Colin wants to extend. He’s been thinking about it for a while now, ever since he saw those new shiny grey, reflector tarps. Everyone has them these days (gone are the old blue plastic tarps). They reflect the heat and sun AND keep you dry. Most people put them right over the top of everything – even their vans. Colin knows all the ways in which people use them and what works best; he has wandered around the caravan parks looking enviously and admiringly at what other people do. You can tell the Tarp pros no problem at all.
Yesterday, while the girls shopped, we took ourselves to a camping store and had a look at the shiny new variety. They are, not surprisingly, more expensive than their old counterparts and you have to factor in the cost of poles, ropes and pegs. We decided it wasn’t really necessary and we would wait and see.
That evening I see Colin just standing at the front of our sight staring into space. It is like one of those colorbond adds where the bloke stands out the front in his undies admiring his new roof, except Colin is in his boardshorts imagining that shiny new tarp, how it could fit and all the benefits it would bestow.
Then it rained a lot last night and the forecast is for further rain – so yep we are doing an extension. It will keep the kid’s drier in the tent and we’ll have an outside Al Fresco dining area. It will also give Colin something to do everyday – adjust and readjust his new Tarp. Colin can’t wait to get to town now.