Wherein Autumn Earns A Camp Name

This was a crazy weekend of Girl Scouts gone wild. Spring Break had nothin' on us.

Ok. Not really so -- but it was a very full and fun weekend.

Friday we headed to a nearby town with the Juniors and Cadettes for a night of Science fun at a College. We did lots of really cool stuff and ended the night with a bang...literally...in the chemistry lab. College chemistry is way cool. We got to see things set on fire, frozen, shattered -- some really really cool stuff. And girls this age? They LOVE this kind of stuff. I think we really made the professors night. Maybe even year. They all wanted to come back and go to college there.

Saturday. Oh Saturday. I had adult enrichment/training with the leader of all the ages in the troop and another leader that handles the Brownies. We had to meet early as we didn't do the whole overnight 3 day thing...just the all day Saturday. After a rough start where I discovered that Starbucks doesn't open until 7 am in our area, we hit another place for Liquid Awake and off we drove to the campgrounds. I had hiking lost trails, Journeys and then orienteering on my schedule. Hiking I was doing with the Brownie leader and orienteering we were all doing together.

Weather was in the 60's with scattered showers. (And God was smiling on me because those showers/downpours occurred during Journey classroom and lunch -- when I was indoors.)

So off M and I marched to discover a lost trail that used to be used when the camp had horses.

And it had rained the day before.

Where it was true up and down hiking. (With ropes strung at strategic spots to keep us from slipping into a ravine.)

On soggy ground. Here is where I insert the fact that I have never lived anywhere that has such a spongy ground in the spring. Its kinda gross. Its very squishy. And it eats shoes if you aren't careful. Hence my recent purchase of the only pair of rain boots I have ever owned. Which I was not wearing for hiking either.

Now - before I go any further let me explain a very old Girl Scout tradition. Its the "camp name". It is a nickname you earn while at camp that sticks with you for life at any GS camp you attend afterwards. Pretty important stuff if you ask me.

But I never actually earned one as there was never really anything epic, weird or out-of-the ordinary that happened to me at any of the camp-outs.

I don't mind getting dirty or bugs. Rain isn't a problem. I've never set myself on fire or burned up dinner or anything fire related. Its just been camping.

Back to the hike.

It was muddy and wet and steep in places. Many of the women were afraid to fall. We all slipped and slid here and there. There was lots of fear and complaints of how they got stuck in this class and would never hike on their own...etc.

And then it happened.

Oh, I didn't just fall. Oh no. And I didn't just slide....way to boring. No.

I fell AND slid....on my um....chest....like a fat kid on a slip-n-slide.

Oh yes I did.

And I made this FANTASTIC loud ker-splish sound when I hit the ground! Movie sound effects had nothing on me.

And to make it better, the reason I was on my..er, girls...was because I had the hands thrown up and back to keep myself from bracing my fall and hurting a hands or wrists, AND my feet up to keep from injuring a knee. Great, great posture for a full frontal slide.

Oh. Yes. I. Did.

And after the stunning discovery that I was COMPLETELY unharmed (but covered in mud) we were all able to relax as I took one for the team and got the required fall out of the way. Totally totally unharmed. (Still in shock over that.)

But you don't have to feel too bad for me. See, we took a couple of steps and then BAM. M's nose blew out in a gusher to beat all gushers. Yes, by the time we reached the top of the ravine we had to get the instructor to pull out the tp to stop that sucker. Kleenex just weren't gonna do it.

Now - another thing you have to realize is that our big boss wasn't with us because she was giving the lodge camping training the first two sessions. Yes. Our leader is not just ANY leader...she's a name at our council. She's been a scout in this council as a child and then became a leader and she knows it all. Really. Not being funny or anything.

So now I'm snickering cause her underlings have just shamed her.

And when we confessed our shame to our fearless leader she did laugh. And I told her I never ever expected to earn a camp nickname of Mudslide. And she shook her head and laughed.

Mud and Blood.

Yep - that's what she called us.

See - so my name really IS Mud!!

And to wrap it all up...on Sunday we had WAGGS day to celebrate the 100th bday of GS.

And I got my first sunburn of the year.

Because it was in the 80's!!!!!!! I am ecstatic!!!!!

Never have I been so happy to have a burn!!! Come on hot weather!!

And so there it is. Can you top it? (I know Andie can because she went to the big quilt show in Cinnci.)

I'd really love to hear how my friends spent their weekends and did things that make me look good -- or at least better.

Anyone?

(crickets)