Through the Dictates of Old age

Greetings from The Heart of Scouting

Life in The Heart of Scouting has been moving in the fast lane for the past ten days, as not only have I had a new generation of Scouts coming out with me, but international Scout visitors to boot.

The weekend started on the Thursday when I went out to fit a new pump/motor platform to number three well which I had made the previous weekend and then taken it home with me where I welded it together. This modification has come about after struggling since 2004 when the original pump/motor combination had been stolen. At the time of installation of this pump in 1979, I had mounted it on a trolley which I merely rolled out of the pump-house when in use and then back into it and locked the door when not in use. For twenty-five years all worked perfectly well until the pump-house was broken into and the pump stolen. To ensure that the replacement unit was not stolen, I carted it backward and forward to the well each week when I pumped water for the camp. Lifting a fifty kilogramme pump combination from floor level into the back of Inguluvane and then put it down to ground level at the well proved to be a back breaking experience. Added to this I had to go inside the pump-house which is only one and a half metres in height to connect the pipes. I am not exactly a Leprechaun which necessitated me bending double to get in to perform the task of connecting the pipes and just for good measure this was done over an open well beneath me. A real circus act, but never any applause at the end of it. As an aside, I once dropped my glasses down the well whilst performing this delicate maneuver. However, I will not divulge any details, because it will take several pages to detail the rescue operation and besides at the end of which you will either be crying with laughter or booking me into our mental institution in Bulawayo. All I will say is that my act of retrieving my glasses was witnessed by a young Scout who was quite shaken but ever since has seen me in a different light - big, bold and most probably deranged.

The second of my Troop's "Roof of Africa Expedition" report backs, was held on the Friday afternoon at Garden Park, a retirement village in Bulawayo. Whilst the Scouts were doing their thing, I sneaked off to fetch Adam, our caretaker at Gordon Park, from Provincial Scout Headquarters in town as I had made arrangements the previous weekend for him to come into town to attend our third report- back later on in the evening. This report back was to be held instead of our usual Friday night Troop meeting. I had just collected him when I received a telephone call from a couple that I been expecting to arrive in Bulawayo from Botswana. So, a quick detour on my way back to Garden Park to make personal contact with David and Donna who were waiting for me at our Municipal camp-site in the city. A quick chat and they decided on my hair-brain scheme and followed me back to Garden Park where our report back had just ended.

With two of my Scouts, Adam and myself, together with a mountain of kit in Inguluvane and closely followed by our guests in their vehicle, I headed off for Martin Sanderson's house where our third report back was to be held at 20.00 hours that evening. Martin had everything under control at his house and was just waiting for us Scouts to set up our equipment to give our presentation. The report on our presentations will appear in Pioneer Trail. It was after 22.00 hours when we finally headed out for Gordon Park with once again our guests hard on our tail. Bed and I made contact at around 01.00 hours on Saturday morning.

We were greeted by a perfect Saturday morning; clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. Our guests, David and Donna Keegan were no ordinary guests, for they had travelled down the length of Africa from Ireland to Cape Town in their Land Cruiser, keeping mainly to the east coast of Africa and were now on their way back to Ireland following in the main, the west coast - their website is www.armuinnamuice.com This journey was to take them a whole year. As a bonus they are both active Scout Leaders in Dublin and for them to stay in a Scout camp in Zimbabwe did not take much persuasion from me when we met in the Municipal camp-site in Bulawayo. They had heard about myself and Gordon Park from two other travellers from England who were also travelling down the length of Africa, namely Rob and Sarah, whom we had met in Mwanza on Lake Victoria, Tanzania. They too had stayed for a couple of days at Gordon Park when they passed through Zimbabwe in February. Mike and Jordan, an aspiring new Scout who is all fired up with what Scouting has to offer and who will be joining the Troop soon, took them on a walking tour of Gordon Park whilst I sorted out the plumbing materials that were needed to connect up the pump at its new location at well number three.

In the afternoon we went to Silozwana to show them the rock art in the cave and the area of the southern Matopos. Then it was back to the Park and a late dinner. Sunday morning before breakfast saw our guests clambering up Shumba shaba. This was no big deal for them, as they too had scaled Mount Kilimanjaro on their journey south through Africa. By mid morning and having watched Mike and Jordan cutting and threading the new pipes that were needed for coupling up pump number three in its new position, Dave and Donna bid us farewell and headed off for Masvingo and Great Zimbabwe. Our endeavours in connecting up pump number three were successful and so now I do not have to lift the pump, but just slide it from Inguluvane onto the platform and neither do I have to crawl into the pump-house to connect the pipes. Progress has been achieved through the dictates of old age.

Cheers
Norman

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This past Week...

Congradulations!
To Andy Blundell (ex-8th Hillside) and Kaz who are getting married in Mauritius - A celebration was clearly required - but stuck in London with no Gordon Park to go to... Andrew Arrowsmith kindly volunteered his pad and organised a great family day out on Saturday of Paintballing and a braai, under clear skies and a full moon... (in British sub-zero temperatures). Photos of the days activities with ex-Byo scouts: construction managor Andy Blundell, risk assessor Nick Jones, Computor trainor Daffyd Jones, sainsbury's food managor Simon Miller-Cranko, archietector Andrew Arrowsmith, accountont Graham Williams & Hylton can be found at:-
www.facebook.com

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A new Aussie!
Stan Wilson (ex-8th Hillside) has just moved to Kalgoorlie Western Australia & rumour has it he's already missing Africa!
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Withdrawal symptoms have ceased!
I too was wondering what was happening to the weekly dose from our little bit of paradise!
Good to have you back and to hear of your new toys.
Regards
Andrew Barker
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Dear John, Chris & the other scouts who came to Tanzania last year 2010,
Thanks very much for your weekly emails.
Please pass on many greetings and our best wishes from the Scouts of Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam
Ally Mrisho
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1st Bulawayo (Pioneer) Scout Troop Programme of Activities for:-

March
Africa Scout Day
Provincial Swimming Gala

April
2-3 Monthly Hike
10 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
22-25 Easter
Zimbabwe Independence Day
Provincial St. George's Day Service

May
7-8 Monthly Hike
8 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Troop camp

June
4-5 Monthly Hike
Boy Skills Course (Provincial course)
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Parents camp

July
2-3 Monthly Hike
Chuck Wilcox Art and Craft Competition
10 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
William Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition

August
6-7 Monthly Hike
14 Gordon Park; 12.00 noon

September
3-4 Monthly Hike
Boys Skills Course: P.H.Q.
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Provincial Cookout Competition

October
1-2 Monthly Hike
Parent's Camp
9 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
15-16 JOTA/JOTI
Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition

November
5-6 Monthly Hike
13 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Inter Provincial Patrols Competition

December
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
25 Christmas Day

Activities may be Deleted/Added to the Programme

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If youre planning to visit Zimbabwe - pencil in "Gordon Park's 75th Anniversary Camp" thats being planned for the 18th to 20th February 2011!
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The 2010 Troop's fundraising Calendar can be found at:-
http://matabele.altervista.org/1st-calendar/1st-pioneer-troop-calendar-2011.htm


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"A Thought For The Week"

"Sometimes I live in my own world.. But thats okay they know me there!

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Matabeleland Scout Website http://matabele.altervista.org/
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Bulawayo, 21/3/2011