Yes, my man is 6 foot 4. Yes, he is, as his father phrased it, "Strong as an OX". This, as he literally pulled a tree stump out of the ground! Marc v/s Tree = Marc wins!! Yes, he is amazing in the yard and garden, has a degree in Environmental Science etc... BUT, when it comes to woodworking type projects its all about duct tape!! I bought him a sander as part of his tool collection even, but alas, as we do not have many other wood working tools and Marc has so little time in the evenings and weekends as it is......the pinewood derby sturfy has fallen to me, year after year after painful year
By the way, these posted photos of cars are NOT one's we have made, lest you think I am a boasting bragger. They serve only as examples of what other people (who gives a rats patootie) have spent time and money making. Fact is, Scouting is kind of the last rung on my busy mom's ladder. We are constantly forgetting pac meeting, looking for the scout shirts, and the very last to sign up for all day volunteering at scout camp. I reek and stink in this area of supporting my boys, I am first to admit that. Truth be told, my boys are in too many extracurricular activites as it is and
That being said, I am going to share a few Reeves regrets, Pinewood Derby style.
(oh, how I wish I didn't just spring clean and toss the cars from past derby's so I show you some photos and PROVE myself infinitely unworthy to ever go near balsa wood again!!! - )
As far as Big A's experience goes, let me just say that he got a lot of "Most creative" awards. Kindly, the leaders give EVERY kid something. Big A's last car was called the "BIG YELLOW SQUASH" I, yes, me, I carved it with a sharp kitchen knife!!! He painted it yellow and it truly resembled the Veggie Tales Squash. He was at least embarrassed, but a good sport.
The next WINNER was one that Marc entered into the Elder's Quorum event. NO RULES or regulations. He left the block a block and nailed a piece of SOD on top. It was a block with grass on it basically!!! He had me write on the side
"JUST ROLLING A LAWN"!!!!
Here comes the funny part.........IT WON!!!! It was so heavy it just barreled past everything!!!!VVVVRRRRooooooooommmmm------SPLAT!!! Soil flying everywhere! The tidy little track looked like a grass hill! It was hilarious. Almost as funny as last year........
(feel the foreshadowing....)
LAST YEAR......
C Man's derby
We literally waited until the last day/hours before the derby....minutes really. Many a persuading conversation to Marc on the phone and his suggestion to just not go this year. I decided I would make it while C man was at school and surprise him when he got home. He could at least go and see his buddies and participate.
I started carving at about 3pm.....using my ever so productive kitchen knife!!! I realized I was never going to get through this block in time! Hands sore, slightly bleeding, and I had my famous creative IDEA. We have a gas stove. We have flame. The fastest way through wood is to burn it! I speared the wood with a skewer and took it too the stove! I burned the corners, the top and the bottom. I was feeling triumphant. I had another great idea, We would call it Charizard, I think I could even find an old card from the Pokemon deck and I would hot glue it on top........CHARIZARD..!!! YES....C Man could go to the Pinewood Derby and he would at least get to participate! Phew what a relief. We were a go! Thanks to my numerous great ideas and ingenuity. I knew, I would finally find my way through scouting.......phew.
THE DERBY
C man entered his car. "Charizard" get it...it was "charred" ha ha, we are so funny....
He put it up on the track
The whistle blew
With a black sooty streak ....that little car screeched its way down the track......going sideways for a moment and not even coming close to the end of the track, much less the race itself. It literally looked like a long piece of charred wood from the bottom of a campfire!! Charizard was in the middle of the track, at the bottom of the ramp, completely still.
C man's face fell. His big green eyes bubbled up with tears. My heart broke for him . It was a disaster!!!!! Ready to blame Marc for not helping him, I turned to see Carter coming straight to me with his 'car'.
He said only this,
"Mom, you melted the wheels"