Working for the Weekend

It is nice to have time to cook ahead for camp.  We have a small fridge so storing multiple ingredients is out of the question.  This weekend, one meal with be a chicken coconut curry.  The cheap factor is that I am using a package of sauce that was a "Special Today" mark-down. The pans were end-of-season mark downs too.  These are drip pans for grill -- the perfect size for a toaster oven.  For ingredients: chicken breast, slaw mix, yellow pepper, onion, black beans and a packet of sauce.

Back from Camp

There hasn't been much exciting to post this week.  Teddy and I went up to camp early, a day ahead of TBG.  We got up Thursday night, relaxed and swam on Friday.  TBG got up later on Friday so we back-tracked to Pultneyville and grabbed panini's at the Pultneyville Deli Company.  The Village of Sodus Point was too crowded and we'd have to wait for a table to eat anywhere there.

Our Daily Bread

I planned our weekend menu around a package of bread.  This six pack of ciabatta sandwich rolls at Aldi set me back $2.99.  The rolls were used to create three meals.  One of my goals at camp is to keep the food bill for the weekend lower than one dinner out.  The challenge last Friday was that my neighbor gave me a beer before I set out to shop!

Living the Good Life!

We had a lot of fancy coaches in the park this weekend.  Boy would I like to have one of those sleek buses with huge slide-outs, a kitchen with granite countertops, high-end finishes and conveniences galore.  Some folks spend close to a million or more on their traveling abodes.  I have no problem with that, since they can afford it.  Our trailer is a light-weight 2006 Jay-Flight, made by Jayco which we bought used about eight or nine years ago.  It's about 30 feet long with one narrow slide out for the couch and a very cramped kitchen, small back bedroom, dinette, tiny water closet (with a bath/shower we can no longer use).  Hey, it's a place to sleep!

Clothesline!

It's always nice to be able to hang clothes out to dry.  That's when I know summer is really on the way.  After being away for the Memorial Day weekend, I decided my first summer chore would be a load of laundry.  Having been to a flea market/church sale, I had some finds to wash.

Mix Mistress - The Camp Edition

I am always looking for economical ways to fight odor in the trailer's black tank (that tank holds sewage).  One camp wife's method was to flush a cup of Borax a week.  Another camper suggested powder dish wash detergent instead.  Then there are the pricey tank deodorants made specifically for RVs.  I have used all methods but decided to mix up my own this weekend, because Dollar Tree didn't have any of the cheap powder I like to buy.

My Camp Weekend

 

I went to our camp on my own this weekend so I could do some early season clean-up.  One place I really needed to address was our tiny bathroom.  Even if you clean up when you close, there is still work to do in the spring.  Dust and dampness, spiders and other debris make things dirty again.  So I cleaned every surface and organized our supplies.  In the past I had rolled the towels but decided folding made more sense.

We Are Back!

We are back at camp.  Teddy is certainly happy about it!  I didn't post on Thursday because I took an adult education class for a skill I need for work, and on Friday night we saw a Talking Heads tribute band and that meant we couldn't leave town until Saturday morning.  We were told the weather was horrible on Friday night, so nothing was missed.

Supermarket Dinner

 

Wegmans now sells pre-made entrees in a plastic bag that is safe to cook in.  This was developed as a team effort between the supermarket chain and the Rochester Institute of Technology and was a convenience food I wanted to sample -- it didn't hurt that they had a $4 coupon as enticement.  I was interested to see if this was something worth buying for camp.

Closing Camp Again

Sadly, summer is over.  We just spent our last weekend at camp. It's hard to call it quits when you need to wear shorts and a tank top on your last weekend.  However, cold weather is on the way and the water is being shut off this week.  I cleaned out foodstuff and a few other things, and TBG will go back next week for a day to drain the water lines and pump anti-freeze through the system.

Getting Out

Now this is my idea of getting out.  If only I could soar a hundred feet above Lake Ontario like this vulture. It was neat to get the picture, though.  The weather wasn't great -- and sometimes we see more bird activity as a result.  The span of this predator's wings are as wide as I am tall.  Ugly though he or she may be, the essential function of keeping the earth clear of carrion (dead things) makes them pretty important ecologically.

