So -- Have You Danced This Week?

I know I am not usually the one to initiate our conversations but I was wondering how you've been doing this week? Did you stop reading all that bad news and did you go out and do something creative so you could experience and then share some joy, and by doing so maybe help the balance of good and evil move to the "good" side? No? So what did you do? Just feel sorry for yourself and carry on being angry with life? 

You say all that like it's a bad thing.

Ah, you're awake and so is your sarcasm. But really --- how has the week been?

OK, fair question. And now that you mention it, there have been a couple of good things. The weather has been gorgeous -- blue skies but not too hot. Fantastic really.

And have you enjoyed it or stayed inside with your metaphorical (or real) nose on the window, like a dog pining for the outside from her perch on the window bench.

Actually, I have been walking more. And today we drove to a renovated campground where my husband used to camp with the Boy Scouts. And we walked and I took pictures. I thought I might make a slide show for my brothers-in-law who all spent so many summers there. So I've been creative, too. Yeah me!

Good for you. I mean that; I'm not being sarcastic. Can I ask, what was the experience of your husband's family with the Scouting organisation?

Oh, they all had fantastic experiences, wonderful summer camps, swimming lessons. They all had oodles of badges and my husband went all the way to Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow. He was and is very proud of that. He then went on to lead and encourage both his sons from Tiger Cubs all the way up to Eagle -- they both made it --and one of our sons even became scout master -- the youngest in the region. At 23 he took over the whole troop after Hurricane Katrina displaced all the regular adult leaders. He had been an assistant scout master so they asked him to step up. He did and he was fantastic. He led meetings, spoke to and even counselled parents of kids. He had been a great mentor to many of the kids on camping trips and in training for badges and they looked up to him. He also worked with some of them at a local summer camp.

There was a lot of chaos and separated families after Katrina, in fact my husband and I moved to Houston temporarily to serve the displaced student bodies from our respective schools. Similarly, lots of parents separated for months because of job or schooling needs. But the Boy Scouts kept gathering together and helped provide the kids with some sense of normalcy at least on Wednesday evenings. After a year my son passed leadership back to the returning scout masters; he was glad not to have the responsibility for it all : camping trips, badge advancements, courts of honor, but he saw that he was capable of such leadership and he saw how appreciative everybody was. I know it made him feel good.

My husband as a Boy Scout leader doing service in a homeless shelter.

Quite a story. I'm glad I asked. You loved your son a great deal. and were obviously very proud of him. He sounds like a fine young man. And the Boy Scout organisation has obviously had a tremendously positive impact on your whole extended family. I wonder how you all might continue to give back to the organisation so that other kids can have the same growth and leadership experiences your sons enjoyed. Just a thought. And ... by the way ... he's fine.

Really?

Really. And now I know why he is so good at building fires. He loves that, and gathering people together in the evenings. And there's this strange song he sings and dances, "Intermission."  He says you would know and he smiled. I really love his smile.

Jesus, I wish it really was you telling me this. I miss him so much. I know it's just my wishful thinking, but I like the idea you gave me about supporting the Scouts. A great way to add the "the positive" in the world and especially to help kids. Maybe it is time for us to get back involved. I'll have to see.

I'm not wild about his "dead baby jokes" but he does make people laugh.

Oh my Go...he still tells them?

Psych!! He knew that would get a rise out of you.

Damn it Malc! You haven't changed! Great. Can't wait to hear your jokes myself. Thanks Big J. You should ask him his euphemisms for the Eucharist...ha ha...

Already have --- nearly choked. Didn't let on to the big guys though.

God(s)?

No, the dead popes and cardinals. They really have no sense of humor about religion. I wonder if that has to do with them having to wear dresses and caps all the time. I can see how it would make a man insecure and push him to be excessively authoritative as over compensation.

Oh, popes and cardinals. I really want to continue that line of thought. Later, though!

Later!