CAMPING - Morgan Park in Marinette County with the grandson along

Ohhh ---  Stealing the grandson and heading out camping is just a wonderful way to spend the weekend, doncha think?    It's autumn in Wisconsin, the air is crisp, the bugs are gone, and we love to go camping!

On Friday morning I drove down to Green Bay and got our grandson, Jameson.  His mommy had him all packed and ready, and sure enough he was waiting out in front of their apartment, surrounded by his back packs, toys, and car seat!   (and his mommy too)   He was sooo eager to hop in the car and go go goooo!

After hugging and kissing his mommy goodbye, he helped me with the grocery shopping--- things like his little favorite boxes of cereal, some juice boxes, bananas, hot dogs, fruit snacks, cookie dough to bake and yes, can't forget his Bah-Nol-Da Bars!  (granola bars)   We loaded up the cart with all the delightful things we could find, and most of all, on top of the heap we put a KITE!   Yes, a kite... and he carried it out to the car, and all the way home for 35 miles he clung onto that kite.  Even when he dozed off, his little hands were clinging to the package.

Once we got to our house, he helped me put all the groceries into the motorhome and he INSISTED we get his car seat strapped into the front passenger seat of the motorhome.   Then he wanted to get IN the car seat and wait for his grandfather.  I tried to explain to him that it would be three more hours till Granfaddah got home from work.  But how does a three year old perceive the passing of time?

We went inside the house to wait and he ran right to my loom and started to weave.  He didn't care for the plain white portions of the towel I was working on.  He wanted to use the boat shuttle with the multicolored cotton thread on it.  He understands that we have to do two levers at a time,  1and3, then 2and4  -   that makes the plain weave portions of the towels.  But he wanted to keep putting in bright colored stripes instead the plain boring stuff.  Who could blame him?

We passed the time with a pleasant weaving session, and we were talking and playing till Granfaddah got home from work.   Then it was time to hook up the Tracker and GOOOOOOO!

We decided to head north to a little Marinette County Campground called Morgan Park on Timm's Lake.  We don't often go there, as it's such a popular park and usually full all summer.  Now that it's fall, the reservations are done with and we can have any site we choose.  We pulled in and took number 31, but almost every site is of good enough size for us.  There are about 5 or 6 other campers here but it's very quiet and not too much going on.  Just the way we like it!

www.marinettecounty.com/parks/camping/morgan_park_campsites/

The rate is $15 a night and includes electric.  The water spigots throughout the park are already drained and turned off for the season, but there is still water available down at the dump station.  We had filled our tank before leaving home, so we were good to go.

Jameson was eager to take a walk right away with the dogs.  So around we went, and he met two other little tots,  Gabriella who is 8 and Joey who is 5 but almost 6 he says.  (next April)

Soon it was getting dark and we started some supper. I saw a special treat on tv the other day.... Just take a roll of grand flaky biscuits and separate them and mush them out kinda flat... add pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, mozerella cheese and a bit of parmesan on top with italian spices.  Yummm  mini-pizzas!

(left to right... mushed biscuit, sauce then pepperoni slices then the cheeses and spices for topping)

Of course, Jameson gobbled them up quick as a wink! 

Saturday morning was crisp and cold, only 41 degrees.  But we were cozy warm and snuggly, and got in some morning cuddles with the little guy.   Soon he will be too big to cuddle with us, so we better get them while we can!   He and Granfaddah shared their little boxes of cereal, per their ritual, and got the day off to a great start.

Doggie walks and exploring the campground were on the order of activities, and then his new friend Joey came over to play for a while.  They took out the sand toys, and played in the gravel.  Oh well.  Dirty but fun!   Amazing how two little boys can play, side by side for an hour, with the toys, but barely say two words to each other.  Each lost in their own little world of play.

