This was to as quiet as yesterday had been frantic, or that was the plan. The day dawned early and while sneaking back out of the toilets Hathi was collared and given a mug of tea so no lie-in for him. Akela was awake so the others should be as well.
The day turned into a scorcher and sun-cream was liberally splashed onto bare skin. As a result of the Bar-B-Que held previously in Stockwood we were able to have a stilt making base, Rich got a fire going and had made up some branding irons for the kids to customise their stilts. A production line of sorts was made with ten Cubs lining up to have holes drilled, screws put in for them to finish and the then around for more holes and screws. A break for drinks and cake was the only disruption in the activity. Our DC Cyril and his wife Joy turned up in time for lunch, which was to be delayed as the oven was not helping us by NOT getting hot!
Hathi was sent out to get some ice-cream while Cyril helped Akela modify the stilts so that the Cubs could walk on them. The ladies kept on urging the cooker to warm up, and Rich kept the Cubs branding the wood and nothing else.
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While lunch cooked, and after the stilts were finished Akela organised a game. A bucket was placed on the ground, a rope formed a circle about a metre away with another about a further metre and a half further out. The idea was to get the balls into the bucket or make them stop in the inner circle. Plans to score 100 for a bucket and 50 for a ring were dropped when it became obvious that multiplying 19 by 50 and adding 150 was a lot less easy than saying two for a bucket and one for a ring. Cyril was the counter in the circle and did a fine job.
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While lunch slowly cooked we tried one more game. 007 the Cubs had to step over an imaginary wire, jump an imaginary piranha infested river, dodge through an imaginary minefield, cross a real bridge over a real stream and sneak past two armed guards, real guards with real weapons, Supersoaker 310's and very light sleepers. The first time some of the Cubs managed to only lightly wake the guards and were only lightly shot-up. The Second time the guards got sneaky, one hide behind Akela's car and the other hid under the bridge. The Cubs were caught in heavy cross fire and got a bit damp. The guards, Hathi and Rich enjoyed this game a lot!
Then lunch was ready, Roast chicken, roast potatoes, mixed veg with carrots, swede, peas and sweetcorn with some lovely gravy. Gurt Lush!!! After lunch we did some writing up of the journals this kept the cubs quiet for a while.
What followed will probably go down in Wednesday Cub Camp Lore, what started off as a quiet game, similar to the ball in bucket game this morning. The main difference was that sponges were to be used. Buckets of water were placed around the outer rope ready for the start. Sadly one of the Leaders spoilt the game by picking up a bucket of water and sneaked up behind Akela while he was explaining the game and had the whole bucket thrown allover him. Well done Alison!
The Cubs then started the game and the buckets were kept filled by Rich and Akela. Joy and Cyril changed completely from the nice quiet gentle people they became monsters squirting at the Cubs and Leaders with water from their water pistols. Hathi and Rich were disarmed and while Hathi continued to take pictures the Cubs were keen to get him as wet as they could even using his own water gun to do it. This lasted about an hour and a half and everybody seemed well satisfied.
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Akela got the plastic sheeting out that we use for a water slide, while this was being set up Cyril took them down to the stream for a bath, they had to dam the stream to make it deep enough. As the Cubs were introduced to the slide, Joy was helping the Leaders with a recipe of her own using the left overs from lunch with a few bananas an egg or two and some gravy. this was to be used as lubrication on the slide. As a small aside Akela gave Alison an egg rinse, sadly most of it went all over Rich's back but what did make it onto Alison's head made her hair very shiny.
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The Cubs loved the idea of getting food in their hair and clothes, and were keen to share with the Leaders. All very sporting. However all this meant that showers were required, Akela and Alison were in charge of washing down while Hathi rounded up the Cubs to go into the shower. It must be the first time most of the Cubs had had a shower with all their clothes on. After a change of clothes the Cubs were ready for tea. Parents may have found bits of food in their Cubs wet clothes bag.
After tea there was another quiet time while other activities were prepared.
The Football match on stilts was cancelled as the pitch was waterlogged. Akela
set up his mobile bar-B-Que while Rich set up the camp fire. The Cubs were sent
out to get some wood for the fire and were enthusiastic bringing back some huge
logs.
The Bar-B-Q was popular and after a while as night fell the Cubs formed groups some talking with Akela, some sitting around the fire with Rich and Abi, who started a sing song session. As the night progressed the Cubs got more and more quiet and eventually as a kindness they were sent back to their tents for the last time this camp. What is it that makes tired youngsters wide awake as soon as they lie down. Again it was a late night for the Leaders, but it was enlivened by seeing a bat swoop through the Lodge lights and seeing a field mouse crawl cautiously across the car park looking for the pop-corn from the previous night.
