Camping - Why and Where and What for?

The camper has been pulled from its home, dusty and cobwebby, but robust enough to stand the neglect of the past 18 months. Red dust has been ingrained in the cover, the wheel arches, the welded seams. Evidence of holidays past, adventures and getaways. Off-road tyres have a slight flat patch, need some air to plump them up. But our home away from home just needs a hose down, some spit and love and she will be ready to take us to our next memory making camping trip.

We head off on Friday, so this week we will pack the Waeco fridge, fill the water tank, load the canoe on the roof-rack, and pack camping clothes and shoes. Important things to make a place for are bottles of gin, dark chocolate, pack of canasta, my kindle plus a stack of books. The dog is going to be sadly let down when he finds out we are leaving him behind, he likes his camping too. But he won’t be sad for long, my Mum and Dad are coming to stay with him, so he will have five days of gardening and being outdoors and having treats and pats.

The destination this trip is south of Perth, about two and a half hours leisurely drive. It will be hot on Friday, but as we head south and by the coast, it should cool. We will be the first of our group to arrive, so we will set-up our camp, put out the camp chairs, cool the drinks in ice and have a cheese platter ready for when the next campers arrive. Slow and slowed down we will all be. Tension and hyper activity will be leaching from us as ice cold drinks and canvas replace deadlines and offices.

A barbecue, laughs, talking long into the darkness. We will have all decompressed by the time our beds call our names. A cool night with gentle breezes, frogs loud, the moon enough light to see by. The morning will be early, rising with the sun, it will be chilly but warming quickly. The billy is filled, water heating on the gas stove. Coffee in hand, we find our chairs and discuss how we fared in the night, what is on the agenda for today. No one moves fast, a second and third cup of coffee. Breakfast of bacon and eggs, mushroom and tomatoes. 

As we wash the breakfast dishes in a plastic bowl, we will discuss where we will go for lunch. Or dinner. This camping trip we are close to wineries and restaurants, bars and cafes. Or shall we just hang about at camp, have tuna and tomato sandwiches and read and nap. Tomorrow another of our group will arrive. They have a new camper to show us, to demonstrate the little things that make camping easy and fun. Drinks will begin at noon. Those of us who arrived early and are settled will take front row seats watching the couple with the new camper work out the routine.

Four nights and five days of living the nomad. But with luxury tents and campers and kitchens on tailgates. Laughter and lounging. Reading and reminiscing. All this will make more memories of the time we went away, to find ourselves, to find contentment. This is my idea of a holiday. Not a boarding pass in sight. 

There is still the anxiety, that peaks the night before the trip and slowly ebbs away the longer we are away. The farther we are away from home dilutes the anxiety too, which is bizarre when the norm for anxiety is to feel it when we are most out of our normal life.

An Easter Escape

I will write more about our weekend away, but for now, these pictures will tell 1000 stories.

Our rig - Navara, Trailer Camper, Motorbike and Kayak. Cunderdin WA  

Outside the (closed for Good Friday) No3 Pumping Station Museum at Cunderdin

What you do on camping trips

What we go out here for!

Camp - and boys getting a lesson in wood chopping

More Trees 

Even more trees

Minty - even she likes camping - its the camera she hates!

...and more trees ...

We actually wore Tommy out - ever so briefly

Having fun at the dam.

Having fun on the motorbike - view from the dam

Over 100 year old aquaduct

Karalee Dam

For a 14 year old, blind dog, she still has fun - she went swimming too! Tommy follows her about and looks after her.

Sun setting on a fun day - these boys will sleep well tonight

Slow cooked lamb on a real open fire - we had this for Saturday night - with a bottle of red, under a full moon and a trillion stars.  Beats any 5 star hotel!

Canasta - a card game of life

I had this favorite game of cards come back into my life this last week.  I used to play it a lot as a kid and teenager.  Then boys, husbands, kids and Foxtel happened and the game was relegated to camping trips and blackouts.

It's a great game.  Strawb and I are the champions at it.

My son #2 has just taught his girlfriend to play it, and last week we introduced her to the giddy heights of a doubles game.

It got me thinking however, how this game resembles life at times.

Here is my version of life according to the rules of Canasta.