Trailer Windows

 

After having removed the blinds and valances, then installed white roller shades, I wanted to create some sort of valance and also create a way to darken the area further at night.  Many years ago, I had sewn panels to mount over the blinds at night using velcro.  Since they were already the right size, I adapted them by sewing rings on the top and hooking them onto cup hooks mounted underneath the cabinets.  I can roll them up and secure them with ribbons, which can easily be untied at night.  Not gorgeous, but functional.

Dog Recovered

 Our dog seems to be fully healed.  We finally got her groomed and were shocked by how much weight she lost during her recovery.  Some of it is muscle mass which we know she will regain.  After I uploaded this picture, I was shocked at how trim she is.  That's probably one of the things that helped her bounce back so well.  She is walking without any sort of limp or hitch in her giddy-up -- something that we find astounding given how much she limped before and the drastic surgery she had.  Happily, she is swimming again too.  We have started slowly, going every other day.  After this week, she'll be OK to go every day.  I can't wait until I am strong enough to go in with her.

We went to camp this weekend and it was my first trip up with TBG and the dog. It was so swell to be there together.  I hadn't been up at all in June.  It's easy to forget how much we like having our lakefront spot -- until we get back.  Teddy loves rolling in the grass and chewing sticks -- something she doesn't get to do that much at home since we have a slate patio.

Everything is right in my world when I can go to my camp, swim with my dog and spend time with my fella!

Camp Updates

I courageously set out for camp myself while TBG stayed home with the puppy.  We appreciate all the kindness and support she is being shown.  This has been traumatic but the prayers and wishes have helped!  Thanks to the hard work of the boys last weekend, I could tackle a few organizational tasks this weekend. It was sort of helpful to be by myself and have more room to work.  I called home a few times but wasn't neurotic!

This small set of drawers started out life in our small outdated bathroom.  It then did time in my  bedroom holding socks and pantyhose.  The new nightstand had enough drawers for me to eliminate it so it came to camp and is extra storage.  I can put devices in the top bin and let them charge.  I figure keeping devices there when they are not in use will eliminate the possibility of forgetting one.  Before we leave, we'll just pull them all out of there.  I am thinking I'll also stash a box of tissues and maybe a few other things we might need at night.

Sew Frustrating!

I spent a lot of time with my sewing machine this weekend.  It is an old Kenmore that is probably 30+ years old.  In addition to working with an old machine, there is the minor detail that I never took a sewing lesson, am not very good at it, and don't enjoy it in the least!  Unfortunately, I have a need for things like curtains and slip covers, and here are the fruits of my frustrated labor -- cushion covers for our trailer.  I fell in love with the bold pattern, had no idea how much material to buy or how I would use it until I started working on it.

Camp is Coming

Now is the time of year I start thinking about camp.   Last year we had to get rid of our fire pit at the end of the season because it had rusted through at the bottom.  Camp would not be camp without a fire and we realized that in our often soggy situation, we need to have our pit elevated.  A pit like this fits the bill because it's elevated and it has ventilation on the side.  We will drill holes in the bottom for drainage and use a steel plate that a neighbor made for our old pit to fit in the bottom too.  The best thing of all, is that this one was on clearance from last season.

Cover it Up

I love reading Finger Lakes magazine.  We always have a copy or two kicking around camp.  Inside, there are gorgeous pictures of Adirondack style camps.  They are decorated to perfection.  The adds for cabinetry and furniture are drool-worthy.

T-Shirt Tradition

 

Every year we celebrate the passing of Labor Day by purchasing camp t-shirts. Unlike lake tourists who buy shirts to commemorate their stay, those of us who stay seasonally like to wait until after the traditional end-of summer holiday to buy our duds.  Once the summer hits its traditional end, the local souvenir shop starts marking down.  Most of us regulars don't have an appetite for any of this stuff until it's at least 40 percent off.