Remembering summer holiday fun from the past

School's out for summer

Photo: Pixabay

The joys of camping

Last week, we had our final meeting with our little Sparks from Girl Guides, going fishing in Shannon Lake. The girls were full of beans for a few weeks, so an outside meeting was a great idea.

The current weather hasn’t been quite what we’d usually expect for the end of June, but the anticipation of summer can survive wind, rain and most other impediments, especially if you’re a kid (or even a kid at heart).

My husband Martin and I will set out on our annual start-of-summer camping trip soon, and we got to talking about the nostalgia of camping when we were kids.

I was a kid whose family camped—first in tents and then in a borrowed tent-trailer the year we camped on Long Beach near Tofino. He grew up in a family of five kids, so his camping memories are more of going to summer camp or staying with his Grand-mère at her cabin in rural Quebec. Nevertheless, we shared memories of free days in the great outdoors, eating non-everyday foods like breakfast cereal you ate out the little box, and hot dogs over the fire for lunch.

There were parts of summer vacation that were less spectacular, such as the time spent in the car. Our Volvo station wagon didn’t have air conditioning, so my pigtails flapped in the wind from the open window. The worst thing was when our Irish Setter, Shauna (who stood in the rear section behind my brother and I) would drool on my shoulder.

Martin remembers stopping for poutine, sometimes while on the road. My Dad was a stickler for making good time, so we ate in the car most days. My mom was a wizard at packing good sandwiches that didn’t go mushy and I always marvelled at her ability to pour coffee from the Thermos while en route.

She would hand the cup to my Dad so he could grab it at his convenience. This was before the days of cup holders.

Does anyone else know the song, “Down By The Bay”? We sang so many verses of that on the road over the years. My favourite rhyme was, “Have you ever seen a moose” (pause for dramatic effect) “with his front tooth loose?”

Of course, nostalgia has a wonderful way of colouring harsh memories. They become softer over time, and yet vividly sentimental as a memento of time gone by in our lives.

At the time, I was heartbroken when my spiffy new vinyl runners melted by the campfire as we tried to dry them after a rainy day hike at Illecillewaet glacier. I swore I would never return to the “horrible” Oregon coast after my brother and I had a harrowing day with the “undertoad” in the waves, followed by a campfire so smoky we took out our snorkelling goggles. Now those are both cherished stories I tell with a smile.

As summer kicks off for kids of all ages, I wish you many moments that will fill your memory banks. Maybe you’ll be making new stories or perhaps you’ll be recounting them for kids or grandkids. The social media memes may sound trite, but they’re often right when it comes to stuff like:

1. Eating s’mores (just watch where you wave that melted marshmallow)

2. Jumping off a dock (feet first, we can be safe and silly at the same time)

3. Singing songs (even if no one else joins in, you’re setting a joyous example)

As a closing note, I want to mention that next week will be my last column.

It’s been a joy to share my rants, random thoughts and recipes over the years but it’s time for me to focus on other projects. You will still find me on Facebook or Instagram if you’re into that or I might see you at a local food spot.

I’ll finish with a proper flourish next week like a good foodie, saving the big finale for the end.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.