A wants to keep going to her old troop at the old school.  Unfortunately, the leader - who is a tad flaky in a fun way - didn't email A about a Girl Scout pool party.  Except maybe A had a old email account.  Anyway, there was no one there except the Boy Scout troop 1212 that meets at the same time.  (The girl scouts was really set up to keep the girls busy.)

Anyhoo, we got there and Audrey ran up to see if anyone was around just as a thunderstorm came in.  I cowered in the car like the brave dad that I am.  I assumed A was in the meeting and I'd wait and walk up in if I got bored.

Then as the rain really starts to pound I see A coming back!  she got in the car and she told me no one was there.  I called P and told her.  She said the leader ofter wanders in very late.  So I decided to wait until a few minutes after the meeting was supposed to start before bailing.

By the time I was going to bail, the storm let up.  there was this magical pinkish glow and everything was wet and smelled good.  I decided we should walk around and get something out of the drive to/from.  So A and I walked the perimeter of the parking lot looking at the raging storm streams, marveling at vines practically pulling phone lines down.  We climbed down an embankment to watch water charge out of a storm pipe.  We smelled these Mimosa flowers (big trees - the leaves were folded tight). I like the way they smell.

We went around to a path that leads to a campfire area built by the Boy Scouts.  It leads across a stream.  A told me about a dog that had been shot and was tied to a tree near there.  Being somewhat morbid we looked for it.  Someone must have cleared it or scavengers got it - perhaps for the better ;-).

We found an Altoids tin with a rubber band around it as we were wandering the campfire area.  To me, it had the 'look' about it.  Sure enough, there was a small homemade pipe - wood with tape around it.  A 'resinous' smell wafted upwards.  Perhaps the Boy Scout wood carving badge has changed since I did it ;-P.  OK, Prolly not.

Anyway, after completing our survey of the campfire area we walked along the bank of the stream looking at the wet world and all the plants and the stream.  The bank is about 8 feet above the stream and drops right off.  A bravely bounded along the edge with her usual courage.  I mined along behind.  We marveled at shopping carts and pristine nature by turns.

We headed on back to the car.  We headed North to the homestead.  The sky was pink and luminous and the drive was peaceful.

I was good to get to hang out with A.  Seems like I don't get many chances to do that.

Tags: scouting
Current Location: New Hope Academy
Current Mood: cheerful

Meme time.


This is from pagandelight.

Tags: meme
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Mood: amused

Ben and I survived a whole week at Cub Scout Day Camp.  Actually, it was unseasonably cool - in the 80's.  This beat last year where the first day was 104 and the whole week was around 100.  The program was a lot tighter this year too.  there was more to do and things went more smoothly.  It was at Bowie State which is like a largish high school ( and possibly not far above HS in level... Ahem).  But the campus is beautiful - a lake nearby and trees for miles.

Ben had a good time and earned a lot of stuff.  He's a Bear now.  I had a good time too.  They mixed us in with two other Packs - 1673 from Glenarden Baptist and some pack from DC.  The guy walking 1673, Tom, is someone I've worked with in Scouts before.  We trades war stories and hung out.  There are a lot of good leaders and parents in Scouts.

One high point is Ben really did better on all fronts - behavior, shooting sports, artwork.  I keep forgetting what a difference a year makes.  It was that way with the girls too but I forget.  Sometimes I want to strangle the little bugger.  He got a bulls eye in Archery and went on to earn a Archery pin (an award for learning lots of stuff.)  He actually absorbed a lot more than some older kids which I have to admit surprised me a little bit (on both ends).  He got two bulls eyes in BB shooting and got the pin for BBs too.

For the gun nuts out there I learned a few things about air gun trivia.  Air guns are old - 157x or so!!!  Blew me away.  The air guns actually competed with muzzle loaders seriously there for a while.  The had better accuracy and were repeaters.  Maybe the muzzle loaders were cheaper and easier to produce (not hard to believe).  Some of our founding fathers had high caliber air guns.  Or maybe the high (.44) caliber air guns suffered some political procurement setback (not hard to believe that either).  I wonder what technologies we're pissing away as we speak.  So BB guns are sort of a trivialized version of some really cool stuff.

I walked between 15000 and 22000 steps a day for the week.  I didn't loose that week but I think I'm going to do OK this week.  There seems to be a week lag between behavior change and results in weight battles.

Peace.

Tags: guns, scouting
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Mood: chipper

We finally got the old place on the market.

Here is the listing.

The house looks really good.

Now if the house doesn't wash away during our god damned monsoon season we'll be good.  I used to love the rain.  Then I bought a house.  I think I have the leak and drainage issues worked out but every time those thunderstorms come in I really get down in the dumps.

We still have some mulching to do and we'll have to keep it tidy and mow the lawn - but we're really up and running!

What a relief.

All it takes is one buyer.

hopehopehopehopehopehopehopehopehopehope...

Tags: moving
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: Mr. Knowitall by Primus

I went to the old house to resume cleaning.  I was really beat and bummed for work reasons I'll explain below.  Basically, I mostly went to see if the house washed away.

We are in the fscking monsoon season around here.  I've worked really hard on drainage but still.  Anyway, tere was sone water.  I think it spilled over the gutters (I need to get that guy to clean them) and under the back door.  I also need to outdoor caulk across the outside sill on that door.

It occurred to me: I used to love the rain.  The sound, the smell, the new life...  Then I bought a house.  Welcome to the fucking Terror Dome.  When it rains I think of all the stuff that's being destroyed.  One of the upsides to renting is that I like rain again.  It's all someone else's problem now.

So I did a couple hours of cleaning and packed it in when it was still light - 8:30 or so.

