My son is doing CIT...

Wow... A lot has changed in my world since my first post about welcome to the wonderful world of Boy Scouts....

My 14 yr old son is now a CIT at BS camp for most of the summer.  For those who are not aware of what CIT is, its Counselor in Training.  If he does a good job at it, they might hire him next summer to work and get paid for playing all day.  The dream job!

So Sunday, we drove 4.5 hours to the middle of no where to drop him off.  We found staff city and his home away from home for most of the summer.  They call them quads, I call them bunk houses.  I dont know why they call them quads as only two people live in them. They are shacks on cinderblocks.  Honest!  They sway in the breeze!  His bunk make brought two floor fans which they promptly tied to the rafters pointing down.  Brilliant idea!  They are allowed electronics etc since they are staff. So, one boy brought a mini fridge, microwave, small tv and his xbox.  AWESOME!  Yes, I know its scout camp, but that is sweet!  and they are not campers, they are staff.  They should be allowed creature comforts.

Now my son left here on antibiotics.  he gets this cough every year.  We normally just keep an eye on it, but since he was going to be gone for two weeks straight, we thought it best to be preventative.  He calls me and says, mom I need some cough medicine.  I say, well see if one of the older boys or staff is going into town and you can get some.  He texts me last night on the way home from the store, excited that he bought a pink dress shirt, a 12 pk of pepsi and something else I cannot remember. But no cough drops or medicine. 

See this is just plain weird.  Yes, he's 14 and a big boy...but he's gone...4.5 hours away for most of the summer.  he's be home for the weekend in two weeks, then gone till mid july when he's home for two days then away at boundry waters for 10 days.  This is just odd.  this boy could never even find his own socks and how he's responsible for doing his own laundry!  I send him to buy cough medicine and he buys a pink shirt.  And no, I didn't ask why he was buying a pink shirt.  I really dont want to know...actually, I really dont care.  You want a pink shirt, buy a pink shirt :)

I have gone from talking to him every other minute, ok not quite since he is a teenager after all, to, if i'm lucky talking to him once a day.  

Is he eating ok?  According to him they had hamburgers the other night but he wasn't sure it was meat
Is he sleeping ok?  Other night didn't get to bed till late cause they were up late watching the princess bride.  What??!?
How is his cough?  He has a pink shirt.

I think its going to be a long summer...for me...not him!

Boundry Waters....here we come....shopping

So my son BS 1st class, 14 yrs old....is heading to boundary waters this summer.  His first of course.  He'll be canoeing for a week in MN.  He will be gone for a week. 

He had his first meeting with his trek and brought home a list of supplies needed.  UMMMM???WOW?

Ok...I am thrilled I have a list..but maybe a little more information is needed?

Here is a partial list..
water drain shoes
gel inserts for shoes
dry bag bright colors....ummm...how big and why bright colors...is it going to go swimming on its own and you will need to be able to find it later?  Where should I buy it?  What brand?
Small sleeping bag...ummm...you have one...oh that's to big..I need to buy you a new one?  smaller?  but you are 5'9...how will you fit into it if its smaller?
Sham wow...I think this should be in every house, car and backpack, PERIOD
A smaller sleeping bag....ummm...two sleeping bags...one small and one smaller?  What am I missing?
Compression bags...what are compression bags and why
2 nalgine water bottles wrapped in duct tape...he had to explain this one to me.  if they drop one of the bottles on a rock, the duct tape will protect them since there are no stores around to replace one.

There's more but wow..the rest is the basic first aid kit, clothes etc etc. 

So...when they provide this list to a 14 yr old, it should also include where to shop, although the boy does list Ace hardware next to some of the items) and what brand or kind to get.  I can pretty much guarantee that MOM will do most of the shopping since the boy doesn't drive yet! 

so....I bought two water bottles today...I think I have duct tape around the house....

what is a wicking sock anyway and where do you buy some????