Historical Merit Badges

Finished Carpentry Project

Well, I've had a CRAZY BUSY week.

For 2010, the BSA re-introduced 4 special merit badges.  I set a goal earlier in the year to earn all 4.  I mean, if they're available just for this year, wouldn't everyone want to earn them?

Last summer I earned the Pathfinding and Tracking Merit Badges at Summer Camp.  (Summer Camp was AWESOME, by the way.)  I also started Carpentry at Camp but didn't get it finished there since there were too many Scouts and not enough tools.  I've been putting off getting it finished since July; I've had the supplies but for some reason just didn't get it done.  I didn't really mean to but the time just slipped away and that's what happened.  On Monday this last week my mother pointed out that there weren't so many days remaining in 2010 & if I wanted to meet my goal of earning all 4 of the Historical Merit Badges I best get to work on it.  

Overall, finishing the project wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be.  It rained horribly bad earlier in the week and my parents let me do the project in the living room instead of outside in the rain.  (Thanks, Mama!)  Everything had to be done with hand tools (no electricity allowed) so there wasn't as much mess as there could have been.

I made a Garden Bench, officially, but we've been using it this week as a coffee-table in the living room.   I also think it will make a great helicopter landing area but I haven't tested for that yet.  Doesn't it look nice?

Also this week I took an all-day Signaling Class.  I am never going to do that again -- take an all day course, I mean.  My brain was fuzzy at the end of the day.  But, I did it!  I met my goal of earning all 4 Historical Merit Badges.  I only wish some other Scouts in my Troop had earned them with me; I'm the only Scout in my Troop to have earned them all.