Camping Kitty: Part One
Our annual pilgrimage to Presque Isle (Erie, PA) looms ahead of us. As in next week. Where has summer gone? And how did the last week in August manage to sneak up on me without me seeing it coming?
Panic is setting in. The camper is not ready. I am not ready.
We bought a new refrigerator for the camper since our old one died a drastic and smelly death the last time we were camping…which was last year’s pre-Labor Day pilgrimage to Presque Isle. This isn’t a camper refrigerator. It’s just an apartment-sized one from Wal-Mart. Shorter than the original one, it didn’t fill up the space provided, so Hubby had to do some tinkering. It looks good. We now have a shelf above the refrigerator instead of a gaping hole.
There are other odd jobs still to be done. The water tank still holds last winter’s antifreeze and must be flushed. The camper is filthy. I need to dust and vacuum and sweep and mop and clean the bathroom and kitchen.
Just like home.
And there’s one more little issue.
Skye.
We’ve decided to take her with us. She’s destined to become a Camping Kitty. I figure if we’re going to have the camper set up at a permanent site next year and we’ll be staying there more often, do I want to leave her at home all the time?
My answer after this trip may change, but for now it’s a NO.
Yesterday, I began Project: Camping Kitty. I put on Skye’s harness and leash, gathered her up, and took her out to the camper for a short, introductory visit. She crouched and gawked, craning her neck here and there. She explored. Cautiously. She was jumpy and jittery, but I expected as much. Cats don’t accept change easily.
Neither do I for that matter.
My plan is to take her out to the camper for another visit today and each day for the next week or so. When I go out there to clean, she can come with me and hang out. Hopefully, by the time we leave, the camper will be familiar enough to her to take the edge off her stress.
And mine.
Panic is setting in. The camper is not ready. I am not ready.
We bought a new refrigerator for the camper since our old one died a drastic and smelly death the last time we were camping…which was last year’s pre-Labor Day pilgrimage to Presque Isle. This isn’t a camper refrigerator. It’s just an apartment-sized one from Wal-Mart. Shorter than the original one, it didn’t fill up the space provided, so Hubby had to do some tinkering. It looks good. We now have a shelf above the refrigerator instead of a gaping hole.
There are other odd jobs still to be done. The water tank still holds last winter’s antifreeze and must be flushed. The camper is filthy. I need to dust and vacuum and sweep and mop and clean the bathroom and kitchen.
Just like home.
And there’s one more little issue.
Skye.
We’ve decided to take her with us. She’s destined to become a Camping Kitty. I figure if we’re going to have the camper set up at a permanent site next year and we’ll be staying there more often, do I want to leave her at home all the time?
My answer after this trip may change, but for now it’s a NO.
Yesterday, I began Project: Camping Kitty. I put on Skye’s harness and leash, gathered her up, and took her out to the camper for a short, introductory visit. She crouched and gawked, craning her neck here and there. She explored. Cautiously. She was jumpy and jittery, but I expected as much. Cats don’t accept change easily.
Neither do I for that matter.
My plan is to take her out to the camper for another visit today and each day for the next week or so. When I go out there to clean, she can come with me and hang out. Hopefully, by the time we leave, the camper will be familiar enough to her to take the edge off her stress.
And mine.
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