Reading (and being idiots) at Camp

Please trust, dearest darlings, that I am in no way trying to convince any of you to camp. I can barely convince myself to camp. Half the reason I camp is to get funny blog stories about stuff that was not that funny while it was happening. 

Okay, this was very funny while it was happening, though. When we got back to camp, about four of us (not me) got to work tarping the campsite where dinner was supposed to take place that night. The rest of us (including me) stood around gawking and eating chips. Our campsite was directly across the road from the dinner campsite, and gradually a line of chairs was set up in front of our site, and another line of chairs set up in the dinner site facing the other line. 

 

This was the perfect set-up both for heckling the tarpers, and each other, and then interacting with anyone who drove or walked by on the road. Some people looked scared. More people looked charmed. When people walked by and asked where the water tap was, we all pointed and chorused 'there' like Stepford children. Then we applauded the woman who got water. And the park employee who came around weed-whacking around the campsite posts. Then the kids playing football. They all seemed to appreciate the validation (yes, we are obnoxious assholes as a group, but we mean well). 

Pictures of group dinner at Mark and Collette's - short rib chili, corn and bread that was supposed to be homemade over the fire but ended up being sourdough from Loblaws. 

I asked everyone to send car selfies while driving back to camp. 

This one was the winner:

Dumping the water out of the tent, or, oh no! The tent is eating Jared!

Tony's bespoke drink on his dinner night was concocted after he had a dream about making a drink out of carrot water. It was dark rum with carrot, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg and simple syrup and lemon juice, called the "What's Up, Doc" and it was delicious. 

The ridiculously big campfire circle we have now. 

The Books of Camping

 Vivian: Fantastic Land by Mike Bockoven. Haven't read it.

Jacob: Dunkirk to Belsen: The Soldiers' Own Dramatic Stories by John Sadler. Haven't read it. 

Ben and Melanie (who, since our last camping trip, got engaged!): Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Haven't read them, but I also had an Adrian Tchaikovsky book.

Collette: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett. Haven't read it, have had it on hold with the library forever, I think they've lost their copy. 

Logan: Classic Tales of Horror (on brand). Have read some. 

Jordan: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if You're Life Depended on it by Chris Voss. Haven't read it, hadn't really paid attention to the title before now, and now I might be a little scared of Jordan. 

Jared: Dammit, I can't remember - Predator Something?. It is crucial for me to be able to take the title FROM THE PHOTO, Jared!

Margot: Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune. Haven't read it. 

Alina: Holding Reins by Paisley Hope (I initially read 'Hope' as 'Whore', that type really fades into the background too much). Haven't read it. 

Me: Tender by Sofia Samatar (short stories - amazing, although one smashed my heart into little pieces and then crushed up the pieces in a blender and poured them down the garbage disposal) and Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky (bought in San Francisco because Steph recommended it and my eye fell on it the minute I entered the bookstore. I loved it - thoughtful and melancholy.