Blue Skies

Span the world with friendship

Monday 21 October 2013

Tin Can Cooking (2013-10-21)

In preparation for the evening we bought some cans of Sainsbury's Ginger Beer, which we found has 43g of sugar per can (Coke has 10g). So we weighed out 45g of sugar.

I made eight can cookers and brought paper plates, oil, parsnips, cheese, bread red pepper, potato and carrot.

On the evening we played four games of Octopus before holding a circle. We counted around the circle to get our total of twenty one elfins. Tim explained in detail the safety procedures: children with long hair to tie it back and if anyone got burnt they were to run to the water bucket FIRST and only when the burn was in water to start screaming. A lively question and answer session followed about what to do if various bits of the body got burnt but the answer was always the same: wet first, scream later!

We divided into groups of three to cook together, each group had a cooker and candle on a paper plate, a selection of food and cocktail sticks to cook with. There were quite a few sprints to the water bucket, but miraculously none resulted in blisters.

The leaders topped up the food and oil as it was consumed or spilt.

We cleared up and held a song circle in which we sang The Mighty Song of Peace, Red River Valley and Blue Lake and Rocky Shore, even without Tegan, who has hurt her back, we managed a very creditable effort.

We ended with our Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tim, Rana
Helpers: Liz
Elfins: 21

Monday 14 October 2013

Hand Prints (2013-10-14)

We started with a little drama, as Tim had forgotten the keys, and had to come in through the open door from the playground, Brian saved the day as he had the key for locking up.

We played Octopus, a little too roughly and words had to be had about games not working if the rules are not followed.

We held a circle, this being a singing week we were not due to hold a News Circle but the clamour for News was strong! Whilst other people's news sometimes fails to fascinate everyone it is very important to some members who prepare what they are going to say well in advance.

It will soon be Dylan's birthday; Kobe's Dad's birthday; Ivo is going to his cousin's house; Jo is going to Dorchester; Rafiq went to the zoo on his mother's birthday; Pip is going to the school Halloween disco next Thursday; Tegan's partner has had his birthday; Arran has had his jabs in preparation for going to Sri Lanka; Xanthe had a sleepover; Millie-May went to a toy shop; Gena is going to York; Jay has been to Croatia; William went on a school trip; Matilda has a wobbly tooth; Debbie has to buy new tyres; Millie has gone up a level in cello; Tessa went for a sleep over at a friend's house; Iona hopes to have the first class pet: a rescued goldfish; Hazel went to see a 3D movie; Lena will soon have roller skates for her birthday; Connie and Flora were filmed at dance, the film will be shown in Japan by their teacher; Flora discovered her Mum when she fainted and told Tim; Tim spent four hours in A&E on Saturday, as Ruth had fainted on Saturday morning and hit her head after breaking her toe on Friday.

We decided to play Duck Duck Go whilst people went in pairs to draw around their hands in preparation for decorating them for the banner.

We then decorated our hand prints.

We sang We are the woodcraft folk, Campfires burning and Bumble Bee.

We ended with our Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tim, Tegan
Helpers: Liz
Elfins: 23

Monday 7 October 2013

Banners and Sparks (2013-10-07)

People arrived early, early enough to see the biggest pumpkin ever!

The weather was so nice we played outside. Valerie decided to come and join us for the evening.

We held our News Circle in the willow dome. Tegan explained the meaning of our Banner. It is to have our name, our motto and all our hand prints on it.

Most of us seem to have been working hard this last fortnight. The most dramatic news was that Iona had been to London Zoo, where the donkey that her sister had adopted had died three days earlier.

We played Grandmother's Footsteps and played with the new Fire Steels making sparks in the dusk.

Tim saw and heard two bats using the bat detector, but only briefly so was unable to share.

We returned to the hall. We did not have enough time for everyone to have their handprint drawn, but we will carry on next week.

We ended with our Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tim, Tegan
Elfins: 23