What?? Camping in December? Who camps in December??

Well, there are some people who do camp during the winter months, and some people who I know might like to (for instance, my husband), but that’s just not my thing.

And truth be told, I am really not “camping” in December, but it feels pretty close to it. You see, our kitchen is being renovated right now, so we have no working stove/oven and water on the main level. We do however have an electric stove, a toaster oven and a fridge, so that helps. But of course, once you’re used to having everything a few steps away, you feel the loss when it’s gone, even if only temporary.

Doing dishes in the bathroom sink on the upstairs floor?? All of a sudden, reusing the plate you just had breakfast in, for lunch  — something I would never normally do — becomes appealing. After all, it means one less dish to lug upstairs and wash. Our toaster oven is on double duty not only reheating stuff (we don’t use a microwave), but also cooking basic things. And our electric stove? Well that is a blessing! It actually reminds me of our little Coleman grill we take whenever we go camping…

Living in a house that is being renovated requires you to be creative and work with what you have. But my husband and I are used to this; having bought a fixer upper house we’ve gone through major renovations before. And it reminds me of camping. Although we’re not the backwoods camper type, we do like to camp in a tent at a site without electricity. And we’ve done it for 2 weeks straight, in the pouring rain, in the uncomfortable cold and even under a few flurries. (There was one time we went camping in early April, and temperatures got ridiculously cold  (winter weather cold) for 1 week… but I’ll save that story for another time.)

So this kitchen reno should be a piece of cake, right? After all, we still have running water in our house even if not on the main level, and we still have our nice warm beds, TV, computers, internet, our own personal shower and toilet. So it’s doable, but as I mentioned earlier, once you’re used to certain comforts, having them gone, even if just for a temporary period is tough!

We’re resilient folks though; we’ll get through it. Now if you excuse me, I need to attend to a crying baby… I forgot to mention, this is the first time we’re “camping” with a baby!! Now that’s something new to contend with for us! 😉

About the Author

Wendy Chiavalon is the Editor-in-Chief of The Local Biz Magazine. She lives in Ajax with her family. She loves watching Pixar movies, salsa dancing, road trips and of course, baking and eating cakes (who wouldn’t)?! In her spare time, she doubles as a cake decorator, baking and decorating cakes and other goodies for special occasions. You can check out some of her work at www.wendyscakeshoppe.com and follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendyscakeshoppe