Uncle Steve came home today and presented Cooper with his very own pocket knife. It would not have mattered what else was done today, he made Cooper's birthday. He spent the day carving soap, earning the whitling badge out of his new Bear book, and feeling grown up and cool. Only the best of dads know that a boy should have his own knife when he turns 9.I told Cooper I was going to quiz him on information he had to read out of his Cub Scout book, to make sure he was absorbing all the safety rules and procedures of using a knife.
Mom: What's a safety circle?
Cooper: Before you use your knife you stretch your arm out in a circle and if you can't touch anyone else it's safe to use the knife.
Mom: Very good. How do you close the blade?
Cooper: With your palm.
Mom: That's right. Do we strip bark from a tree with the knife?
Cooper: No.
Mom: You've done great, I think you passed!
Uncle Steve: When you go to stab a person, do you do it with the blade up or the blade down?
Cooper: The blade down.
Uncle Steve: Neither. We don't stab people. You fail.
Okay. I felt like a failure. Did I not teach my kids about that?
Porter had his first meeting with his temporary scout troop, an 11 year old patrol consisting of two other boys. They spent the evening working on their totem chip, another patch that signifies their ability to use knives, axes and saws. He completed all those requirements, and had time left over to carve his name in a piece of black cherry wood. You've been warned: They're armed and dangerous!
9 comments:
Hooray for Uncle Steve!
Cooper does have the best of dads.
Uncle Steve rocks my socks.
What a good influence that Uncle Steve is (are you KIDDING me?!)... Lucky YOU. I think if anyone will be on their toes, it'll be the mother of four boys visiting Uncle Steve's habitat.
LAUGHING. Steve and his pop quiz. Funny.
What a fun birthday gift, every boy should have one. I'm just glad he knows how to use it. :)
What a nice gift and also learning the ins and outs about the use of the jack knife. I'm sure he has and will learn a lot. Have fun in your temporary scout troop.
I about died down here with the Uncle Steve quiz. We want more Steve-isms! Becky's been holding out on us! (Lame--we didn't even get the St. Patrick's day nose-humming ensemble this year.) More Uncle Steve!
(Zach)
Even in my nausea-induced state...I couldn't help but belly laugh with that one. It was FUNNY!
We just don't think of using a knife that way--only boys think of that!
YOWZERS COOPER! Hubbu hubbu with a pocket knife *ouch*!!! Can't wait to see some of your 'soap carvings'! And HURRY PORTER! Standing there with a pen in your scout shirt pocket reminds me of Bro Bach ~ always prepared with a Pen! NICE LOG CARVING, TOO! Your Dad will be mighty proud of you and Coops. Love, Sis B :)
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