"I think our policies are best expressed through the medium of song..."

[chaletian]

Eh bien, so I obviously returned safely from Pack Holiday, where I was attempting to pass myself off as Sleeping Beauty. General impression is that it is jolly hard work, and jolly good fun. Obviously I had been on Guide Holiday before, but that was strictly as a fairly unimportant minion who basically only had to get the Guides through the Confectioners Badge. This time I was QMing, which felt like a huge responsibility (obviously nothing like Snow White had to deal with, but more than enough for my responsibility-shirking brain), and v scary etc, but actually worked out OK, and other than a couple of mishaps and a minor moment of milk-related panic (so we ended up with 6 pints more than we needed - I maintain that if we had had custard as planned, and I hadn’t panicked on Friday night and commissioned Pocahontas and Jasmine to buy an extra 4 pints when they visited for the day, I would have bought exactly the right amount, so go me, frankly), I had got all the right food, and it all got cooked at about the right times. But actually, this is all part of Guiding. For me, it was a huge challenge. Not what I was cooking, because it was all easy stuff that I’ve done before, but the planning, organising and carrying out of cooking in a strange kitchen to a specific menu at a specific time (more or less) for nearly 20 people. And I actually feel rather proud that I managed to do it (OK, so there was the odd moment of kitchen spazz, and I very much wanted to cry over the apple crumble, and the cooked breakfast on Saturday was quite stressful, notwithstanding the ever-calming presence of Cinderella, and Sunday lunch was a bit later than planned, and the bacon *minged*, and I kept forgetting about elevenses), and am going to step back from my usual self-criticism, and give myself a small pat on the back. Obviously, I wouldn’t have managed AT ALL had people not bopped up to help - I think I pressed everyone into service at one time or another (also had the Brownies on a carefully programmed basis, though I sucked at finding things for them to do, and I don’t think I’m actually experienced enough at this QM lark to be able to concentrate on preparing whatever meal I’m on *and* supervising the Brownies/finding age-appropriate things for them to do, but probly this will come in time), and Katie was brilliant, as one would expect, frankly. Plus the Brownies were introduced to the Lego Head Man, which can only have been an enriching experience for them.

And I think the whole experience was validated when, whilst decorating their pizzas, there was some woe, then E said: “Sleeping Beauty won’t let them burn,” which made me feel very proud, even if twas just small child assuming that of course adult in apron knew what she was doing.

As for the rest, it all seemed to go fairly smoothly, bar the odd bump or two, and Brownies and adults alike seemed to enjoy themselves. Snow White does know what she’s doing with this pack holiday lark…

(Ooh, and I made a poster for the pyjama party, which was a bit crap, but it was recognisably Peter Pan, even if it looked more like Peter Pan on steroids… ah yes, that lesser-known work by JM Barrie…)