Palaver 2015 - Sunday

Today was another sunny day (which also meant it had been cold overnight at Woodhouse again).  But thankfully Akela has this sleeping thing down pat at Woodhouse and knows how to keep us both warm while we sleep.

This morning’s activities covered our last two main sessions for the Red Six – Bun Run (a wide game around Woodhouse, which gave us a chance to get some much needed exercise as well

Our final session was cooking and we certainly had fun doing this one and eating the end results.

We then also had another two mini sessions as well – one was Animals Anonymous, which was awesome and Akela got to touch real snakes! She is a nut case, no doubts about it! We have the photos of her holding snakes on camps before!

Then we switched and did a session on Tangier cooking.  Akela has done some of this before and was happy to do some more watching on this one. Also, she was feeling rather full by this stage and we hadn’t even had lunch! She is convinced she has put on weight this weekend with all the eating that was happening.

Lunch arrived very quickly and was certainly very nice. It was lasagne and Akela is a bit of a pasta fan, so probably wasn’t the wisest of meals to serve her. I did remind her to put veg on her plate and she certainly made sure it was a balanced plate that she brought back to the table.

 

Once lunch was over, it was time to do the pack up and clean of the Rymill Centre. It is hard to believe that another Palaver has been and gone. But it was certainly a enjoyable weekend and we are looking forward to the next one in 2017.

Palaver 2015 - Saturday

It was an early Saturday morning – a COLD start to the morning (one of the leaders who arrived from home said it was 2C in his car port when he left home). Breakfast was a much welcome sight – warm, filling and lots of it.

The leaders broke into their sixes (Red, Green, Blue and Purple) and headed to their 1^st activity. Akela and I were in Red Six. The name tags this year were shells painted in our six colours, with our names written on them. They looked so cool.

Our first session was Plaster – making face masks. It was fun and Akela looked really funny with the one she made on.

Our second session was building tripods, and it was a chance for the leaders to either brush up on their lashings, or to put into practice what they had recently learnt on training. We then had to talk the tripod we made, which had a bell attached, around the car park without the bell ringing.

The 3^rd session for the morning was Tie Dye, where we looked at ways of doing tie dying without the expense of using dyes. It was certainly interesting and we even got to make Scarfs – there were even sizes especially for pack mascots! The person running the session said we have scarfs in sizes for pack bears / mascots. She then turns to Akela and says “That includes SHEEP!” So Akela made me a Palaver Scarf! It is so cool.

Lunch ensured we had a chance to re-charge and refuel before the afternoon onslaught of activities.

We also had several mini sessions throughout the day, one of which was a “So you think you can dance?” which was run by two of the dancers from Adelaide Gang Show. We had to perform the dances they taught us during the mini sessions during tea as apart of the entertainment.

Other activities that we did today included woodwork (Akela made a bird feeder – different to the ones we made at the Scout hall for Scouts in Action week though) as well as a visit to the environmental centre and a talk from the Branch Commissioner – environment. He  kindly mentioned the work that Mawson Lakes Cub Pack is doing with Friends of Pledger Wetlands as one way cubs can include environmental activities within their programs. That is, working with community based community groups who have an environmental focus.

The evening meal was the usual dress up in the theme. Akela didn’t dress up – she went in her uniform. She is not one for dressing up really and has done so on very rare occasions. But it’s just not something she is really into doing.

The decorations were awesome and done to theme really well. The placemats were designed to be coloured in, and colouring pencils as well. It was certainly well done and the food was great, as it had been all weekend.

 Talk went late into the night and there was a lot of laughter, singing happening over the course of the meal. There was even a quiz during the night and the Red Six (which Akela and I were in) did really well. We came 2^nd out of 5 teams, only being beaten by the Instructors team.

 Akela made sure we were in bed just before midnight – we weren’t the last ones to bed though as we left a few singing.

 

 

Sunday Palaver 2013

Today, Akela was only running the one session (first one). Hence, was able to go to breakfast and then do her packing afterwards! She certainly found it far more relaxing that having to rush around.

 It was a nice day outside and we got to enjoy some of it, by running the session outside. Although it was a little cool.

 Before long, everyone had done their sessions, packed their gear and cleared their rooms. Lunch was delicious (Akela LOVES lasagna). It was greatly appreciated.

