Here is the scenario that happens to some of us despite our best intentions, or at least it happens to me.

It is Friday morning. We leave for camping later today and I have not started getting anything ready. I had good intentions of being prepared, but things happened. We had some people drop in to visit this week; my niece had a baby which meant buying a present and going to visit the Mom and her new baby; a family member needed some help moving furniture; another needed help with hanging a lighting fixture; and yesterday was completely messed up because my husband did not get the day off like he was supposed to because someone called in sick to work.

Now, I’ll go on record saying that this is not the first time it’s happened. Although I like to be prepared for things, and who doesn’t, time gets away from me a lot. For instance it has been my intention to put camping checklists on up this blog for several months but guess what? You’re right! I haven’t done it yet.

As far as the looming camping trip goes though, there are a few choices a person can make: cancel the camping trip, go on the camping trip, go on the camping trip but leave later than planned.

It is no fun canceling the camping trip so let’s eliminated that option right away. Leaving a few hours later than planned will work in some cases but not always, especially if you are going with other people and have a set departure time. But, just walking out the door without any supplies won’t work well either.

This is what I do when my “back is against the wall” like it is today.

Truthfully, I rush around like a madwoman (don’t get in my way) and get the big stuff packed meaning chairs, a cooler, clothes, and toiletries get packed as quickly as possible and tossed into the back of the SUV. Then I make sure we have money (or at least the ATM card) and leave.

I didn’t mention food or firewood did I? That’s because those are the two things I don’t worry about when time is at a premium. Unless a person is going on a wilderness camping trip, which I never do, there is either a store at the campground or one near the campground to buy food. Plus, most campgrounds have a choice of places selling firewood near them.

It is usually more expensive to do things the “rushed” way, but it avoids having to cancel the trip.

So today I’ll grab a suitcase and toss in a bunch of clothes (not forgetting the underwear this time which I actually did do once but then it was “Hello WalMart!”), grab a tote for shampoo, etc., open the closet and grab shoes, grab my medications out of the cupboard, take portable chairs from the garage, grab the insect repellent from the cupboard (that would also be a WalMart or Target item if I didn’t have any), grab a cooler, hook up the camper and head off to the campground.

We’ll grab something for supper on the way in and then, while my husband starts setting up the camper I’ll head to the campground store for ice and marshmallows and firewood. Then we’ll have a fire and roast marshmallows, get some sleep, get up early, make a list and take a quick run into town Saturday morning for supplies. We’ll back by mid-morning and will be able to enjoy the rest of the day!

Then, at some point in time during the camping trip I’ll vow to never let it happen again knowing that, despite my best intentions, it probably will.

UPDATE: No, haven’t left for camping yet. I’m just back from taking my Mom to her Friday dialysis treatment and I wanted to write a quick update because I found another “last minute person.” The social worker at the dialysis center told me she is going camping tomorrow and that she is bummed because she hasn’t started packing or getting anything ready yet. She says that for the 20 years they have been going camping she keeps saying she’s going to take the day before off to get ready, but that she thinks she needs to finally face the fact that packing for camping is always going to be a last minute thing and that everything is just going to get tossed into the vehicle instead of getting neatly packed because she has yet to follow through with her promise to take the day before off. Like me, she hated to admit she doesn’t prepare ahead of time. Maybe it’s time to start a “camping procrastinators” club.