Camping survived
I am back and safe from the wild and wooly back country of Norcross, GA (which is a very suburban area north of Atlanta). The camp ground our pack goes to is on the property of a Retreat center that has some very nice walking trails and a 10 site camp area. Now before you wonder, I have only gone primitive camping once (primitive camping occurs either at a campground or some other area that has no electricity or running water). My preferred method of camping involves a campground that has flush toilets and hot showers. The campground at the retreat center falls into this latter category.
As I had mentioned previously, my friend (Luis) and I decided to go back to our old pack to take on a new den of boys. (We have not been as actively involved with the pack since our sons had “crossed over” to the boy scouts.) We are working with a group of 3 nine year old boys in an 18 month Webelos program. While it seemed like a good idea to take on another group of cub scouts at the time, I must say that spending the weekend with an entire pack of 6-10 year old boys (probably 30-35 boys in all), put into question the logic of that decision. I’m sure it will be okay, but there were certain parts of the weekend that were more “challenging” than others.
In the past, I have spent a great deal of time at these events (cub scout family camping) cooking meals in dutch ovens. Thankfully, one of the other leaders took on the lion’s share of cooking. I did, however, cook 4 different types of desserts in dutch ovens. I made two cobblers (a peach and a cherry cobbler), a strawberry shortcake (my favorite), and a chocolate delight cake (lots of chocolate). All the desserts were snarfed down to great celebration. I’ll asked someone to get pictures of the desserts and if I get copies, I’ll post them. I really do enjoy dutch oven cooking.
On the health front, I feel okay and have been less and less drained as the days go on (and I marveled this weekend when I realized I had not taken any of my anti-nausea medication for almost a week). Last Thursday (at my cancer support group), I was chastised for not eating enough. I certainly didn’t have a problem doing so this weekend. I don’t know if it was comfort eating (something to help deal with strain of all those little kids running around) or actual hunger, I felt like I was stuffing my face all weekend. I’m sore and tired today, but no moreso than when I have gone camping in the past.
At several points during the weekend I actively thought how nice it was to actually BE there. There were some people who scoffed at my going camping (given the fact that I was immunosuppressed), beyond not staying cooped up in the house as an alternative, I enjoyed simply being Mr. Merle, the den leader and dessert cook extraordinaire, and not Merle the sick cancer patient. It felt good; I felt “normal;” and for brief pockets of time, I even forgot I had cancer. The only reminders of my cancer were the need to continue to take my various medications (pancreatic enzymes, etc.) and the fact that as the days turned to night, my stomach would begin to hurt (but that’s when one simply takes their pain medication).
I hope I did not put anyone into shock not posting for several days. Thank you for your indulgence! 
Merle
Hey, Merle,
Those not in the Scouting family may not ‘get’ why you took on a group of Webelos, but I know I do and so do a number of other Scouters. Even with the challenging times, it’s worth it. Keep up the exceptional service to our youth!
YiS,
Anna Hall
I thought a dutch oven was something completely different. Good thing you provided the link.
Kudos to you for getting back involved with the scouts!! You are a great role model for those young ones. And I’m sure it’s not that easy physically… but being around those little guys and doing “boy stuff” has got to do your heart of a world of good (which is its own kind of therapy).
Hi, Merle–
This sounds like a lot of fun/work–more fun and less work if you get the best of the nice weather October has to offer. I’d like to the see the desserts you made, and, if you don’t mind divulging, wouldn’t mind a peek at the recipes as well. I had no idea campout desserts meant anything other than toasted marshmallows or at most s’mores.
When I try to cook things in Stan’s dutch oven, they never seem to taste good.
I’m glad you had some tasty desserts.