Nature Calls

I checked out "Nature Calls" from our local library, it's a book about outhouses. I plan on putting one up on our property up north. This is a funny story from the book that I thought I would share.


LETTER TO A CAMPGROUND
A good friend of mine is a rather old-fashioned lady, quite elegant and delicate, especially in her language. She and her husband were planning a week-long camping trip, so she wrote to a campground for reservation. She wanted to be sure that it was fully equipped, but didn't quite know how to ask about toilet facilities; she didn't want to write the word "toilet" in her letter. After much deliberation, she thought of the old-fashioned term "bathroom commode." But when she wrote it down, she still thought that she was being too forward. So she started over again, rewording the whole letter, this time abbreviation "bathroom commode"as "B.C.": "Does your campground have it's own B.C.?" she asked.
Well, the campground owner wasn't old-fashioned at all, and when he got her letter, he couldn't figure out what the heck she was talking about. That "B.C." business really stumped him. After giving it much thought, the only expansion of "B.C." that the owner could think of was "Baptist Church," so he sat down and wrote her the following letter.

CAMPGROUND OWNER'S REPLY
Dear Madam,
I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take pleasure in informing you that the nearest B.C. is located six miles north of our campground. It is capable of seating 250 people at a time. I will admit that it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly.
No doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along when they go and make a day of it. They usually arrive very early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went was six months ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time. Right now there is a supper planned to raise money for more seats. It will be held in the basement of the B.C.
I would like to say that it pains me that I am not able to go there more regularly, but it is not for lack of desire on my part. As we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort, particularly in cold weather.
If you decide to come to our campground, perhaps I could go to the B.C. with you, and introduce you to all the other folks. Remember that this is a very friendly community.

20 Acres of Northern Michigan

For the last 17 years my wife and I have dreamed about owning land in northern Michigan.  In my 1st year of marriage we went to my wife's family cabin where they have 240 acres.  I fell in love that weekend with the woods.  Over the years we have been vacationing in that little cabin.  We've hunted, camped, went 4 wheeling, hiked, made trails, spent evenings around the fire pit, watched falling stars with friends, the list could go on. 

All that to say we purchased 20 acres of northern Michigan back in November.  It's perfect, 15 or so acres of hard woods, some pine trees, there's river frontage and fields for hunting.  It's connected to 1000's and 1000's of acres of state land, so there are plenty of places to explore and hunt.  I've spent the last 6 months dreaming and thinking about what we would use for lodging.  We plan to build a cabin in the next 5 to 10 years but until then we purchased a 2006 Gulfstream travel trailer.  This was one of the FEMA trailers used for the hurricane Katrina victims.

We hauled it 270 some miles to our property Memorial weekend.  We spent the weekend putting a small gray water system.  We are having electricity installed hopefully by the end of June.  We bought a small pump with a bladder to pump water out of the river on our property for non-drinking water use until we can put in a well.   We have 3 boys who played in the river and four wheeled all weekend.  Also the boys helped me make a burn barrel by shooting holes through it.  They love that part of the weekend.

Can't wait to make memories here.  Can't wait to take the boys hunting, to explore the state land and trails.  Here's some pictures of our weekend setting up camp.

Our gray water system.

Temporary water system until we drive a well.

Took this picture of the inside the day we bought the trailer.  This trailer has a full fridge, shower, regular toilet (not a camper toilet), microwave, two bunks in the back, a small bedroom in the front, it can sleep eight people, central air, really all the same comforts of home.  We are in the process of making it feel homey.