Last summer while Shan was away and I was doing all these summer things without her, it just wasn’t the same. I would write to her and tell her how much I couldn’t wait to go camping with her, sit around the open fire and fall asleep in a tent listening to the rain or looking up the stars. That’s why this weekend had to be perfect. It all began when I tried to make reservations over the phone and found out you needed to make them at least 3 days in advance. When we got to Tulabi the sign said “Campground Full”.(1) We continued there anyway and found a site that was open Friday only so we decided to set up and take our chances on Saturday. I went to get some wood before the store closed and by the time I got back Shan already had the tent completely set up (reason #1276).
We spent Saturday morning on the beach and eventually caught up with “Ranger Bob” who informed us number 36 was open if we wanted to move our stuff, so we complied. We basically threw everything in the van(2) and physically carried the tent there without taking it down. This was either very smart or very lazy…or maybe a bit of both. We had moved our entire site and were back in business bu in under 20 mins. Later in the day it started getting a little grey and we decided we had better get a tarp going over the picnic table. Easier said than done. I messed around forever trying to feed this rope up over this one branch while Shan laughed and laughed as 1 tried throwing it between the branches without success. Finally she wants “one try” so I hand it over and she manages to loop a different branch and decides it’s “good enough”. I contest it wasn’t the same branch I was going for but it will do. We finally manage to get this tarp up just before it rains and I am convinced most people go into couple’s counselling to learn how to interact during tarp engineering.
After dinner there was a park Police guy at the next site over to investigate a dog biting. We were having trouble eaves dropping but it sounded like one of the kids in the next site over had been bit and sent to the hospital. We had met them earlier in the day on “the rock”. The father was an older, skinny, longhair with tattoos and a moustache with a beer can glued to his left hand. I hate to stereotype but after hearing the way they talk to each other the words “trailer trash” did cross my mind. Anyway it’s a sad thing regardless that a child was bit especially because the dog we think bit her was really cool. We could barely hear what the kids were telling the park cop so we decided to make a trip to the can so we could walk on by. The cop and the father were sitting on a rock and the three kids were standing in front of them telling a story that I am sure got better and bloodier each time. As I got a bit closer my trailer park notion was confirmed when I noticed father of the year was WEARING MY SHIRT! I had put it on the windshield of the van to dry after the beach and now this guy was wearing it… “hey man, that’s my shirt” I blurted out without even thinking twice. Shan had just noticed too but was toying with the idea that this guy just might have the same Princess Leia t-shirt as me because she didn’t know just how rare it was.(3) While the guy quickly takes off my shirt without even putting down it is. his beer. Everyone gets silent for what seems like minutes as he hands it back to me the cop sees Shan’s astonished face and says “that’s interesting” before Shan and I continue up to the can in shock. On the way back down the father (now shirtless with beer can) offers up the excuse that his kids picked up the shirt somewhere and brought it back. Shan goes fiery redhead and says “well just make sure they keep their little fingers to themselves from now on” and we return to our site still not really sure what just happened.
Sunday we spent some time on the beach and then packed up early for home. We stopped at the Subway in Lac Du Bonnet where I told the legend of Paul Ratte(4) and met some nice folks. We ate our Subs out on the curb because Shan was in charge of fun this weekend. We had dinner at my parents place and then went to see “Bad Boys 2” at Grant Park. I don’t think I will be reviewing it but I did think it was a an OK sequel. This weekend couldn’t have been more perfect.
(1) – Back in the day when you could take a chance like that and be spontaneous. Those days are long gone but it worked for us back then.
(2) – I think this was my white or teal Dodge Caravan. Loved both of those vehicles and I tell everyone who cares to ask that if they made an AWD version of that van would be my go to.
(3) – I loved that shirt. No idea where it is today.
(4) – I like to let the people at every Subway I visit know that Paul Ratte and I are buddies.