10.17.20-Saturday 5:30 a.m.

Good Morning!  We are getting ready to head back home. Home is in Crystal Springs, MS.  We are about to pack up from our first RV camping trip @ Paul B. Johnson State Park in Hattiesburg, Ms.  So, while everything is still fresh, I wanted to write about our trip! Things that we screwed up and things we got right!

    We bought our camper-Jayco 28 ft. 2018 about 3 weeks ago. We made reservations at Roosevelt State Park for last weekend, just to get used to camping, and to do a test run. Well . . . Hurricane Sally hit and we had to cancel :(  So, this weekend we had made reservations at Paul B. Johnson's State Park.

    Prior to the weekend - we watched probably 50 YouTube videos on camping. Things to do & not do.  How to set up, how to tear down, how to winterize, etc. etc. WE WERE READY!!

    We left work on Wednesday afternoon & headed South.  I arrived first because Gary missed the turn.  When he arrived we began setting up! Now remember we knew all the do's and don't's because of checklists, watching videos and such. Boy, did we make some stupid rookie mistakes.

    1st mistake: Gary was hitting the button inside to push out the Slideout and he did not look to make sure the cabinet doors were shut and BAM just like that the cabinet door was ripped off! 

    2nd mistake: The stopper in the outside kitchen was left in the sink and the knobs turned on, so when we turned water on, sink filled up and up and up and overflowed into the camper. Not a lot but some.

    Gary could not find his leveler that he brought so he used a smaller one and it said the camper was level, but it wasn't. It wasn't off too much but a little bit can seem like a lot :)

    We finally got set up and Gary was frustrated and we needed to cook but instead, we just sat down and drank a beer and relaxed! Even though we hit a small rough patch, it was okay.

    The weather was perfect!

    Finally went to bed about 8:30 and slept really well.

    Woke up the next morning and Gary cooked breakfast and it was so good - especially since we didn't eat anything the night before!

    Took shower and went exploring. Went to Walmart to get some things, the beach in Biloxi, Ocean Springs, walked around and then to Shaggy's and ate lunch.

    Went back to camper, tried to fish (Nothing was biting) walked, rode bike, cooked chicken wings outside and sat and enjoyed the night.

    Friday morning it was cool so we just stayed around camper.  While Gary was cooking breakfast, we noticed some water coming in by the fridge. Gary had put 4 eggs into his vest pocket and he was looking at leak and eggs busted inside his vest. I laughed so hard.  I rode bike to 49 Flea Market and bought an outside chandelier.

    Austin came down and ate lunch. That afternoon I walked and looked at the other campers. About 5:30 we built a fire and sat outside until almost 8:00. 

    And here we are. Packing up going home.

Things I absolutely loved about the weekend: 

1.    No worries, no job

2.    The food was absolutely wonderful.

3.    The FIRE PIT!!!!

4.    The outdoors and fresh cool air.

Things I did not like too much (it wasn't bad it's just not being use to this)

1.    The bathroom - not really being able to go as much as I needed and it not being a real toilet. I mainly used the campground bathroom.

2.    The shower - not having a good shower or bathtub! The campground's was good, but there's just nothing like your own bathroom.

Things we will do next time or things we need to get:

1.    Footstool for couch

2.    Footstool and/or little side table for outside.