Looks like we get a slight change in camping plans for the weekend. I’ll probably spend part of Saturday in town. A friend of ours was killed in a motorcycle accident last weekend and Saturday is the memorial service. I know several folks were planning to come out over the weekend, so you might want to aim for a day other than Saturday.
The Camper’s at the Lake
I took the camper to the lake and did about an hour’s photo shoot for Up Here magazine last night. I have become constantly amazed at how much work it takes to get it ready for the first camping trip of the year.
The bedding has to be cleaned, everything needs to be aired and dusted, all of the food has to be restocked, etc. I often store other things in the camper over the winter as well and these have to be put elsewhere. Also, there are some things that have to be replaced, such as all the liquid cleaning supplies and paper products.
There is, though, the bit of an advantage where the camper is gone to Fox Lake which is a short drive away. I didn’t have to get everything done before taking the camper out. I wanted to get some of the bedding clean, etc., so I’ll get around to that later this week and we’ll take it out when we go. If you’re wondering what the area is like, the picture on the top of my blog was taken last fall from the campsite I’m in right now.
I’m hoping to head out Thursday evening, although I want to do something early that evening. I can easily get up early and drive back into work in the morning. Commuting from the lake is quite nice early in the morning and the only traffic you see on the way at 6 AM usually has four legs….
Weekend Planning
I seem to have a great deal planned, or overplanned, for the upcoming weekend. Its so loaded down that I actually took Monday and Tuesday as vacation days to do everything I had planned.
We have the reading of the play on Sunday, but that needs a fair bit of work to get ready, doing things such as cleaning, getting the BBQ ready, etc. Yes, I am bribing my readers with food and drink. I’m not above that. The menu is rib eye steak, baked potatoes, onions, sauteed mushrooms, cole slaw, potato salad and roast corn. We’ll wash it down with Keith’s and a nice red. You may want to consider this for the next time I need readers…
Once that is out of the way, it’s time to get the motorhome ready for the long weekend. I’ll probably be commuting to work a few days although I’m not sure what Clara’s up for. I will admit that I am not looking forward to the first camping trip without smoking. Maybe I’ll follow the rules. I am allowed to have a cigarette whenever I want. Its just got to come from my emergency pack. In case you’re curious, my emergency pack is the one I was smoking six months ago when I quit. Its been open in a drawer since then. I suspect that the contents may be a little… ahem… dry. OK, a lot dry.
Tuesday afternoon may be a bit interesting as well. A freind has been commissioned to do a photo shoot for Up Here magazine and we get to be models for photos on RVing in the north. He said he’ll try to get us the cover… or put me as the centrefold. Somehow, I can picture myself with staples in my bellybutton now. Its not a good picture…
Change in Direction
The term is over, although I am overseeing a practicum but that won’t be taxing, and the election is over and my last CBC blog posted has been submitted and posted. It is now time, or long past it, to start thinking about camping season.
The current plan is heading out to Fox Lake for an upcoming weekend and I may possibly commute the week after as well. It’s about a 45-minute drive, although it is a bit quicker at 6 am when commuting. If you’re wondering what it’s like, the banner photograph on my blog is from Fox Lake Campground (61°14′ 42″ N 135° 27′ 38″ W).
I do have a bit of work to do first. Step 1 is getting the RV ready and there is a lot that needs doing. Some of you are probably rather aware, I spent a lot of time working on it last year as well. There are a few plumbing issues left to resolve, including getting a new grey water tank welded up and installing it. I also need to replace the fitting on the water heater where water enters it as it is leaking like a sieve. Doing plumbing repairs in anything with as little space as an RV is no fun at all but, the sooner it’s done, the sooner I can start repairing something else. This is how things work, isn’t it? It certainly appears that way in my life.
I also need to spend a bit of time setting up the trailer and the new boat. We’re looking forward to actually getting the bottom of it wet sometime next month when the ice leaves the lakes. Hopefully, that will happen before I go for knee surgery next month… an event that will probably prevent fishing for a few weeks.
Doug Rutherford 