 |
| Toasting Marshmallows on an open fire |
There is something revoltingly glorious about camping in the
UK. You’ll either be living like a drowned rat or else quietly baking under
canvas. It is something you just have to take on the chin with bulldog spirit
and all that clap trap.
But oh how virtuous you feel after the ordeal is over – not that
you’d ever admit that you had fun.
I certainly didn’t want to admit it after I was dragged into
it last weekend. I had the offer of a girly night all laid on, champagne,
lasagna, Pavlova and a whole lot of gossip. BUT my Darling husband decided to
invite all and sundry and typically there was one Mum who thought it would be a
right laugh.
I had no choice I couldn’t possibly let her camp alone with
a bunch of blokes (the other halves of those who had organised the girly night)
so I forced a smile and say yes it would be a right laugh and gave up my girly
night.
And it was brilliant.
It was a right laugh, really it was, even though I hardly
got any sleep at all what with wild ponies snorting and snuffling through the camp
stealing bananas and apple juice, fidgety children, snoring for Britain husbands
and deflating mattresses.
We taught the boys how to make a proper camp fire, how to
track deer and ponies, how to cook sweet corn properly and make popcorn too.
They learnt how to go to the loo in the woods and not wet
your trousers. How to survive for more than four hours without a single electronic
gadget
And to finish it all off marshmallows stuck on the end of
proper sticks that you just find lying around.
It was magic and guess what?
I’m signed up for the next big camping adventure!
*To cook sweetcorn properly on an open fire first leave it
standing in clean water for 30 minutes with the husk still on. Then place the
corn, husks and all, on the fire they will poach beautifully in their skins so
to speak and not dry out so you get perfect corn on the cob after only 10
minutes!
9 comments:
Courageous you! Well done.
And thanks for the corny recipe. I've never tried doing it that way. I'd much rather have popcorn.
Rob -bear I love both! Learned all about pop corn as a four year old living in Canada! Only just learned about the perfect BBQ corn on the cob some 42 years later!
In Canada, you say? Now the story gets even more interesting! Do tell!
Rob-bear - didn't you know that I lived in Canada for two years when I was four? Dad was posted there on secondment to the Canadian Black Watch. We were based in Oromocto on the St John River. It was there I learned to ski to school, ice skate, get a healthy interest in ice hockey though girls weren't allowed to play, learned about Halloween and trick or treat, how to make popcorn, hamburgers, camping, driving you car on a river (my dad was like that) oh and have a life long passion for lemon sorbet!
The stories I could tell as I remember them!
That was a special place also the place where I met my husband!
I didn't know any of that. Small world, so to speak.
I have a brother-in-law who retired from the army some years ago. He was Black Watch until the regiment was disbanded (around 1970). Their home was Oromocto. I've been there, even to the army base.
I love camping - but I'm lucky(?) to have a bit of a control-freak husband who is precious about how and where things are packed and set up, and prefers to do all that preparation himself. Who am I to complain! Sounds like you had great fun.
Oh goodness, years since I camped. Did you take the whippets?
Great tip about the corn, thanks :)
Love it! You sound at peace with the world. We 'did' Wales this year and had fab weather!!!! It was so much fun.
Great tip for the sweetcorn.
Well Done!
We used to try to take our little ones on outdoors holidays as much as we could, staying in a hotel just doesn't compare.
Mandy
Post a Comment