Summer Camp #4 for TiderinMiss and Son of TiderinMiss

Whew!

Me and my son have been camping together for over six years. This was our fourth summer camp since he crossed over from cub to boy scouts.

That was the hottest and driest summer camp I've ever been to. We hit the century mark twice.

I went running today, and it was the coolest run I've had in over a week. The temp was only 92 degrees. That's cool compared to the tripple digits we've been having.

Suprisingly, everything went pretty well. Our little screamer only woke us up one night (I figured our scoutmaster wasn't going to put up with that) and the boys had fun and for the most part, got along really well. They did a great job singing the national anthem for the closing campfire and my son learned "Amazing Grace" in Cherokee.





Chapel by the lake where Vespers is held.



Speaking of the little screamer, he behaved for the most part. However, he didn't dissapoint me. At least it was the last day, about three hours before we were to leave to go home.

On Friday's, the parents come down to feed the boys a special supper, usually picking up fast food from the nearest town (in this case, Hazlehurst, which is about 12 miles from camp). Just a couple of kids weren't having parents to come down, so I took up orders and got ready to go to Burger King to pick up their supper.

As I appoached the boy's side of the camp (youth on one side of the campsite, adult leaders the other side), I saw my son yelling at Little Screamer (that's my new native name for him). Little Screamer then appeared, running with my brand new camping chair and throwing it at this other scout.

I asked my son what happened. He said they were sitting in my new camping chair (It's nice. Has a built-in cooler on one arm, and is nice and firm to sit on). Little screamer was sitting in it, and this other boy's turn was next. When Little Screamer refused to get up, the other boy started rocking the chair, and Little Screamer threw a fit, hurling my chair at the boy and chased him through the woods.

After things calmed down, I finished taking orders, got back with the food, and sat down to eat (Little Screamer had already eaten by this time. His parents brought him pizza).

I unwrap my Whopper and about to put it in my mouth, when Little Screamer comes to me and says "that boy is sitting in your chair".

Okay. Mouth agape, I lost it. Friday afternoon. 100 degrees. Tired. Hungry. Starving.

"Let me tell YOU something...you better not say ANYTHING else about that chair! You've already eaten, and I'm going to eat my supper. Sit down. Shut up. And, don't say another word! Stay...away...from MY chair!"

"Yes, sir".

I got "yes, sir's" the rest of the evening from the other scouts...and parents.

Aside from that story, things turned out well. My son is on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout, and I know I'll look back on these moments one day and really miss them.





Our campsite.