Archives
2:09:00 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
CAMPING CAPERS
It has been such a beautiful day today. The temperature
is supposed to reach 80, which I consider to be the ultimate
perfect temperature. I am stuck inside with bronchitis, got
from being outside almost all day on a windy day I think, and\
I long to be outside working in my flowers, or camping. Each
year at this time, I get an intolerable longing for our old camping
days.
We owned a house trailer on a rented space at Cherokee
Lake for many years while our children grew up, and I could
go on forever about the added blessing it was to our family life.
I would not trade those memories of the quality time we shared
there. I don't believe that we would have been nearly as close-
knit family as we were had we not had the luxury of that special
place to get away.
We lived a considerable driving distance from the lake, in
an adjoining state, in fact, but usually two weekends a month found
us packing up our gear and heading out. Earlier in our camping ad-
ventures we had owned first of all a small renovated bread truck that
had bunks and convertible couch/beds but we soon were cramped in
it with two kids , but we did enjoy a rougher style of camping that
involved outside cooking . We often took it to a nearby state park
with camping facilities, bathhouses and pools. Several of our close
friends were involved in camping, even clubs, and we spent many
happy evenings around campfires with them. We made and have
maintained to this day, many of the friendships we forged with families
in that park. We were devastated when one of those friends was
critically burned on his job and spent months recovering in the hospital.
We kept remembering the night he entertained us around that campfire,
and his mellow voice singing, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." How glad
we were when we all could be together again when he recovered.
Later on, we graduated to a pull-type camper and ventured out
farther on camping trips as far awayas Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg.
Then friends of our ours began camping at Cherokee Lake and we
found a great campground there and invested in the house trailer.
We enjoyed being able to hop in the car and drive to an already
equipped place since our time away from work was limited. We
spent many vacations there and holiday weekends. We had two
other type boats before we got the pontoon boat, but after we
got it we were convinced that it provided the most relaxation for
our family. We could get a skier up with it and often pulled our
children and their visitors on huge innertubes. Many hot summer
days were spent relaxing on that pontoon boat, fishing or playing.
We usually took picnic coolers and picnicked at the park sites and
swimming areas. The dam provided a huge gathering place for
picnickers and swimmers.
Late afternoons and evenings were filled with cook-outs and
barbecues. The campground held special church services on Sunday
mornings at an outdoor shed they provided. Special events and singings
were often enjoyed along with fishing tournaments and fish fries. It was
a wonderful atmosphere for children to grow up enjoying. Many of our
friends from home camped there and the owner was a close friend from
home. So we felt like one big extended family. It was a family-oriented
campground and I can't remember any incidents of rowdy behavior.
My children were very social and the teens were always on the go
visiting with others , playing card games or video games at the video shack.
My son had a tendency to stay too long at these activities, but my daughter
played the "old mother hen" role, as he called it, when she got out, rounded
him up and got him back to the trailer. I never had to bother when he lost
track of the time, because Sis being 10 years older than he, took care of
that for me! She still mothers him, for which he is grudgingly grateful.
My husband was not a good fisherman, although he pretended to
be. He bought all the latest gear, and had a tackle-box with all the lures
and bait, but he seldom caught anything. Oh, he could tell the tales along
with the best of them, and he swapped yarns about the "one that got away"
with the gangs of serious fishermen, but usually our fish came from Long
John Silvers or Food City. He would hang his pole over the rail, with or
without bait, and if something struck it , he might reel it in. He thought
fishing was more work than it was worth but he loved the atmosphere.
Working two jobs for most of those years, he desperately needed rest
and relaxation, which he got floating aimlessly on Cherokee Lake. He'd
go out on early morning fishing excursions with his buddies, but mostly
for the comraderie and entertainment. He delighted in sociallizing.
He loved sun-bathing on the little beach and fireworks on the Fourth
and Labor Day. There was always something going on there.
My daughter and I loved shopping in the nearby towns and on
the way there we went through major shopping areas. We usually
took two cars down. Hubby and son went straight there with maybe
one stop to get food. Daughter and I drove down and lazily shopped
on the way. He cautioned us about getting into camp too late but
sometimes we did not leave the mall until it closed and then we had
another hour's drive on rural roads. One night, we were almost
midnight getting there. We took the short cut cross farm country,
which was very pleasant, during the daytime with trees lining the
road on either side. But at night it was very spooky and dark
with the trees shutting out even the moonlight. That night ,
especially, we started a series of "What if..............'s and had
our selves thoroughly scared to death by the time we got there.
We remembered another late night adventure, passing a
cemetery, when something large, a white creature , floated
eerily across our windshield. (I think it was a huge, white
owl that nested in a tree in the cemetary) but I can't be
absolutely certain. It had happened so fast and left us
staring at each other, open-mouthed. We remembered
all too well, the long hike we made in pitch blackness,
the time we had the flat on a lonely road in a big curve
and nobody stopped. This was before cell phones
became popular but we did know the people in the
house way, way back from the road and we went to it.
We promised ourselves and each other it would'nt
catch us out late again. Anyway, we were lucky.
Thank the Lord, we never had but one bad experience
all the years we drove back and forth to the lake. We
were following Hubby and Son and saw them have
to leave the road at high speed to avoid a head on
collision. There was no injuries and the truck was
soon repaired.
All in all, some of our happiest times together as a family occured
while camping. Precious, wonderful memories that are priceless.
The expense of camping was just a drop in the bucket compared
to the enjoyment we got from family and nature. We always had
that to look forward to.
I have become quite nostalgic while reminiscing about the good
old times when we were all together. Now my children lead their
own lives, and my husband has gone to that "happy hunting ground",
(or maybe its a grand campground in the sky, ya think?) I encourage
anyone to make time for family activities, whatever you enjoy together,
seize the day and make each one count. Tell the ones you love how
much they mean to you. I wish I had told my husband often how much I
appreciated how hard he worked to provide for us and sacrificies
he made to give us quality time. I'd like to thank all my family and
friends for the beautiful memories. I think they know I love them.
Written by krmprm Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
-
what wonderful memories!! I bet that was a special neat time for you all!! I agree with you; got to make time for the memories each and every day especially when the kids are young because they grow up so fast
thanks for sharing this; I enjoyed reading it!
I hope you feel better soon
betty -
I too had all those memories as my children grew up. We started camping when the youngest was 3 and out of diapers. It took some courage for me then to go with 7 children but hubby talked me into it. We had friends that camped too and they helped watch out for the little ones. It is not easy keeping an eye on that many little ones. Anyway when mine passed away it was something I could no longer afford. Now I can afford it once more and as you know I am doing it too. I don't know if I'd go on my own as I depend on the babes to help me out and with 2 of my children and their families camping it is ideal. I hope you find a way to go camping again too. Many campgrounds are providing cabins nowadays and they are convenient if you don't want to buy a camper . We can't go backwards in time and things are not the same as they were when my children were all younger, but it is a delightful and restful thing to do. I'm all about resting for sure. I keep so busy during the week that I need weekends to re-coop. Hope you are feeling better soon. 'On Ya'-ma
4/25/08 9:39 PM
Lori
http://journals.aol.com/helms