Campground Etiquette

We spent 3 weeks in two campgrounds in AR & have happily returned to Compton Ridge in Branson.  For the past three years, we've worked at campgrounds during the summer,  so this was our first time just 'camping' over 4th of July. And since it was on a Friday this year, it was a big holiday weekend for families & groups.

Well, the quiet, peaceful campground under the trees along a beautiful flowing creek turned into a fiasco.  Lots of family gatherings, including tents for sleeping & eating everywhere, clothes lines strung between trees for wet swim wear & towels, & lots of extra cars from guests. Kids were running all over the place playing (& touching our satellite dish), & a few dogs were running loose. I believe people were also burning trash & dirty paper plates with leftover food in their camp fires from the icky smell of a few. The most annoying part of the holiday were the people (both adults & children) walking from the creek to their campsites on the other side of us - right thru our site. One woman & her kid could have touched our trailer she was so close. And Jeff was sitting outside right on front of her. If these people would have at least LOOKED at us, & even said "Hi, how ya doing", or some acknowledgement they knew they were intruding, it wouldn't have been quite so irritating.  They ALL just ignored us like we weren't there watching them!

And then there was the half - grown stray female pup no one could catch. After a week & a half of hanging around us & Kira (she walked with us too), I finally caught her & took her to the office - but she returned the next morning!  Seems the guy taking her to the local shelter opened BOTH doors on his pickup & she just bounced out the other door & ran. He needs a sign for that stunt! Someone finally caught the poor thing just before we left.

So. . .I'm wondering about the intelligence of some of these campers, out in nature unsupervised without a clue. Were they just ignorant of camp etiquette or so arrogant as to not care if they were offensive? It sure was a pretty sight tho to see the tents fold & the RVs pulling out. If we'd had any incling we'd feel like we were parked in the middle of a carnival, we'd have left before it started.

I read a great article the other day tho about the pros & a few cons of living fulltime in an RV here . Made lots of sense, & even after the weekend was a zoo, we wouldn't change a thing about this lifestyle.

The hot spot on Kira's tail looks much better but is still swollen. She sure hates that shaved butt tho. She holds her tail to one side & walks with her backhalf twisted to the side. Poor baby.

I've FINALLY figured out how to do some serious exercising in the comfort & privacy of my little trailer. I dug out the elastic bands I used to work with for strength training & modified the routines to fit my small space. I can even do most of them in the bathroom. It takes surprisingly little room to work up a sweat & breath heavy (alone).

We're waiting for a call for Jeff to start physical therapy for his back pain. Oh, and it's STILL hot & humid, with loud thunderstorms occasionally. Welcome to July in the heartland. Wish we were doing something more exciting than having banana Belgium waffles at IHOP (yum), but this being retired isn't so bad.