There's nothing to it, Elena!
Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
It’s nearly Christmas and I’m in a bit of a festive tizzie. This will be our first Christmas on the road and we have picked out a fantastic free camp near Albany in WA where we will stay clear of the holiday crowds. My big worry is that my husband Billy has already told me he will be getting me a camp oven as a present. He reckons cooking a turkey with all the trimmings over a campfire will be a great way to celebrate our fantastic new lifestyle. Now, I like making toasties with jaffle irons, toasting marshmallows, and even cooking sausages on the campfire… but I’m not ready to make a Christmas lunch! It’ll be a disaster. I won’t even be able to practise before the big day … and everyone in the campsite will be watching!
Elena
Wow! You are in a stew, Elena. It seems a shame to get so worked up about it, especially as it sounds like it will be just the two of you. Have you suggested taking Billy out for a budget-busting proper celebration at a restaurant in Albany instead? That way you can maybe use your new present to make a cake for dessert. It means your new present will still get used … but you’ll get to have a more relaxing day. If things don’t work out, a burnt cake won’t be such a disaster as no Christmas dinner! If you can’t get yourself out of this campfire cooking High Noon, Elena, all I can suggest is you read as much as you can about camp oven cooking and how to prepare the perfect cooking fire in advance. Good luck!
Jaclyn
Oh how, lovely, Elena. You must be delighted with your husband’s choice of present. What a charmer! What did you get last year, a tea towel for drying up? A new vacuum cleaner for keeping the van tidy? Or perhaps some nice scrubbers for cleaning the shower? It sounds like you’re planning on spending your Christmas with more than one turkey! Forget the blooming roast dinner, will you? Forget about a traditional Christmas lunch, and get yourselves some prawns, some salad and two or three bottles of Champagne. Then put your feet up and let Billy enjoy his presents … how about a tool kit so he can fix those kitchen cupboard doors, and a big bucket so he can change the tug’s oil?
Heidi
