Dear Mom and Dad,
It’s late! Sorry it took me so long to write, but I guess the postman won’t get this to you for a few days, so you probably won’t ever realize that I’m writing so late.
Yeah, Toast!
Today was so much fun! We started the day with grits, eggs, and toast. McClure M. asked me if his grits were a pancake, and I couldn’t stop laughing. After breakfast, we sang “Yeah, Toast” – that’s my favorite camp song yet. “All around the world, from coast to coast, people always ask me what I like most… yeah, toast!”
I finished my five-mile hike with the Woodsmen program and I was near the front of the line the whole time! It was REALLY hot. Mr. Lawton said that he thought it was about 1,000 degrees. We stopped about half-way there to fill up our water bottles again.
The tea plantation was big. Did you know that tea bushes are evergreens? And they make all different kinds of tea from the same plant. We got to drink some tea that the plantation grew, and it was really good.
We made our way back from the hike faster than any group ever did before. The counselors said that we were really fast. I’m thinking all that pickle juice might have made my walk easier.
Charleston Tea Plantation
We had a picnic on our hike, and I had a ham and cheese sandwich, cookies, and some potato chips. I was really happy that I didn’t have to eat chicken salad sandwich at the cafeteria! Yuck! No one that I talked to knows ANYBODY who would want to eat a warm mayonnaise sandwich in the heat.
The cooking class cooked their own lunch today, too. I bet they were happy to be away from the dining room, too!
Oh – I bought a walking stick at the trading post before I left. I spent all my money and all of my emergency money a few days ago, but I figured out how to make some more! I’ve been waiting tables for other boys so that they didn’t have to do it, and they paid me. Mr. Lawton told me that I was a good entrepreneur (I had to ask somebody how to spell that) – but he said he was going to have a talk with the boys who paid me.
Will N. sailing
I got to look at a lot of the older boys in their classes this afternoon since we got some time off from Woodsmen. Will N. and Alex F. had to capsize their sailboat this afternoon. That was awesome to watch.
The third year scouts had to run a mile in the heat today for Personal Fitness. I think I could have done that with no problem – especially since I walked five times longer today!
I heard that Mac S. finished his rifle merit badge yesterday. He must have the best eyes ever!
We had BBQ for supper. It was really good. And we had banana pudding for dessert. I think I want to stay at camp for another week if we can keep eating like that.
We were back in our campsite after supper when a big siren went off. That meant that we all had to go to the dining hall because there was lightning nearby. We had to stay there for a while, so we had the church service inside. We sang Amazing Grace and had a good service, but the sermon was a little confusing. Mr. Satterfield told me that he wished I could have seen the outdoor chapel… it’s on the water and it’s supposed to be really pretty.
Tomorrow is our last day of classes! I can’t believe we are almost done. I think I want to come back every year until I’m a senior – just like Tyler S. did.
Did you talk to anybody about the FedEx man? Because four packages showed up in our campsite today. Hayden G., Graham and Ross S., Chad F., and Rob K. all got packages. Ummmm…. where was mine? And Mr. Gage said something about needing a package for something to help with his nerves.
Commissioner’s Paddle
Oh – I almost forgot – we won the commissioner’s paddle today! Will N. had to go to the front of the dining hall because our senior patrol leader skipped lunch. He’s not supposed to do that!
I’ve got to go to sleep now. I don’t want to be too tired for tomorrow. Tell everybody I said hello.
Love,
Your son