1. Canasta may be played with 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 players but is best fun played with four persons as a partnership game.  
• Yep, just like life.  2 players is the most stable game, 3 can be fun, 4 as partners comes with a lot more rules, and 5 & 6 players just gets messy.  
2. Canasta is played with two decks of 54 cards or a total of 108 cards including 4 jokers
• We all have to play life with the same deck of cards, but sometimes its fun to play with the jokers
3. The dealer shuffles, cuts and deals the cards face down, clockwise beginning with the player to the dealer's left
• Like life, we get dealt the cards in a set order.  We can't change the cards we get dealt - this isn't poker - and so we must be clever with what we have.
4. Each player gets 11 cards in a game with 4 or more players, 15 for 2 players or 13 for 3.
• The lesson here is that you get more with when you only play with 2 people, but a threesome could be a good compromise.
5. The goal of Canasta is to obtain the most points by melding, or creating sets out of one’s cards. 
• Isn't this what life is?  Gathering the most you can before you die!
6. When it is your turn, you may draw the top card from the stock and put it into your hand without showing anyone.
• Pays to keep some things to yourself - the element of surprise is always good.
7. Also, remember that in Canasta, both jokers and deuces (twos) are wild cards. A set consisting entirely of wild cards is not valid.
• Lesson here is not to play with just the wild boys.  They are OK for a bit of fun, but you can't settle down with them.
8. The hand ends as soon as a player goes out. You can only go out if your side has melded at least one Canasta.
• Going out is the whole purpose of the game.  Just ask any teenager!
9. In a partnership situation, you may ask the other partner "May I go out?". If the partner answers "no" then this is binding and you may not go out and if the partner answers "yes" then you may. However, it is important to note that consulting your partner is not compulsory and you may go out without asking your partner.
• Enough said ;-)
10. The game also ends if the stock pile runs out of cards.
• Sad but true - when life has run out of cards for you, the game is over.
11. You can freeze the pack to slow the game down
• Cold shoulders, freezing out players - all has a similar effect.
12. Good strategy involves knowing what to keep and what to discard.
• So glad I found the good cards early on in the game, its a hard game knowing what to keep and what to discard.  Ask any dating agency.
13. You score extra points if you can go out with a concealed canasta
• Probably only score the points with fellow players, not your partner.
14. A player who has accidentally drawn an extra card must discard it in a future turn without drawing a new one.
• Especially if you are playing a partnership game.

So, that was it? 2012

Hello my blog.  I have missed you.  I have stayed away, not because I don't like you (I like you, I do, I really do) but because of a whole swag of excuses very valid reasons.  They don't really matter now, what matters is that I am back.  Here, with you, my sanity saver, my escape from the world, my outlet to express - in fact, I would put you up there with one of my best friends (shh don't tell Strawb)

I spent New Years Eve for 2012 in a melted state, 42.2 degrees - the 8th straight day of temperatures above 37.  If ever there was a time to move to Tasmania, this was it.  I did mange to get a few things done and a few challenges met, these I will tell you about later. 

I don't know if I am disappointed or feel content with the fact that I spent the night with the Two Grumpy Old Men.  I certainly didn't want to go out partying - have never liked that, and like it even less these days.  I was quite content to just have a relaxing evening, even in my own company, as Mr K was complaining that we had spent the last four years not going out on NYE - so I told him to go, go out and do what he wanted.  I really was more than happy with a book on my own.  But he pouted and said he wanted to go out with me.  Silly boy, he knows what an introvert I am.

So Uncle James came over, we got G&T's and got in the pool.  Now isn't that WAY better than making small talk and being with people who bore the tits of you?  The music would be loud, so you can't talk anything meaningful - 'What?  Oh yeah, we had a great Christmas thanks.  You?'  'Oh, you had a Christmas lunch.  Great'.  'Um, made any resolutions?' 'Oh, great, a weight loss program, good luck with that'  and on and on this silly talk goes. 

Nope, not for me.  The three of us had a great conversation - as we normally do. Last night, we were all cheeriness and light and talked about the latest craze of 'Prepping'.  We talked about how we would prepare for the end of civilised order in a world quickly going mad.  How we could feed ourselves when all the shops closed or ran out of food, how we would protect ourselves from looters, where we would escape to when the violence started, how we could set up a new life away from the chaos that would ensue after our society collapses.  Think Mad Max, the one with Tina Turner in it.  (If you have Foxtel, go to the National Geographic channel and watch Doomsday Preppers if you really want
a) a good laugh,
b) some sobering thoughts,
c) entertain the idea that maybe they are onto something
or d) remember your sanity and have a good laugh.

We now have a plan.  Mr K is to get the trailer camper ready with fuel and water and make sure we have a full tool kit.  Uncle James is in charge of weapons and planning the escape route.  I am in charge of feeding them (hey, what's new)  collecting and storing seeds and a way to start a vegetable garden in the desert.

