Well, quickly... last weekend's day at Parkwood was good fun. 11 of my charges made it in the end, after 2 pulled out and 1 came unexpectedly. Anyway, they did various sports, and I was charged with 'discuss' as it was comically written on my scoresheet. But rather than engage them in deep coversation, I instead let them throw the discus which passed health and safety concerns by being made of the same material as a stress ball.
As I mentioned before, I won a chocolate coin gold medal for downing a tube of 'Mega Rainbow Dust' faster than ADC Cubs and one of my Cubs (who controversially nabbed the silver).
Anyway, last Thursday marked my final Cubs meeting for a few months. We have the Carol Service this coming week, where one of my top Cubs will be invested into Scouts and receive his 'Chief Scout Silver' award (highest award in Cubs). We will also be investing a leader, which is good.
Someone made the point yesterday that without me, our pack lacks male influence. A sad reality, but hopefully soon I will return and those taking it forward will do a great job. We had a planning meeting the other day and chose a local drinking hole as our location to do so. Very good.
So this blog may become more and more infrequent in the coming months, but keep looking out for more in the series of 'thoughts....' franchise.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Saturday, 6 December 2008
(Chocolate) Gold Medallist!
Today we had the 1st Parkwood Scout Group Cubs Day. It was a fitness challenge themed day and I won a gold medal... for rapid sherbet consumption! More details soon...
Friday, 5 December 2008
A short announcement...
Well, tomorrow is the first Brighton Cubs only meeting of the 1st Parkwood Scout Group. I'm going, and so are at least a dozen of my charges. I have no idea what it will involve, will blog anything interesting.
However, on a sad note (for this blog at least), I have decided to temporarily step down as CSL at Christmas, as I have a job in Eastbourne teaching Year 5 for two terms, and I won't physically be able to get back on a Thursday.
So this will be my last event for a while, although I will still try and get to selected weekend events, and certainly camps, as I am the sole permit holder, but, rather usefully, my ACSL (soon to be temporary CSL) is doing her training and going for a camp permit next year, so she'll have to do the paperwork for camp, while I will just have to turn up and cook for everyone!
Which, erm.... well... the less said the better!!
However, on a sad note (for this blog at least), I have decided to temporarily step down as CSL at Christmas, as I have a job in Eastbourne teaching Year 5 for two terms, and I won't physically be able to get back on a Thursday.
So this will be my last event for a while, although I will still try and get to selected weekend events, and certainly camps, as I am the sole permit holder, but, rather usefully, my ACSL (soon to be temporary CSL) is doing her training and going for a camp permit next year, so she'll have to do the paperwork for camp, while I will just have to turn up and cook for everyone!
Which, erm.... well... the less said the better!!
Monday, 1 December 2008
A couple of camp photos.
The 18 lb bird that was cooked for 6 hours and sliced until 2am.Tim: That's a massive bird
Sarah: 18lb!
Tim: Was it free range?
Sarah: Well, put it this way. I wouldn't have argued with it!
I meet Henry. A genuine honour.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Camp
Two weeks ago at this moment, we were locking up the indoor complex after another memorable weekend camp.
I arrived on Friday night and we enjoyed pizza and pie before children inevitably turned up early. As they slowly arrived, they were directed to their rooms (labelled up previously by me with pens on door whiteboards). After 'the rules' and a fire drill, they played, making an unholy noise in the Tidey Cabin and then we took them out for some wide games. Then it was soup or chocolate and bed!
That night was filled with Uno and lots of telling a certain room to shut it, but thankfully it provided us with some "washer-uppers" for the next day (as they tend to be known).
The next day I woke early and beat a certain leader to the shower (not easy), and the Cubs started Kit layouts. After training another leader how to inspect them, it was quite easy. The only thing of note was the discovery of crumbs in a new Cub's bed. Apparently his parents had supplied him with Jaffa Cakes for 'the midnight feast'. Thankfully the risk of choking in his bed had not come about. After breakfast, I ran my activity, which despite me having forgotten to bring some items (it was a manic 2 weeks or so), went well. Children had to risk assess, do compass work, travel round the assault course with balloons and crack lots of anagrams and codes.
Oh yes, by the way, as well as the 30 Cubs and 13 Scouts present, we were joined by 9 Beavers for the day, and with adults this meant over 60 mouths to feed at lunchtime with the biggest Turkey ('Chicken' officially as children wouldn't eat Turkey) you ever did see.
After lunch was tuck shop and the biggest queue, even the people running it were exhausted afterwards (they were quite old though).
