The few, the proud, the Scout and Guide leaders

I run a Brownie pack.... I also have a full time job and a life.

Actually I run one pack and help at another. I love Brownies. I did as a Brownie myself, which is why I've become a Brown Owl; I want to do all the fun things again.

Brownies, Guides and Scouts are excellent social groups, and when led by the right people, help children to grow into well rounded adults equipped with skills for life. I hope that my Brownies learn to listen and respect other people, to make their own informed opinions, to work together, to be creative, and to cook. (I try to do cooking once a term)

I find it just a little sad that the number of units has declined. In my district alone, the number of Guide units has dropped from six when I was a Guide, to three. The biggest problem with this is that we have eight Brownie packs feeding into these three units. You do the maths.

So why the decline?

It's not the lack of girls, but the lack of leaders. So many units are working with only one Guider, and these Guiders might well run more than one unit. They are helped by unit helpers, Young Leaders, Pack Leaders or parents, but an additional uniformed Guider is a godsend. I myself have been the only uniformed Guider for seven years and luckily I have only missed one meeting through illness. I now have the possibility of another Guider. I don't quite know what to do with her as I am so used to doing everything myself, but I'm sure I will manage.

Gone are the days when mothers were the staple of Guiding. Now so many mums work and juggling that and other demands on their time means that the volunteering falls by the wayside. It is a shame as I'm sure they appreciate how good Guiding is for their daughters.

Granted, I don't have a family, but I do work. This is something that I wonder if the Brownie mums all realise. More than once, a parent has phoned during the day, and when being informed that I was at work replied with "Oh she works does she?"

Well yes. Guiding is not quite a full time occupation, and we do not get paid for the hours we put in. We do it because we love it. Even the frustrating bits.

Partly as a vent for this, I have created designs at CafePress, which can be purchased on T-shirts, mugs, bags etc. There are designs for most branches of UK and US Scouts and Guides, and they all say pretty much what I feel.

I run a (insert your group here)

I also have

a full time job,

a family

and a life,

Beat that!

You can visit my shop here. Or click on the banner at the left of the page.

Harry Potter and Librarian Madness

I will be so glad when this July comes around and the last of the 'Harry Potter' books are published.

As can be read here, http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=4631719
American libraries are under a 'no peek' rule with the new books.

Oh pleeeeeeeease!

I can't believe how much J K Rowling has been hyped. Yes the books are good and readable, and I have read every one of them. I shall read the latest, but I shall probably borrow a copy. I just don't think they are the greatest stories to be set down in print.

The first book was good and original, the second not too bad, and the third OK. I think the rot started to set in with the fourth. The page count jumped enormously, but the storyline didn't evolve along with that. Part of the problem is that Rowling seems to be able to write only one story and after six books it is getting a bit stale.

The end of the fourth book (Goblet of Fire) promised good things to come with the revival of Voldemort, and the beginning of the fifth (Order of the Pheonix) had my hopes rising. Harry looked to be expelled from Hogwarts, join the Order and fight Voldemort with Cirrus Black and Lupin. I really would have liked to read that story.

But no.

It's back to Hogwarts, Quiddich, a new DADA teacher, and everything else that was written about in every other book. And Lord Voldemort actually does very little. Even the end of the sixth book (Half Blood Prince), Harry says he is not going to return to Hogwarts. I don't believe that because that would mean writing a different story.

Really, the story with Voldemort would work better if condensed into three books instead of trying to stretch it out to seven. As the most dangerous character in the magical world he actually hasn't done anything since being brought back from the dead at the end of book four. I think Rowling should have not mentioned Voldemort so prominently in the first two or three books. Then she should have dropped most of the Hogwarts elements and concentrated on 'He who shall not be named'. Trying to have the two different story strands side-by-side just hasn't worked over the long term.

I don't know when the world went Harry Potter mad, but it needs to wake up. Maybe after this summer it will.