A night to test tent and nerves

Tuesday, August 12 08

It was the night which tested waterproof coating and Mr and Mrs Bennet's nerves. Torrential rain, strong winds and the fear of being blown away kept the adult Bennets awake all night. Mrs Bennet's nighttime prayer was brief: "Please Lord, keep us dry and don't let the children wake up needing the loo!" Both requests were granted, but the little twin Bennets didn't hear their mother's spiritual mutterings and in the temporary lull of the storm, Miss Rosie Bennet yelled. She was soon drowned out by a chorus of wind and rain, but their efforts were fruitless in soothing her back into slumber. She was soon joined by her sister and a twin sandwich quickly formed between mother and father, who were balanced on the airbed edges, receiving complementary pokes and prods by the fillings.
To add to the fun, a pair of seagulls squawked in delight as they attacked the Bennets rubbish bag, which had been carelessly left outside the tent. Mr Bennet, armed for battle, immediately took action in the darkness, put his dry feet down into a pool of cold water which was collecting in the living quarters, stuck his arm out in the rain and pulled in the seagulls' loot before they could cause any more chaos. Meanwhile the Bennet twins cried in stereo.
"This is just the pits," thought Mrs Bennet, half expecting the tent to take off. The only consolation was there were two travel cots holding down their sleeping pods. Thankfully the other three Miss Bennets were sound asleep and stayed that way until their sisters and finally their parents joined them. The parents however looked how they felt in the morning - rough. They weren't the only ones. Three families in their party had decided they'd had enough and were packing up to return to home comforts.
Mrs Bennet didn't blame them. But the rain hadn't defeated the Bennets yet. Their beds were dry, the children were happy and so stick it out they would.
"It's character building I suppose. If we can live through this, putting up with building work will be a doddle," mulled Mrs Bennet, her fighting spirit willing her on.