Our blood has thinned. The heat does that to you. Yesterday it was only in the 40’s…you would have thought a blizzard was imminent with how my children pulled out the gloves and hats. Last night Fritz had Scouts and he wanted to know where his winter coat was. Alright, it was in the 30’s by evening, but the meeting was indoors. I’m doing fine with layers.
The boys have a camping trip this weekend. The Webelos are hanging out with the Boy Scouts in preparation for their crossing over in March. Billy gets to sleep in a tent with Fritz and do stuff with his patrol. It’s a good thing, too, because Bill and I have an event Saturday night, and it would be difficult for us to camp with Billy (Cub Scouts typically need a parent or other guardian with them on campouts).
Neither Bill nor I were particularly eager to camp out either. Bill did it last month with Billy, and the morning temps were close to freezing. It makes the event somewhat less enjoyable. Especially when you have to work hard to get that hot cup of coffee.
But it seems that God is smiling on the Scouts this weekend. The daytime temps are expected to be in the mid to upper 60’s. Saturday morning might be uncomfortable for Fritz with temps in the upper 30’s, but Sunday morning temps should be 10 degrees higher. The camp is local, so Bill will be able to get up, enjoy freshly brewed hot coffee with ease, and head over to retrieve them in time for Mass and not expect to find two Popsicle Scouts. Maybe he’ll even bring some hot chocolate.
It’s hard to believe that Billy will be a Boy Scout soon. It amazes me to see how mature Fritz is getting, not that Scouts is completely responsible. But I do think it helps.
Of course, as I write this, staring up at me from my desk is a blue card that would show he had completed his Environmental Science Merit badge – a tough one and a requirement for Eagle. It would show he completed it…expect that he left it in his pants pocket and put it in the laundry. Now it doesn’t say much of anything.
So, he is maturing. But he’s still very much just twelve.
Reit This Way 
I can relate! When I last washed my son's Scout uniform, I felt a strange lump as it went into the dryer.
The Second Class badge and the fingerprint merit badge were fine — but the card officially recognizing he earned Second Class rank, shredded pulp.
We tend to skip the December camping trip — here in NJ, we don't get temps around 60! It was 25 this morning.
Where in NJ, Elizabeth? We own a home in Hamilton Square, near Trenton/Princeton.
I'm in Medford, south of that area (below Mount Laurel). We used to live in Hopewell, though, which was just a little northwest of Princeton. Where was your husband assigned when you were in NJ?
We're not military. But since we're within 20 or so miles of the Joint Base (used to be Fort Dix & Maguire) we have lots of military families around here too.
Hopewell, huh? We used to live in Manville.
When we lived in NJ, my husband was part-time Pennsylvania National Guard. Now he's full-time Guard on federal orders. When I went on post, it was to Dix/Maguire. They still call it Ft Dix…somebody we know said they were moving there ina few months. They called it Ft Dix.
Don't worry–even Eagle Scouts with Personal Management merit badges under their belts have such lapses.
I recommend those warm “mechanic jumpsuits” for cold-weather camping trip. Our troop keeps a few of those and hands them out for kids to borrow each winter.
Elizabeth–hi, neighbor! We're in Delran (pack & troop 25)
Michelle, I didn't mean it couldn't be called Ft. Dix, just that it's officially a “Joint base” now.
We have a friend here (actually one of our former Cub leaders) who is just back from a year in Iraq with the NJ Guard (he's full-time too).
Hi Barb, we are nearly neighbors! Former Pack 26 and now Troop 20.