Summer Has Begun!

School is out and summer break has begun! What fun, what fun!

ELEMENTARY IS OVER. I know I have said this before, but I need to say goodbye to a chapter of my children's childhood in my own way.

Friday Nate walked out of East Robertson Elementary for the last time as a student. This ends an eleven year stretch of our kids attending that school. Vicki picked him up after their awards ceremony was over that morning and he left a happy boy. I think it was more of a bittersweet moment for Vicki.

VISITING COUSINS. Jim, Dianna, Alex, and Chris came up and spent Memorial Day weekend with us again this year. They arrived mid-afternoon on Friday after spending the two previous nights camping in Stone Mountain, Georgia. When they got here our kids and Mom met them at Thomas Drugs for milk shakes. By the time I got off work the party had moved to Mom's house where we had supper and visited for the evening.

The next morning we met with the Scouts to place flags in the cemeteries in White House. Then we did some things toward the Farm Mechanics merit badge (more on that below). That evening we all went out to the Catfish House for supper.

The cousins from Ashland City all came for lunch and an afternoon of fun Sunday. We enjoyed playing and visiting until dark.

All too soon Monday morning came and we watched the Cotter van leave our driveway and head toward home.

FARM MECHANICS. From the time that Alex, the older brother, joined Boy Scouts Chris has wanted the Farm Mechanics merit badge. He had simply looked through the merit badge list, spotted it, and thought it would be cool to earn for himself. To earn a merit badge you have to have a counselor, and in all the time Chris has been a Scout they have not found anyone in Central Florida available to do that. This is where I come in.

Several months ago Dianna contacted me and asked if I would be willing to be the merit badge counselor for this badge for Alex and Chris (and for my boys as well). I had the experience growing up, so why not? So, we decided what they could do from home ahead of time and planned time on this trip for the requirements they couldn't.

After placing flags at the cemetery we stopped by Will Ed's shop to look around. Neither Will Ed nor Samuel were there, but I was able to give them enough of a tour for them to understand how a shop like that functions on a farm.

That afternoon, after picking strawberries and having lunch at Mom's, we came back home and I directed the boys in servicing my mower. We took care of everything from changing the oil to greasing all the fittings. About the only thing we didn't do was sharpen the blades.

Now Chris (and Alex) can check this off his childhood bucket list and sport a merit badge on his sash that is rare for his district.

Joe