A glass of wine sat around the campfire...

[SeaShellsAndTheInlawInvasion]

so I am fed up with the rest of MN (this whole mamazon shite really is the ,last straw), so I am assuming that if any of you are trolling you are showing extraordinary persistence by delving into the thrills of iceytec and are worth chatting to.

So anyway, hi, I am SeaShells, I have 2 dc and have been camping and trapsing through the Great Outdoors all my life. I hang out here as my love of camping is more a love of the countryside and life, and you lot have a similar outlook.

< admires well made fire and tastefully arranged logs with throws>

Goat socks would be fine with sandals, as long as you were loud and proud and went for something like the fushia colour .

I too am interested in a stripped down list!

Loving this thread and it's making me wish the summer holidays were closer Even the drenching we got packing it all away the last time we went (half term) is a dim and distant memory...

Going off to research sandals and death socks now.

Bugger, . I knew there was something I forgot at the shop earlier .

Evening, no here either, might just have a cup of camomile [tea] in a minute, rock 'n' roll eh? Wouldn't mind a look at lovecat's list either. I LOVE big metal chicken anniversary, do you reckon they stock them at pedlars

Don't think I've forgotten about the sandals either

Fun, I'll share some of my imaginary wine with you - due to rapidly expanding backside, I am officially On A Diet from today. I don't really do diets, but have run out of clothes, and with this weather, nudism has kind of lost its shine...

oh ,and you, lost. How generous am I, hey?

What is this chicken thing you all talk of?

I too draw the line at dressing gowns although I did see a cow cartwheeling past my tent.

I know this to be true as she is the daughter of my friend - but she did confuse some people

Ooh aren't these smilies easy to insert on the MN app? It's hard to resist the opportunity to abuse the privilege!

Ooh, gone in the app to see what you mean, very easy ies!

That blog is brilliant! Can't believe I missed it earlier, would have cheered up my afternoon in the office no end!

re cartwheeling cow. I miss all the fun.

Thanks MisSal .

You do see some top class nightwear on a campsite!

I got some funny looks on the last trip, going to the loo first thing in the morning in a little vest when it was pissing it down and everyone else was in waders and massive kagools.

Our tent was a 10 second dash from the loos and it didn't seem worth donning full regalia for that, did feel a little shamefaced when I came back for my cup of tea and dp told me my nipples were as visable as if I was nekid

Am deeply paranoid (about many things) cannot help thinking it was axe wielding maniac and they are covering it up so everyone still goes on holiday, think I have watched too many Jaws films.

Is a horrible thing to happen, poor woman .

oo-er Wildy, nipples a go-go. How very risqué of you. I love those morning moments in the loo block when you look over at the woman cleaning her teeth in the next basin and you just share THAT LOOK of 'how fabulous do we look right now?' as you are stood there in raincoats, pjs and wellies.

If it makes you feel any better this w/e I was rudely awoken in the middle of the night in our deserted car park of a site by noises of dh frantically trying to unzip himself from the tent (we each had a pop up and a child). When I enquired what the problem was he shouted someone was trying to break into the car. I exited my tent freely to find nothing only to be told maybe it was only a badger. A BADGER.

Of course as it was 2.30am and pitch dark I was then utterly convinced that the car, the tents and my children were all about to be stolen by wild men/badgers so sat awake in my tent on guard until Dawn.

Lower case d for dawn you stupid autocorrect.

I spent the night under the stars for the summer solstice ... well, when I say under the stars, we had a gazebo and I was half in my beach tent, but we were at a sacred site, so no facilities whatsoever.

I was so chilled the next day that it was only in the evening that I realised I'd gone to do the afternoon school run, and hadn't changed, washed, combed my hair or even looked in a mirror!

slubber thanks for the blog! Metal chicken it is!( as a side note, if that is her front door, just how big is her house?!)

Wild things poor woman, so sad.

So, if you were 2.8yo and wanted to hide mummy's trainer where would you put it? I was late for my exercise class and rocked up in my dog walkingbtrainers as he has been parading around in one, but won't tell me where the other one is

I know what you mean Slubber you go into tiger mode as a mother when you are camping - mostly you feel really safe but sometimes you get spooked by something and you go on extra alert mode don't you ?

What a fantastic evening! (Thought I'd end the day on a West Wales weather report as that's how it started!) Just been for a stroll around the village (in my flip flops, noticeable lack of calf support) and I can't believe it's nearly 10. Really warm and clear, nothing like this morning.