In the afternoon, 2 scary clowns came and did magic and made animal balloons. Then we were given the honour of a visit by Henry Allingham, the oldest man in Europe and one of 3 remaining World War One veterans. He was invested into our group, had lots of photos taken and told us all how he had always wanted to be a Scout, but his parents couldn't afford the Uniform.
Then he joined us for our campfire, during which it was exposed that I couldn't count, missing out 4 and 6 in the pirate ship song.
After this, he went, and so did the beavers. Then we had a disco, including a violent hokey cokey in which several cildren were injured and an out of control conga into all parts of the building. Two runs of 'Big Fish Little Fish' made the night complete.
Utterly shattered, the Cubs went to bed more quietly, and we stayed up until 1 playing Uno, and then 3 of us stayed up til 4am chatting about the meaning of life, laughing joking and posing for amusing photos with Henry the Hoover. I woke my room mate up as I dropped my UNO tin upon entering the room, then I lay down for 3 and a half hours sleep.
Next day we packed, had scoutsown and then played apple bobbing with sweets in the flour. It never ceases to amaze me how children LOVE to get wet and messy, even on a field on a freezing cold morning. Particular sympathies to those boys with long hair who came off rather wetter and messier than most. Thankfully, the parents saw the funny side later on when they collected them.
Free Time and an Iffits lunch was followed by packing, cleaning and leaving. A great weekend, very tiring but lots of fun!
I arrived on Friday night and we enjoyed pizza and pie before children inevitably turned up early. As they slowly arrived, they were directed to their rooms (labelled up previously by me with pens on door whiteboards). After 'the rules' and a fire drill, they played, making an unholy noise in the Tidey Cabin and then we took them out for some wide games. Then it was soup or chocolate and bed!
That night was filled with Uno and lots of telling a certain room to shut it, but thankfully it provided us with some "washer-uppers" for the next day (as they tend to be known).
The next day I woke early and beat a certain leader to the shower (not easy), and the Cubs started Kit layouts. After training another leader how to inspect them, it was quite easy. The only thing of note was the discovery of crumbs in a new Cub's bed. Apparently his parents had supplied him with Jaffa Cakes for 'the midnight feast'. Thankfully the risk of choking in his bed had not come about. After breakfast, I ran my activity, which despite me having forgotten to bring some items (it was a manic 2 weeks or so), went well. Children had to risk assess, do compass work, travel round the assault course with balloons and crack lots of anagrams and codes.
Oh yes, by the way, as well as the 30 Cubs and 13 Scouts present, we were joined by 9 Beavers for the day, and with adults this meant over 60 mouths to feed at lunchtime with the biggest Turkey ('Chicken' officially as children wouldn't eat Turkey) you ever did see.
After lunch was tuck shop and the biggest queue, even the people running it were exhausted afterwards (they were quite old though).
In the afternoon, 2 scary clowns came and did magic and made animal balloons. Then we were given the honour of a visit by Henry Allingham, the oldest man in Europe and one of 3 remaining World War One veterans. He was invested into our group, had lots of photos taken and told us all how he had always wanted to be a Scout, but his parents couldn't afford the Uniform.
Then he joined us for our campfire, during which it was exposed that I couldn't count, missing out 4 and 6 in the pirate ship song.
After this, he went, and so did the beavers. Then we had a disco, including a violent hokey cokey in which several cildren were injured and an out of control conga into all parts of the building. Two runs of 'Big Fish Little Fish' made the night complete.
Utterly shattered, the Cubs went to bed more quietly, and we stayed up until 1 playing Uno, and then 3 of us stayed up til 4am chatting about the meaning of life, laughing joking and posing for amusing photos with Henry the Hoover. I woke my room mate up as I dropped my UNO tin upon entering the room, then I lay down for 3 and a half hours sleep.
Next day we packed, had scoutsown and then played apple bobbing with sweets in the flour. It never ceases to amaze me how children LOVE to get wet and messy, even on a field on a freezing cold morning. Particular sympathies to those boys with long hair who came off rather wetter and messier than most. Thankfully, the parents saw the funny side later on when they collected them.
Free Time and an Iffits lunch was followed by packing, cleaning and leaving. A great weekend, very tiring but lots of fun!
Saturday, 8 November 2008
Record numbers...
We have a record number of 30 Cubs attending weekend camp next weekend. Quite an overwhelming thought actually. Going to be a massive undertaking, but we also have the largest number of leaders we've had for a while too, so hopefully it'll be fine. The bunkhouse will be packed to the rafters, and there's no way I am checking 30 kit layouts on Saturday morning!
