The Wright's on Vacation: Sizzling Virginia

After the day we had in Washington (which we did thoroughly enjoy despite everything conspiring against us) we couldn’t wait to get out of the big smoke. We decided on Lake Anna, about a 2 hour drive from Washington DC. We managed to score a “camping cabin”. This has 2 bunkbeds, a table and chairs and a ceiling fan. It was very rustic but lovely too. The campground had toilets and showers but we were surprised that it didn’t have kitchen facilities. Everyone had their own chilly bin or they literally plugged a fridge in outside their tents and of course all the RV’s and campers have built in fridges and ovens. So we made a dash for Walmart and stocked up on gear so that we could cook over our firepit outside. Man, we had fun. The kids loved every minute of it and got munched by mossies the first night. I probably went a bit over board in my quest for organic and natural skin products for them and I think the “100% proven effective mosquito repellent” I bought that was made from natural products was no more than lemon juice because the mossies had a field day with us. Needless to say the next day we were back at the shops for the real stuff.

Our cabin at Lake Anna, Virginia

Hillbilly Wrights

Cabin and Last Legs Louie

IT IS HOT. We clocked 32 Celcius inside the cabin one afternoon and that was in the shade with the fan. It was way hotter outside. We could walk to the lake from our cabin through a path in the forest. No bears in this area but we saw lots of chipmunks and a deer or two. It costs $3 to swim in the lake but it’s free for campers. By the lake are playgrounds and you can get hotdogs, chips, icecreams and drinks at the shop there. The water was lukewarm, especially in the shallows where we play with the kids so your best bet is to get wet and stand up hoping for a breeze to hit you. Leo is getting so confident in the water, diving under and paddling around and Spencer, well, she drinks half the lake but has a great time doing it. At night we put the kids directly under the fan on mattresses and they lie like starfish but are so nackered from the day the heat doesn’t seem to bother them. Then Just and I sit on the porch on our rocking chairs and chat listening to music waiting for it to cool down some more before we lie on the outskirts of the cabin and pray that some fan air hits us. Despite all of this, we are sleeping quite well! Justin has discovered 4 cheeses sausages and this is now his favourite, they really are nice. Bud Light seems to be his drink of choice at the moment...I have given up wine in favour of this as they tend to be a bit more refreshing and a hell of a lot cheaper.

We spent 3 days at Lake Anna and they were glorious, Leo made friends at the lake each day. We have noticed that he is desperate for some mates, he will approach anyone. His shortest pick up line to date is “I’m Leo, let’s go under” (the water), they both plunge under and when they come up they are the best of mates. On our last day and night there we had 3 4 year old boys and a 2 year old girl move in next door with their mums. We barely saw Leo for the rest of the time we had, he literally adopted that family, posing in their family photos and toasting marsh mallows with them, romping in the forest and pilfering their toys.

Lake Anna

Kids ready for swim

Justin's 4 cheeses sausies and veggies

Leo and his mates

Dad April 2009

The 10^th of August marked 2 years since we lost Dad. It’s actually the days leading up to the anniversary that tend to be the hardest. Sometimes I can’t believe it’s been two years because it still feels so fresh and then others I feel like Dad has been gone for so long because so much has happened in the two years that have passed. For those of you who never knew my Dad, he was the most gentle and generous man who lived for his family. He was generous in more ways than I can count but the best thing he was generous with was his time. He constantly gave up his own time to help us and our friends and he was always there for us no matter what. He lived for his music, his reading and his fishing and he was only 63 when he had to leave us. He now has 4 grandchildren and another on the way and he would have given anything to see them grow up and to know them. Our kids are poorer because he isn’t in their lives. Watching Leo and Spencer with their Grandpa Pete was hard at times, not because I wish it wasn’t Pete but because I wish Dad could have had the opportunity to romp with them, to have Leo play with his hair or have a cuddle or a smile from Spencer. Leo knows who Grandad Pit is and that “he is in the sky”. Each night I trace “Grandad Pit loves you” on the backs of each of my kids as they go to sleep. At the moment that is the only way he touches them. Loved and missed each and every single day Dad.

We have decided a pop up camper is the next mission for us. Our plan is to head south and hit some of the bigger towns on our way hoping to pick one up. It is the summer break here until the first week of September so it’s really difficult to come by cabins and they are quite expensive in peak season and we have agreed that motels ain’t for us. I was wondering how all these American campers were coping in the heat because when I asked them down at the lake whether they were finding it hot the standard answer was a shrug and “yup but that’s August for ya”. When we took the kids for a stroll around the camp however EVERY SINGLE camper, RV, and TENT had their own air-con system so we are hoping to get a pop up with an air-con. Sounds like a tall order but we are hoping luck will be on our side because at this stage of the trip it’s all about price.

Lady Spencer Loren

So far we have travelled through New Jersey, New York State, Pennsylvania and Virginia. As we head south we will hit North Carolina travelling via Charlottesville and Lynchburg. There are sherriff elections on in every county right now so a bit of fanfare here and there for us to look at. Suzy has been doing a great job of getting us about without too much trouble, I just keep a map on my lap to keep her honest but there haven’t been any problems. We tend to stake out Mcdonalds car parks to check our email and stuff, they have great free wifi and every now and again when we feel guilty we’ll head in and buy some drinks and let the kids play on the playground.

Yesterday we got as far as Lynchburg and were camped outside Mickey Dee’s looking at www.craigslist.com for campers in the area when we spotted a great one. Suzy told us the address was 10 minutes away so off we went. The current owner showed us around the pop up camper and it’s great AND it comes with an air-con unit installed in it’s roof!! The price is right so we jumped at it. Leo has already picked out his bed and is very excited. We stayed in a hotel nearby so we could get everything sorted today, we have to register her and we need to get a few more things from our friend Walmart. Yaaaaahooooo! We have our rig! We are off to Woodhill Creek campground (about 20 minutes North of Lynchburg) this afternoon to test her out. We now now a 14 foot 1991 Coleman Sequoia pop up camper with a queen and king berth, table and chairs which fold down into a 3rd single bed for Spencer - she has a 4 burner gas hob inside and a kitchenette. She also comes with an outdoor gas bbq and awning. Will let you know how she goes!