A Girl Named Zippy

Here are some vintage camping pictures from when I was 11 and 12.

This is my mom (left) and her best friend Bonnie. We always camped with several families and Bonnie and her husband actually shared our tent!

 Another picture of our campsite. My dad built that white cupboard for mom to haul all of her groceries in. My brother is giving my Uncle Mel bunny ears. That is my mom standing.

This is the tent where 4 adults and 2 kids slept. (we did not take Chad camping) My mom is standing and that is me posing for the camera. I noticed that we were all wearing jeans and jeans were hanging on the clothes line in the back. The picture was dated 5/31/1976.

My brother and me. Don't you love those knee socks? And the fact that I am three years older yet we are the same height??

I read lots and lots of books while camping. I LOVE my tennies!

an L on the shape of her forehead

Do you ever do something and then right after ask yourself
(because I talk to myself absolutely always)
"WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

Case In Point:

My dashboard had a warning that was in RED letters

"REAR TAILGATE OPEN"

so I said to myself
(because I talk to myself absolutely always)

"AFTER I get pulled INTO the garage I will make sure it is latched all the way."

This is the point - that had I been thinking instead of talking to myself - I would have SEEN instead of HEARD what was about to happen.

**insert the sound of metal and wooden garage here**


hmmm.....maybe - possibly - OK probably -

To be most certain

I forgot to shut the back tailgate after unloading groceries.

If I have heard my husband say it once I have it heard it thousands of times.....

They don't call those idiot lights for nothing

camping

there was fishing
there were family visitors
there were visits from friends
there was very delicious food
there were naps
there were cold showers
there were HUGE marshmallows to roast (thanks, Dad!)
there was lots of reading
there was a night terror
there was a power outage - the entire lake
there was heat exhaustion (me!)
there were lots of memories made

....and now for the rest of the story
we bought our teeny camper because it would fit behind our garage
or so we thought
we really can't keep it parked in our grass
or in our neighbors circle drive - which is where it is now
we have not budgeted for hundreds of dollars in storage a year
for our 1984 roadranger
we are really scrambling to come up with plan b

Lions and Tigers and Bears - OH MY!

We're going to the woods.
Ok. I'm kidding.
We ARE getting ready to go on a camping trip.
Which feels like the woods.....
Because I feel like I need to bring everything with me or we just won't survive.
My lists are numerous.
My lists are long.
We are camping just the four of us.
So if we forget something.....
Or realize there is something we didn't even think about....
We can't beg, borrow or steal from fellow campers.
Well, at least not people who know us.
Which makes me analyze my lists.
I don't want to forget anything.
I made a master list of what to pack.
I made a list of my menus.
I made a list for my grocery shopping trip.
I feel prepared.
What do you think I will forget?

my ball player

I may be bipolar.

I am black or white.

I am all or nothing.

I am in or out.

I am happy or sad.

I am right or wrong.

I am hot or cold.

I am not a middle of the road person.

I don't know how that would be.

I over analyze or

I don't give it a second thought.

Love me or hate me.

I blog or I don't blog.

I think I'll write about the our bookclub book.  The Girls from Ames.

A group of women (just a few years older than myself - whata ya know!) are friends from grade school and still today. There were parts I loved.  Mostly the time in which it took place. I could relate to that. Highschool in the 80's. The music was the best. Anyways, while reading the book I had a facebook friend request from my best friend from third grade. (Timely, I thought) She moved away that summer. Her life was tragic. She said I was the best friend an 8 year old girl could ever have. That meant a lot to me.  I wonder if it's easier to be an 8 year old friend than an adult friend. I'm gonna say yes. Today - I'm picky. I over analyze. I want it all and then I don't have enough of myself to put into it.  Don't go out and get the book. Or check it out from the library. It wasn't that great.

Maybe tomorrow - I'll think of something fun and exciting to write about. I dream of Jeanne or Gilligans Island. Am I Ginger or Maryann? Why can't I live in a cozy bottle?

Until then - good day!