April Fool Game Friday, Apr 1 2011

Rather than do more learning, I thought it was time for a game.  You will need:

 

1 chair for each player.

1 bean bag for each patrol (if you don’t have bean bags, you need something that might slide, but won’t roll on when it lands – you could make quoits from rope).

 

Scouts scatter themselves around the playing area and stand on their chairs.

 

 

 

The Scouts holding the beanbags must throw the bag underhand to land squarely UNDER the chair of a Scout from another patrol.  If he does, the Scout must sit down on the chair.

Once the bag has been thrown and has stopped moving, another Scout can get off their chair and retrieve the bean bag.  If the Scout is “out” then all they can do is pass the bag to another member of their patrol (or if their patrol is all out, to another Scout).  If a Scout is still “in” (and able to stand on their chair) then they can throw the bean bag.

 

BUT, once a Scout leaves their chair to get the beanbag, their chair seat becomes LIVE and if another Scout throws a beanbag and it lands on the chair the Scout is out!

 

Other rules:

A Scout can only hold one beanbag at any time – they can’t stockpile beanbags.

A Scout can only hold onto a beanbag for a maximum 5 seconds.

Scouts must be careful when getting on and off of chairs

Scouts CANNOT attempt to protect their chair from being a scoring area (hence the standing)

 

 

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Farewell – for now? Friday, Dec 17 2010

For many of us, the end of term is a short break before 2011 brings a new programme full of exciting activities. However, for Ivor and I it is also the time when we will be stepping away from being part of the team running the Troop and focus on our own pursuits.

Both Ivor and I have been involved in Scouting for many years, so I don’t think that either of us will truly walk away from Scouting (Ivor still intends to be involved in Scouting in some way in the District); I believe that the Scout Promise isn’t just something you say to get some badges, it is something you agree to try to live your life by.

For myself, I first joined the 19th Harrow as a Cub – and my Akela is the same Akela that runs the 19th Cubs now! My Scout Leader isn’t the same – although I think we’ve worked out that Malcolm’s first night at Scouts (as a helper) was my first night as a Scout! Apart from a short period of 4 months I have always had some connection with the 19th Harrow; the last 21 years as a leader (even if it was unofficial whilst I held District and County positions).

I hope that in your time with the Scouts you get to have memories that you can recall in years to come. Just a few of the memories of things I’ve been able to experience – but there are many, many more :
 Sleeping in a shelter made from the leaves and sticks of the surrounding area
 Walking through a waterfall and standing in the cave behind it
 Winning the “Fastest Scout” Trophy for the 125-mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race
 Invest a Scout 20 metres in the air on a High Ropes course
 Camping in the snow
 Camping in the cold (we lined the tent with wooden pallets to get us off the ground!)
 Walking to the top of Snowdon, Sca Fell and Ben Nevis
 Sailing to France (although that was with the Venture Scouts and the London Sailing Project)
 Panicking as the minibus engine broke down and flooded the bus with smoke!
 Catching my own fish and cook it for dinner
 Beating Ash at Quad biking (but it’s a good job I’m not competitive!)
 Playing Petanque on some of the craziest ground going
 Investing a Scout abroad
 Following a County boundary on a hike thinking it was a footpath (not to be recommended!)
 Having my birthday aboard a boat going to France
 Having my birthday at the top of Snowdon (where my Scout leader had carried a cake all the way to the top!)
 Learning that you can’t connect a red gas cylinder to a cooker that uses a blue cylinder!
 Finding out exactly how strong the wind can be when it lifts an army marquee in the air
 Learning how awake I can become when I have to drive a Scout to the hospital at 1:30 in the morning
 Tasting exactly how bad things are when you put washing up liquid in the dinner instead of cooking oil (it is NOT lemony fresh)!
 That it is possible to challenge and beat your fears
 Making massive ballisters from pioneering poles
 Having a go at SCUBA diving in a swimming pool
 Being presented with the Queen’s Scout Award and the Medal of Merit.

