I’ve sent them ‘packing’

All week I have been secretly looking forward to an upcoming event….not very big mind you, but in the eyes of a mother with SEVEN kids, it is indeed magical.

Hubby is taking 5 out of my 7 kids (and a friend of my 7 yr old boy) camping  for 4 days.

I don’t do camping………….unless its a room booked at the Langham Hotel, Grand Hyatt or perhaps the Crown (which I keep reminding my husband).

My idea of camping is 5 STARS – and not the ones where you sit by a camp fire, slapping mosquitoes while looking at the stars.

Seriously, how can one compare this ……..

to this

Hubby, assured me that this time, I will want to go…his reasoning….

“I have hired a camper trailer honey, it even has a double bed”……

Hmm really I say…….well does it have a toilet, a shower, and the comforts of home?

I got a snigger and smile as a reply.

Seriously though, they have packed (although I had to pack the boys clothes) and taken EVERYTHING.

I almost packed the kitchen sink (a buck to wash in), yet I had been informed that they don’t need one as the trailer comes equipped.  Of course my husband thought was another key element in persuading me to come along….but I wised up….”I aint coming to be your head cook and bottle washer ON A HOLIDAY! Besides, did you mention the trailer comes without a toilet and shower“?  And….there is no power?  How will I wash and hair-dryer my hair or use my laptop or get on Facebook” (ok, I am not that bad)!

I just don’t see the point of going off in the bush in the middle of know-where to sleep, fend off flies and mosquitoes (also while trying to sleep), trudging through the darkness with a torch to a communal toilet and shower block (whilst holding ones nose), hoping you don’t tread on a spider or bull ant in the process.  I am not at all scared of bugs, spiders or ants of any kind, yet I prefer them outside of my home and not to venture with them in the wild.

My second eldest daughter is as keen as anything (she should have been a boy) and has been talking non stop about the upcoming camping trip.  Fortunately, she has been EXTREMELY organised and I am quite proud of her as she seems to have taken on some of my organisation skills with making a list and ticking things off.

She even put in some pegs….”What are they for”? I asked.  “Our noses, coz the toilets STINK”…..

Right this is the reason, I am NOT GOING!

My eldest daughter (13 going on 14yrs) also will be staying behind.  She is worst than me (with regards to not wanting to go camping) and has a real phobia of anything that crawls, runs or scampers (not forgetting to mention the winged kind too).

My 3yr old son on the other hand desperately wants to go with his daddy, however for starters he is too young to go without his mummy and he still is not fully toilet trained. Also hubby might just leave him in the bush if he lets one rip in his dacks.

The happy campers are heading off first thing in the morning at the ungodly hour of 6.00am  (the only time I would get up at that hour ON purpose is to go on a shopping spree/tour throughout Melbourne ~ on a bus ~ even then its normally at 6.30am).

So, while the campers are away…..what will I be doing you may ask?

• shopping (and not the grocery kind)
• sleeping in
• DVD’s, easy dinners, ice cream
• nothing
• shopping and more shopping