No more dancing worms please!

Sunday, August 3 08

As well as sorting out her tooth problem, Mrs Bennet knew she had to overcome a few other problems before next Sunday – a day she wasn’t looking forward to in the slightest. The Bennets were going camping with lots of family friends. Camping wasn’t the issue, it was the fact that most of the occasions they had holidayed under canvas had resulted in a wash-out, so much so one year they had to abandon camp as a river was running through their tent, worms were dancing through the sod-cloth and as Miss Bennet Number Two was not yet walking, Mrs Bennet discovered there were no dry patches left to put her down. The final straw was the continual drips hitting their pillows.

“I only had two children then and that was bad enough. With five of them and two travel cots to fit in, are we mad Mr Bennet?” she queried.

“Well, my dear, let me point out, it was your idea to go,” he reminded his wife.

“Yes, but not because I wanted to, I thought the three older ones would enjoy it and they will. But it doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to the experience,” she replied, the rain agreeing with her as it lashed down on the conservatory roof.

Feeding five children who were very particular when it came to food, gave her a challenge. She decided to try out lots of tinned food on them in the coming week to see what would work. Packing, designing a menu, getting her tooth fixed and somehow smuggling her laptop in the car without Mr Bennet noticing would be on her list of “to dos”. Although they hadn't booked an electric hook-up on their camping plot, she knew close friends who would. Writing was her friend, along with Mr Latte. Without them, she would sink. That's if the forecast rainstorms didn't get her first.