Awww……now is that the cutest creature you have ever seen? Looks perfectly innocent to me. In fact, aren’t there movies about adorable, preteen, singing, chipmunks, such as Alvin and The Chipmunks; and Alvin and Chipmunks Squeakquel with Jeanette, Eleanor, and Brittany. I loved those movies, and thought the chipmunks were the cutest things. However, I have been deceived.
Wednesday night we left for our annual Flaming Gorge vacation with Steve’s family. We were camping, (yes I occasionally camp), and boating for 3 days. Mike had spent at least a week packing all our camping necessities. When we set up camp, the girls had the large and spacious tent, the boys the medium size tent, and me, well I was put in the smaller tent, which was really intended exclusively for the food.
My accommodations were not as bad as you may originally believe. Mike had put together a wonderful cot, with two foam pads on top with a heavy duty, flannel lined sleeping bag. My kids took very good care of me. The only thing I couldn't’t figure out, is why I was bunking with the food. Did the kids what me to sacrifice myself to a hungry, wild, bear, that may happen upon our camp? Fortunately, no bears were out those nights.
The first night I lay awake at night, nestled all snug in my sleeping bag listening to what sounded like wild animals circling my tent. I had visions of ravenous animals preying upon on the contents of the tent, which would include me. I slept with my cell phone in my pillow case, just in case I needed to call for help. I was especially happy in the morning when I woke up in one piece.
We went boating early the next morning with our food not only in a secured tent, but in plastic food boxes as well. Well, most of it that was. In my rush I had left one box of food open without a lid. When we came back to camp after a fun, but tiring day on the lake, one of my kids, opened the food tent, jumped back in fright, and began to scream. Chipmunk, he yelled! I came running, determined to get it out of my housing arrangements. I quickly noticed it had eaten through the chip bag, the muffin bag, and anything else, that seemed tasty. The more food I saw ruined, the more determined I was to get rid of this invader. I chased it around my tent with roasting skewers, moving boxes of food, and anything else in my path. I was screaming, my kids were screaming, we opened the tent door and it finally ran out.
Day two wasn’t much better. The girls had a chipmunk in their tent. They were really brave and got it out before it caused too much damage, so they thought. That night, when they were inflating their air mattress, when they realized the mattress wasn’t holding air. Much to their dismay they found holes in the mattress that were chewed by the chipmunks. If that wasn’t enough, it chewed tiny holes in the netting of the tent.
That night I heard what I thought was chipmunks surrounding my tent. I got the umbrella that was in my tent and began banging it on all sides of the tent, to deter the little critters. It seemed to work, no more chipmunks for the night.
The third day, when I woke up I thought all was well, until my kids came in the tent to start packing up food to take on our day on the lake. Much to our surprise, I had been sleeping with a chipmunk! Yikes! We chased it around my tent, until we were finally successful in ridding my tent of the little beast. I began to wonder, had it crawled across my face in the night, or gnawed on my fingers and toes.
The invasion of the chipmunks was finally over, when we packed up our gear, and headed home.
Hopefully, there won’t be another sequel to the Chipmunk movies. I’m not sure I can watch it with the same enthusiasm.
