Camping..

It wasn't too bad at first
The air so clean and fresh
Kids around playing games
Smooth sailing all day long
Evening closes in swiftly
Sun fades into the horizon
Critters come out to play
The crackle sounds of fire
Kids are winding down now
Everything still in peace
Adults sing country songs
Guitars playing all around
Laughing and smiling joyfully
Roasting marsh mellows slowly
Crack open a drink or two
Settling down for relaxation
Kids falling asleep in tents
Adults being foolish with words
Music stops at eleven pm
Silence is everything now

Then it starts.........

         Earlier that day we made an agreement to not get too heavy on the alcohol as we walked into the liquor store picking up beers and revs. He smiles and promises me that he will be on his best behavior. Knowing deep in my stomach that it was all a lie, I still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt as I hand the lady fifty bucks for the drinks and start to walk away watching him flirt with some other chick at the cash register, explaining to her where we are at for camping in the evening and that she should come on out for some music and drinks.

         We get into the van and drive up the road some before he even glares my direction to dare and speak even a word to me. He knows I know he was flirting but I wasn't about to let it ruin my night with the kids and everyone else that was joining us in a little family gathering.

         We pull up to the gas station as he jumps out of the van and gets some gas I take a quick run into the store to pick up some gum. For some reason I love chewing gum when drinking. Bad habit I suppose but I enjoy it. He climbs back in and I get in and we drive off yet again.

         Me and the kids are smiling and singing along with a song on the radio * don't cha * by The PussyCatDolls. We were having a great time giggling and singing when suddenly off goes the music and he finally speaks up...

         " Why do you have to listen to it that loud?" He says in a disgusting voice.

         " Cause I feel like it and so do the kids " I replied while turning it back on and cranking it back up to the loudness we had it.

         He rolled his eyes at me and kept driving making loud annoying sighs enough to drive a person batty. Not our fault he's no fun and we enjoy things that he don't. Perhaps if he'd lighten up a bit he'd enjoy some of the songs and fun times laughing and smiling with the kids too.

         We pull into the camp site and ask for where our family has set up at and what reserved space we are placed to at the courtesy desk. She hands us our sheet of paper and we drive off searching for our number. Lucky for us its right next door to all the fun.

         Kids are in the back seat highly excited to see everyone there waiting for us, as they rush to unbuckle each other and laughing while they near jump out of the van. We smile and start getting things unpacked and set up while the kids trot off to the park up the trail. While were setting up we decide to enjoy a few drinks with the family and get into the fun of camping. Aunts cooking on the bbq and uncle is relaxing in the chair while their sons help us set up the tent and toss our things inside.

         This whole time he never speaks to me, not even look in my direction, perhaps afraid to talk to me, I really don't know what the reason was but it didn't bother me too much I was having a great time with his aunt cooking and cleaning up some before mess.

         We have the radio playing good old country tunes as the laughter continues from the men in the back ground talking about woman and other foolishness as they always do when we gather. We give a quick holler out to the kids to come and eat and they come running as quick as their little feet will take them as if its the last meal of their life they really dive right into it.

         Helping clean up is always hectic but fun. Splashing dish water on the men and blowing the bubbles on the kids as they run by acting like they don't like it! Telling the men if they don't help, their next meal will be on the same plate they just ate off of.

         Soon everything quiets down and we all gather around the campfire for some tunes by guitars, violins and fiddles. My youngest son joins the music making as he pounds down on pots and pans with a wooden spoon giggling away with such delight. Singing kids songs at first while they roast marsh mellows till they turn a light brown getting all sticky and such.

         Night time has fallen in fast as the time seemed like it flew by in a hurry. We scattered around chasing the kids with face cloths to wipe them down with and get them into their pajamas. Once tagged it was a struggle to get them ready for bed but we managed.

         I sat back and wondered to myself how I was going to get three wee ones to bed alone as my husband sits around with the men and drinks his disgusting beer, one right after another knowing in the back of my mind I was in for one rough night once the kids were in la la land.

         Laying down with the three of them, it took me almost an hour to get them to sleep but I was fortunate enough to have done it in that amount of time with the noise still happening right outside the tent.

         Finally I step out of the tent and grab myself a drink and join the other women for our chat time but by this time it was already 11pm and some of the women had already gone off to bed and there was only two left that were leaving very shortly to my arrival, which meant I could either go to bed or stay up with drunk men. My choice was to try and enjoy a few drinks before I too could call it a night.

         Walking over to where the men were standing by the fire I approached my husband who was half in the bag and had asked him how many exactly has he had? His voice response was enough to tell me that he has had one too many but he managed to blurt out " I don't know ". Trying not to laugh at him I walked over to the beer case and started to count when he yelled out at me to "get the fuck on out of there". I just turned around and asked him again of how many when he responded again " None of your damn business ".

         Walking away from the beer case I walked right up to him and demanded him to " Smarten the hell up and answer a simple question".

         He stared into my eyes and gave me a look as if to say " whatever ". As people around us seen and listened to everything that was happening. He was getting pretty annoying at this point staggering around bumping into things and acting like a complete fool.

         I couldn't take much more of it so I tossed my drink in the fire and left for bed, and as I walked away I shouted out to him to sleep his sorry, lazy, no-good-ass in the van cause he wasn't welcomed in the tent with me and the kids.

         Needless to say thats exactly where he slept for the night. I have learned a very valuable lesson by all this... Never ask him how many drinks he has had and Never bother to go camping with him ever again if he plans on drinking for it always turns out to be emotionally upsetting. Not only for me but for other people around us who are trying to have a good evening out!!