Tag Archives: writing

Day 36: No Regrets

adventure, country, Family, Scouting, ,
Troop 35 says goodbye to Camp Tesomas

The last day of camp, or a vacation, is always somewhat sad and happy, all at the same time. We are sad because we are leaving and our time went quickly and we are glad to go home to see our families and friends who did not come with us and we have missed. Our time at Tesomas has been special and we all have enjoyed our time at camp and the time with each other.

Saturday morning we got up at six and started to break down camp. We wanted to get personal gear and troop gear packed before flags, breakfast, and the final video showing after breakfast. The scouts worked together packing their gear, cleaning, and rolling their tents. By the time we left for breakfast, all but one or two tents were down, packed, and staged to be loaded into the troop trailer. Breakfast was quieter than usual, perhaps because so many scouts felt like us – excited to go home but sad to leave. Traditionally, when breakfast ends we watch a video of the camp experience and it is fun to watch. The camp staff compiled pictures and video setting them to music to create the show; a few of our scouts made appearances and the scouts watched and cheered to show approval. Advancements in technology have made creating videos and slide shows much easier and I cannot imagine what would have been shown ten, twenty, or seventy-five years ago at the end of camp. Whatever it may have been, I am sure it left the scouts with a feeling of completion, a feeling of no regret; making the transition from camp life back to real life easier. Continue reading Day 36: No Regrets →

Day 35: The Mile

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Routines are what make camp so much fun and yesterday’s post started with the flag ceremony; even though I did not explain the evening flag ceremony. Routines are everywhere, such as the dining hall, I was on the phone with Beth telling her about the day and she could hear yelling and shouting in the background and asked what it was and I told her – we were being greeted to come and dine. Continue reading Day 35: The Mile →

Day 34: Flags

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The flag flies over Camp Tesomas

Daily life at camp has its rituals and routines. At the troop level, each day starts by rising, cleaning, dressing, and in general getting around. Sometimes we rise alone, other times we are greeted by others and we talk about the day before and the day ahead of us. Some mornings it is time to look out over the lake and enjoy the peacefulness of nature. Thursday morning was cool, but warmer than Wednesday morning, it had been a late night for our scouts. The Order of the Arrow ceremony and the fellowship afterwards had our scouts walking back into camp close to ten and lights out soon after. The activities of the week had tired our scouts and they were content to sleep. In camp, the next group to wake is usually the SPL or other scouts who get up and shower, clean up, or just get ready for the day. At  seven the SPL begins to wake the scouts, there is a little grousing but, most scouts simply wake and are excited about a new day. The hoppers are the first to leave for the dining hall because they need to set up tables before breakfast. By 7:35 to 7:45, the rest of the troop begins to walk or cycle down to the dining hall and form up at the flagpole for the flag ceremony. Troops can sign up to lead the flag ceremony in the morning or evening, but we did not sign up this year. The camp staff assembles on the steps above the flagpole and the officer of the day calls attention and orders the color guard to advance and post the colors. The color guard marches the flag toward the flagpole attaches the flags to the halyard and awaits further instructions from the officer of the day. The OD orders the scouts to attention and to salute the flag or hold their hands over the hearts as the color guard raises the flag while the bugler plays reveille. Then the OD leads us in the Pledge of Allegiance:

 I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.  Source: Section 4 US Flag Code.

The scouts release their salute and can stand at ease while the color guard retreats. Once the color guard retreats, the OD dismisses the color guard, staff, and scouts all walk over to the dining hall. This is how we start; it is routine, and a great way to begin each day. We will form up at the flagpole for evening flags later, but we have much to do in between and we will start all over the next morning. Continue reading Day 34: Flags →

Day 33: Order of the Arrow

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Troop 35 at camp, Wednesday 6/30

Tuesday night was cool, almost cold, with the stars shining brightly in the dark blue night sky. Recently, I have begun to notice the sky more since we added Ivy to the family, but the night sky is never this clear in Wheaton, too much light pollution. I was walking back to my tent, after working on Tuesday’s post, looked out over the lake, and saw clear calm water with the moon and stars above. I woke early, showered, and biked to the program center to get coffee and finish the post. The scouts followed and I joined them for flags and breakfast. Continue reading Day 33: Order of the Arrow →

Day 27: Coyote Moon: The Legend of Ivy

Family, Life in General, Teaching and Learning, , ,
Ivy poses for the camera, her ‘heart’ is visible

