Learning to march

Learning to march sounds boring. Done the right way is fun. We had fun. Even when you are asked to go back and do it again. And again.

First you start with remembering what one is your left foot! Once it is pointed out that Guide Salute with their Right and shake with their left things are easier. The left foot is the lead foot. we often mucked up.

To correct that there's the skip step. The one where you do a half step and repeat it a few steps later. That way the marching is all back in rhythm again.

Then when your finally moving when do you know when to stop. besides the person in front running stopping and you running right into them. That's where listening to the commands come into it. And doing the commands helps too.

Marching involves swinging the arms. The other arm to the foot that is moving. Or you may end up out of balance and falling into someone else.....the ground hurt's when there is no one to stop you falling.

The hand does not go further than the knee. If you swing the hand too far the steps get out of rhythm.

It took us a really fun time to get this marching stuff under control. then we got new people and we had to show them how it was done. That was really funny cause we realized how funny we looked when we begun to 'March'.

We learned to March so that we could be on parade and escort the colors when the Second World War Board of Honor was brought back to the Hazelwood South Hall. Then we did Australia Days, and Anzac Days. Everytime there was something that we wanted to march in there was new things to learn too.

We were working on our Explore: guiding, Our World and Friendship badges, others doing sections of our Create: Feet, hands, Ears badges. Some of us were doing more to their Junior BP and BP badges,

Amaretti

I picked up this recipe from somewhere over time. It has been used in camps and unit meeting times when there are Guides with lactose challenges. The others liked them so much that every so often the recipe was thrown into the program.

The Guides enjoyed it when I took down another electrical kitchen gadget for them to learn to use. The almonds were orginaly ground by hand grinder. Yes there are still these around. Now I cheat and take the compact electric grinder down. Even plain sugar quickly gets zapped into caster sugar. This way they learn that ingrediants have base forms. A bit like water being turned into ice or steam.


Serving Size: 20 to 24 medium sized pieces
Used as cakes and Baking, Lunch box, Snacks
Special Info: Lactose free
Ingredients:

• 200g raw almonds
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• Finely chopped zest of 1 orange
• 2 egg whites
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place almonds and sugar in a food processor and whiz until the almonds are roughly chopped. Add orange zest and egg whites and whiz until the mixture comes together. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking tray.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Cool on a tray or wire rack.

Some of last years Australia Day (2008) photo's.

A different place and a different time. But still we were there.

It was hot that day too. We were glad there was some shade and the Australia Day service started early in the morning.

Next time more sun shade and drink bottles will be requested to be brought. Just in case it is better to Be Prepared.