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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Tom Sawyer in the making

I have read Tom Sawyer with my sixth graders several times.  I read Huckleberry Finn in college.  That dynamic duo were some of the orginal American trouble makers.  They lived life just a little on the wild side, pushing the limits of propriety--just like kids today, but in that more innocent, tolerable way.  You know, running away from home and sailing down the Mississippi on homemade rafts, only to return home after a criminal tracked them down in a cave. 
What does this story have to do with me?  My husband decided that will be his 2012 summer high adventure trip with the boy scouts-- to raft down the Ohio River, Tom Sawyer style, with the scouts.  So he made a raft to test with the boys, this year.  (He's such a kid at heart)  Well with the unforcasted rain this weekend, the father/son campout got cancelled because the parking area would have been a muddy mess. 
We went up to grandma's and tried out the raft anyhow.  We parked in grandma's driveway and hiked and drove our gear in with the 4 wheeler.
Does this look like a Tom Sawyer raft?  I think it looks more like a wooden pontoon boat.
 We were going to camp at the pond with the kids.  We ended up not camping because a large thunderstorm blew in.  We did all the work though.  Setting up Kyle's new tent for scout camp.  Last year I mentioned he was a tent collector.  We were going to break it in.  Well, it weathered the storm well, but it did not accomodate any sleepers.  (I'm a fair weather camper, wimp I know)
 Kayla and I got to enjoy the raft and did some more fishing.  It was fun.  Kyle knows some improvements he wants to make to make next year's trip a good one.
I wish I could get my home improvements projects done like he does for the boys.  Hmm, I wonder if I adopted 6 boys and had them live here with us if it would make any difference?  I doubt it!
Happy Memorial Day!

7 comments:

  1. Sure, Stacy. Feel free to use the Memorial Day poem if you like. Just make sure to put the copyright information on it.

    Sorry to hear of their loss. That is so hard, and I will keep them in my prayers.

    =)

    PS. Sounds fun. Good luck getting your home improvement stuff done!

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  2. What a great raft! Good job Kyle. I've had my doubts about this trip ever since Jack told me the plan. I admit that I have joked about it and wondered how this was going to come about. Well, I have to say I'm impressed and maybe they might live to tell the tale next year after all! I have an idea about your home improvements..I have a few of my own, so maybe there should be a merit badge to get the guys over to help out!

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  3. Wow, your husband did a great job on the raft! My two guys talked me into going camping in two weeks...I will try and get myself psyched up for it...but, it's not really my thing! It's usually THEIR thing...but for some reason they want me to go this time! Nice tent!

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  4. That's a pretty fancy looking raft!

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  5. That raft is really impressive, and a rafting trip down the river sounds so much fun. Maybe it will be good for more than one trip and you can go, too, sometime. :-)

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  6. Hi. Do you happen to have building plans for that raft? I’d love to try to make one. It’s absolutely perfect!

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  7. That's a great idea , I found my pontoon boat build ! You a fine father for sure !

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