how many of you have dhs or dps who are basically a bit useless and non-practical so you end off running the whole tent/food/packing/unpacking shebang all by yourself?

[AitchTwoOh]

i married him for his looks, it turns out. will i Deeply Resent him after a few camping trips?

[SheherazadetheGoat]

no there can be only one packer! dh is our packer i am bedding tidy upper.

[muffle]

Yes I am the packer and camp co-ordinator, but that's part of the deal - he doesn't actually like camping so it seems only fair. He does put the tent up.

I agree one person should be in charge - much easier at the packing and planning stage.

[SheherazadetheGoat]

if i put things in teh car, dh take them out

[AitchTwoOh]

dh is a dreamer, which i find charmant in other ways, but the irritating thing is that he thinks that standing aroung thinking about what it would be like to put up a tent takes the same effort as actually putting up the tent and he starts to get annoyed with me for asking him.

[4andnotout]

Mine is worse than useless, but he does give me pretty babies so i keep him on

[muffle]

Don't think of it as "all by yourself' aitch - think of it as "all the power"

As camping tsar you are also of course responsible for buying Important Camping Equipment all the time at your own discretion.

[Slubberdegullion]

You need to be the boss. He can dream all he likes when the tent is up. You need to get a hat or some serious trousers to signal that you are in charge and he is your underling.

I am the underling. I have a smaller hat.

[Dysgu]

Mine asked yesterday when "we" need to pack to go camping this weekend.

Where he gets the "we" from I don't know. Not sure he has ever packed anything in the 6 years we've been together other than when he had t pack his bag to come visit me when I was living in USA - and even then I packed it for him to come home each time!

His job is to get anything I tell him down from the loft! Oh and he drives most of the way too.

And our daughters are gorgeous and he is a great dad so he gets to stay! (actually any holiday does seem to be me and 3 kids when we only have 2DC!) He is great at playing!

[AitchTwoOh]

but i want to be the underling... i don't want to be the overling.

[AitchTwoOh]

dysgu i am ashamed to say that dh doesn't drive. he keeps promising... but basically is happier as the chauffeuse.

[Slubberdegullion]

The underling has to hold up poles though and wipe the tent pegs. The overling stands back and tightens guys with aplomb.

The overling also gets the first cup of tea/first glass of wine made/poured for them.

I'd get in there and get first dibs at being the overling.

[AitchTwoOh]

wipes tent pegs?! you're missing the point here. dd (aged 3) was the person in charge of pegs. dh was more decorative.

[AitchTwoOh]

plus can i say again... wipes tent pegs? why?

[expatinscotland]

Oh, he's absolutely useless other than the fact that he is infinitely patient. But thankfully I had much experience.

But I'm very anal about how things are packed so it's best left to me, anyhow.

Cuz I'm the Queen of hte Camping Scene.

[AitchTwoOh]

i have met your dh, he did not strike me as the useless type.

[expatinscotland]

When it comes to tents, he is pretty good, as he is patient, but the way of the tent can be confusing to him, so once he has been shown the lie of the land he goes to it as he is rarely frustrated.

But food packing and sleeping bag packing? Leave it to moi!

I have the menu planned and boxed accordingly.

Bags need aired out after they have been slept in, that's why I bring my line with me.

Then, they need packed accordingly.

[expatinscotland]

Pre-planning is key. Some may see it as a PITA, but with the help of a spliff, beer, whisky or wine or tea, whatever tickles your fancy, it can be fun.

Practice setting up the tent in your flat - hall, living room, even your bed.

This is especially good in the event of rain.

Food, go over that.

The little things - spreadsheets and lists are key, as is the Brother label maker.

All our kit is boxed and labelled appropriately. IKEA does good boxes for £2.43 each.

In my house in Denver, it was a matter of drilling shelving units to the wall. Boxes go on the shelves and you're ready to rock n roll in minutes.

We do the same with picnics. Three boxes for various picnics, depending on how rural a location.

Either one or more boxes go into the boot with accompanying coolboxes.

Lakeland trundle truck and bungee stay in the boot at all times, ready for action.

[expatinscotland]

Pre-planning is key. Some may see it as a PITA, but with the help of a spliff, beer, whisky or wine or tea, whatever tickles your fancy, it can be fun.

Practice setting up the tent in your flat - hall, living room, even your bed.

This is especially good in the event of rain.

Food, go over that.

The little things - spreadsheets and lists are key, as is the Brother label maker.

All our kit is boxed and labelled appropriately. IKEA does good boxes for £2.43 each.

In my house in Denver, it was a matter of drilling shelving units to the wall. Boxes go on the shelves and you're ready to rock n roll in minutes.

We do the same with picnics. Three boxes for various picnics, depending on how rural a location.

Either one or more boxes go into the boot with accompanying coolboxes.

Lakeland trundle truck and bungee stay in the boot at all times, ready for action.

[Pixel]

If I let dh do the packing we never fit everything in. Odd that.

Aitch, mine doesn't drive either. The only thing I really need him for is to get the stuff out of the garage for me as the door is broken and I can't lift it. (He also comes in handy to unhitch and re-hitch the trailer if we get in a tight spot, as I haven't got the hang of reversing it yet ).

[troutpout]

I am planner and packer. I book everything, wash everything and get everything ready...but he puts everything in the car.

Then 30 miles down the road he starts saying things like 'Have we got the...?'

WE!!

We both put the tent up...but he is in charge of that bit.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

I am in charge of all thing camping, I buy, I pack, (dp gets heavy things from the attic), I load the car, I unload, I put the tent up (dp looks after the kids), I arrange all tent contents (dp ataches gas hose to stove while I stand well back, don't know why, scares me).

I sit back, drink tea, feel proud of my campingness.

[muffle]

Wild things - my DP does the gas hose too! Takes it very seriously.

[AitchTwoOh]

no no NO i want one of those husbands who just Does It All. where's the holiday for me?