Pondering

[Eamonn]

Some stuff has got my little gray cells working.

 

Talking with our Camp Director, a very dear and close friend who also serves as a pro wearing far too many hats.

He tells me that the number of Scouts attending camp this year is about th same as last year. About 1100.

This of course is a good thing.

He went on to say that if it wasn't for the out of council campers coming, the number of weeks would have to be cut.

Right now we are down to six weeks. Back in 1977 when I first came over to the camp as an International Camp Counselor, it was eight weeks and it seems to me that we had more Scouts in camp for them weeks.

Back then I think a week cost $25 or $35, this year it's about $250.

I know I pushed for the camp to be self-supporting when I was on the Executive Board. (The Camp was running in the red at one time.)

I'm not sure if the cost of living has gone up that much over the past 30 years?

 

I have ordered a new Golden Retriever pup.

I want to name him Dribbles. HWMBO says that you can't name a pure breed dog Dribbles!

Back when I was an Alter Boy. Holy Cross Church in Fulham was serving mainly Irish Roman Catholics.

When the Bishop appointed an English Parish Priest, some of the parishioners were worried. Father Cochran was a super nice guy. Over his confessional he had a name plate that read Fr. George Cochran, Royal Navy. OBE (Order Of The British Empire).

He had a big black retriever, who followed him just about everywhere,even on to the alter when he was setting up for Mass, the dog was named Fish Head.

With that in mind I don't think Dribbles is that bad.

 

Have been reading and following the thread about changing times. I have not looked at this years Annual Report. But it has been posted that over the past ten years membership is down by as much as 16%.

This is sad.

I think each of us has our own opinion as too why this has happened? I think we might want to place the blame on someones doorstep.

I, over the past few years have lost some of the faith in the people who we are supposed to be in partnership with, the professionals. Even at the local level I have witnessed promotion hungry guys who have been willing to not do what is right to get where they think they ought to be.

But I still think that Scouts and Scouting is a great place for a lot of young people to have a good and safe time while learning a lot of good stuff.

With this in mind, I'd really like to do my bit to help over the next ten years go back to where we were ten years back.

Sad thing is that as of right now I'm not sure how to go about it! I know that as time passes I'm nearing my passed sale date. Still I'm sure that I'll come up with something.

 

A few weeks back I bought a chain-saw.

In the past I was happy to use my tree pruners and a small saw to cut away the small stuff that got in my way of mowing.

When a tree looked like it needed help, I'd call the local tree surgeon. The purchase of the chain-saw was my way of hopefully saving a few bucks.

I'm not good with power tools and so far have not worked out how to use the saw.

I did notice last week a tree with a split in it, when I was cutting away the small stuff that was getting in my way.

The following day it was a little windy and half the tree fell off missing one of the boats by just a couple of feet!

I'm thinking of taking the chain-saw back!

 

 

Can someone please tell me what good do Ground-hogs do?

The dogs are forever chasing these little fellows. I wouldn't mind but Ollie is still on a 50 foot line because he chases anything that moves. When he takes off after a Ground-hog, he forgets that I'm on the other end of the line.

I'm starting to really dislike Ground-hogs.

Maybe if I knew that they were doing something good? I'd change my mind.

Eamonn.

[NealOnWheels]

Let HWMBO pick a hoitsey toitsey name. Then call him Dribbles anyway. Dribbles is far more endearing.

[le Voyageur]

 

 

Groundhogs are best broiled to medium rare....however, I plan to try this one soon...

 

Groundhog Meat Loaf

 

Yield: 6 Servings

 

Ingredients: 1 lb ground Groundhog meat,1 lb ground pork,1 egg lightly beaten, 1 c milk, 1/2 c dry bread crumbs,1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, 1 tb Minced onion.

 

Mix meats completely; add egg, milk, crumbs, seasoning, and onion. Mixwell and put into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let set for 5 minutes before slicing.

 

[Apache Bob]

Groundhogs are good for giving us the weather forecast. Of course, they are only good for that on February 2nd and then they are only 50% correct most of the time.

[walk in the woods]

You should start a book! Here's my take:

 

Ground-hogs=Target Practice. At least they did in my youth back on the farm.

 

Dribbles=perfect name for a dog. My wife bought a foo-foo dog a few years back, she has a long name for him, I call him beef.

 

Scout Camp=still a bargain at $250. I was looking at a church camp for my boy this year that was twice as expensive for the week.

[packsaddle]

"Groundhogs are best broiled to medium rare..."

For those of you living north of the Mason-Dixon line, it works for rats too.