A Walk in the Park

Greetings from The Heart of Scouting

The start of the second school term had been brought forward by a week and so I had brought the monthly Troop hike forward. This I did in order to take advantage of a few more Scouts being able to undertake the hike before their school sports commitments took over their weekends. Further, I had been requested to allow two Scouts from another Troop to join in on my Troop's hike in order that they could undertake their Adventurer badge hike test. That occupied the Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Returning to Gordon Park early on Saturday afternoon, we had lunch and then set about our tasks for the weekend. The two Scouts from the 8th Hillside, Dylan James and Brendan Mackenzie continued with the anti-soil erosion work that Dylan had started on last week to pass a test for his Adventurer badge. I took Ndlovu (the trailer) to the sand quarry for them to load for subsequent unloading on the washed out section of road beyond the Naomi Conolly Lodge. Dylan had not completed it the previous week and luckily for him he now had Brendan to help, who also could pass the test.

Chris, Declan and Mike cleaned out the Crew hut whilst I put the pump in place on number Three well and then pushed the field mower up hill for over a kilometre to the Bowl Parade Ground and continued with the cutting programme. Not having the mower in service for several weeks, had resulted in the grass growing unchecked. It is also now drying out, which makes cutting that more difficult as it is seeding causing the stalks to mat together. This is especially true for the Spear Grass (Heteropogon contortus). I was in a pool of sweat by the time darkness had fallen and I could see no more. Fortunately, 'the three musketeers' had come to call me for dinner and so they pushed the mower back to Headquarters, each taking turns at sitting on the cutting platform on the journey back. If they think that the field mower is a perambulator, then they had better think again. However, they were in such high spirits that they got away with their antics. The only rest I had had was when Dylan had come to tell me that he and Brendan had filled Ndlovu and that I could take it to where they were to unload it on the road.

Early on Sunday morning I left the Park for town only to return to the Matopos a few hours later, this time as a tour guide. One of my money earners is conducting tours in the Matopos for tourists. As we have not been getting many tourists of late, I could not turn down the opportunity at earning some much needed money. The cupboard is bare. Fortunately for my Scouts, this was only a half day tour, otherwise they would have had to return to town with me. As it was, I was back at the Park by two o'clock, just in time for lunch. During my absence they had busied themselves by undertaking constructive activities, had not demolished the Park or hurt themselves. They can be trusted. Whew! And Dylan had successfully passed his sailmaker's whipping that he had learnt the week before. Bright button.

Now, on my return I had some terrific news to share with my Scouts. During the week, in fact only two days earlier and I had seen evidence - in the form of dung, for myself, whilst undertaking my tour duties, an elephant had taken a walk in the park. Yes a real live elephant in the Matopos and what is more he had visited Gordon Park. Now, at 4500 kilogrammes for a male adult, there is some royalty for you. This fellow is not the first fellow to visit the Matopos of late, for two years ago four young adult males were seen in the bush near World's View, the site of Cecil John Rhodes' grave and which is four kilometres from Gordon Park. And then just two weeks ago, a fully grown elephant visited the city of Bulawayo. Just wondered into the city and then headed out to the Matopos. I have since heard that several elephant have been sighted close to the city. No, they are not circus elephants!

All in all a great weekend, with the added bonus of an elephant - he must have been reading these weekly news snippets and had come to investigate for himself, hoping to join in on the fun that our Scouts are so privileged to enjoy.

Cheers
Norman
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"A Thought For The Week"

If you are disillusioned and discouraged by your Membership, just imagine how God must feel about his!

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Bulawayo, 3 May 2010