by Diane Burton
When I was a kid, we didn’t take very many vacations. Not
enough money and Dad often worked two jobs so he didn’t have time off. During
my high school years, Dad decided a great vacation would be to drive up into the wilds of Canada—way
north of the Soo—and camp. Eight of us (the youngest was either not born yet or
left with Gram) in a canvas tent and not even an outhouse nearby. At least the
lake was clean enough to swim in and no poison ivy in the bushes. Even worse, we went back the next year.
I have to say camping was never high on my bucket list after
that. When I was a Girl Scout leader, I had to suck it up, put on my this-will-be-fun face, and take my troop
camping. I did enjoy those trips even though Hubs always said my idea of
roughing it was no room service.
According to my kids when they were in middle and high school,
we took “encyclopedia” vacations—Washington, DC, Gettysburg, Mount Rushmore,
Pikes Peak. I would research the places and share that info during the long car
rides. With no handheld games, no video screens, no iPods (you know, back in
the Dark Ages), they had to listen. Though they groaned and complained, some of
it did sink in. As adults, they now say they appreciated the trips.
When they were little, one vacation was everyone’s favorite.
A 4-hour drive to a cottage on a lake where Hubs (a very early riser) would go
out fishing while the kiddies and I slept. We were just getting up when he
returned and we all had breakfast. Then we went exploring. While I sat in the shade and read, he taught the
kiddies how to fish on the dock—often grabbing the line as daughter got so
excited when she got a nibble she let go of the pole. While she and I have
never been avid fishermen (fisherwomen?), Hubs and Son are. This past March, they
fished in Lake Pleasant north of Phoenix. They didn’t keep what they caught.
The relaxation of a day on the water had more appeal. That and some father-son
bonding.
I got a mani-pedi.
I blog here on the 8th and 30th of each month and Mondays on
my own blogsite http://dianeburton.blogspot.com
5 comments:
Ooh, as a history major, I would love those educational trips (especially if I could talk at a captive audience!) But my husband's idea of a vacation is going someplace he can be active - surfing, biking, hiking, skiing, whatever. No historic monuments in sight. Fishing doesn't count as active, so I haven't been forced into that! LOL Thanks for sharing.
I really like it that Hubs shares my interest in history, etc. My policy on fishing is if you catch it, you clean it. Since I don't want to clean fish (yuck!), I don't catch them. :)
Sounds like you and your family did have some great times. Even traveling in the Dark Ages. We're going to try the historic monuments next summer. I'm not a tent camper, though. I need a floor under me at all times.
With your new camper, Margo, you'll have that floor. I'm sure you'll have a great time.
We didn't do vacations when I was a kid either, Diane. But I'd be with you on the mani-pedi...and the no-room-service version of "roughing it"! I remember being terrified at Girl Scout camp of spiders suspended over me in the tents...and having to trudge to the latrine in the pitch dark! Yeah...give me the local Embassy Suites and its breakfast buffet, please!
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