Category Archives: Scouting

Halftime, my second half

Wednesday, July 11, 2012, @ 10:29 amcountry, Family, jobs, Life in General, pets, Reading, Scouting, sports, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, fitness, football, girls softball, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, second half, seventh grade, sports, Summer Vacation, super bowl commercials, teaching, writingClay

Today is the fortieth day of my summer vacation. Unlike Phineas and Ferb – who live world of a hundred and four days of summer vacation, mine ebbs and flows depending on the school district’s calendar. This year summer break is eighty days long, last year summer break was seventy days and the year I began Making the Days Count dot org, it was eighty-two days. Today, I am in the first half of summer vacation and when tomorrow comes, it will be the first day of the second half and the countdown to the first day of school will be on.

I am home for a few more days, O’s team won their game last night in an 18-9 win, the girls played well Continue reading Halftime, my second half →

Lying low…

Monday, July 2, 2012, @ 9:54 amadventure, Cooking, Family, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, Family, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

us2_lake_michigan — hugging Lake Michigan’s northern shore on US 2

Sometimes it is good to slow down, now is one of those times. William and I rolled out of summer camp Saturday morning about a quarter to eleven, Wisconsin time and pointed the Tahoe north, then east, then south. It’s a long drive through forests, over hills, along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and across the Mackinac Bridge down to the cottage. William slept while I drove; he needed the sleep, I did, too, but I could wait, I’d have to wait. Continue reading Lying low… →

Thursday’s camp update

Friday, June 29, 2012, @ 12:46 pmadventure, country, Family, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, reading, scouting, Summer Vacation, weather, writingClay

Troop 35 begins Thursday with the Flag Ceremony

I have been blogging all week from Troop 35’s spot on the web – Wheaton Troop 35 dot org, chronicling the troop’s adventures for the folks back home. I have been writing and I’ve had help with the photos from the other assistant scoutmasters. It is great to be part of such a wonderful team, I know the scouts can feel it, too. Below is today’s post to save you time. Today is truly gonna be a great day. Making the Days Count from Scout Camp, one day at a time! Continue reading Thursday’s camp update →

Summer Camp 2012 update

Monday, June 25, 2012, @ 11:50 pmadventure, country, Family, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, scouting, seventh grade, sports, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

leaves_of_three — Leaves of three, leave it be – poison ivy!

I am at summer camp with the Boy Scouts this week. We are at camp Tesomas in northern Wisconsin, not far from the UP (Upper Peninsula) and it is truly the north woods. It is good to get away; no, it is wonderful to be a boy all over again. This place takes me back in time, when I could play, and run, and swim, and fish, and just be outside.

I missed my Monday post, and Sunday post, too. I am blogging, but at a different location – I posted a short MtDC (Making the Days Count) with pictures this morning at the troop site – it is Wheaton Troop 35, please follow the link. The past two years I blogged and shared MtDC with the parents, this year I am blogging at the troop site. I had hoped to be able to do both the troop site and blog here, too – but I am realizing that it is difficult to keep up, so I’ll do what I can and keep you updated, via short posts with a link to see the troop post. Continue reading Summer Camp 2012 update →

Feet dragging and other time wasters!

Saturday, June 23, 2012, @ 8:28 amadventure, Family, jobs, Reading, Scouting, teaching, travel, Weather, WritingCamp Tesomas, Family, great days, making the days count, reading, scout camp, scouting, summer camp, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

I have been dragging my feet, to those who know me well, it isn’t a surprise at all; however, to those who don’t it is perplexing and perhaps even frustrating, and to those who know me well it is frustrating and they’re resigned to the fact that it is just the way I am. It is the day before camp and I need to pack and finish a multitude of other need to do tasks and all through the house…. Continue reading Feet dragging and other time wasters! →

Summer Doldrums

Tuesday, June 19, 2012, @ 7:30 amadventure, Family, jobs, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Writingchildren, education, exercise, Family, fitness, Guys Read, hard work, making the days count, reading, scouting, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

The doldrums, it is the time after school has let loose and the time for camp and action. I started writing a post Saturday morning, but didn’t finish, Father’s day came and went, then Monday, too. It seems as if I am busier now than when school was in session. Trying to keep my focus has been a challenge. I find myself drifting when I should be sailing strong. Continue reading Summer Doldrums →

Next stop, High School

Wednesday, June 6, 2012, @ 11:37 amadventure, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, reading, scouting, seventh grade, Sugar land Junior High Class of 1976, Summer Vacation, writingClay

I remember it like it was yesterday. I can close my eyes and see my classmates around me crossing the stage as we waited in the lunchroom for the ceremony to be over so we could bust out the door and summer could start. That was thirty-six years ago and last night I sat in the gym watching the same event from my parent’s eyes, except I wasn’t crossing the stage, William was. Continue reading Next stop, High School →

Late morning, Saturday…

Saturday, May 12, 2012, @ 11:26 amadventure, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, eating, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, Paris, reading, scouting, seventh grade, teaching, writingClay

It had been a long week, made even longer by the antics of a handful of students and I was looking forward to getting home Friday afternoon, but it was evening when I got home Friday night. William was mowing the grass, Beth was working in the yard weeding, and I felt guilty for not wanting to jump in and help. But, not guilty enough to jump in and help. Besides, I figured I’d get busy on Saturday and do some chores, like the gutters – which are full of maple, elm, and other tree seeds. Continue reading Late morning, Saturday… →

Winding Down

Thursday, May 10, 2012, @ 5:31 amFamily, jobs, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Writingchildren, education, exercise, fishing, fitness, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

: Courtesy of FineArtAmerica.com

It is Teacher Appreciation Week and I am feeling appreciated. More importantly, I am grateful for the teachers I had who shaped me through their lessons, stories, patience, and passion. Thank you to, and in no particular order, Atlee, Guinn, Wright, Giesberg, Clark, Shand, and Gilbert. I know there were more, but it’s early and I am thinking and writing. I am also grateful to the teachers who have shaped my kid’s lives and made a difference for them. THANK YOU and THANK YOU for being a teacher. Continue reading Winding Down →

weekends, sigh

Saturday, March 10, 2012, @ 10:32 amFamily, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, reading, restaurants, scouting, seventh grade, shopping, teaching, weather, writingClay

nightsky — inage courtesy of NASA - click to learn more!

Weekends disappear in the blink of an eye; actually, the entire past week disappeared in the blink of an eye. I can hardly believe the week is done. It was an easy week due to state testing, but it is done except for makeups for students who missed a day or two. I look back at the week with a bit of pride – I accomplished quite a bit and am current with just about everything at school; however, my office space downstairs is a fire hazard and I have other tasks to accomplish this weekend. Continue reading weekends, sigh →