Slipping Away

It's Writers Workshop time over at MamaKat's and this week one of the prompts caught my eye right away.

3.) Describe a memorable camping experience.

When my children were very young we used to do a lot of camping with them. We didn't have a lot of money so couldn't afford a fancy camper but had one of these pop up tent campers. You know the kind I'm talking about? OK, OK so you weren't born back then and have no idea what a pop up camper is! Jeez give me a break. I know I'm old but They looked like a little box when all folded up but once you opened them and POPPED up the tent part, they magically became big enough to walk around in? Ours was really a bare bones kind of tent camper. It had the beds on both sides and the table in the middle but no fridge or stove etc. The kids didn't care because they only slept in it. They were too busy being outside playing to care.

This was the early 80's when my kids were 6 , 2 and the baby was about 6 months old. We would go camping almost every weekend, usually somewhere close to home but still where there was water for swimming and sand for playing. During the day the kids would be outside all day, running around playing and having a good time. Early on I used to think I had to run around behind them with a wash cloth and wash their face and hands ( I know dumb right- we're in a sand filled campsite). I soon learned that a little dirt and sand didn't kill them so they got a lick and a promise right before they went to bed each night and that was good enough until we went home on Sunday.

Anyway this particular camping trip, we had settled in, opened up the camper, and set up for the weekend. The two oldest and their dad had gone off in search of greater things and I was left at the campsite with the 6 month old baby to make lunch. Our sister in law and her family were a couple campsites over they came to share lunch with us.

After lunch, I put the baby down for his nap and while the little ones played the adults sat around the campfire and BS'd and drank a few beers. Pretty soon the baby started screaming so the adults all ran to the camper to see what was wrong! We couldn't find him! He wasn't laying on the bed where I had left him, he wasn't on the floor and he wasn't wrapped in any of the blankets. Yet we could still hear him screaming! What had happened to my baby!! Where was he??

We found him between the tent and the side of the camper just kind of hanging there. Seems he had rolled over and slipped through the opening left where the tent doesn't quite meet the camper. Thank God he was chubby enough he hadn't fallen completely through or he might have gotten hurt when he hit the ground. As it was, he was just scared- and so was I. Needless to say from then on, I put plenty of blankets and pillows around the side of the camper before putting him down for his nap and checked on him often.

That is one camping trip I have never forgotten

and a story that got told often.

Now pitch your tent over at Mamakat's and sit around the campfire to hear other stories bloggers have to tell. They fun to read.