Cheery way to end the year wasn't it?

Hope yours was at least a Happy start to the New Year.

All I want for Christmas ...

All I want for Christmas ..... is two months away, alone, completely alone.

Utter solitude. To travel back in time would be nice too.

Georgiana Molloy (1805 - 1843) - isn't she beautiful?

I read a lot of old diaries and biographies of pioneer women, or women who lived on farms or in the country. Women of centuries ago who sometimes had no choice but to be on their own for months on end. Like Georgiana Molloy (1805 - 1843) who in 1829 came with her husband to live in Augusta, Western Australia. Her biography, written by Alexandra Hasluck, (Portrait with Background: A Life of Georgiana Molloy - Melb, 1955) is one of my all-time favourites.

She lamented the isolation and filled it with writing letters, her journal and collecting botanical samples to be sent to Captain James Mangles, who was a keen botanist. I love reading of her day to day life - but what resonates with me, now more than ever, is the calm, slow pace of life. It's like a balm to my stretched, hectic, over-full one.

I know there were tragedies, children were lost, life was physically tough, but surely she felt a calmness that life was settled, it was predictable, there was a slow, yet deliberate rhythm. When I read of her walking in the bush every day to collect seeds, or sitting down to write, I feel a yearning for that part of her life. I know she would probably envy mine, my household gadgets that make every day easier, but I wonder too if she would want it to slow down?

I guess it is the minimisation of external stimulation that appeals the most. No TV. No phone beeping or flashing to say the world is contacting you. No cars, or trains, or planes or sirens. No emails, or the double edged internet - with so much information to seek, yet so overwhelming. Back then, you actually looked forward to visitors, not dread them like today.

Berringarra Homestead - build in 1882

Many years ago, Mr K took the boys and I up north to stay at the station that he had worked on as a teenager. (He was also conceived at this station, but that’s a whole new story!). He still loved this place and was excited to share with me why - the rammed earth station house with wide veranda's and wide walls, the bower shed where the jackaroos slept in the midday heat, the red, red dirt and blue, blue sky. The river gums, white and majestic, the dry river bed that belied its strength, the eagles and wild goats and bungarras. I saw what he saw and fell in love with it too.

We found out that it was for sale. I dreamed of buying this isolation. This life. It was to be a fantasy played out over many, many years and still, if all of the planets and stars lined up, and Mr K said come on we are going to live there, I would be packed in a heartbeat. By outback standards its not that isolated - only 660km from Perth, the nearest big town is Meekatharra a mere 170km way. The historic town of Cue 180km.

 

 

But like all fantasies, would it lose all it's lustre in real life?  I still would like to try .. even if it was just my Christmas present for two months.

 

Staff camping weekend

Well of course I ended up enjoying it!  Always, it's the same.  Anxiety, trepidation, worry - all wasted emotions as when I got there it was all fine.  What did help, a lot, was busying myself taking the photo's.

It was tiring, hard physical work at times, some parts a bit uncomfortable - all totally over ridden by great company, a laugh, some fun, good food, good drink, awesome views.  There are lots of stories to tell but for now I think I will let the pictures say the 1000 words...

Mr K - pretty pleased that we had set up camp and he finally had a beer in hand

Young tech who scored a 'day off' on Friday to help set up camp! He too was pretty pleased with the fact he worked out how to put his tent up!

The camp before the entire team arrived.  The tarps were a nightmare to put up - only 3 of us and a gale force wind!

The moonscape where the camp spot is - in the lee of a sand dune.  The other side of the dune is pristine ocean

The genny - gave us light and powered the fridges - who says we 'rough' it

The old lady 'princess' of the camp.  She was not amused here that she had been put down on the sand.  She did the rounds of everyones lap.

Tom Dog - he waits for his love ... waiting ...waiting

Great white fishermen .... just as well we had steak and chops for dinner as we sure didn't get any fish

The Team - with only a few missing

A boy and a dog ... priceless

Awwww puppy love.  This is Tom Dogs girl.

Love the colours

Magical


 

Pumping up the tyres and a sad and weary goodbye ... well until work tomorrow anyway!

and off we go!

It's the morning of the great camping weekend.  I wish I could say I was excited and looking forward to it, but I am not.  I am anxious and full of dread.  But that's completely normal for me.  I do love to camp, and once I get there it will be fine ... but for now ... there is coffee and xanax!!

