Wednesday, August 6, 2008

I am a Scout.


It took me a few days to recover from my latest adventure. Nine days in the high Uintahs. You know the place where all the boy scouts get lost? Yeah that's where I was. I was there to be on staff for an adult leadership course called Wood Badge. Overall, it was great. Good people, beautiful scenery (although, I can appreciate the scenery from afar I really don't need to live in it) and some fantastic training. I have interpreted the Scout Law to give you a glimpse of my experience.

A scout is:
Trustworthy- To be trusted you also have to trust. Thanks to Jerm and my fam for taking good care of my boys.
Loyal- I am completely loyal to Deep Woods Off. The only brand of bug repellant that comes close to fending off the giant furry mosquitos whose poky things are so big  it feels like a tetanus shot every time they bite you.
Helpful- When the diabetic lady was sad because everyone else was eating ice-cream, I let her have ONE of my sugar-free chocolate puddings.
Friendly- But after a week, let's keep the friendliness at arm's length. What is the link between huggers and an aversion to deodorant?
Courteous- I don't know what it is about men in the mountains and the constant need to belch. To their credit, whenever they noticed I was around they usually excused themselves.
Kind- After spending HOURS trying to set up 4 teepees in the rain, a group of Native American boys  that happened upon us were kind enough to show us how it should be done.
Obedient- I set my own rules to stick to a pretty strict diet while I was there so I wouldn't get sick. I did it and lost 4 more pounds as a bonus!
Cheerful- Because she knows she has a secret stash of fancy edibles hidden in the lodge and she doesn't have to eat what's in front of her.
Thrifty- But not so thrifty that he sacrifices the quality of food he's giving other people to eat. gag.
Brave- I slept in a spider-filled tent for 8 nights being regularly visited by oversized squirrels that pooped on my floor.
Clean-Take a shower people! We had facilities. They may have been cold, dark, full of bugs and open to the world but the water was clean.
Reverent- Every night I would pray. I thanked my heavenly father for keeping my family safe and for allowing someone to invent earplugs.
My humble abode.
Stinkin' squirrels.
The facilities.

7 comments:

Lindell said...

and you are everyone of those traits! Especially BRAVE, 8 days with men and THOSE facilitlies. . . ugh. I'm really glad you're back!

Anonymous said...

way to go mindy, what a "good scout" you are. as for me,not for a million dollars! how far was the hilton? that's where i would have been.

Hideaway Girl said...

I will never even be 1/2 as cool of a scout leader as you are because I could NEVER sign myself up for 9 days of anything scout related (even a fancy hotel), and you did a tent full of rodents with lovely facilities in the back-woods! Love your interpretation of the Scout Law.

BTW, I saw more of your cute aprons on Angie's blog - I am so IMPRESSED!

angie said...

ok you had me at friendly, oh i'm so glad dad has you to be his scout!!!!!! next year ya know you could lace those nuts with a little something, they wont bug you anymore!

Just Josie said...

What a trooper you are! Longer then 2 nights in the woods and I'm with my mom on this one how far to the hilton! At least they had "facilities" You are so brave!!

Wendy Lojik said...

Thanks to you I survived Wood Badge! WOO WOO! Antelopes!

trish said...

Boy what a trooper, and not just any Camp Beverly Hills. The real deal. You go girl boy scout...