Who’s Normal Anyway?

This weekend we had the District Centenary Camp Together at the District’s campsite in Thetford forest. The Cubs, Scouts and Explorers camped the whole weekend but the Beavers just visited for the day yesterday.

A disappeared early on Friday morning to help pack all of our Group’s camping equipment and then get it to the site and put up. It took them all day but luckily the rain held off for them. There was a huge marquee, 6 large Vangos and assorted other tents and then all the cooking equipment and food and tables and benches. They had it really well set up. It was a bit of a squash on the tent site though with so many people all camping together.

Friday for me and the boys was mainly doing last minute bits for M’s kit - last couple of name tapes, checking he had everything on his kit list etc. We packed and repacked his kit bag several times until M could get it all in in a sensible order for himself. I was a bit worried how M would cope at camp because he still doesn’t like to be upstairs by himself and likes us to be near as he falls asleep and he’s scared of the dark. I thought keeping track of his kit and whatnot on top might be a bit too much. So we made sure he knew what was packed and how to do it himself!

On Saturday morning we had an early start because I needed to leave the house by 7.45 to get M to camp by 8.30 to book in. We managed to leave by 8am and got there OK, meeting A and A at the entrance who were efficiently checking off our Cubs and Scouts and had a good system going. Parents weren’t allowed on the campsite and there was a strict security pass system all weekend. But I was booked as a Beaver Leader and leaders were welcome for the whole weekend, except the bookers-in hadn’t actually expected any Beaver leaders might show up on the Saturday so I caused some pass confusion for a while. Once L and I were checked in we walked down to the tent field and said hello to the other leaders and looked around, saw M was in his tent and getting sorted and helped hang a few uniforms onto coat hangars. Some kids had no idea how to do even that and bags and kit was rather strewn about as they all got changed and headed up to the opening ceremony.

The activity stations started at 10am and all the Cubs and Scouts were split into 7 patrols with about 30 in each to do each base. L and I wandered over to the climbing tower and watched A on the climbing and abseiling tower for a while. A leader I met on the first aid course was there with her small grandkids so we chatted for a while and watched the abseiling. It started to drizzle so we went to look around the craft hall instead. M was in that group so we chatted to some of our Group’s cubs and watched them doing shrinkies and beadman keyrings and I helped on the rope making for a bit. L wouldn’t stay in the hall so every couple of mins I had to dash out after him. Then I found him trying to eat someone’s clay creation so I quickly put that back together and hoped for the best. He played for a while with our camera and stayed sat in the middle of the floor taking random photos to the other leaders’ amusement.

We left camp before lunch as L was getting tired and it was still wet and I took him to the garden centre because they have a nice cafe. After lunch we had a quick stop at the supermarket and then I took L home and he had a very long nap until 5pm. We had some food at home and then went back to camp for the evening activities. We picked our passes back up and walked down to the campsite but passed M’s group at the archery so stopped to watch. I got to have a go too - it was great, really looking forward to the activity day for Beaver Leaders to try outdoor activities in a couple of weeks so I can have another go. We chatted to A while they closed up the climbing tower and L helped with A’s kit, lol.

*** Vegetarians please avert your eyes for the next section ***

There was a hog roast at 8pm for the evening meal, but a long queue waiting to be served. It was extremely tasty. We got a plate for L too so had plenty of food between the 3 of us.

A band played while we were eating and afterwards, but alot of oldies the kids didn’t know. Which would’ve been more OK, except that at 9.30pm when our Group’s leaders decided it was about time to get the Cubs back to the tents for bed (not sure who was more tired, kids or leaders!) we were told we couldn’t leave the marquee and I wasn’t allowed to leave the site via car. It turned out there was a medical emergency down on the campsite and we all had to stay put until the ambulance had been and gone. So we sat back down and tried to keep the Cubs cheery as they dropped with tiredness and were getting bored. We heard the same tunes several times, though the band were doing their best to keep them entertained in difficult circumstances. M had a boogie and made us giggle. One of the Cubs had a homesick wobble but I was pleased in wasn’t M. We could finally get off site and come home gone 11pm. L lasted really well but zonked in the car so he went to bed in his clothes. I’ll blog the Beaver Day separately as this is already long.

Yesterday we got up early and M played Runescape for a while then did some maths while L and I hung out washing and watered the plants in the garden. We had a fairly shouty morning, although I can’t think what about now. I think mainly we were all tired from late nights and early mornings.

Late morning we went out to the supermarket and had some lunch there and then got the shopping. I remembered to buy some more ice cream, which we usually don’t get because the shopping sits in the boot of the car while we go to music in the afternoon after the supermarket (both in same direction so we do them the same day), as music wasn’t on this week.

When we got home and got the shopping put away things got shouty again because M can’t find anything to do if it doesn’t involve staring at a screen and then he went to call for the boy next door and he wasn’t allowed to play, so M was in an even worse mood. He said he had a funny tummy and was too tired to go to rollerskating. We had to pop out for half an hour and sort out keys for the other Beaver Leaders to get into the building but the kids stayed in the car while I did that. I didn’t go to Beavers because I was supposed to be taking M to rollerskating with A being away and there was no way I was taking both children to Beavers with me! We came home and had pizza and it was early nights all round.

Today we had a better start to the morning (well, once M got over a maths paddy but we’ll gloss over that bit) and played lots of card games. M was asking me about poker and betting but I know very little about either, so we played a simple 3 sets of 3 game and then played Go Fish ina not very successful modified version but M still enjoyed it. Today we were doing about animal classifications and so I printed out these cards and we played the game with those.

Spelling was straightforward (The Writing Road to Reading scheme for sounding out words is still working really well for M and he says he likes doing spelling, he’s learning a lot through his Runescape typing too lol) and then we did an experiment with a candle, blowing it out and then lighting it again from the wax vapour (last week’s Krampf experiment).

L and I went for a walk to post a letter while M played a computer game. He likes posting letters. L is coming on with his signing but isn’t making many inroads into talking as yet. He signs for alot of things like drink and potty but recently is signing much more about what’s going on around him. His newest signs are aircraft (needs a bit of interpretation, though usually one is overhead so we know that is what he’s trying to sign!), milk, teddy, baby (any small child, especially if crying), crying and train. He makes himself understood pretty well with signs and looking and pointing at what he wants, but it would be nice if he would talk a bit more. I expect he’ll get there eventually, he’s so interested in everything maybe its just not a top priority at the moment lol.

When we got back M was bored so I sent him to look for inspiration in his bedroom and have a tidy up. After a little while I went to help with the tidying and suggested starting the Puddle Monster kit he got for Christmas (we were waiting for warmer brighter weather). We made some space on the top of a unit and got as far as putting compost around the pond part (this kit has a section to grow grass round the pond) and then stopped to make fajitas for tea. Fajitas are always popular here and even L ate loads and was covered in sauce. He had a quick bath and I put his pyjamas on and then we all drove to M’s ju jitsu class at the leisure centre about 40 mins away. We listened to our latest Audible download that I quickly put onto CD after tea - Narnia’s The Silver Chair dramatisation on the way there and back and L fell asleep. I dropped M off at the door and then had an hour to read a magazine before I needed to wake L to go in and find M.

When we got home M went straight to bed and I took L to settle down for the night and watched The Apprentice while he nodded off. Then A phoned just as Sir Alan was deciding whether to fire Adam or Paul, so I was trying to talk to A, listen to the TV and explain what the task was all at the same time.

Now I’m going to get another drink and check my beetles won’t eat each other overnight, the progress of my wine making and that my sheep have enough onions in Egypt, and then I’m off to bed