May tomorrow, be a perfect day....

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Around 4:30 am our survivor returned to camp.  He said it may be his worst night ever as first their shelter collapsed and so they went to sleep by the fire, which went out when the rains came down.  Apparently the leaders of the event didn’t want to sleep in the rain either since 4:30 am seems just a wee bit early to break camp and head for home. 

Well, I think Marriot has outdone itself this time.  Our breakfast consists of just cold cereal and oranges.  Hmm. The rant in my head is a good one.  Further inquiry leads me to the conclusion that other troops had eggs and ham.  Hmm.  Seems like maybe we had Boy Scout error involved in our meal today.  Either way, with Bro. Baker gone even the leaders will subsist on Frosted Flakes this morning.

The rain last night seems to have been light and is helping to keep the dust down this morning.  A fairly large contingent of scouts actually head to the showers on their own.  I’m not sure if I should be appreciative or concerned about the apparent cleanliness fetish of our younger generation.  Then again, they were sleeping 6 in one tent and more than one of those scouts were taking the “onion” smell to a level unreached since John Evan’s hit that old dead skunk years ago (see 2007 blog post).   We have by the scout’s count had at least 3 brown recluses and 1 black widow found in tents.  My count would be at least slightly lower than that.  I think my count must be more accurate or I do think they would have lost quite a few more scouts at this point than would be allowed by law (scout or otherwise).

There is some action – assuming you are taking a merit badge requiring action.    Those who are not enjoy another day of class and another class closer to receiving their patch.  Early afternoon thunder closes the water front and the shooting range.  A pall is cast over the camp, but most our boys are off the water in the afternoon anyway. 

Most meal times resemble something out of Lord of the Flies, except that they do manage to generally wait until a prayer is offered before breaking into feeding frenzy mode.

Most of the scouts are taking Citizenship in the World.  They have to do one of two items.  One of which we are told is “talk to a foreign scout.”  Many of our scouts claim to have done that.  Upon further investigation we find that the requirement is actually “Visit with a student or Scout from another country and discuss the typical values, holidays, ethnic foods, and traditions practiced or enjoyed there.”  Fortunately, our foreign guest scout agrees to hold a discussion with the rest of the scouts about such matters.  We learn that the UK is one of the only countries that doesn’t have an independence day.  We hear about a holiday where because someone wasn’t able to blow up parliament he was burned at the stake so to speak so every year they celebrate by burning him in effigy – and there is a song, which neither the Scout nor Sam would sing for us.   We learn of  local cuisine referred to as “fish and chips” and “bangers and mash.”  Feeling quite multiculturally enriched, the boys return to sharpening sticks.

A few years back I swam the mile with Nate.  That year the camp was obscenely crowded and most of the camp decided to swim the mile.  No one drowned, but maybe they did and it just wasn’t discovered till weeks later.  Since that time they have made some changes to the mile swim experience.  In order to qualify for the patch you also have to participate in 4 hours of training, so you have to take a class.  Taking a mile swim class means at least on less merit badge so we did not encourage our group to do that.  When we show up for the swim, they tell us that the kids in the class go first – and they go out as buddies and are each assigned a boat to row next to them.  Seems a little overly cautious to me, but I’m not in charge.  Fortunately, my buddy Ty and I are able to get a boat!  Spoiler alert – we made it.  My camp experience concludes as I complete the mile swim with Tyler!  Can’t think of a better way to wrap up my week.  It will be a late night drive home, but well worth it.

I’ll miss the last two days and 3 nights of camp, but I’m sure your boys will bring home to you the stories I couldn’t.  Things such as – were they able to get enough signal to watch the soccer game?  I’m glad to have had the chance to spend with the boys.  They are a good group of youth all well on their way to the rank of Eagle.  I’m especially grateful to those adult leaders who were able to support the trip, especially Scoutmaster White. 

Till next year…

Spiders

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

We arise early.  Why?  Because it is camping and the boys can’t sleep past 6 a.m. when they are camping and less than 14 years old.  Brother Baker has brought the fixing for a wonderful breakfast for the leaders of eggs, kobasa, and potatoes.  The youth get cold cereal, pancakes and eggs.  With due respect to the other leaders, Bro. Baker leaps to the head of the class. 

It is off to merit badge classes for the scouts.  As I mentioned before, first day not much gets done and since this is the first day for morning classes, they are quickly reminded about why they look forward to summer break and that parts of scout camp are really nothing like summer break.     

A couple of the folks get to swim, boat, hammer, dye (no mother’s don’t worry – not die), shoot, and fingerprint.  Speaking of which, our first completed merit badge takes place in Handicraft (no surprise) as a scout finishes fingerprinting (no surprise).  Robert is able to complete his dream purchase of a hatchet and proceeds to scour around for things to embed it into.  The number of sticks in camp which have been denuded and sharpened to a point is reaching the range where I would expect my Aunt (if she were here) to say we have more such sticks than Carter’s got liver pills (she used to say this when Carter was in the white house which was always very confusing to me but I later found out this had nothing to do with him).  A few scouts head out to work on their observance of nature as part of environmental science.   This involves sitting in two spots for twenty mintues 3 times.  They generally do this as a group which almost always serves to scare off the wildlife but also keeps them awake. 

Tonight dinner is the semi-traditional tin-foil dinner night.  After a little e-coli incident shut down camp they don’t send things out raw anymore.  Instead they provide some already boiled and seasoned potatoes, pre-cooked hamburgers, and some baby carrots.  Mr. D makes a fire with just 2 matches and the boys proceed to throw their meals into the fire and pull them out just about every 30 seconds to see if they are done and then put them back in with incrementally less protective foil until they either give up and eat it cold or accumulate so much ash inside the meal that they achieve that smoky flavor they apparently love.  I pull out the secret weapon (bbq sauce – thanks Doug Nichols!) and eat mine.  We did have apple pie for dessert.  That was delicious! 

