Eamonn Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 I am not big on luck, good or bad I kind of think most of the time that we are in charge of what we do and what we don't do. Of course the guy who just won millions upon millions on the super lottery proves me wrong. I did however know that I wasn't going to win, as I didn't buy a ticket. OJ,is away this weekend at Section NE-4B Conclave. I dropped him off at the home of a young Scout from our District and the Lad who was the SPL of our 2001 Jamboree Troop was driving. I really like the group of Lads who are active in our Lodge. They really are a super bunch of Lads. Friends of mine who are involved in law enforcement back home in London, who have stayed with me have read the crime report that is in our local newspaper. It lists how many times the local police have been called out and the reasons why. They laugh when they see this, saying that compared to what they face, we don't have any crime. Still we do have groups of kids that make good choices and others that make bad choices. It seems that OJ is now far more into the OA and our lodge than he is into spending time with the Lads from his Troop. I have never at anytime put pressure on him to get involved in the OA this was and is all his own doing. In fact I was very surprised when he became as active as he is. He spent a good deal of last night writing a speech that he will deliver that he hopes will help him become the Section Secretary. The young man who is the 3rd ASM to our Jamboree Troop this year and serves as our Lodge Chief is running for Section Chief. He is a super nice Lad and I was honored to be the guest speaker at his Eagle Scout COH, even though he isn't from the District that I serve. We all want the best for our kids, but once we send them off into the big world and they are at high school we really don't know who their friends will be and what group they will decide to "Hang with". I am so very pleased that OJ has become involved with the OA and that the group he is hanging with are all such nice Lads. Making ethical choices is so much easier when the group that you are with the kind that make ethical choices. It does make being a parent so much easier and a lot less worrisome. Of course none of them are angels and I'm sure they will find some mischief to get into, but I'd sooner the mischief than the bad stuff that some Lads find themselves in. Eamonn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morainemom Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 Eammon, Well, the rain has stopped and by now OJ should have been properly welcomed by the "Brookies" at Conclave! My son is at the same Conclave, he's the Admin. Vice Chief of the Lodge and could be the next Lodge Chief in August. I know what you mean about the bond between the OA Brothers, my son feels it as well. He's been at camp for many hours over the past couple of months, preparing for Conclave. I agree with you that there is a great deal of pride for the choices my son has made thus far in being involved in Scouting and performing cheeful service. Best of luck to OJ in the elections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjcluvvt Posted June 5, 2005 Share Posted June 5, 2005 Order of the Arrow Rockin' the House and Impressing Adults since 1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted June 5, 2005 Author Share Posted June 5, 2005 Hi morainemom, OJ, is home he said that the food was good. The camp could do with a few more showers!! The Lad who is serving as my ASM is the new section chief and OJ is the section secretary. The rain held off and they had a great weekend!! Hosting a conclave is a lot of hard work, please pass on my thanks to all the members of your sons lodge for a job well done. Our Program Executive promised to shave off his beard if there were more than 75 from Wagion sign up for this weekend, the last count I heard was 76. There is a OA weekend next weekend so I'm sure they will hold him to his word. Eamonn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morainemom Posted June 5, 2005 Share Posted June 5, 2005 Eammon, I just picked up my son from camp about 1.5 hours ago. He broke his gear in, gave his Beagle some lovin', took a shower, and then hit the sack! He said that OJ made Section Secretary. The Lodge does have a couple of good cooks. I second what you say about the showers - that's been a complaint for years.... He is totally wiped out - will be going back to camp tomorrow to do some more clean-up. The heat and humidity has been unbearable today and the Ranger finally told everyone to knock off because it [the heat] was making people sick. My son thought it was a good conclave - he is part of the Ceremonies Team and they took second place in the competition and the Dance Team took several 1st, 2nd and I think a 3rd place honor, too. Now he's gearing up for Jambo. He said he never did get a chance to look OJ up and swap Jambo patches - maybe he can find him at Fort AP Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted June 6, 2005 Author Share Posted June 6, 2005 OJ isn't feeling very energetic. I thought he was going to nod off at supper. He even passed on dessert (Crepes with bananas, fried with brown sugar topped with ice cream) He never refuses dessert!! I will be with troop 412 at the Jambo, I'm not much of a patch trader so do ask your son to look me up, I have very white hair and talk funny!! So I'm not hard to find. I'm pleased with our CSP, we only had 1,500 made. Everyone in both troops got 12 (960) and could but up to five more. The rest are for the people who are attending as staffers, so these really will be a collectors item. There are ten with a gold boarder. Mrs Rogers and Mr Mc Feely (sp) each got one, both Scoutmasters got one. The Lad who designed the patch got one. Jamboree Chair got one, the Scout Exec got one. I'm not sure where the others are. They presented me mine in a frame with a nice certificate. Teasingly I said that I was going to put it on E-bay. Boy did I get some dirty looks!! I think OJ will sleep till noon. He came in wearing the headdress, with the laptop that must go with the job. Cheeky little lad informed me it was better than the one I bought him!! He is running for Lodge Chief, I think the election is in October. Eamonn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynda J Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Several years ago I was talking with a customer who works with troubled kids. I commented that I had been lucky to have good kids. She laughed and said luck had nothing to do with is. That by setting a good example and being involved with them and making sure that the lines of communication were always open I had made sure I would have good kids. That may have been very true 15-18 years ago when my kids were younger. I sometimes wonder if that is as true now. And that scares me. My dad use to say. "If you keep a kid busy enough with postive things they won't have time to get into trouble". I do think that is true now and will always be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morainemom Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Eamonn - OJ rested up by now? lol My son has to head back to camp and do some more puttering. The heat has been so unbearable around here. My son is in the same sub-camp as you and just a few Troops down - he would love to trade patches with you - if you don't mind saving one for him, he will stroll down one day/night and meet you face to face! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 I'll be looking forward to meeting him. Eamonn. Who is the SM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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