Granfaddah had some motorhome repairs to do.  First off, the side fender skirt was loose, so he use the rivet gun and put in a new piece of galvanized steel to re-attach it from the inside.    Then he wanted to make sure the clearance lights were sealed in good with silicone, as that is a point of entry for leaks.  Needs to be checked yearly, and it was as good a time as any to do some maintenance.

Later after lunch, we took the little guy down to the open field in the park.. to fly his kite!!!  My oh my was he ever excited!  

We got it put together and had three of four oops crashes on the ground, but finally it was flying----  Granfaddah held Jameson who held the kite handle, and they would run with the string, kite and all.   And did it ever fly up high!!    Until....

(yes, it was reminiscent of Charlie Brown's kite-eating tree)

Granfaddah tugged, Granfaddah twisted, Granfaddah pulled, Granfaddah yanked... but nooooo ---   sadly that tree would not give up the kite. Granfaddah contemplated CLIMBING up the tree to free it, but Granmuddah put the kabash on that idea.  No broken legs for a 99 cent kite!   Much to Jameson's dismay, we finally said the tree could KEEP the kite.   Off we went to the playground for a while.

(playing with the "Panoramic" setting on my tablet camera) 

Then we went to the lake to throw in some rocks and have a Skittles Picnic on the table.  That made him feel better about giving up his precious kite to that nasty kite-eating tree.

It was time for a nice long nap, after all that busy work.  So the very tired Granfaddah and Granmuddah took a nap right along with the little guy.  (we all needed it)

We needed to bake some cookies, and had along some pre-made cookie dough.  Jameson put them on the parchment paper and Granmuddah handled the oven part.  We were camping with electrical power, so we used the convection oven to make them.  We don't use it too often, but we did it and they turned out okay.  Usually it's either burnt on one side or raw on the other when using our convection oven.  Sigh.

We spent a nice evening enjoying a campfire and cooking up a traditional camping dinner of hot dogs, brats, sweet corn and a kettle of Whacky Mac (macaroni and cheese)  to round out the meal.  Followed up by Some-mores over the fire, what more can you ask for?

Almost bedtime, it was imperative to toss this grubby little boy into the bathtub.  Good thing we have a big tub and shower in our rig, because this dirty little guy played so hard he had dirt in every fingernail and both ears and in his hair and on his face, etc.   So tossing him in the tub with a pile of toys, he can keep himself amused for an hour before asking to come out.  He was almost falling asleep as I was drying him off and putting on his jammies.  He suddenly was on his second wind!!!  Total energy rechared!  It took over an hour before he was zonked out in his Blues Clues sleeping bag.... and time for Granfaddah and Granmuddah to enjoy a glass of wine and reflect upon the day.

Peaceful and quiet, the campground was into sleep mode as the fire died down and it was time to crawl into bed ourselves.  The air was cool again, down to about 40 degrees overnight.  Fall camping is so pleasant!

Sunday morning was sunny, but rain is on the way.  Thunderstorms are forecast for the afternoon, and we are thinking of packing up early to head home before noon as I write this.   Today is a Packer Game Day at noon, and we only get in three PBS stations on the tv here at this campground.   Plus, I am going to do some seamstress work to alter a dress that Heather needs to wear for standing up in a wedding, and I can get that done at home before they come to take back the little guy.

Sipping coffee at 8am with Steve, and the little goofball kid is ramming around after eating his do-do's (powdered doughnuts) and getting geared up with energy for another day of fun.
 Oh, and we were also contemplating the wisdom of this sign, not only for the county park guys who decided it needed to be printed up, but the sign makers must have wondered what is was supposed to tell people to do... and mostly the park worker guys who had to install it????

The little kids from across the way came over to play some horseshoes with Jameson and help brush the doggies for a while.  Kids always seem to like to have a turn to brush the long haired Collie and Shetland Sheepdog  (Lassie and Little Lassie).   Soon the awning was dry enough from the morning dew so we could roll it up, stow the chairs and mat and head on our way.

With little Jameson, of course, in his navigator's position to show Grandaddah the way home again.