Sam joins us and is warmly greeted by the youth.  Just after dinner one of our members takes off to attend the wilderness survival camp out.  For the survival camp you can only take what you can fit in your pockets – no sleeping bag, etc.  He isn’t taking the merit badge, he just thought it would be fun.  When he meets up with the group going the other scouts tell him – dude, if you aren’t doing the merit badge, you DON’T want to go.  He goes anyway.

Flag retreat includes a pitch for world scout jamboree in Japan next year.  Just under six thousand including airfare and travel around Japan.  First payments due in July.  And our FHE speaker gets another chance to address us – think he takes it?  Do scouts whittle sticks to points?  He encourages our youth to be like the staff.  I appreciate the sentiment but hold out hope for something more lucrative for my kids such that they can take better care of me in my old age (which the scouts generally already think I’ve reached.) Not that I don’t appreciate many of the wonderful staff who put up with a lot…

As dusk settles into night we once again are asked to “come see” various lethal spiders in tents.  No scouts were harmed in the process; I can’t say the same about our 8 legged co-habitors. Around 10 pm the rains came, which are actually a very effective means of driving the animals into their abodes.

Land of Goshen!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Is it that time of year again already?!

I begin the end today.  It won’t be quick, and it most likely won’t be painless, but as my last son begins his first year at beautiful Camp Marriott, I know the end is very nearly upon me.  How I got this old I know not, but I know it is what it is. 

Our party this year consists of 24 total scouts including 4 from another troop and 4 from a different troop and we are fortunate to have a bloke from London town with us as well.  We are lead ably by Brother White (head honcho) and Brother Baker (assistant honcho).  One very odd item Bro. H noted is that there was not a single mother (or a married one for that matter (rim shot)) drop off her kids this morning (or at least that I saw).   I’m not sure we have ever had a majority of the “drop-offers” be men, let alone a nearly unanimous showing.  Interesting.  We are just one seat short and so President H gets to accompany us down.  We are happy to have him but disappointed we didn’t quite manage to keep him from having to drive down.  We load up and head west just as the sun broaches the horizon the color of a flaming marshmallow.

My van is filled to capacity with the Z-men, two Ty-guys, Special K and the brick layer.  They (unfortunately) sleep very little but the conversation is (fortunately) kept to a dull roar and I learn all about any number of movies or tv shows or youtube videos involving zombies, shootings, etc. that I haven’t found time (or desire) to view.  It is also a sometimes painful reminder of just how difficult being in Jr. High/Middle School can be:  wanting to be your own person, but wanting to fit in and wanting to be cool yet still being just a kid at 12.  One boy  comments about a “friend” who threw an egg at a car and shattered a window and when the disbelief becomes a little much adds that they also threw a brick.  Hmmmm.  Another said that someone always calls rather than texts and that a call is better anyway, realizes that might be a statement not fully supported by the group generally so follows up with “at least most the time,” speaker indicates he texts sometimes, but not all the time.  I think I haven’t seen that many hedges in such close proximity since viewing that movie with the labyrinth in the garden.  It isn’t easy walking that line.  There is simply not enough money in the world to have me do it again. 

The Knob route proves the winning route again, but everyone else stopped and we drove on through so I’m not sure how much quicker we were.  We did do our good turn for the day was we were running down the Knob we almost ran into another car going the other direction.  It was a load of scouts looking for Goshen.  We told them to follow us and we led them to camp.  They were headed the wrong way.  The rest of the crew filters in.  While waiting, Bro. Baker discovers that rather than a new pick up he has actually purchased a very pricy mobile playground as the scouts climb over it like ants on a dropped jujube.

We are assigned camp #2.  It is just as far from everything as camp 1 with the added bonus that the path to Ecology heads at one side of our camp so we shall have non-troop members traipsing through our abode on a regular basis.  Super.  Boys pick tents, sweep out spiders (best line – can we get a lantern for our tent?  Why?  Because it is dark.  I typically open the doors if it is dark.  But that’s how the bugs get in!) and change for swim check.  We do swim check and all survive.  A number of folks are either initiated into the red hand club or have adopted themselves into a Native American tribe. 

We have staff introductions where the staff run in camp Marriott and injure themselves.  I assume to serve as an object lesson on why we don’t run in camp.  Because they can’t feed 400 people at once, they split us up and send 2/3rds on a “busy work” tour and we have the unfortunate rotation of being last to eat.  When we do, the hot dogs taste like, ok, they tasted like mediocre hot dogs, but we were appreciative of having at least something to eat. 

As soon as lunch is over it is on to merit badges.  I would give you some action photos, but trust me, there is NO action on day one.  They head out with blue cards in hand and visions of merit badges dancing in their heads. 

Dinner consists of a poor man’s chicken nugget (which really is saying something).  After dinner we have FHE which helps the boys appreciate the brievity of FHE at home.  We then walk back to camp and 20 minutes later then walk back for flag retreat. 

Upon returning to camp we enjoy some quiet less noisy time.  Despite the fact that their parents have paid full boat for them to be here, and for each of them to have a cot and to have two persons per tent.  6 scouts decide to sleep in one tent on three cots.  Ah to be young and able to walk after such a night!  Three other scouts are in another tent with three cots. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh well, I have a tent to myself.  The big dipper is perfectly outlined by the trees above our camp.  I finally hit the sack and drift off.  Tomorrow we do it again.