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26
August 2017 (Saturday) - Off To Camp
With my
shift done I got the sat-nav to aim me towards Smarden where
Bat-Camp was in full flow. I arrived to something of a surprise; for the last
twenty-odd years I’ve been visiting the farm, the track to the fields has
been so rutted that only a tractor could get up there. Since my last visit
the ruts have been filled in. It was odd being able to drive all the way to
where we camp. With
everyone else having set the camp up it only took me two minutes to sort
myself, and soon I was sitting with the campers that hadn’t gone to pull
trees out of ponds. It was a glorious afternoon; I could have gone fishing,
but an afternoon sitting swilling beer seemed a preferable option. My good
mate Kev had bought me some rather good beers a few months ago and I cracked
one open to start my camp in style. Woops. I *should*
have read the label. Having bounced a bottle conditioned beer about in
my car, the thing was going to be a tad lively. It exploded froth
all over the place. "er indoors TM" and the rescuers of
trees were soon back on camp. My dogs were pleased to see me, and we sat
around drinking beer whilst those on cookhouse duty boiled up some rather
good fajitas (a camping tradition). However
we’d probably been drinking a little too long and dinner was a little too
late. Washing up in the dark was fun though. We sat
drinking; I had my very tired dog on my lap. I did smile when he jumped up
and walked across toward our tent. I followed him; he was worn out and he
took himself to his basket in our tent where he curled up and went to sleep. More
beer, the port came out shortly before midnight, and I think I went to bed
shortly after that. |
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27
August 2017 (Sunday) - Bat Camp
I was disturbed
by some shouting at 2am. Those still drinking had realised that the puppy had
gone missing. I wasn’t bothered; she was cuddled up with me in my sleeping
bag. After ten minutes when their shouts got more panic-stricken it occurred
to me that maybe I should say something. Oh, how
everyone laughed. I slept
fitfully; realistically I am now too old to rough it on roll-mats. I need to
look at getting a camp bed. I got up about 6.30am; a lot later than usual
when camping and put the kettle on. I then cleared the carnage of the
previous evening and washed up. It never fails to amaze me how much washing
up we generate at camp between the meals. Those
who’d heard the kettle go on and had come round looking hopeful went back to
their sleeping bags when they realised that I wasn’t brewing up. Jimbo emerged
from his pit, and we went for an hour’s fishing. The fishing at the Bat-Pond
was odd; for twenty years it has been very busy fishing, but tiddler after
tiddler. I only caught two this morning, one was a fair size and the other
was probably the biggest fish I have ever caught at the Bat-Farm. As we fished I heard a familiar jingling. I looked up to see
Fudge happily walking round the pond toward us. The pond is several hundred
yards from the campsite; he’d just wandered up on his own. Two minutes after
he arrived I had a very worried phone call
from "er indoors TM" asking me to
come back and help search for Fudge. Jimbo caught
half a dozen fish; however fishing with a dog is
hard work. Fudge felt the need to try to attack every fish, and when no fish
were being landed he was prowling the water’s edge
desperately searching for his nemesis. "er indoors TM" had supplied the kitchen
tent with croissants; I’d had one before we went fishing. I was grateful for
that. Camp brekkie is always later than I’d like. Today we finished the
washing up at 11.30am. Some
went shopping, them Jose and Maria joined us for the day. Cake and cream was scoffed, drones flew, and mermaids went swimming as we
had another attempt at fishing. I say fishing – some of us fished,
others chucked tackle up a tree. We then
had a really good afternoon, sitting drinking beer
with good friends in the sunshine. Spag Bol made for a really
good bit of dinner which I washed down with still more copious amounts of
beer, and once I’d washed up we sat round the camp
fire. Various cheeses were passed round; my dog (sitting on my lap)
and I enjoyed them all as the night fell. I
staggered off to bed just after midnight leaving the party in full flow. Back
in the day I used to be the last person still up. I’m getting old.. |
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28
August 2017 (Monday) - Home from Camp
I had a
restless night. When the puppy finally settled I
nodded off, only to have the puppy leaping about in excitement when "er indoors TM"
staggered into the tent at 2am. I struggled to get comfortable, but I was
very conscious that something was moving about the campsite. Yesterday other
people had mentioned that they’d heard things moving in the night. But what I
could hear seemed to be in the tent. "er indoors TM"
and the dogs were settled, and I felt a movement. Yesterday "er indoors TM"
had mentioned that she’s seen the tent’s groundsheet move (and I’d laughed)
but sure enough it was moving. A frog or a mouse was underneath it. I gave
up trying to sleep at 6.30am, got up, loaded all my odds and ends into the
car and set off for home. I didn’t like leaving the clear-up to others, but I
had to be away and ready for work. If I didn’t get away promptly
I wouldn’t get away at all. |
