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Hi Josie,

I've just bought a 6 birth tent, my first ever and we are all going on our first camping trip tomorrow.  My husband has taken 22 years to persuade and my 13 year old daughter has threatened to divorce us if we force her to sleep in a tent.  I have been running round like a headless chicken all week, making sure we have the right gas, electric hook up and a million other things.  Despite all this, I am still sane and in good spirits and have decided what will be will be!

We were pleasantly surprised at how easy the tent was to put up.  We had a practice run down the local park and weatherproofed it at the same time.  (Essential - the spray stuff is good). 

Wishing you the best of British - except the weather!

Jo

PS - I did the garden "camp" one night with my boy.  At one point there was a scratching at the zip, I peeked out to find my cat meaowing in my face.  A little later a crow landed on the roof and started squawking - I left my son to it and got in my own bed at 4 in the morning.  Roll on tomorrow - I must be mad!

Thanks babe......you made me laugh!!!!   Never thought about the cat or the weather proofing!!!!!!

I AM good at making lists, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem!!!!  If all else fails I suppose we can just get in our own beds eh?

I've had my 'mad' moment and I'll get back to the fact that it'll be an adventure...so what if we can't do it first time, eh???  We all get better with practice!!!  At least my 11 and 7 year olds are excited...it's my hubby I need to convince...after all, it was all my idea!!!

Have a fab time on your trip, Jo, I'll be thinking of you!!!!!

Josie x

I was going to say that too Beefysmum. We only reproofed our synthetic tent after 4 years of heavy use - and it was still perfectly waterproof, just looking a bit tired so we gave it a treat!

Synthetic tents get their waterproofness from the coating on the underside, they are treated on the outside with a chemical which means that the water beads and runs off easily - this can wear off a bit eventually (as it did in our case) but it will still be waterproof.

Shows how much I know!

I took that advise about weatherproofing from a camper friend.  I wonder what else I've forked out for that I won't need!

Had been nagging the hubby about getting a dog so he gave in about the camping to shut me up.  Have plenty beer, porky scratchings and jelly babies to keep him sweet and spent a small fortune on all HIS equipment to keep him comfy.  He's got a sleeping bag he could take up Everest, the rest of us are making do with cheapo's!

Jo

Jo.................are you sure we are not one and the same!!!!! Husbands and pork scratchings....beer and jelly babies...all sounds very familiar!!!

Thank you to all of you for helping me out......I'm all excited now!!!

Loads of love!!!!!

Josie x

just relax and enjoy it teenagers can be a problem no matter what sort of holiday you take them on. Stones are not really a thing to worry about and if it is a synthetic tent hang it over the wash line when you get home or erect it in the garden to dry off.

David and Jenny