Oops I Did It Again

Last October John and I decided to go on a little adventure and go camping. It was our first time to go together, and my first time to ever go camping. We packed up all the stuff we would need for a a night and drove out to Keystone Lake. We roasted hot dogs, toasted marshmallows and relaxed by the campfire. Then we went to bed. This is where the story turns unpleasant. The temperature dropped into the 30's. I had on six layers of clothing and still my teeth were chattering. I tossed and turned most of the night, while watching my husband sleep peacefully next to me...jerk. I woke up at 6 a.m. to a frosty 32 degree morning. I quickly jumped in the car, cranked on the heater, and watched my sweet husband pack up all the camping gear so we could get out of there!
Somehow, over the course of a year, I blocked out the memories of the cold weather, sleepless night and miserable morning. John and I went camping again this weekend. I will never forget again.

Oops I Did It Again (or I Kissed Camping Goodbye)

12:00 Pack up the car and head for Eisenhower State Park in Denison, TX.

2:00 After stopping at a local Wal-Mart after discovering we forgot a pillow, lighter, firewood and lighter fluid, we finally arrived at the park. The leaves are just starting to change color and the campgrounds were beautiful.

2:30 Setup camp. This tent is approximately 7' X 4'. John barely fit lengthwise.

4:00 After switching campsites, we finally got all of our stuff unloaded and decided to take a hike on the trail.

The scenery was beautiful, but it had just rained a ton the day before so the trails were really muddy. I'm not really sure it this is the proper use of a walking stick, but it helped keep my feet clean...sort of.

We hiked down to a little swimming beach. It was really cold down there!

6:00 Football Practice. Got to keep a leg up on the competition. Team Schaffner is looking pretty good!

7:00 Started up the fire and roasted some hotdogs with chips and coke for dinner, toasted marshmallows for smores, and even heated up some water over the fire for some hot chocololate.

John was really roughing it. He checked football scores every 30 minutes.

11:00 Our fire died out and it was time to go to bed. And then the real fun began.

12:00 Finally start drifting to sleep after realizing there is no comfortable way to sleep in a 7 X 4 tent.

12:15 I pay for the 2 hotdogs, chips, coke, smores and hot chocolate with a terrible stomach ache.

1:00 My illness subsides and I finally drift into a half sleep.

3:00 Wake up to the sound of rain on the roof of the tent. Softly sob into pillow.

4:00 Hear coyotes howling in the background.

4:15 Hear something rummaging outside tent. Assume it is coyote and become paralyzed with fear.

5:00 Remember that John has the internet on his phone. I'm such a wilderness girl. Find out it is in the upper 40's and the sun won't rise for another 2 hours.

6:30 Wake John up and tell him about the horrible sleepless night I have had. Convince him to get out of the tent even though it is still sprinkling so we can go home.

7:00 Say goodbye to Eisenhower State Park and head to the nearest McDonald's.

I write this all down for one reason. I can't forget...I must remember why I hate camping...why I can never go back. Maybe with a bigger tent and an air mattress and a little better weather it wouldn't be so bad. But I'm not sure I am willing to test that theory. For now I will stay indoor where I belong. Warm, dry and oh so happy.