I washed the dishes from breakfast and lunch and mixing up the pie, but I left the supper dishes for him. Wee came home with me tonight, but his bed is still down in the camper. So we'll see if dirty dishes and the folded out bed come home, or if it comes home picked up...
Anyway, I think husband's attempt at a solo trip ended up being a good reality check with REALLY good timing. Now, if any of it will just STICK.
And Wee had an AWESOME day with his friend. It was pretty awesome to watch him have such a great day.
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Glad it's been great, hope those lessons do stick with husband (not the part where he can call you to fix everything).