I had a quick look through my photograph collection of scouting memories, and quickly put a few images together. I hope that you enjoy them.

Obviously I don’t know what the future holds and who knows – I could be back helping the Troop once again and I hope that my diary will allow me to pop up from time to time. However, until that time, could I take this opportunity to thank Malcolm, Ivor, Ash, Alan for their support as part of the main team – but also Nandesh, James, Alison, James, Caroline and Sue for helping the team as well. Without this starting to look like an awards speech (too late!) there are all the leaders and friends who have helped me along the way. But finally – and in no way least – I would like to thank all the Scouts that I have had the opportunity to meet and work with; no matter how enthusiastic I am, without the Scouts I would not have the Troop to run.

Thank you for reading this and can I wish you and your family the very deepest of Seasons wishes and hope that 2011 will bring you all health and happiness.

Frog
(David)

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World Series EXTREME PETANQUE Rules Thursday, Jul 22 2010

Petanque is a world-recognised sport/game (reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9tanque).  The official UK site is here: http://www.petanque.co.uk/

Petanque is a form of boules (a great game, played especially in France.)  However – both games are played on relatively flat surfaces – be it a hard, gravel-like surface (for boules, which have metal balls) or on sand (for the lighter, brightly coloured water-filled plastic balls).

Extreme Petanque is similar – but with one MASSIVE difference.  The ground is (ideally) totally random, and hilly.  On a really good world series pitch, it is hilly, with bare patches of earth, divots, bumps and all manner of intriguing challenges for the players to work with.

The rules are the same as Petanque / boules (as I know them).  One player throws the Jack (a small target ball).  In Extreme Petanque, that person is either  biggest/most sulky/passing by.  It may even even be the winner of the previous round.  They decide to drop/throw/lob/catapult/fire the Jack in “an” direction.  Where it lands is where the players must aim for (see subclause 1). There is no minimum distance or direction.

When the jack comes to rest (as it may roll on, fall down a rabbit hole etc), the first player plays their first ball.  The throw is an underarm throw to land as close to the jack as possible – where it lands is immaterial, where it stops is where it is counted from.  First player is typically picked by the biggest/adult/passing by.  The first player may sometimes be referred to as “the mug” as other players will then learn how the ground/earth/hill/cliff/beach is going to change where the ball finishes.  Each player then plays one ball in turn, before going round (in order) again.

Once all balls are played, the closest person wins the round.  No points are calculated because, well, no-one said we needed a pen and paper.

At the end of the game, the winner is the biggest/most sulky/ passing by.

Subclauses

1.  If the jack thrower decides to be “really clever” and throw it somewhere that makes it wholly unplayable/ possibly dangerous to play, then players may invoke this subclause requiring the thrower to “go get it or else”.  The “or else” sub-sub-clause may involve talking to parents, meeting a bigger brother, a general re-alignment of principles, or just total abandonment of the game.  Basically, putting the Jack in a non-playable place is just so not cool.

2. If using plastic water-filled petanque balls on hard surfaces, there is a risk that the balls may crack and the liquid may leave the balls.  At that point, the “tough Tutties” rule is invoked where the now empty ball must be continued to be played, but at the end of the game the player with said ball must apologise to the leader who provided the set.  Failure to do so will lead to guilt and possibly punishment for the entire Scout Troop

3.  Although there are no official boundaries for the World Series Extreme Petanque series in regard to playing area; consideration must be given where there are other campers on the Scout site who could be inconvenienced.  Consequently – all Tentage is out of bounds (even if all occupants of the tent are playing) or if a Leader says “no, that’s a step too far” or similar.   This will include playing across rivers, waterfalls, cliffs, Leaders areas, minefields, war zones – or the campsite wardens garden.

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The Christmas Two Left Welly Challenge Saturday, Dec 19 2009

This should be interesting to try and solve.  You may want to ask your family about this one as well!

