Alec

Well my oldest has joined the boy scouts. It actually is an amazing thing. He has really started to enjoy the whole experience. It started a couple weekends ago with a campout. It was called skills camp and it was an introduction into the whole boy scout thing. They really love to have the parents come out and watch at any point in the weekend and want to have the dad's spend the night. So, me being the great outdoorsman that I am, hustled out to the red river and camped a night. Dang it - it was the coldest night of my life. I had fun with A before we went to bed and it was fun seeing him interact with the other boys. He really loves being outside and exploring so it was right up his ally. We got the joy of hearing the coyotes howl (which is creepy), and the wild turkeys do whatever they do. I went over to the edge of the trees at one point to shine my flashlight, just to see what I could see, and there was an amazing loud sound crunching on the leaves. Needless to say I backed up quick and turned the light off. I'm betting a bear or cougar but I guess it could have been a raccoon. I left after one night but Alec stayed three full days and two nights in the cold and rain. He had a blast! I was expecting after my first night that he would be coming home early but he stayed and was a happy camper. It was funny when he came in the door and hugged the t.v., computer and his video games. It sounds like a thing an old man would say but its amazing how getting outside can clear your mind and cleanse the need for gadgets. I did take my blackberry by the way - but beyond that I was roughing it! Anyway I'm so proud of him and last night he had his induction ceremony into the boy scouts and I am a very proud dad. I just need to be careful of the bears on our next camp out. It had to be a grizzly!

Later