Longhaired_Mac

The last Lodge Chief and the Last Lodge Advisor (myself) being honored with the last Vigils for Tataliya Lodge #614; at our very last Fall Fellowship/event. Now merged with Chief Seattle Council/T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge, now for a new adventure.

Back from G14N Conclave 2022 at Camp Cowels of northeast Washington. Had 11 youth attend. Active members continue to grow and stay active.

Just back from NLS 2022 in Boring Oregon. Took 4 youth and they had a blast! Had another Advisor with me at NLS and 2 others doing DYLC as well. Our Lodge is small but I feel like there is some serious momentum. Feeling hopeful as spring clears way to prime camping season.

Just back from Wood badge. W1-604-19 100th anniversary. Bobwhite Patrol. My friend got his Silver Beaver this year and landed in the beaver Patrol. And He is working on a scout camp's pond for me during an OA weekend. Seems he's stuck with the Beaver as a personal scouting totem lol.

In the late nineteen eighties my Scoutmaster was a rather jolly fat man with a curly beard and a chew-can ring in all his back pockets. He found laughter in most everything as I recall, appropriate or not. When I hear things at Scouting U like, "if you can't act like a 10 year-old, then you shouldn't be in scouting," well he comes right to mind.

He had a brown with tan stripe truck that hauled scouts and equipment every direction for a few years. Inside that 80's Chevy Scottsdale of his at all times was a cassette tape of Chuck Berry's greatest hits. The last song on the B side was My ding-a-ling (2 bells on a string). There wasn't a hike, camp-out, camparee, or outing where he didn't manage to squeeze in at least one play. And if one of the boys riding with him was quick enough to hit the repeat button on the tapedeck before his hand got smacked, we might hear it an extra time or two. It always started us off with a laugh or lolled us to sleep smiling on the drive home. I still sing it now and again when camping or flirting. Or showing off for my son.

Now the Scoutmaster was far from Santa and the song is equally distant from anything that could be called a carol, yet as the end of the year draws near and the holiday cheer comes around...some of the coincidental similarities have my brain humming that old Chuck Berry tune. Any time I hear a Salvation Army station outside store fronts ringing thier bells, or clanky bells on doors. Happy Holidays to all my friends in scouting, new and old.

https://youtu.be/UaEC-lWSlmI

"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."  

⚜️ I like your post signature.

"Experience is the hardest teacher. It gives the test first, then the lesson."

Made me laugh then think.