cheapskate

Maxwell is going to a nature camp in Bend for a week.
He is staying with Mark's brother and sister in law.
In addition to the nature camp, he is going to a horse ranch for some horse play (ha ha) neither one of us are thrilled about this whole adventure, but Mark seems to think it is a good idea, so there you go.
I have nothing against nature, in principal, but I find the idea of my city kid slogging around in the woods for a week, a long way from home, scary.
I also am not delighted by the idea of horses. Most people like horses, but I am not one of them. I see them as giant scary beasts just waiting for a chance to squash my baby.
Maxwell is traveling to Bend with Wawa, Mark's mother, with whom I have entrusted the oversight and care of Maxwell with. I hope she does a good job.
They are going by Greyhound, which is creepy enough just on it's own merits, without the horse and the woods thrown in for extra nerve wracking measure.
The camp had a long and expensive list of doodads that the children are to bring along.

This being our second really long and expensive list in less than a month, has made me very cranky and set me on a sort of camp supply scavenger hunt around the city seeking out cheaper versions of the stuff he needs. For the past two weeks I have been on a quest for cheap water shoes, to no avail, and today at the eleventh hour I had to bite the bullet and shell out $50 for a pair of Keen sandals.
I got off easy for the $50, as Maxwell's foot is now right at the top of the children's size and had it been even one size larger, I would have had to pay DOUBLE for an adult size. I really wouldn't mind spending $$$$ for shoes that he was going to wear say, all winter, but I can tell that we will be lucky to get through summer with these puppies, since his toes is right at the end of the shoe.
Last year Payless had tons of Keen knock offs, and this year you cannot find any plastic sandals to save your life. We have always gotten off easy with Maxwell, since he has very normal feet, while Freyja has very thick and wide feet that pretty much can only be stuffed into the expensive "see kai run" brand.