Busy week..
This has been a busy week, but I was unceremoniously informed yesterday (thank you Mr. Thomas) that it was time for an update. I mentioned early on how interesting it was that sometimes these posts just rolled off my brain and how often I just didn’t think I had anything of real substance to write about. Unfortunately for you, my dear readers, this entry appears to be a member of the latter rather than the former.
Last weekend, I led 9 scouts on a 6 hour caving tour of Raccoon Mountain. Caving is one of those activities that always seem to be a lot of fun before and very memorable afterward, but during….well, belly crawling for 180 feet, not so much during. All in all, the scouts did great (we didn’t lose any — at least, we came home with the same number as we left with; there were a number of scout troops, though. Perhaps we swapped kids?). I have been exercising more the last couple of weeks, but apparently one uses a whole different set of muscles when one caves than when uses weight machines at the gym; I was pretty darn sore the next couple of days.
Last week was generally okay otherwise. The temperature was very moderate; as my colleague Melissa said as we were walking to the parking garage one day last week, “This is why I moved to Atlanta.” It is the middle of January and I can get by wearing only a fleece to cover myself up. This weekend, my daughter and MaryBeth are going on their first “camping” activity with the girl scouts. I put camping in quotes because they are going to be staying in heated cabins and, well, that just isn’t what comes to mind when I think of scouting and camping. It puts me in the mind of when I would joke with female friends who would say they were “roughing it” by staying at a Motel 6. 
As many of you know, two years ago, right after I was diagnosed with cancer, I participated in Wood Badge, which is the adult boy scout leader premier training. Last year, I was honored to be selected to be on Wood Badge staff, in which I helped present the training. This year, I have been asked back again (will these people NEVER learn) to serve on staff. Indeed, I am part of the “senior staff.” Today, the boys and I are driving up to Clayton, GA to go with some of the other members of senior staff to look at the location and try to start piecing together the logistics of the course (the program is being held in a different location for the first time this year, and the council is offering two separate courses at the same time, so there are a cornucopia of logistical challenges this year, in addition to the regular challenges of presenting the course material). All that aside, I am getting excited about this year’s course and the role that I can play to help it succeed.
Other than that, things are moving along rather swimmingly. I am still enjoying karate; even more so now that all 5 members of the Merle Hamburger family are taking classes (though, truth be told, I tend to teach more than I take, but I’m getting better with the taking part). We have finally finished our holiday letters, which will be mailed out shortly. I know what you are thinking, “Aren’t they a little late?” And I say a resounding, NO! While others may send out letters to celebrate Hanukkah, or Christmas, or New Years, my family decided that there are several other holidays that are no less exciting, but much less celebrated. As such, this year we are getting ready to send out our inaugural Groundhog’s Day holiday letter.
As always, I want to remind you all of the upcoming TumorPalooza 2 extravaganza. We have reserved the venue, have booked the band, and am coordinating with a caterer. Did I mention this will be a big shindig? August 14th; it’ll be a blast.
Until next time,
Merle