Camping

Levi Lakeside

Boys playing 'Mud Fight'



Boys playing on the roof of the car



We are back from camping.  Yes, it is a day early.  Levi had a sore tummy so we came home early.  I am completely wiped out so here are some photos and I will (if I remember) write more about it next time

Packing

Tonight I am busy packing for camping tomorrow.  I am dropping Levi at his friend's house and they are all driving to Elanda Point to set up camp.  I am working all day and then I am driving home to hitch their catamaran to my car and then towing it north.  We are camping Thursday night through to Sunday morning.  I am not totally looking forward to it, although Levi is beside himself with excitement.  I think that it will be fun for a couple of days but I hate being sort of stuck in one place with no exit strategy.  I am not sure why I always like to have an 'out' but there you have it.  I am sure I will have fun but four days of camping, when there is so much to do at home is likely not my priority.  It is what you do for your kids though., isn't it.

It will be great for Levi to have some down time.  It will be great, to have some time for me to chill out and not actually be able to do all the chores that need to be done, no matter how much I stress about them still being there when I get back.  I have the tent and the airbed but my neck doesn't really enjoy the airbed.  Now I am done complaining now.  Really it will be fun!  If I say it enough I will start to actually believe it!!

Camping at Somerset

This weekend we went to Somerset dam, which is quite full at the moment.  We went with Di and Bear and their two kids and we had a fabulous time!  I had to work late and so Di picked Levi up from school.  After getting the third degree, she was finally able to take him.  I had already let them know it was happening as well.  Oh Well! At least no one can get him who shouldn't.  I drove up late and got up there about 6.30.  We had lots of help putting the tent up from the kids and Levi got to sleep in a tent again which he was excited about.

The weather was perfect and there was a fog in the morning, but it burned off by about 9.30 to a beautiful sunshine day.  We went out in the boat and tubed until the kids arms were tired and then we fished.  The first day we got 13 fish in about half an hour but they were all Talapia.  Talapia hold an interesting place in Australian waterways.  They are considered the Canetoad of the waterways.  As it is illegal to actually put them back into the water we saved them up and at the end threw them onto the bank to feed the eagles that were ready and waiting for a free feed.

The second day was very like the first and it was just lovely.  We packed up around about mid afternoon and that meant that most of the rest of the campers were already gone and it also meant that everything was very dry when we put it away.  I didn't have to redo anything when I got home and was very grateful for that as well.  The boys all got on really well and Levi learned to tube and he learned how to start and stop his bike without help.  All in all it was a great weekend!

Sneak Peeks of this weekend!

I am too tired to write about this weekend but it was really fun and both Levi and I are trashed!

Camping

Friday night we went camping.  Camping in the easiest possible way.  We went camping by the creek near the house.  It is perfect because if you forget something you can get it in seconds.  Plus if the kids need a toilet you can drive them up the driveway and know they are OK.  Levi had his mate Ty over and Pam, my friend from work helped me.  We camped on very soft ground that only a few days ago was a fluidized bed and a few days before that was under water by several metres.  It is safe enough there and we had already tested to see if the boys could climb up the hill in an emergency.  It was very dirty though and you can see by Levi's sweaty, muddy face that mud got everywhere. 

The boys ran around like mad things getting firewood and rocks to make a fire pit.  We grilled sausages and roasted marshmallows on sticks.  Then we tried to put them to bed.  They played and giggled for about an hour before they finally collapsed into slumber. 

The next morning they woke at the crack of '.  Actually it wasn't that bad.  It was about 6am.  There was no leisurely waking though; as soon as their eyes opened they were up and out of the tent to collect wood and climb hills and trees again!

Since I have been home, the flood waters have gradually receded and left the city scoured clean in areas and covered in mud in others.  It is awe inspiring to see the power of the water itself.  Huge swathes of cliff face have been sheared from the side of the roads, and there are gaping holes in roads and bridges, many of which are still closed.  There was just so much water.  There still is.  Our creek looks different now.  The course has changed a little and where there were two channels with a little island of rocks and trees in the centre, there is now a single watercourse, deeper than before, with rocks clean of any algae.  It is impressive that so much can change so quickly.  There are many people in Brisbane who will take weather reports more seriously now.

Camping

Levi making our fire
The fire

Levi in the tent

Eating dinner around the fire

Finally asleep

Tonight we are camping. Well sort of! Levi is sound asleep in the tent, outside the back door. I think that I won't even bother getting into the tent as the air mattress is already losing air and frankly as soon as the excitement of going to sleep in the tent is over, he is just asleep. I will pick him up and snuggle him into bed. Likely he will get a better night sleep anyway on a night that I really need him to get a full night.

Tomorrow we go to the wedding and he will be up really late. I am planning to keep him there until he is tired and then just leave. It will be a fun night. He will last some of it but not to the wee hours, which is perfect for me. I am happy to go only as long as he lasts.

Levi didn't miss a beat when we talked about not camping by the creek. He just set about making a fire out of a toy and getting organized then he helped me put up the tent, blow up the air mattress and get out the sleeping bags. He then played happily in the tent until dinner. Such a sweet boy!