After a forum and some preliminary planning for Palaver in 2014, it was time to lower the flag, do one last look in the rooms to ensure all was packed before heading home.

 

I really enjoyed the weekend, and know that the write up doesn’t really do this justice. But hope the photos make up for it.

Saturday at Palaver

What a nice morning it was at Woodhouse this morning, and it was pleasing breakfast was breakfast was at a somewhat civilized time of 8am (anyone who has been on camp with Akela knows she is just as likely to plan it earlier – but not today. It was at a decent time! And there was plenty of choice as well. No reason for anyone to say they were hungry...

Akela was running sessions this year around Wide Games, but didn’t have any for the first two sessions (there were 8 sessions, but only 4 groups of 6 people rotating through, so there was some free time for all). So, Akela, being the slack person she is (but I am sure she will disagree with me), took the time to staple the handouts together in the morning (I guess it beat staying up until goodness know what time last night to do it!).

Due to the nice weather today, the sessions Akela was running were held outside. It was certainly very nice. The first group who did the session, ended up on Challenge Hill to plan their game (Akela was doing a session around wide games, how to create them, when to run them and themes etc).

The groups worked really well together and now Akela has to type up the game notes into something that is a logical manner!

In addition, the food was great and there was plenty of it. No one was going hungry.

During the evening, everyone got dressed up for tea (except Akela – what a party pooper!!! But I did get pride of place sitting i her uniform pocket so could see everything that was happening) and there was a lot of fun to be had around the campfire after the meal.

 

Palaver - Sunday 28th August 2011

Sunday was another early start, but breakfast was very welcome and certainly much appreciated by everyone. People had been up late talking the night before, with a lot of ideas being exchanged.
 
There was only one session on Sunday morning, before the regular cub leaders forum taking place. Ideas were put forward and feedback as well on different things.

 Lunch was there before we knew it and was certainly very welcome. Certainly needed before the huge clean up that was undertaken – although the area had been kept generally tidied over the weekend.

I am glad Akela took me and that we had a good weekend away.

Palaver - Saturday Night 27th August 2011

Saturday dawned bright and early. The rooms were quite comfortable and both Akela and I were quite warm. Breakfast was plentiful and warming. Akela just had cereal. But I did check out the cooked breakfast enjoyed by those who had it.


Our first session of the day was about Ceremonies. It is very clear that these are an important part of Cubing, allowing the pack to come together and celebrate the achievements of others in the pack and being an important part of the opening and closing of pack meetings. We then headed to Morning tea and our second session, which looked at the differences between Australian and American Scouting, especially Cub Scouting. Our final session before lunch was on Cub Cooking, which occurred right before lunch.

Lunch was very filling and there was no way we were going hungry this weekend! Hamburgers and salad was great and very filling. Certainly much appreciated by Wilbur!

After lunch, the next session was out and about around Woodhouse. This was interesting and allowed us much needed fresh air and exercise. There’s no way anyone on Palaver is underfed! It was quite pleasant at Woodhouse. A little cool, but it wasn’t raining, there was plenty of sunshine, creating a nice day to be outside.

Afternoon tea allowed Akela’s six a chance to practice their segment for after tea entertainment. Thanks to one of their day participants, the group leant a simple folk dance and Akela is now wishing that she had gotten someone to record it as a video on her camera as a record. All the skits were entertaining and the evening was certainly a long night of a lot of laughter and enjoyment by all. It was late before Wilbur made it to bed, but it was certainly a enjoyable night

Friday Night at Palaver 26th August 2011

Today, Akela and Wilbur headed to Woodhouse for the weekend. The reason for the weekend at Woodhouse was that it was Palaver. This is a weekend where Cub Leaders come together, learn new skills, refresh old ones and get a chance to get to know other leaders in a relaxed setting.


Tonight, after registering, we made a box out of greeting cards and enjoyed a really nice supper. It was certainly good to be able to have a warm drink tonight after the drive up to woodhouse! While it wasn’t raining it was certainly cold.

There was much conversation till gone midnight before everyone went to bed. It certainly looks like a full weekend from this program that we were given.

Makins sure we are heading the right way to get to Woodhouse Campsite.