Puppy Parents

Got a surprise yesterday. Well sorta anyway. We'd talked on and off for a while about getting a puppy. A small puppy, portable that could probably even ride on the bike with the right equipment. Went back and forth on the breed, and I always left the final decision up to Steve. Last we talked he was considering some kind of terrier. But then he would always end up deciding not now.

Yesterday, I received a call from someone from Preferred Breeders that wanted to talk to Steve about the hold he had put on a Havanese puppy. Definitely news to me. Steve wasn't home from work yet and I told the person that. Steve apparently called from work, though, and the purpose of the call was so they could figure out if Steve would make a good puppy parent. Apparently they thought so because they let him buy the puppy he'd picked out. The price was more than I would have paid for a dog, but Steve has worked hard over the past few years with OT and working in Detroit so can't begrudge him, I guess.

The puppy is currently at a breeder's in North Dakota. He will be shipped to us and available to be picked up at the airport sometime next week, time TBD. Gives us time to prepare things and get back into a puppy mindset. It's been a long time since we've had a dog, even longer since that dog was a puppy. 1991 to be exact.

So puppy-proofing the house, and getting the supplies we need, are tops of the list now. We're going to go to PetSmart and/or other stores tomorrow night to shop. Steve wanted to stop on his way home from work, but I said that since I didn't get to help pick the puppy at least I could help pick out his stuff. We'll make it a date!

Stay tuned for further updates, such as his name (that is currently still in discussion mode.) We have to find a vet, and get a license for him, and a multitude of other tasks as well. Puppy obedience school is probably in his future, too.

I think puppy will be a great stress-reliever for Steve and a cute addition to the family!

Pride in your country

Like many, I've been watching the Winter Olympics this last week or so. I'm happy that so many American athletes have been doing well in their competitions and winning medals.

Watching the medal ceremonies, I feel a sense of pride when I hear our national anthem and see the American flag raised. I'm proud to be an American. I'm wondering (NOT criticizing) what the athletes are told regarding that ceremony. I've seen athletes with their hands over their hearts (what we call in Awana a "respectful right-hand salute") I've seen athletes stand at attention with hands at their sides. I've seen athletes singing our national anthem as it's being played. I've (more often) seen mouths closed in respectful silence.

Not sure what the protocol is. Just wondering. I'm sure each and every athlete up there on the podium is proud to be representing their country. What would Mary do? I'd be up there with my hand over my heart, singing the Star Spangled Banner, and probably with tears of happiness running down my face.

But unless they start giving medals for geocaching, that isn't gonna happen!

Happy 100th Birthday, BSA!

In the fall of 1991, our oldest, Scott, was a first grader. His friend from across the street belonged to a Cub Scout Pack (201) in Anderson, Indiana where we lived at the time. Since Scott's school didn't have their own pack, we joined his friend's pack. Steve is an Eagle Scout, and was eager for Scott (and later, Eric) to join scouts as he did. But Mom got to be the one to join with Scott as his adult Tiger Cub partner. Fast forward two years. Time for Eric to join Tigers. Again, mom was the registered partner. 2nd grade came along for Eric. I was teaching full time, but when the request came for me to become an assistant leader in Eric's den, I agreed as long as I didn't have to do any prep work, just come in and help carry out the other plans.

During that year, we moved to Michigan. The boys earned their rank before we left, and since we moved in April, we waited until fall to find a new pack. Since we had bought a house in Lowell, we went to a pack information night for Pack 3188 in Lowell. Scott joined as a 5th grade 2nd year Webelos. Eric was to be a Bear, but there was no leader. Since I was not (yet) working, I agreed to become the Bear leader.

This properly started me on a long scouting journey on which I'm still traveling. I was Eric's den leader for 3 years - Bears and both years of Webelos. When he crossed over into Boy Scouts, I became an assistant cubmaster for a year, then took over as Committee Chair for a few years. At the same time, I was a merit badge counselor and committee member for the boys' troop, 102 in Lowell.

And I got pulled into district activities. I first served as Webelos-to-Scout transition chair, then became Vice-Chair of Cub Scouting. Somewhere in here I also took Wood Badge, and part of my ticket was to find out how to improve our Cub Scout Roundtable. You guessed it, in 2004 I was asked to take over as Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner. I've been doing that ever since. Wow, this is my 6th year already!

I've had some wonderful memories along the way, and have made some great friends, too. I've been to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for a council leadership training, I've been to Mackinac Island four times with the scouts, I was privileged to not only take Wood Badge but serve on staff five years later, staffed many pow-wow's, leaders trainings, train-the-trainers, and have been (still am) co-chair of our council's outdoor leader training. I'm also treasurer of our council's Wood Badge Association.

And now a new role as chair of the Get in the Game Scouting/Geocaching program for our council. It's probably going to be the most work of all, but also perhaps the most fun!

Why the walk down memory lane? This week marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America (Feb. 8, 1910-2010.) The Boy Scouts of America has made a profound difference in the lives of my husband, father-in-law, both of my sons, and most especially myself. I would not be the person I am today without scouting. Thanks, BSA, and here's to another 100 years!

Get in the Game

I am sitting at the library right now, using both my new red netbook (it finally came!) AND my older laptop. I'm using the new netbook for web access, and the older laptop is currently tuned into a BSA webinar on Get in the Game, the BSA 100th anniversary geocaching program. I'm the lead volunteer for our council for this program.

So far, the webinar has covered the Race to 2010 and the national scout CITO day scheduled for May 15. I was already aware of the Race to 2010 and we're getting ready to participate. We'll have to see about the CITO event, though.

The Race to 2010 involves releasing a Pinewood Derby car with travel bug tag attached. All the cars will be headed for the National Jamboree this summer, and will be released at the same time on March 6. We needed a car so I gave Steve the opportunity to legitimately design a cool car to release. (He tried to help the boys more than he probably should when they were young scouts...) We have a cool yellow car complete with BSA 2010 details.

There's a LOT of work involved in this program. Right now I'm working on securing sites and preparing cache containers for a 5 cache series, Treasures of Scouting. I'm also getting the five pillars of scouting travel bugs ready to be released.

We still need to make plans for the Cache to Eagle series, the scout show in May, the cub activity at Gerber in June, and now perhaps a CITO event as well.

Whew!