Monica

The group I camp with at Pennsic, Polyhymnia, has had a decadent streak for as long as we've been together. Long ago, we had a camp site with elecricity available -- so we brought a small fridge up to maintain the supply of chocolate milk. (Ok, the main purpose was to keep the meat at an appropriate temperature, but the chocolate milk didn't hurt.) We haven't had electricity for years, but several years ago we built our own shower (solar bags), and last year we added a hot-water heater and plumbing to maintain good pressure while hooked up to the water supply. (We also added a kitchen sink, because washing dishes in smaller basins and then carrying the water to a sump pit is a pain.) Two years ago was the debut of my "little house on the flatbed". Most of our group camps in period-style accommodations (house, pavillions, Viking tents, etc), not in nylon. We tend to sleep on beds (slat or rope), not the ground. We have a decent kitchen setup. We enjoy ourselves. And every year we try to make it a little better.

This year, we decided to replace the modern sun shade that we use for our cooking area with something more suitable in appearance. So we're building a small, collapsable Tudor-style house. Well, a facade -- two full and two partial walls and a canvas roof. There are windows in the upper walls for ventillation and visibility, but they're high enough to hide the tables with the propane stoves so those won't be visible from the road. It will sit adjacent to the "kitchen tent" (really a pantry).

I spent the afternoon at Johan's house helping to construct this. (I was with the group sewing the canvas, not the group building the walls.) It's not done yet, but the walls are pretty much done and the canvas is all sewn. The walls look really spiffy. This will make a fine addition to our campsite.

I remember the days when I camped in one of those nylon dome tents. At the time I thought they were wonderful; now, I could never go back.

Yes, I know that our current practice is not a defintion of "camping" that is generally understood, but darn it, Pennsic is the big annual vacation for most of us. I hate "camping", but I want to enjoy Pennsic