The Scenario:

Your patrol were flying over a desert, when the plane you were in had to make a crash landing.  Unfortunately the plane was burnt up and the pilot and co-pilot didn’t survive the crash.  The immediate area is quite flat and appears to be barren apart from the occasional cacti.  The last weather report indicated that the temperature would reach 110F which means the temperature within a foot of the surface will reach 130F.

 Your patrol are dressed in lightweight clothing (short sleeved shirt, shorts, socks, leather shoes.  Everyone has a handkerchief.  You have managed to salvage the following 15 items:

1 pair of sunglasses per person

4 bottles of 180 proof vodka

Torch (4 battery size)

Pen Knife

Sectional air map of crash area

Plastic raincoat (X-large)

Magnetic compass

Bandage kit with gauze

45 calibre pistol (loaded)

Parachute (red and white colour)

Bottle of salt tablets

2 pints of water per person

Book “Edible animals of the desert”

1 Overcoat per person

Cosmetic mirror.

The Challenge

For our next meeting, you need to write down and present the top 5 items that will be useful for your survival.  Alternatively, you can email me your answers, or add them as comments to the site - I won’t say if you’re right or wrong, but I will award points for how many are in the “official” top 5… and yes, you can have more than one go.

 I’ll email the answer following our first meeting back!

Tip (should you want one) :  One of these items really isn’t any help at all to your survival……!

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First Meeting back! Saturday, Sep 5 2009

So, with over 25 Scouts on our official list, I was expecting a better turnout than actually happened.  But did that stop us from having fun?  Nope!

We started with a favourite game of mine - 15 passes.  Scouts pair up and have to successfully pass the ball (or in my case a re-purposed – and unused - dog toy)fifteen times without being interrupted by another team (if they are, they have to start again from 1).  Scouts must be at least 1-2 metres away from each other and can only hang onto the ball for a maximum of 5 seconds before it must be passed.

After playing that, the winning patrol from last term went off to MacDonalds for their prize.

The remaining scouts then went through the programme for the coming term, looked at the pictures from the summer camp, and did a little bit of knotting.

We then played the next game – an effective communication game.  Patrols had to carry a ball round the outside of the HQ (an obstacle course in itself!) without dropping the ball (the ball is placed on a table and allowed to move freely).  Those engaged in getting the table and ball round the course enjoyed the challenge – and the others enjoyed running around outside the Scout Hall. Everybody wins!

We finally finished the evening with three Scouts being invested.  As we handed over the badges, scarves, books etc one of three remarked “It’s like another birthday!”  A great first meeting back.

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Let's Get Ready to Thumble!!! Thursday, Sep 3 2009

The mystical art of Thumb wrestling has now gone mainstream! Being a keen amateur I met up with Senator Skull to interview him, especially on his important match against Wasabi.

 

(Senator Skull: courtesy of the Thumb Wrestling Federation)

“So Senator Skull, how is the training going?”

[Senator Skull says nothing and just glowers]

“Wasabi says that you will be a push over when you get into the ring. She’s even written a poem about it. What’s your comment?”

[Senator Skull says nothing and just glowers]

“I understand that you split the Sinistras when you joined them. What was the reason behind that?”

[Senator Skull says nothing and just glowers]

“Look, I know you have an image and all, but I would get a better response from your pet cat. I was told by Wasabi that she’s considering painting it pink to go with your…. Owww! Stop Headbutting me! Medic! Medic! Man down!”

For more information on the Thumb Wrestling Federation, go to www.thumbwrestlingfederation.com.  On the site you can get information on the wrestlers, download some cool stuff, including the ability to make your own mask… check out mine (I think I’ll replace the Twitter pic with this one!)

http://www.thumbwrestlingfederation.com/games/maskmaker/

Just remember – as with Lucha Libra (Mexican wrestling) you can be whoever you want to be, but once the mask is pulled off you are just who you really are – and can never go back. So until I pull this mask off in the ring, I will forever be known in wrestling as “The Frogster”!

The Thumb wrestlers are out on tour and are available through supermarkets etc.

“Four Three Two One – who will be the strongest thumb?”

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