Because I am a liberal who respects science and believes relationships should be based on love instead of anatomy, I am frequently asked why my family participates in Boy Scouts. The short answer is that Boy Scouting is a scout centric program. When my sons first expressed an interest in Boy Scouts, I was concerned. […]
I like holidays. They are picnics on the journey of life. Some picnics are full of fun. Other picnics are reflective. Every so often, a bear steals your basket of food and the picnic is just something you’re happy to survive. Valentine’s Day is a quick snack and toss the frisbee picnic. I walked in […]
Late Thursday night, we got a phone call from *camp that two boys in Noah’s troop were sick and H1N1 was suspected. After a sleepless night, we got another phone call saying that the two sick scouts didn’t have H1N1’s trademark high fever and life returned to our version of normal. Saturday, the phone call […]
As I drove Noah to his middle school band concert, he talked about the songs he was going to be playing. No. That’s not an accurate description of our conversation. It would be more accurate to say that Noah spoke sheet music slang and I nodded my head while saying “mmhmm.” “So then, during the […]
It’s Girl Scout cookie time. Again. Right on schedule, something else is in the news that threatens to make it even more difficult for girls finance their activities by selling cookies. I won’t give more attention to some of the manufactured drama from the past. Instead, let’s talk toxic peanut butter. I had to go […]
The Boy Scouts plan their own meals for camping trips. They also take turns buying the food. Well, technically the boys make the list and fill the shopping cart. The adults only job is to pay for the food. Guess whose turn it is to buy the food? In theory, this teaches the boys important […]
Tanasi Girl Scouts have wanted a new headquarters forever. The old location was difficult to find and in a less than popular area of town. It was a leased building on leased property. There were no outdoor accomodations for ceremonies or gatherings and the indoor facilities didn’t meet the needs of an active council. I […]
One of the other scout parents has “concerns” about Tommy attending Boy Scout camp for a week without Doug there also. The person who was asked to relay this information only gave us one quote. “Is Tommy annoying on purpose?” I asked the concerned parent if they are annoying on purpose. No. I would not […]
Last week, someone stole the Boy Scout trailer with most of their camping equipment stored inside it. The trailer and almost everything in it were bought with money the boys made selling popcorn. The things that weren’t bought by the boys were made by the boys, like metal work used to cook turkeys over a […]
Why do the Boy Scouts always go camping someplace without phone reception? Do they hate technology or are they hiding from their wives and mothers? How much time must pass after they return home before I can ask them to take out the trash? Or get rid of the spider in the bathtub?