Sniktaw

So were they conducting mid-week covid tests? I'm confused about the timing. Glad mine were able to attend camp (two separate ones) with no testing, no masks, and no problems. . . Not to say that there wasn't any covid, but in a population that largely has no symptoms, you probably wouldn't know it unless you're looking for it.

Two choices: Vaccinate, or don't participate in society. It assumes there is one way to not die, and the vaccine is it. My personal experience, as well as years and years of data, tell me that this is not true, but does that matter to the do-gooders and virtue signalers? I'm so tired of the two choices narrative. I'm so tired of other people telling me what my risk tolerance should be. Would Scouting be happy if I masked my kids and never let them leave the house, so they could be completely, totally safe? Let's vaccinate all the adults. Then let's follow the example of the teachers' unions and demand that kids be vaccinated too. You know what we don't have a vaccine for? Car accidents, lightning strikes, snake bites, drowning. Covid has taught us that NO RISK is acceptable, so let's shut it all down. No more high adventure, no more meetings that you have to drive to, no more poptarts for breakfast on the last day of camp. Remember, everyone is the same, everyone wants the same things, and the people who decide what those things are, are the only ones who are right.

This is no joke. This spring, during the pine siskin irruption and concurrent salmonella outbreak, online birding groups sounded just like online corona discussions. One I'm in had to ban "feeder shaming" when people who'd never seen a sick bird did not go above and beyond recommendations and remove all their feeders for a month. People posting old pictures of birds at feeders felt the need to qualify their descriptions by explaining that the photos were not recent. Lots of ugliness.

They get along okay. . . They tend to expect the worst of each other. One wants to turn everything into a competition, but not the kind that makes you better. I find myself saying, "It's not a competition" way more than I should. I know he will insist that his troop is better. They enjoy different aspects of Scouting and I think they pretty much ignore each other at events. They've never seemed to mind going together. I want the days back when they were best friends.

Anyone have two kids in different troops? We moved and my boys have zeroed in on two separate troops. We can do it but I worry about brotherly harmony. Would love some advice from someone who's been there.

Do people really think that it's not okay for a Scout to tent with his parent? I mean, I get the separation if you are running a regular program. But when there are suddenly rules that say that the Scouts themselves are not allowed to be near one another, and the solution is to invite more people on a campout, the problem is that people who live in the same house can't sleep in the same tent?? Please tell me I misunderstood the original question.

"Most questions were 70% to 90% in favor of adding girls. " This is true. The QUESTIONS were in favor of adding girls. We don't bother with BSA surveys any more. They're already sure of our answers.

I wouldn't worry about this at all. There are no uniform police.

So jealous of all these experiences. We are allowed groups of no more than five, so no camping and very little in the way of get togethers until, I guess, there's a vaccine. It's Zoom meetings for the foreseeable future.

I wish someone would tell our governor that. But then, practicality has never been her strong suit.

In NM we are on stay at home orders until there is a vaccine. Restaurants are still not allowed sit down service, and masks in public are mandatory. I cannot imagine our governor welcoming visitors from out of state. Also, all big announcements are made at the last minute. Church services were cancelled the day before Easter. Restaurants were under the impression that they might be able to open on Friday, until the governor's news conference at 4:00 on Wednesday. Forget planning and preparation.

Yeah, I would expect Philmont to be closed. Our governor has declared that our whole state is in this together. More than half our cases and deaths are concentrated in two counties (northwest part of the state--lots of reservation land) but she is not willing to consider different regions. Also, while eyeing a reopening that will be based on "our behavior," this week she has already chastised us for not doing what we are supposed to do, based on "data and personal observations." We are still limited to gatherings of five. If your family has more than 5 people, you can be at home together, but not in public together. Even before the spike in northwest NM I was not hopeful that Philmont would open. It would be a long trip too if you flew here, because the executive order says you have to quarantine for 14 days if you arrive in a plane. I don't see any of this changing enough, in time, for this summer.

I was just talking to my kids about this, but in the context of school. If a school's primary goal is safety, why would I send them there? If that's my priority, I can do a much better job of that at home. I send them to school for an education, and to interact with and learn from lots of other kids and teachers, etc., not to be "safe."

This is a joke, right?

As a family we're using the time off from school to work at the food bank--lots of volunteers not showing up but folks need the food now. We're around other people but what the heck else are they gonna do? Before this my son had been looking for a conservation-type service he could do for rank, but they're shutting down the outdoors here so that'll have to wait.