[Bsa-troop85] Camp Tom Hale Update #2

[David Harder]

Well, it's been an exciting and fun day.  Biscuits and gravy for breakfast.  Along with gallons of juice and chocolate milk.  Get 'em started early with the sugar rush!
I think Chapel went better today.  No one got sick in the middle of my talk.  At least, not that I noticed. And, no one fell asleep which all preachers will tell you is an accomplishment.  Abraham Lincoln once commented about people falling asleep in church.  He said, "If you laid out all the people who fell asleep, during every Sunday church service in America, end-to-end-to-end...they would be a lot more comfortable."
Last night we had our own campfire.  No dramatic interpretations of water molecules for us.  Instead we were serenaded by the impromptu "Camp Hale Blues."  I came in a little late so I may have missed a lot, but what I heard were extemporary lyrics generated by scouts as Paul Marsh played a blues riff on the guitar.  Things like, "I went to the shooting range...dropped my gun...the gun went off...and shot me in the bum.  Oh I got the Camp Hale Blues"  We also got to hear some fine guitar playing by Davis and Reese, who can both really play guitar.  But it was hard to hear them and I don't think the other scouts appreciated their true talent because what the other boys really wanted to hear them play was silly You Tube videos...which is hard to do on a guitar by a campfire.
Meanwhile...Jonah continues to demonstrate to us what true capitalism is all about.  Today alone he took in $90 worth of orders for his para-cord bracelets.  In a marketing coup/serendipitous alignment of circumstances, his para-cord bracelets also have a flint striker (to spark fires).  And...he is in wilderness survival class.  Do you know what they need to do for Wilderness Survival Merit Badge?  That's right...make fires from sparks!  Fortunately, Jonah was right there to provide his classmates what they need...for a price.  We may all be getting loans from him in the future.  And he  has nearly finished his Salesmanship Merit Badge.  Literally.  It's not offered at camp, but his dad looked up the requirements.  Requirements include  making a budget, looking at your cost accounting, hiring inexpensive under-age workers.   When I asked him how it was going he laughed maniacally and said "very good."  He's already planning world domination.  Like Google.
In other news...Wynne Marsh did us a huge favor by sending us a care package of mustaches.  See the attached photos.  This was a wonderful gesture because it enables us to eat first.  How, you ask?  Well, every night after the flag ceremony the camp director calls the senior patrol leaders to the flag pole and asks them things to determine which troop gets to eat first.  This is important at camp.  Because if you don't get in one of the early groups to eat at the mess hall you A)have to stand in the sun for a long time as your belly rumbles and wonders what you are doing at camp anyhow waiting to eat behind 300 ravenous boys and B)if you are at the back of the line you will have just sat down to eat your food when they will scream out the opportunity to join the mad mob-like dash for seconds.  But, if you get in early, you can leisurely get your food, and have it mostly eaten by the time you need to get up and attempt to elbow your way through the stampede of scouts rushing for seconds on goulash.
Anyhow, we had, until recently, a fairly good run at getting in early. Davis is our Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and Ryan is the Asst. Sr. Patrol Leader (ASPL).  "Which SPL/ASPL has a water bottle?" was the question one night.  Check.  Davis had that.  "Which SPL has red hair?" Check, Davis had that.  So two meals in a row we were right up front.  But when it came time to play "rock, paper, scissors" to go eat early...well, let's just say it's not Davis' best game.  We were at the back of the line.  No seconds for me.  

But tonight, due to the brilliance of one mother tying to curry favor with her son by sending him a creative care package, we got in line first.  "Which SPL is dressed like a pirate?"  Argggg, that would only be the ASPL from Troop 85!  We were the very first in line tonight.  Extra goulash for everyone! (in Troop 85 that is).  

Others received care packages (Max and Trey I think).  And John got two wonderful cards from his family.  Of course, it's hard to send lots of candy in a card which prompted John to say, "They probably say I love you."  But trust me, he and others are getting plenty of sugary things to eat.

So, things went well today.  Brennen and Colton both qualified for shotgun, which is tricky (you have to hit 12 out of 25 flying things).  Trey is working hard at getting his archery merit badge--reportedly the toughest in camp (it's amazing our ancestors survived by shooting things with a string and a stick), and others are busy tying knots, floating on various devices, preparing to go on a wilderness survival campout tomorrow (they will do find due to Jonah's survival bracelets), climbing walls, etc.  The pictures tell more.  

I've got to go now.  I'm running low on money and need to talk to Jonah about a loan.
YIS
--David for Paul and Jeremy


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