Friday 26th and Saturday 27th July 2013

As previously mentioned, reveille was set for 07.30 on Friday and Saturday mornings so that we could get to our outdoor activities in good time.  The lads were sleepy but excellent.  Their hard work meant we could get off site by 09.50 on Friday and 09.30 today after a walk around inspection.

It is a good drive to where the activities take place (about 12 miles outside Brecon), so I took the opportunity to continue the musical education of those in my minibus.  Over Friday and Saturday I have treated the boys to Billy Joel, Nina Simone, Fleetwood Max, Cat Stavens, James Blunt, The Eagles and Bob Dylan with a little bit of Tom Jones thrown in for good measure.  I'm saving Dire Straits for the journey back to site!

The general consensus at dinner last night was that the activities were well received and enjoyed (which is just as well as the two days makes a massive hole in the camp budget!)

As we reach the half way mark, my feeling is that the boys are doing extremely well and with the return of Mrs Maher and the arrival of Mr Causton, Mr Rinne and Mr Travers, it promises to be an excellent second week.

Tonight we will be eating steak pie (made at our local butchers), new potatoes and seasonal vegetables.  The butcher has lent us his portable gas fired oven, which will also allow us to do baked potatoes and pizza (!!!) later on in camp.  This will be followed by chocolate cake, strawberries and cream.  Not bad for a meal on a camp site that is being prepared for 95 people!  This will be preceded by Mass and proceeded by our mid camp party.

When all this is done we will enjoy a well earned lie in on Sunday morning for which I know many of the boys (and HQ) will be grateful.

SRM