Lynn o’Rourke: ‘I can’t disappoint the kids by wimping out of camping’

By LYNN O’ROURKE
Published on 09/09/2012 17:34

IT all seemed like such a good idea at the time. But that was probably directly linked to the extra glass of wine I’d had. And in the chilly light of day, I’m having second thoughts and regretting mentioning anything to the kids.

I might have wriggled my way out of it if I hadn’t blabbed all to them (obviously during the rose-tinted seconds I ever thought it was a good idea). So now I have to go camping with my sister, her two very excited daughters and my two even more excited daughters.

I know lots of people do it and love it, and I am seriously hoping to become one of them. But there are many, many reasons why I might not enjoy the experience. And that will be a weekend gone, never to get back, possibly spent under soggy wet canvas with deeply disgruntled children. Of course, now I can’t disappoint the kids by wimping out and spoiling all the ‘fun’, which is why I’ll be spending two whole, probably long, cold, nights lying wide awake on the unforgiving ground.

My sister is, thankfully, a wonderfully organised person. She will be prepared for any eventuality. She has two stoves and a little portable wardrobe (who knew such a thing existed?), so I will eat well and appear uncrumpled – at least on the outside. Apparently we even get electric hook-up so we could drape our tent in fairylights, which is a cheering thought. Most importantly there will be cool boxes to keep the necessities chilled. The sort of necessities I’m sure I’ll need to see me through.

This week we see how one couple literally transformed the look of their Edinburgh home, inside and out, on page 4. Artistic director of Scottish Theatre Vicky Featherstone and her screenwriter husband Danny Brown combined their creative talents when renovating their family home in Glasgow. The stylish results are on page 10. And it took a small explosion to kick-start the revamp of broadcaster and leadership coach Ros Taylor’s capital home on page 16.