The dogs are certainly not full of dread and the only anxiety is that they might get left behind.

They are like cats on a hot tin roof - except they are dogs... boom boom!

How they have added the dots just goes to show how smart they are. 

• The trailer camper is still in the same place its stored in.  It hasn't been pulled out yet.  We have been over to it and checked a few things, filled the water tank etc, but really to a dog, it should look like it always does.
• The 4WD is still full of farm tools.  Not camping chairs and eskys
• There is however a strange ute in our driveway, full of tarps etc, but if the dog could work out what that's for and get excited then he is smart enough to run for PM
• Ok, the big esky is out of the shed and on the front veranda - maybe a giveaway but we could just be having a party at home
• We went out shopping late last night and bought bottles of water and beer.  They too are on the veranda and could be a clue

I don't buy that these things are enough for the border collie to be running around the house, looking in every window to see what we are doing, running to the door of the 4WD and asking to be let in, the little old girl has got out of bed early this morning and is all perky and excited.

I am so glad we are taking them away with us, the looks of disappointment on their little faces would be too much to bear!

 

 

The cat gets the best deal - a whole weekend with no pesky dogs and no bossy humans to tell him where he can and can't sleep.  That's 3 beds, 10 couches and 12 chairs to choose from.  That's five star camping!

A busy week - dang it!

I love it when I look at my wall calendar and see a week with nothing planned.  Five whole empty days ... bliss!  It means I can just get my paid work done, then have all this time to write.  After today's perusal of the calendar, I saw a clear week - did a little happy dance inside .... then realised with regret that its just that I have been a lazy cow and not put everything on the calendar.  So a 'free' week turns into...

Monday -

1. Drop off sewing machine for a service
2. Find keys to trailer camper that were meant to be in the console of the 4WD (that Mr K spent 4 hours looking and ranting for yet failed to find)
3. Clean up 3 empty bottles of red wine (good stuff too!), numerous beer and tonic water bottles, BBQ remnants - all after last nights visit from Uncle J. 
4. Try to take today slowly.

Tuesday - A good day -

1. IKEA and
2. Spotlight ... maybe, hopefully.
3. Plan meal and drinks for camping this weekend.
4. Furniture purchased on the weekend is delivered

Wednesday -

1. My father in law arrives to stay a few days. 
2. The online writing course starts today - joy
3. Fill water tanks on camper, make sure everything we need is packed in there - that is, if I have found the keys!

Thursday -

1. Long overdue meeting with Accountant (who is VERY cute so makes it bearable) which means hours and hours of prep work
2. Pay the wages
3. Billing day - pages and pages to print, fold, stuff in envelopes and post

Friday -

1. Pack trailer camper and 4WD
2. Buy last minute food and drinks and ice
3. Drive down to beach camping place and set up camp

Ah well.  Next week is worse so better make the most of this.

Another Writing Course and a Camping Trip

After the last course I did with the UWA Extension, I was so enthralled with the whole writing experience that I enrolled in another one right away.  If November and December were not clogged already with social engagements (being an introvert, I can't say I like this time of the year very much) I would have enrolled in a lot more courses.

This one is called Crafting personal essays - how to shape your life experiences for the page and is being run by Dr Rachel Robertson, who wrote the book Reaching One Thousand: a story of love, motherhood and autism, which I am yet to read.  I picked this course as it would be a good one for learning how to write better blog posts.  (To be honest, I just love the thrill of being in a room all day with other writers - bliss)

There is one workshop, that I would dearly love to do, but we have a camping trip planned that weekend.  Now, I love camping, especially when I can get away from civilisation with just our 4WD and camper trailer.  We both, that is Mr K and I, HATE caravan parks and camping in public places, so we try and find out of the way places.  This place we are going to in mid November is halfway between Preston Beach and Myalup, just behind the dunes.  The trouble is, we are bringing civilisation with us! 

Tom Dog and his girl, Keela on the last beach camping trip

It's a staff camping trip, with all our staff and some of their partners (the tough girls who don't mind taking a shovel and going for a walk when they need the loo).  We did it last year, and a lot of the young'uns that work for us missed out on all the fun and this year they want to come too.  I know I will have fun when I get there, but giving up a workshop called Devious art of plotting your novel is a big ask.

Ah well, I will wait with the thrill of a child waiting on Christmas Eve for the new Summer courses to be announced.  In the meantime, there is always a camping trip to gather material for my writing.

Our old 4WD with camper trailer and bike.  I could get lost forever with this set up.