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Cubs
From November last year, Piet and Jan have been trying out cubs. Jan used to be a scout(-leader) and Piet seems to like it too. Meetings take place every Tuesday from 6pm to 7.30pm, with only an occasional activity in the weekend - everybody is busy and camping is difficult at that age due to red tape: leaders need to first follow a special canvas training. During day light saving time, most meetings are away from the scout hall.
Piet was invested in the pack (horde) on Tuesday 1 March on Long Reef Headland. We walked past the golf course and up the headland, where the pack assembled. The pledge was done by five other cubs, four of which attend Manly Village Public School and three had even attended the same pre-school, which has made Piet's induction a lot easier. After a left-hand (scout) handshake and the uniform hand-out, we went down to the beach for our walk back. "No running, please".
Piet's hair had grown rather long, so he had the hairdresser cut it right back.
Easter
This year, Easter fell outside school holidays. We drove off on Friday morning 4am and with a new bypass in Canberra, arrived in time for tea. Grannybunts had organised an
archeological dig - some bones buried in a margerine container.
Piet and Emma diligently scrubbed and sifted through the sand. Juultje has started calling grannybunts 'Lum' (Dutch: Laam). We have little idea why; maybe because Sarah calls her mum?
Lum had arranged some hyacinth bulbs named after a famous Dutch speed skater. Juultje helped with potting and
watering.
Opa pushed his granddaughter on the tyre swing. Piet played his baritone for his grandparents. In the sandpit, we made a volcano, which opa lit with a cloth of kerosene in a tin. Fortunately, these occasional eruptions did not damage the forests on its slopes. The kids spent endless time of the trampoline, inventing and presenting shows. Juultje also like being read by Lum.
Damper
An Australian tradition is to bake bread in the coals of a fire and above it on a stick. The kids helped prepare the
fire place. Juultje had a
rest before helping opa putting
twigs and
larger sticks on the fire. Emma
lit the fire. Once we had coals, we baked the bread in aluminium foil and
on sticks. The kids scraped off all the burned bits and had it with butter and jam.
On Easter Sunday, the kids got out for the traditional egg hunt. Juultje had her own basket. Lum had prepared a piece of the lawn for a large letter 'J'. Juultje helped put the bulbs, carry the watering can, pour the water and even more water, and put the grass back on top. We left on Easter Monday for a long drive home, even involving traffic jams south of Canberra. Two more weeks of school to go...
