Each year a nearby Girl Scout camp has its annual Clean Up day. That day, a number of troops and adult volunteers come out to do a variety of things needed at the camp to get it ready for the summer camping season. This year, the grounds keeper had a task planned for me – to rebuild a shelter at one of the camping sites given that a tree had fallen on it over the winter. The site has been cleaned up and the shelter was 6 metal polls and three wooden ones in the center. Myself and another troop leader, using the lumber the ground keeper has supplied, built a new roof and then helped to cover it with light fiber glass panels. We started work at 9:30am, and worked until 6:30pm when it was completely finished. I was tired and pretty sore, but it was good to see how well it turned out.

I had setup my tent early in the morning so I was heading back to start my dinner when the grounds keeper invited me and 2 other volunteers for pizza. As tired as I was, this was better than cooking (which I really enjoy). After dinner, I headed back to my tent for some relaxing and reading. Well, about 30 minutes into my reading, I heard a group of girls playing in the distance. But I could tell they were getting closer and closer until I heard “Hey Tent Guy! Remember us from last year?” I did! I had met them the prior year at this event. So, a group of 6 invited themselves into my tent to enjoy my tent heater and some good 6 on 1 conversation. One thing being a GS leader has taught me is how to listen to many different conversations directed at me at the same time and make some sense of it. The girls were all 10 and 11 and absolutely entertaining. The rest of their troop and the leader showed up about 30 minutes later to get them. After the other girls had a tour of my tent, they headed back to their cabin. I have a pretty big tent which can hold about 12 people. Yeah, I like room. I did get some sleep between the wind storm, the rain storm and then short snow storm. I took my tent down and packed up early then next morning all while it was raining. Still, it was a great weekend.