The kids were in VBS for the remainder of the week and William at scout camp next week; I was somewhat in limbo. I had errands and other activities, but nothing compared with last week’s adventures or what next week and beyond brings. I think sailors would have called today the doldrums or a place where the wind does not blow. The doldrums are close to the equator where Earth’s spin does not provide enough of a force for constant winds to blow, hence the name – the doldrums. Continue reading Day 27: Coyote Moon: The Legend of Ivy →

Day 22: Return to normal, or whatever that is…

Family, food, jobs, , , ,

I wrapped up the day with a trip into the backyard while Ivy took care of her business and looked upward into the heavens. It was a beautiful starlit night and I could see the Big Dipper plain as day. I never would have been out here at 10:30 at night if it were not for Ivy. It was an incredible sight and reminded me of how small we are relative to the larger parts of our world. I try to do the right thing but sometimes I simply get in the way. It is difficult being human. Tomorrow is Father’s day. We will go to church and celebrate somehow; it will be a family day. Continue reading Day 22: Return to normal, or whatever that is… →

Day 21: Homeward Bound – part 2

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I did not finish yesterday’s post. What I mean is there is another part to the Homeward Bound and that is Julie getting home. I last saw her disappearing into the Terminal 2 security checkpoint at O’Hare and headed home. I had checked the weather Thursday night before going to bed that the forecast Friday for Chicago was thunderstorms and I checked when we landed and the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch, as the conditions were good for bad storms. It was hot, 90° F, humid, and it made it being outside, no fun. The storms were forecast to hit the Chicago area in early afternoon. I was concerned Julie’s scheduled flight home to Memphis would be affected. Continue reading Day 21: Homeward Bound – part 2 →

Days 4-9: Learning, a garage sale, and household chores

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Today is day 10 of summer vacation – where have they gone? Seventy-two left, will I spend them well?

Well, I have been busy with household chores and other activities the past few days. The days have counted but not in the way of the first three days. I spent Day 4 wrestling with WordPress and finishing the Indy 500 page. I got started on Memorial Day and it I continued to work on and off and on for several days until I finished it and posted it yesterday. I suppose there is irony in the day of the post – June 6 – the sixty-sixth anniversary of the landings at Normandy in 1944. June 6, 2009 is also the day that I travelled to Oxford, Mississippi to see my dad who had taken a fall and was gravely ill lying in a hospital far away from his family. I will have more about my dad and the summer of 2009 in a future post.  Continue reading Days 4-9: Learning, a garage sale, and household chores →

Day 1 – 5/29/2010: What am I doing?

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I have been inspired into blogging this summer’s days. I teach 7th grade Language Arts and Social Studies in Naperville, Illinois. Toward the end of each school year, the students begin to count the days until the last day of school. Teachers secretly take part in this annual ritual. In the spirit of trying to keep the kids on task – I have turned it into working very hard to making the days count. Hence the name of this blog, Making the Days Count.

About seven or eight days (in class days) before our final day, I admitted that I too was counting the days. A student in the back of the room piped up “Yeah!” I retorted “But I have another number for you to consider.” I opened my planner and begin counting another set of days. Dave, I said, “Add these numbers for me – will you?” “Sure,” he replied. “Three, thirty, thirty-one, and twenty-one. What does that add up to?” I asked. He replied, “eighty-five. Mr. Watkins – what is eight five?” Several students interjected and asked the same question. So, I answered, “Do you know how long summer vacation is?” Dave responded by beginning to sing the Phineas and Ferb theme song, “There’s 104 days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it…..” I stopped him and the class laughed – I did, too. “Dave, unfortunately we have fewer than Phineas and Ferb, there are only eighty-five days for us,” I told Dave and the rest of the class. They seemed disappointed and I reminded them that our summer break this year was much longer than last year or the previous three years.  I asked them about their summer plans. They responded – vacation, sleep, video games, spending time with friends. It was a great moment as they dreamed of the days to come – to spend time with their friends and family resting and relaxing. I redirected the class, and we began our lesson for the day a presentation on the Scandinavian counties of northern Europe and I put the moment in the back of my mind. After class, I re-checked my math and discovered I had made an error. It was really eight-seven days – I had shortchanged them and myself as well.

Continue reading Day 1 – 5/29/2010: What am I doing? →