We have been "camping" for ten nights. The word resides in quotes because our camping involves a pop-up camper, electricity, and usually a water hook-up, in addition to showers and toilets within walking distance. The camping trip was longer than expected; originally we had planned on a mere six night camp extravaganza. But, with our move to Pittsburgh coming up, we decided to stop and purchase our first house while on the road (another reason to have a wireless data card, house shopping on a road trip!). So, our trip was extended by five days. It was a long trip, changing campgrounds three times, but it was fun. And exhausting.
We were driving home last night, relieved to be back in Virginia after so many nights in the camper. As we pulled onto our road, I said to the girls, "Well, here we are at Paynes Mill Rd. Camp. Let's pick out a nice site near the bathrooms." They laughed after the initial wave of panic subsided and they realized it was only a joke. David pulled the camper into the driveway and backed it in next to the house (we have no neighbors anywhere near us). "Well, here's a nice spot, right next to the bathhouse" he said. Then we jumped out to start unpacking the car. I grabbed a bunch of dirty clothes and my computer bag, and headed into the stifling hot, completely silent, and dark house. Yup, the electricity had been turned off. And, since we have an electric well pump, no running water. Home sweet home.
This extended vacation, coupled with an overlooked electric bill in late July, brought on the perfect storm of irresponsibility. Apparently one should pay their bills, all of them, before traveling. Being on the road for 11 days, I had missed the first cutoff notice from the electric company, the second notice, and the cutoff event itself. So, late on a Thursday night, with no electricity and no water, what is a camping family to do, but camp. We set up the camper, grabbed our flashlights, used the baby potty which we always travel with (well, the kids did), and brushed our teeth with water from the water jug. Then we unrolled our sleeping bags, and went to sleep in the same place we had been for the previous 10 nights, in our camper. It was our most primitive campsite yet.
This morning, thanks to the magic of phone payments, we were once again blessed with electricity. Now we can start on all that laundry.
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