This evenings village news bulletin we may not have a big metal chicken but: Village character Potsy borrowed the lifesize pottery sheep from outside the spar and took it to the pub, much hilarity and facebook photo's followed, (until he tried to put it in a taxi and take it to town when a more sober sensible person intervened and took it back). Ha, who needs big city nightlife when you've got all this?

here y'go, scaryt (you're not scaryteacher with a namechange, are you? Just wondering!)

For me, DH and DD for 4 nights:

Necessary stuff

Tent
3 x SIMs
3 x sleeping bags
2 x camping pillows (waste of time taking one for DD)
lanterns
Trangia (which neatly contains all pots and a little kettle)
folding table to put Trangia on while cooking
fire blanket because I'm paranoid about the Trangia
Cutlery roll (home-made, am v. pleased with myself over this)
plates, mugs, glasses, bowls x3
wineglasses x2
washing up basin containing w/up liquid, sponge, tea-towel, kitchen utensils, coffee pot, tea-bags, coffee, hot choc, sugar, matches, bottle of meths for Trangia, mini hot water bottle, bin-bags & loo roll
3 x folding chairs
cushions stuffed with clothes (brilliant tip from another lady on a thread today)
picnic blanket
Coolbox with milk, butter, sausages & winebag
small box with food in it (cereal, bread, crisps, biccies)
the lidded bucket part of the Kampa Khazi, filled with nappies to soak up night-time emergencies
Glow-sticks. Seriously. Cannot have too many glowsticks for the kids at a festival!
pop-up bin from Ikea
collapsible crate for shoes at the door
folding water carrier

Unecessary but taking as we will have room

2 x little wooden boxes that act as bed-side tables, containing ear plugs, my eyemask, clip on book lights, first aid kit, pens, DH's cigs and a paperback each (they are slightly wider/longer than the size of a paperback book and about 6 inches high, with lids).
Al bbq holder
pop-up gazebo to create a bit more space in front of the tent/stop other buggers pitching right outside our door!

(and I started typing this out before DD needed bathing and putting to bed, so apologies if the thread has moved on tons!)

Lovecat thank you so much for taking the time to type all that out, will be invaluable.

I thought the cushion idea was fab especially as our living/sleeping is all one area.

Judging by your list I'm not far off. The trangia looks seriously like it means business but so compact and the kettle is fab.

Am going to print that list out...it'll make a great basis.

No I am not scaryteacher although, strangely, I am a teacher but not always scary!

:o can I say I'm really glad you're not scaryteacher? Or would that spoil the loveliness of the thread...?

ha, I thought you would be disappointed that I was not the aforementioned lady...this thread is still terribly lovely.

WTWTW ooer what a great, though embarrassing, nipple story. I too would have done the mad dash as it wasn't too far. Maybe I won't now...

Seashells - it crossed my mind that if her door is that big her house must be massive.

Seashells, did the trainer turn up? I would look under beds and sofas...

I thought the chicken looked smaller when outside their door - or perhaps it was a funny angle and the door is mahoosive - or she's really tiny.

Either way, I now have a foolproof comeback to DH when I spend money on camping gear - it could have been worse, it could have been a big metal chicken!

And I'm off now - logged back on to find a recipe and then realised I was halfway through posting that list!

Before I go, though, I must tell you all that DH did indeed talk campsites with the French! They (all childless/with fully-grown children) were all shooting off on hols to the Caribbean and Las Vegas and asked him where he was going, so he confessed embarrassedly to camping in Cornwall and one of them took him down the road from their hotel to look at the campsite there! Apparently it was really nice... near Omaha beach?

Anyway, must go, it's my birthday tomorrow and so I'm making cake for the office. So far have made Coffee & Walnut and Be-Ro Milk Chocolate cake, am now off to do Lemon Drizzle and banana bread. If I can be arsed in the morning there'll be scones &/or muffins as well (big office).

Night all! :)

Happy birthday lovecat!!

Wen asked where the trainer has gone, he said "left" and "outside" which does not fill me with hope!!

Oh dear. Hope it didn't rain as much in your neck of the woods as it did here last night....

Thank you! Am waiting to be lavished with gifts and breakfast. I think it may be a long wait, but at least I'm off to see Take That tonight!