Should be a great weekend with treasure hunts, challenges, a magician, a high tea, presentations, a campfire, disco and apple bobbing planned!
Should be a busy, manic, busy and messy weekend. Bring it on!
Should be a great weekend with treasure hunts, challenges, a magician, a high tea, presentations, a campfire, disco and apple bobbing planned!
Should be a busy, manic, busy and messy weekend. Bring it on!
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Pavilion Trip
Our half-term trip to the Pavilion went off really well. 19 Cubs (who all completed their Local Knowledge badge as a result of the trip; good thing as I only ordered 20), 1 beaver and 1 scout (both siblings of Cubs whose parents were coming).
We started with photos in Castle square during which everyone tried to "bunny ears" someone and probably got "bunny ears-ed" as well, including yours truly behind the camera which made for some good laughing and happy expressions on their faces. One child in one photo did look though as if he were trying to do a very big poo.
Our tour guide was an apparently stern German lady who was actually very good with children. Highlights included a discussion of the properties of bamboo against cast iron, an encouragement to shout 'John Nash' loudly in the music room so that they'd remember the name of the legendary architect (I winced as some of the children said 'John Gnasher? Isn't Gnasher that dog from the Beano?'). Also, lying on our backs in the music room so that we could appreciate the ceiling and being told in the drawing room about the stuff they plastered on their faces, early forms of make-up.
The gift shop provided a whole menagerie of temptations, some parents opting not to provide any funds ("I think we can cope without a pencil" being the cry from one more cynical parent!)
However, enough pencils, bouncy balls and bizarre bracelets with 'lucky coins' on them were purchased to keep the Pavilion shop away from the effects of the credit crunch for now.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Half Term already
I can't believe this first half term has flown by so quickly. It has been a strange one for our pack, with 9 new Cubs starting, with only one coming up from the Beaver section. Of the 8 from outside, two decided it wasn't for them after a couple of weeks, which is not unusual. Cubs won't be for everyone.
But it has meant lots of introductions, (as these new people seem to come on a weekly basis!), and lots of investing.
Coming up in November, we have our Group camp at Parkwood near Poynings. So far, most (or at least half) of the Cubs coming are first timers. There are still about 12 Cubs I haven't heard from - I hope they are coming, but if they do come, we'll have about 28, which is by far the most I've ever taken away!
I expect about 25 realistically, which is still brilliant. I have a good leader team as well, with Beaver leaders accompanying us as Beavers are coming up all day Saturday. It should be a good weekend, but more on that in a future post.
As it is half term, we're not meeting (Halloween falls this week, so we can avoid any pressure to do a Halloween night (which I am thoroughly against.) However, we are going on a trip to the Royal Pavilion this Thursday afternoon, with a tour guide to take us round. My assistant leader has been organising this, so I don't know names, numbers or anything. I can just turn up. Quite a freeing but also unusual experience for me!
As for anything amusing recently... hmmm I don't know. Camps often bring amusing stories (like the ready buttered bread from back in the Summer).
Anyway, I must sign off. I have lesson planning, job applying and some Scout Training work to do today. Miserable weather, so a good opportunity to knuckle down. Toodle pip.
But it has meant lots of introductions, (as these new people seem to come on a weekly basis!), and lots of investing.
Coming up in November, we have our Group camp at Parkwood near Poynings. So far, most (or at least half) of the Cubs coming are first timers. There are still about 12 Cubs I haven't heard from - I hope they are coming, but if they do come, we'll have about 28, which is by far the most I've ever taken away!
I expect about 25 realistically, which is still brilliant. I have a good leader team as well, with Beaver leaders accompanying us as Beavers are coming up all day Saturday. It should be a good weekend, but more on that in a future post.
As it is half term, we're not meeting (Halloween falls this week, so we can avoid any pressure to do a Halloween night (which I am thoroughly against.) However, we are going on a trip to the Royal Pavilion this Thursday afternoon, with a tour guide to take us round. My assistant leader has been organising this, so I don't know names, numbers or anything. I can just turn up. Quite a freeing but also unusual experience for me!
As for anything amusing recently... hmmm I don't know. Camps often bring amusing stories (like the ready buttered bread from back in the Summer).
Anyway, I must sign off. I have lesson planning, job applying and some Scout Training work to do today. Miserable weather, so a good opportunity to knuckle down. Toodle pip.
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