Camping soon - VF

This weekend I get to go camping.... well sort of, we are staying in a cabin, but camping enough seeing as we have to take sleeping bags, pillows and warm clothing (after all it is mid-Winter in Michigan AND it is 4 hours north of here so I guess that is 4 hours colder!) and share in communal cooking duties. I am imagining the experience to be similar to when I was a teenager and used to go to the church ski-week to Lake Lyndon Lodge. Although my idea of camping is a 3-star hotel and this is about 1/2 a star, I did used to enjoy the ski weeks and we had a lot of fun. Thankfully this is not a full week (we have elected to drive up on Friday after Jamie finishes work although some are going on Thursday) and we are only staying two nights so I am being broken in gently to older-age camping. Liz (who did a reading at our wedding) has organised it and the 'usual suspects' (the group that came from Michigan to our wedding) and another 30 or so friends are all going. Apparently there is skiing but I think it is more the cross-country than the downhill type and I am a little dubious as when I asked about skiing the first question people said was 'have you skiied before?" and when I said yes, they laughed and said 'you wont really count this as skiing then'. Jamie is quite excited as he has been to this place (also owned by the church) practically every year since he was 8. He is also a little more into camping than I am and most anxious that I get into the camping scene. I have faithfully promised to go camping, depsite my professed disdain for camping and told Jamie last year that we did not need to write it into our wedding vows as I know that it is a significant thing for him. All of this came about from a conversation we had in September 2003 (not knowing that a year later we would be discussing wedding vows!) which apparently cemented our at the time fledgling relationship.... More to come after the weekend!!!

Tue, 23 Sep 2003

hello there my friend! i have a question (hypothetical though it may be) for you....

i've heard it mentioned in casual conversation that camping for you is perhaps like enduring accomodations at a 3*** hotel. what if (hypothetically of course) your significant other were somewhat fond of it, if not only to have a perfectly valid excuse to buy what would otherwise be ridiculously expensive but unnecessary outdoor gear, both electronic and otherwise. and what if, this significant other were willing to be sure that this (hypothetical) camping experience were made for you as comfortable as humanly possible. so much so that you were to be rendered incapable of doing anything but smiling during such aforementioned (hypothetical) outdoor excursions.
would it then be considered, a possibility for you and this (hypothetical) significant other?

i was just wondering...

jamie

My reply....
Well... seeing as you asked such a thought-provoking question regarding the potential matter of accommodation en-vacance, .... I have, essentially only once, however; been known to undertake such an enduring adventure; finding it, in somewhat of a bizarre way, kind of exciting and if nothing else, mentally, physically and spiritually invigorating. The said excursion entailed such strenuous exercise, covering extraordinarily mountainous terrain, however it did involve viewing such incredible natural wonders, that it was indeed practically enjoyable (if only the point of knowing it was so extraordinarily good for ones body, mind and soul). I recall one particular period, resulting in absolute exhaustion, whilst providing an almost euphoric exhilaration; of some 9 hours duration that involved pushing my body to limits previously unknown (even surpassing my previous marathon performance which lasted only 50% of that time, yet covered 26 miles in distance). Despite such primitive conditions; and, being permitted to carry only a meager allowance of provisions, apparel and feminine beauty-associated paraphernalia, my performance was that of a true Amazon woman and I did survive, and, possibly to the chagrin of my companion, an ex-Olympic competition athlete no less; better than that accomplished sportsperson! Given such triumphant previous experience in matters of outdoor excursions, I can only conclude, that an excursion such as you describe, (whilst it might not be one’s preferred style of voyage) would be palatable on account of the availability of extravagant home comforts, the presence of hypothetical significant other (assuming primary raison d'être for said hypothetical significant other is, as mentioned in previous correspondence, to ensure my incapability of rendering anything other than continual smiling by whatever means deemed appropriate); and of course, the pure challenge of rising to such a provocation. I trust this e-mail finds you rising bright and early for your 7am start, and hopefully rasies as much of a chuckle in you as yours did in me.....