Friday 30 May 2008

Bank Holiday Gales

Well, we went camping this Bank Holiday.
It didn't start off that well, if I'm honest. TJam overslept and then when she was doing a final clean of cat litter tray, the bag burst on the only square metre of carpet in the house. We got caught in a diversion and Beanz was sick in the van.
By the time we arrived though, we were feeling fine and ready to go.
Beanz and I are getting much better at camping and by the first evening, I was so settled I was falling asleep while on guard. I decided to let a few people (and dogs) walk past without barking. They're just not worth it.
On Sunday, we went for a treck. We came around this bit of mountain (with a lot of rock clambering and neck-risking) and had a quick photoshoot on the Billy Goats Gruff bridge (the trolls were on holiday, thank goodness).

Then, as the heavens opened, we found a cafe and decided to spend the afternoon there!

As you may or may not know, I have the fastest tongue in the Northern Hemisphere. I have to practise on a regular basis to maintain my world class prowess. A wet afternoon seemed the perfect opportunity to get in a couple of rounds. First I enlisted the help of my able assistant Bamgee (she got away just in time!)

And then, able assistant number 2, TJam. I had got into my stride by that time, and was quite the speedy one.


I was under strict instruction to keep my tongue firmly in my mouth while the humans ate...
It's cruelty I tells ya. Cruelty! I decided to develop my powers of telekinesis but I just wasn't strong enough.


The Gales and rain really came into force by the time we walked back to the campsite. Over half the campers upped and left. The ones who were out for a long day's treck, only to crawl home looking forward to hopping into their dry sleeping bag in their lovely warm tent were going to be in for a bit of a shock.


The campsite had to erect a tent graveyard (/recycling area).

We tucked ourselves up in our (still standing) tent and the humans cheered themselves by creating a dining room in the porch with red wine and chocolate. The plastic tea set only added to the atmosphere.

Our own tent survived the night with only a split pole.

By the next day, the sun had come out again, although the winds were still... well.... "severe" probably covers it. 3 humans managed to pack the tent away and we went for a lovely walk.

Bready had a sit by the stream...

... and we had a little paddle...

...before we braved the Bank Holiday traffic to come home.

Carlsberg has forgiven TJam for forgetting to press "start" on her 2nd feeder so she only had dried food for a whole day. Diddums. She should try being a dog.

5 comments:

Mack said...

Wow - you are so lucky to get to go on vacation with your family.

I bet I would like wading in the stream and sleeping next to my people in a tent.

Can I go with you guys next time?

Drab said...

TJam looks a lot scarier than a troll with your tongue up her nose, are you sure it was the wind that wrecked the tents or did Tjam sing!!!!!

Sam & Nancy
xx

Chips said...

Mack: Yes of course you can come. We're not allowed in the sleeping bags though. But we do get on top of the humans at about 6am. They want us to stay quiet so they let us sleep on them. It's great.


Dam n Nancy: Oh TJam is scarier than a troll let me tell you. You have a point about the singing...

Graham, Prince & Tilly said...

It all looks great fun, and I'm pleased to see you're all OK. One thing though - Tilly would challenge your 'fastest tongue in the Northern Hemisphere' claims though!!!

Chips said...

Good to see you Graham and the Gang! I am on for a competition but how will we measure? Do you think we could get our paws on some Olympic style split second timing devices? Tilly : I challenge you!