To suspect that Enid Blyton is not really dead but is alive and well and organising DD's Brownie Camp?

[GingGangGoolie]

I have namechanged in case La Blyton has got the internet and takes umbrage.

DD is away at Brownie Camp for two nights. DS1's list for a two night Cub camp was in large type on an A5 sheet. DD's is in microscopic type on a sheet of A4.

There are 58 items on the list. 58!

They include:

Sturdy walking shoes
potato peeler
tea towel
woolly hat (in July?)
Dessert spoon and tea spoon
Apron

Apron? I don't own an apron. My 77 year old Mum probably doesn't own an apron. What sort of eight year old has her own apron?

I think people have climbed Everest with less equipment.

And it says that "Homemade cakes are welcome"

AIBU to send shop bought cakes? Will DD be an outcast, seen as lower class and be forced to address the other girls as Miss Georgina and Miss Anne?

pmsl
what will they do with al the spoons?

Send lashings of ginger beer

Do they still sing Ging Gang Goolie round camp fires these days?

Ah, Stealth, perhaps they will play them round the Jolly Old Camp Fiah!

don't forget:
a notebook and pen for writing down suspects
a torch for sending messages in morse code
a pair of binoculars for keeping lookout!

I'm jealous. I want a famous five adventure.

I've no idea upahill but I was trying to think of a namechange and inspiration struck.

Yikes DD goes up to Brownies soon - 86 items

I wouldn't have thought an eight year old would be allowed to buy a potato peeler in a shop.

at the notion of a campsite of 1000 Brownies armed to the teeth with the things.

I suspect brown owl has purchased a pack of guide assoc. pre printed kits lists as opposed to the cub leader who has taken time and effort to produce an infinitley more sensible one tailored to their weekend

I would check with brown owl re stuff like cutlery as brownies are usually indoors and therefore dont need cutlery

but yeah I am with you .. the guide assoc needs to get into the 20th centrury never mind the 21st

I was thrown out of Brownies for swearing. I was a member in the days before the uniform was "cool" and when it was still that turd brown pinafore bobble hat combination and we had to dance around a giant mushroom pretending to be some sort of imaginary sprite

Now if THAT isn't weird I don't know what is.

My DD is away at camp with her guides at the moment.

They had to build their own tents when they arrived and are cooking all their own food on a camp fire (with supervision from the leaders)and scout round the woods for kindling.

Like your DDs the kit list was fairly comprehensive and included stuff like aprons and spoons but we found one particular item impossible to find.

Due to the guide leader not checking her spell checker one item stated:

willies (essential)

Couldn't get one anywhere so she had to go without!

Chris sang Ging Gang Goolie on an episode of Show Me Show Me once.

Sorry, nothing to do with Brownie camp,'just thought I'd share.

I used to love going on Brownie camp! Don't remember having to take an apron though.

My mum sent a shop bought cake on pack holiday once. Brown owl could tell from the shape of the crumbs.

and as for home baking....

shop bought will be just as welcome. Its really just so the leaders brownies have something nice to snack on.

We dont allow our brownies any ind snacks but tell the parents all donations will vbe gratefully received and divided up amongst the girls

some parents bake lovely tray bakes, some parents go to m&s and some just hand in large multipacks of crisps. All of it is gratefully received and used.

Sometimes if we get too much we make up goody bags for the girls to take home

She's not taking an apron!

I am not buying one.

Did I mention that all the clothes they take have to be yellow or brown?

Try looking for yellow or brown girls' clothes. Go on, try it. Best of bloody luck.

PMSL at "My mum sent a shop bought cake on pack holiday once. Brown owl could tell from the shape of the crumbs. "

Thanks for reassuring me frasersmummy. I am not big on baking cakes and DD very fussy so I would much rather buy something I know is OK.

Oh we had a special holiday uniform that wasn't the usual brownie one. It was a lovely brown skirt and can't remember if it was a yellow and brown t-shirt or just brown . I think that we had one uniform to wear for the whole 5 days!

pmsl ..

lazy/mad/both brown owl with a kit list she had as a girl!!!

so long as she has weather appropriate clothes she will be fine... remember long sleeves and long trousers for night time ...

Every child needs a potato peeler? How many fecking potatoes are they going to eat?

She might put them in the shoebox she has to bring as well.

Maybe they're going to do a potato peeling task. Whoever peels the most potatoes get their um, potato peeling badge

agh, I'm so jealous! I want to go to that camp!
Please report back and let us know what fun they got up to with their potato peelers.

Thought every child would have an apron - both my kids have as they help me with baking. And DS (4) wears his every morning for breakfast to keep his school clothes clean. Maybe not!

Here is a really really easy cake recipie, don't even need a mixer, just put all ingredients in a bowl together and mix:

Makes 3 loaf tins - best to line the tins though. My kids both love this, makes moist yummy cake.

Chocolate Cake

5 eggs
1½ cups oil
3 cups sugar
3 cups plain flour
1 cup cocoa
3 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoon baking soda
1¼ cups hot strong coffee

Method:

1.Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
2.Bake in a large lined tin 12inch X 12 inch or 2 or 3 smaller tins.
3.Cook 1 hour at gas 5 190ºC until firm to the touch.

I went on girl guide camps not brownie holidays inside but we would have used all those things

woolie hats are good when it gets cold at night in tents, stop you loosing body heat

apron for when cooking/washing up

we used to all sit and peel potatoes (much quicker work) and would wash our own plates, in specially made contraptions fachioned out of sticks to hold washing up bowl and form a draining board

as we would do our own washing up in groups (forgotten the name now!) we would use each individuals teatowel in turn, spo one teatowel per meal to dry plates for 5/6 girls then a clean one at the next meal