Well I reckon that this merits a light ripple of polite applause from the camping fraternity.

[Slubberdegullion]

This morning I erected my new Outdoor Revolution utility tent (polycotton + steel poles)

On my own

No instructions

and

With a slightly dicky shoulder.

[chickers]

Thats good going, feel like putting mine up in the garden now just to see if I could do it!!!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

much respect

[Lucycat]

polite applause here - are you now sitting in said tent with smug expression and large glass of Pimms?

oh... and why no instructions? doing it the 'bloke way'?

are you going to connect it to the Cabanon with your tarp? hence creating a shaded walkway?

[IkeaCatalogue]

Oh well done Slubbers

[zanz1bar]

Now try and get it all back into the little bag

[sweatybits]

Well done, but can I be smugger with my pop up tent .

[Overmydeadbody]

well done slubber

But don't tents always come without instructions?

[Slubberdegullion]

Thank you all

OMDB, oh no, Outdoor Revolution in its infinite wisdom do away with instructions altogether. In this way they up the anti/tension, crisis & drama/potential for significant marital fall out.

To be fair you would have to be a bit of a plonker not to work it out (4 poles that are the same MUST be the legs, other two poles that are alike but not the same as the other 4 MUST be the top). I did get a little frisson though when I worked it out.

Lucy, no no Pimms but dds had a nobbly bobbly inside with me lurking anxiously by the doorway incase she touched it in any way with sticky fingers and yes avec tarp it will all be a seamless, rainfree transition from utility to tent.

zanz, I totally did get it back in the tiny bag

[Lucycat]

I was thinking nore of shelter from the sweltering sunshine
]

[bramblebooks]

That is awesome. Could you use it as a zombie shelter in case of attacks from flour covered slightly perspiring locals?

Did you dig a pit in it with a proper folding shovel?

[Slubberdegullion]

ah you have sprung me. My glass is half empty wrt Anglesey in a few weeks. Oh yes it's sweltering now.....

Talking of sweltering I had the most ingenious idea today. My new aldi picnic blankets (quite large at it turns out) are silver backed, and I thought a possible method to keep the tent cooler would be to take them out of the tent, turn them silver side up, attach clingons and guys to one end and drape/attach them to the side/top of the tent where the sun was beating down.

Do you not think this is brilliant?

[Slubberdegullion]

bramble you could have seen it. had you stayed outside for a fraction longer this arvo I would have invited you into the inner sanctum to view the utility.

it's down now

oh and um

don't mention it to DH

I may have accidentally failed to mention I have bought it.

again

[bramblebooks]

I would have loved that. I could have oohed and ahhed and marvelled at your capable arms.

What goes on mn stays on mn. ;)

[Slubberdegullion]

[troutpout]

ooh you are an uber camping queen

[Slubberdegullion]

[Lucycat]

oh you are so norty...

what else can we spend dh's cash on?

[Slubberdegullion]

oh dear. I am hoping that he might not notice as it is almost the same as the polester Outdoor Revolution utility tent we used last year. That was grey and this is cream but he isn't very observant.

I have also secretly bought the camping kitchen table thing, and the rugs, oh and the tarp.

he knows about the cobb though, and the windbreak and the mallet and the eco matting.

HOLY SHIT HOW MUCH STUFF HAVE I BOUGHT ?

I wonder if I could secretly buy a trailer?

Thing is that when we get there he will agree that it is all marvellous and necessary
[hopes beyond hope]

[Slubberdegullion]

In my defense he has just got a new car and an iphone player thingmy so I have spent MUCH less. And my stuff is all for the family, for enhanced camping pleasures.

[bramblebooks]

I think that buying a trailer is a sign of planning ahead. You could appeal to his manly ego for assistance with packing ergonomically and weight balancing said trailer.

You will need to buy a trailer that gives the car real 'grunt'. I suggest one of those that carnival queens used to ride on in those carnival days of yore - open sided tautliners I think they were, all festooned with loo roll streamers.

[Lucycat]

slubber you need a trailer like ours this beauty

tis truly fab.

[Slubberdegullion]

LOLOL yeah he would LOVE that, a festooned trailer

hahahahahaha

he would Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Freak Out!
(Le Freak, C'est Chic)

[large wine]

He will strongly resist a trailer. He has reversing ishoos

[Overmydeadbody]

Slubber I too have the Aldi silver-backed picnic rug that will double as tent carpet in the future (but I blame you, all of you, for my downfall)

I think your idea is fab in theory but will, unfortunately give the wrong impression to fellow campers, who will think that either they have been invaded by martians or, more likely, will assume that you are wierdy loopy campers protecting yourselves from invisible mind-controlling messages beamed down to earth and avoid you all.

Either way, it really wouldn;t be fair on the kids.

[Slubberdegullion]

Lucy, that is a lovely trailer. I want a trailer. I think I am on the cusp of needing a trailer.

DH does not want or need (so he thinks) a trailer.

We are at an impasse

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Maybe you could accidently buy a bigger car?, could you fit one under the bed without him noticing?

Did you use the Forge Steel?

I took mine to my mums house yesterday to put up a playtent in the garden, overkill?