Camporee

Not a lot of sewing went on this week. I did finish the block for buttons and bowties and got several more happy blocks put together. Most of the week was spent getting ready for Camporee. Our troop took 8 girls for one night of camping and a full day of outdoor fun. We started the day with canoeing followed by crafts, track and field events, archery and engineering (building things with spaghetti and marshmallows). The day ended with outdoor cooking, a dance party and the obligatory campfire songs.

Sydney's Daisy troop came for the day, and because she was on the same rotation as our troop, I got to at least see her events as well. She really wants to camp out, but it wouldn't be fair to our troop to have siblings tagging along. We'll have to try a family camping trip soon so she can sleep in a real tent in the woods.

The girls have been doing this for three years now and are getting pretty good at it. They know how to set up a tent, organize a campsite and practice "leave no trace" camping. Our new skills this year included using matches, outdoor cooking and washing dishes outside. We even made an outdoor hand washing station out of an old laundry detergent bottle, a pantyhose leg and a bar of soap.

They badly wanted to spend two nights camping, but I'm not sure we are quite ready yet. Miss Sheila was a true godsend. The mom who had volunteered to help out was busy for most of the day and there was no way I could have handled it all alone. She is so patient with the girls, and always ready to offer a solution or a helping hand.

Everyone went home on Sunday filthy dirty and exhausted, but after a long hot shower and a nice long nap, all was well again. I keep telling myself how good it is for the girls to learn these skills and gain independence and self confidence. It is such a small window of time that they are interested and willing to participate. By the time they get to junior high and high school most of them will want to move on. I am glad I get to have them now while they are still eager and willing.

Today was back to work again. We're studying solutions in Chemistry and blood spatter patterns in Forensic Science. They managed somehow to spatter fake blood all over the room and still leave it shiny clean at the end of the period. I was amazed! I found out I'll be teaching Anatomy, Chemistry and Biology next year. Best of all -- for the first time in 6 years, I'll have my own classroom! I'm so excited! I will be able to unpack my cart and settle in. I'm going to get a stapler and a roll of tape and have a proper in-basket. For once, when someone asks to sharpen a pencil, I'll know where to send them. I'm a little sad to loose the Forensic Science, but I think it will come back again later.
I hope everyone had a good weekend. I'm sure lots of good quilty fun happened while I was playing in the dirt.