Weekend Column – “All In A Week”

Jun 23, 2014 by winjaw

I survived yet another Boy Scout camp. And not only did I survive, but so did the three SONS of Thunder. Well, to some degree or another, but more on that later.

This was the first time all four of us went to camp together, and the first for Youngest. We were in the north Georgia mountains, which helped with the heat. As everyone knows, all BSA camps are situated in various Death Valley locales.

These camps all have another thing in common – the food. I say food because we eat in a dining hall and that’s the easiest way to refer to the various smorgasbords of epicurious disasters.

First night was chicken quarters cooked in some vat of something. I did not know you could screw up chicken, but there’s a merit badge for that. One morning we had what was called waffles. Another dad referred to it as hardtack – from the Civil War.

The only thing going for the camp was that it had a couple of those soft-serve ice cream machines. Those machines got their workout, and probably covered about half the staff’s payroll.

Now, the SONS are about as different as can be. And it showed at camp. Eldest is pretty much Davy Crockett when it comes to the outdoors. He sleeps in a hammock, can cook a mean meal over coals and start a fire with water.

Youngest pretty much goes with the flow. “Hey, want to walk across America?” He’ll look at you for a second and then, “Sure, why not?”

Middle knows his boundaries. By that I mean he knows what he likes and doesn’t. And if he doesn’t, well, think of the cliched stubborn mule. And what he doesn’t like are spiders and thunderstorms.

We each have our issues. For me, it’s clowns. I have no trust in someone with a perpetual smile painted on their faces.

It’s midweek at camp and I am leaving to pick up the Little Black Dress, who’s been out of town for more than a week serving as chaplain for the Miss Oklahoma pageant.

Milk Dairy products have been associated with increased risks of prostatic best price for tadalafil adenocarcinoma. Avoiding occurrence of serious consequences There are two types solboards.com viagra 50 mg of maintenance: reactive maintenance and preventive maintenance. Recent observations Although the use of motor neuron disease stem cell therapy MND may be eventually possible, the general belief among scientists is that research is not viagra price canada solboards.com yet advanced in this field. solboards.com cialis samples Moreover, this herb stimulates the elimination of toxins from every cell in your body. And Middle SON is determined to go home with me. There are reports of thunderstorms for the rest of the week. I try everything in the book, to no avail. “You’ll have fun, think of all the badges you’ll earn, all your friends are here, your brothers are here, blah, blah, blah.” Ain’t happening.

So I finally do what any self-respecting parent would do. I offered a bribe. Basically, finish this camp out and he doesn’t have to go again. He pauses, puts out his hand and we shake.

I leave and, of course, that night they have the worst thunderstorm in recent history. And more follow every night. I get a text from another dad saying that during one storm, Middle went outside, threw off his shirt, raised his hands and did some war whoop or something. And I smiled, because he conquered his fears. And I was proud of him.

The night before, we were going back to pick up the SONS and the phone rings. It’s the camp. Seems Youngest SON has caught something and was vomiting. And wouldn’t stop. I say vomiting, but I later learned it was power booting of biblical proportions. Fortunately, they called back around midnight and said he had stopped.

The nurses let him go back to his campsite, but he was “quarantined” until we got there.

So The Dress and I arrive and get a complete – literally – blow by blow of what transpired. Middle took on the storms, Youngest showed us where the power booting started and where it ended – at the medical center. Eldest proudly showed us a photo he took of Youngest on a bed puking into a bucket.

Yeah, all good. And it’s time to head home with the clan. But, minus one. Eldest has somehow gotten himself a job working the next few weeks as a staff member at camp.

And I smile again. Eldest has his first job. Middle conquered his fears. And Youngest is now hungry.

All in a week at camp