The Chapman Zone Dave’s Blog

A great version by the California Guitar Trio. You have to try to ignore the french twat in the middle.

Featuring the singer of my favourite band (Spock’s Beard) - Nick D’Virgilio singing at the end!

Top stuff!

..and I’m still not quite all here yet. It always takes me a few days to get my head back to this utterly f*cked up state of affairs that we like to call “the real world”.

I had an OK time. The Scouts all said they enjoyed themselves, which is all that matters really. As with every year, I came away dissatified with the event, as it had not run as I had intended. Many activities did not take place, due to lack of time - things got pushed back and back. There were other reasons also, which I will not discuss on this medium, as it would be inappropriate (nothing dodgy or anything). What I really need to do is sit down and make notes on the programme just gone, to benefit me when I get round to planning next years.

I think I may never come away from a camp totally satified (I hope I do though, one year at least), as it is an intensely testing time, more mentally/emotionally than physically, and it is is very physically demanding too. I will keep on trying though.

Anyway, I should try to focus on the positives. Here are a few:

1. The weather was great. Apart from p*ssing down on the first night (and raining off the campfire), we had glorious weather for the rest of the week. Campfires every night, and they got to use their bivis this year.

2. Good campfires. We had one or two really good ones, where all the Scouts were singing along, and the spirit was good (i.e. we didn’t have to keep shouting at them to sing louder, or have a go at any for not bothering to get involved).

3. I got to run my first big campfire - close to a hundred people (including the Scouts)…and I pulled it off quite well. Or so I was told.

4. Lots of Scouts performed very well this year, and there was very little skiving during chores and put up / take down. Also, some Scouts who were notorious for skiving last year have turned around and now get the job done.

5. No arguments between leaders. None to speak of anyway. I had a go at Martin one morning, but I was flustered about several different things, and I apologised about twenty minutes later. I made a promise to myself that I would not argue with anybody this year, as last years camp was completely spoiled for me because of several arguments I had with other Leaders. Actually, with hindsight, I think that perhaps I should have argued a little on occasion this year.

6. I am losing three Patrol Leaders this year, but one of them is already helping out at Beavers, and the other two have agreed to start helping out at Cubs in September, so perhaps we can keep hold of the for a while yet - at least until they go to university for example.

7. Angie made me a massive dairy-free chocolate cake, and it was delicious! Actually, she made me one and a half cakes, and I ate virtually the whole lot - I only left one slice worth, because the cake had been thrown out of the kitchen tent and gotten obliterated in it’s box, and had spent the whole last day in the sun.

Funny thing is, I ate all this cake, and ate plenty of other food as well, yet I still lost six pounds. Maybe it was in sweat…