Saturday, July 5, 2008

Indoor Camping



Newsflash...I'm not the camping-type. Not much of a shocker there. My idea of "roughing it" consists of staying at a hotel that doesn't end in Seasons or Carlton. However, I do have a deep, passionate love for tents. Yes, I love tents! I know what you are thinking, "hmmm if Jennifer likes tents how can she not like camping?" Well, wonder no more. My love of tents is of the indoor variety. If you haven't experienced the indoor tent - you seriously don't know what you are missing. I became a fan of the indoor tent when I was kid and my Grandmother (the unofficial queen of tent-making) made my brother, my cousin Keith and myself a tent indoors. The first tent she constructed, while primitive compared to the later tents she would make, was the best thing since the Barbie Dream House. How could a sheet, two chairs and a few clothespins become an outdoor campsite complete with heating and plumbing? AMAZING! Our campsite was free of bugs, bears and even had cable TV!
As the years went on and my brother, cousin and myself pushed my Grandmother for bigger and better, it was then that Granny was in the zone and her whole house was transformed into the K.O.A. site, but better. Every sheet, book, chair, table and clothespin available in the house was used to create her tent masterpieces. They were breathtaking and without a doubt some of my favorite childhood memories were had in an indoor tent.
Now with Benjamin in the mix, my love of the indoor tent is resurrected and can be enjoyed once again. This weekend, Wally and I put together a store-bought (not sure Granny would approve) Giraffe tent. While I do plan on pulling out all the bed sheets in the house one day, the Giraffe is a good start for now to ease Ben into the joy of indoor camping. Once Wally and tamed the beast (after one try by myself and two tries together), I crawled right in the tent and called Ben to join me. He came running and crawled right in and sat next to me with a big Ben smile on his face. Instantly, I knew he shared my love of the indoor tent. I couldn't have been prouder.

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