I was driving up 29 and saw that I had to get gas.  I wove all over looking for gas.  I pulled to the left lane for a Shell station - $3.91 Then I saw an Exxon at $3.85 on the other side a short distance away.  So I was sitting at the front of the intersection at a red light - a stale red light.  I backed up and got two lanes over.  If I were more of a pig I could have gotten all the way over because the lanes were basically empty.  I was able to cross three more lanes easily.

So I got my gas and headed out.

Then it dawned on me.  There were no cars.  I should not have been able to *think* about crossing any lanes at a red light.  Normally, PG county is a savage mosh pit until well after dark.  There should have been at least 5 cars deep in all 5 lanes.  Then I realized that my drive to the old house during rush our was mellow.

Ladies and Gentlemen: This $4 gas is really starting to bite.  Hard.

About work.  We just got reorged.  Basically the whole business unit was denoted a level in the hierarchy from "Group" to "Operation".  Work that we were hoping fore didn't come in so we got paired with another group in Denver.  Basically, the worker bees like me are all OK.  We eliminated managers and support staff.  My Division was hit pretty hard: One contract lady, a secretary, my boss and his boss.  There were 8 people out of about 80 that got whacked.  Out Group Vice President Rick got whacked two weeks earlier.  Gary, our new boss assured us this was it.  They did it quick like they say you should.  All this is after my homie Paul got whacked a month ago.

It needed to happen.  There were just too many people on overhead and too fscking many managers.  I've long felt that I was a thin layer of grease under a thick slab of Baby Boomers.  But still it sucks.  There is a palpable sense that all the history and culture of this group through the decades is really and truly gone.  This group held a contract for 40 years (lost 2 years ago).  That was arguably too long but there was a weird loyalty, institutional memory, and people who stayed for 20, 25, 30 years.  That was a fairy bubble in this world.  Now it got thin and popped.

We kind of held on for these last 2 years or so through two moves trying to regrow into our old style with some modest changes.  Didn't work.

*sigh*

Now maybe I can get a raise.

I found out who I'm working for.  I like the guy.  Ex NSA Prowler officer in Europe.  I've rubbed shoulders with him before.

Dan, I guy who I've struggled with before but have since gotten to really like is shuffled to a different group.  It's not like we're on different planets though.  We'll probably still do lunch and I'd like his input on my skunkworks projects.

Later.

Tags: moving, work
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Mood: melancholy

We (Me A, and B) went to Catoctin State Park with Jenny and Heather and Ethan.

The triip didn't start out too well: Butterbutt escaped and it took a good hour or more to find her.  Audrey was missing to and we were worried.  After we got everyone back eoma_p was to mad and stressed to come with us.  She and lady_daegonna who was feeling sickly and had HW to do stayed home.  I think they got to mellow out a bit.

We got there after dark and drove all over looking for H & J.  Finally, eoma_p got hold of us on the cell (spotty coverage) and we got hooked up with H & J who helped us pitch our brand new tent (all our camping stuff is in storage).  eoma_p got us four new sleeping bags (our old ones were in tatters anyway.  We opted for summer 30-50 types.

Unfortunately, it was rather cold that first night.  It had to be in the 40s which meant everyone was pretty cold.  H & J decided they would bail after the first night.  We did all go hike near the falls though.

We took a mellow hike near the falls.  Then B and A went up (like lots of folks) up the falls hopping from rock to rock.  They got higher than everyone else.  B and especially A are extremely brave.  I was freaking out a little bit.  A lost a jacket over the falls.  But in spite of my panic everyone got down safely.

After that, we bid goodbye to H & J & E.

We decided to tough out another night.  We sort of waited to see how cold it was getting.  We started a nice fire and cooked some food (another badge requirement for B ;-)).  I'm glad we stayed because the night turned out nice.

We got up leisurely, had some cereal and headed back.

It was a good weekend.  I just wish the other half could have made it.

We'll try again.

Tags: camping
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

We had a camp out at the old school where we meet (and the kids used to go to school).  It was a little stressful getting it together since eoma_p is whooping it up in TN and TX and it was 3 against 1.  But after feeding everyone Friday I pulled the bit of camping stuff - 2 sleeping bags and an old tent - that hadn't been packed up and headed out.  The traffic seemed zany and we were late but we got there alive.

Having a campsite right next to a bathroom and a building is great for cubs in case someone gets scared or there is real inclement weather.  Luckily, none of that happened - it was perfect weather in fact.

There is a decent forested area around the school.  The troop (1212) made a little camping area that's pretty nice.  We wound up with 5 parents and about 12 kids.  We cooked, did skits and stunts and ate marshmallows and hotdogs and burgers.  It was a good time.  It was good to get out of the school and do something after this interminable winter.

This really begins the best part of the program.  Fall really sucks because a lot of kids play hoops or football.  Spring is a little better because we have the pine wood derby.

Here's to the unofficial scout motto:

  "No Child Left Inside!"

Tags: camping, scouting
Current Location: New Apartment

Well, P was sick with this cold going around over the weekend.  The girls also got it Monday.

Finally I got it Monday evening.  It started with a scratchy throat, then coughing, then congestion.  I might have a low grade fever too.  I haven't felt this bad in a real long time.

P is going to postpone her trip to see Evy in TN.  Everyone is pretty trashed.


On a better note, the old house looks good.  We got the floors redone.  We also did a lot in the yard - weeding and grass seeding and throwing stuff out.  Hay, maybe that's what made me sick ;-)


B is avoiding his bath.  I'll go beat him like a rented mule =o)

Tags: moving, sick
Current Location: New Apartment
Current Music: Helmet