Camp Blog and a few bits either side

After lots of agonising about money etc, we were finally talked into going to camp.  I know that it wasn’t something that everyone managed this year for many different reasons and their presence was missed.  It’s always hard to prioritise money for luxuries like holidays and trips out and this year Aprilia has missed out on a lot of events that we had planned on doing.  There has been no “family holiday” at all so it seemed a little mean to go off on a holiday without Duke but as he doesn’t really enjoy these sorts of close quarters events I managed to salve my concience and stretched the budget just far enough to make it (but if I hve to eat Aldi beans on toast again for a very long time I will not be responsible for my actions )

Our normal camp preparations were somewhat fouled this year by being in Wombwell the day before.  So rather than baking and packing we spent the day in a freezing cold concrete bunker huddled round an oil heater that was just not up to the task of heating up that much damp concrete.  It was a good job we didn’t need to treat anyone, it would have been dangerously cold to have anyone stripped off in there   The highlight of the day was the look on the other tech’s face when, after Aprilia offered her a drink, and she refused, Aprilia looked at her very seriously and said “if you don’t drink enough you’ll get hurty wee and then you’ll be sorry”

Sunday morning was far too chaotic for all sorts of silly reasons, mainly because, despite lots of evidence to the contrary I am still totally convinced that my offspring can pack for herself.  She can’t.  Not even with the help of a list and pictures.  I’m wondering about a “PECS” style one for next time so that she can rip off the velcro bits and stick them elsewhere as she packs stuff.  Can’t work any worse than anything else we’ve tried!  Of course, it doens’t help when her mother is the most headless chicken stylee packer you have ever seen.  My poor little car was very tightly crammed with stuff (so it was a good job Duke wasn’t there really!!!) although, to be fair, we did use most of it!

We had a slightly longer journey than I’d planned on due to my not checking the route the satnav had chosen.  It’s getting a bit senile in it’s old age and taken to confusing “shortest route” and “quickest route”.  Quite often the shortest route isn’t the quickest, especially when it takes you through lots of busy shopping towns this close to Christmas!  Never mind, we got to our first port of call – the Journey to Bethlehem.  It was lovely.  Don’t know what else to say about it really, it was just lovely.  A great way to start the week.

The satnav was somewhat more reliable getting us from the church to the hostel.  There was a dizzy small car driver moment when Nic directed me in through a gate and I wasn’t convinced we would fit despite larger cars having already driven in but I got a grip and got on with it.  We were greeted with lots of lovely vegetable soups to choose from to warm us up.  Aprilia aparently, after having a bowl full of one sort then went back and had a small splash of all of the rest of them to see what she may have been missing   There was, for the carnivores, optional extra bacon bits being distributed by Nic who had a mischivious grin on her face whilst offering such ilicit goodies

The week was filled with lovely music, lots of felting, fabulous food and lots of tea and cake.  Aprilia only fell apart a couple of times (the last evening she was loud enough that everyone in our part of teh building heard her wailing) and as a bonus, was happy enough for me to leave her in the evenings to go and be sociable.  She seemed to take up exactly where she left off with Maddy which was fab and was often to be found stretched out on her bed playing joint games with the girls in their room (very cunning, remote socialising….)  What did we do before DS games?

As has been previously mentioned, the kitchen arrangements weren’t ideal but still, everyone worked round it magnificently and the pot wash area was one of my main haunts in the times immediately after meals.  I got quite terratorial about that dishwasher!!!  Having a little dining area just off the main one was our salvation as it meant that when Aprilia was all over got she could eat somewhere a little quieter although she was thwarted once by a posse of friends who decided that they would keep her company and chattered away happily whilst Aprilia tried to work out a way to say Go Away without being rude!!!!

The carolling was very good.  I was originally playing my gorgeous new ocarina but there was a last minute change as Aprilia’s not so gorgeous plastic oc decided to get itself all gunged up and refused to play so I entrusted her with my precious new baby and used my violin instead.  I do think I would have done better with more practice!  Really apreciated all the effort and thought put in by HH and NattyEm (and to other non-attenders who kindly hunted out suitable music too!)

Secret Santa was a hit as usual.  Aprilia got a hot chocolate glass which she has already enjoyed using lots and I got a set of 4 tiles with Christmas trees on them which will be on my Christmas Day table and will look very much prettier than our usual table decs!  Our offered gifts also seemed to be well recieved so that was good too   I am always amazed at the care and talent that is put into so many of the Secret Santa gifts.  I walk in talented circles!

I was quite sad to be heading out home on the Friday morning, just as we were getting ready to set out the snow started to flutter down ever so gently and got heavier as I went.  I had a choice to pick either Snake, Cat and Fiddle or Woodhead passes or drive a very long way around rather than over the pennines.  By preference I would have gone for the Woodhead but I had a bit of a blonde moment and couldn’t work out how to sweet talk the satnav into taking that particular route (which is quite a long way round really) so settled on the Cat and Fiddle which was wonderfully white and pretty but also rather slippy!  We went past one car tettering on a wall and had a few skatey moments but got over safely, just as they were closing it behind us

We then spent a happy afternoon baking for Aprilia’s Guide Christmas party.  The cakes went down very well aparently.

We were then pleasantly surprised to find that riding wasn’t snowed off although she was quite obviously knackered and didn’t ride with her normal flair…. in fact she ended up with a stable hand on either side keeping her on!  She didn’t wear the dressing up outfit that I had run up for her but did agree to a santa hat and tinsel on her riding hat which looked suitably festive.

Onwards to Christmas then hey?