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Mark Jun 2020
COOL TENTS WITH HOT FOOD
From the 10th diary entry of Stewy Lemmon's childhood adventures.

Finally, the day Smoochy and I had been waiting for had arrived. It was Saturday the 7th of March. The day we were heading off to the, 89th Boy Scouts & Girl Guides, combined World Jamboree. The jamboree was held this year in the Nevada desert in Las Vegas, USA.

My dad Archie, was the local scout leader for the Shimmerleedimmerlee 1st scout group and my mum Flo, was second in charge of the Barefeet Mountain 3rd Girl Guide group. Mum's friend was the Barefeet girl guides leader and she was named, Miss Alice Springs. Dad was making the trip with other local scout leaders and 11 of us boys. Mum and Miss Alice Springs were taking 11 girls from the local Barefeet Mountain girl guide group, including my two much older identical twin sisters, Emma and Jemma. Also coming along was my much younger brother, Lemmy and of course my grouse pet mouse, Smoochy.

Dad has been in the local boy scout group since he was very young and his father, John Lemmon, my grandfather, was also in the same scout group when it first began, all of those years ago.

There were boy scout and girl guide groups from all over the world attending the big camping and adventure event. People from far away places like Norway, France, Egypt, Australia, Holland, England, Brazil, Thailand, Hong Kong, Italy and of course the host nation, the United States of America.

Every group, brought with them their home nations own colourful flags and individually designed tents, based on their countries culture or famous landmarks. It was like having all of the countries of the world, all in the one place at a time.

The boy scout and girl guide group from Thailand had a tent that looked like a Buddhist Temple and also had an outdoor kitchen where they would make, such great tasting, but ever so hot and spicy, food from.

The Egyptian guys and girls had a massive high tent, that resembled the world famous giant Pyramid of Giza. It must of taken them ages to make the angles so perfectly straight and with extreme precision.

Holland's tent was a large and fully operational, colourful windmill. It, even had it's very own water tank. The windmill tent was painted with colours and designs that even impressed my very artistic dad.

He said, 'He might even have to redecorate his unusually built, outrageously painted, outback, backyard shed and use some of the bright paint colours and fancy designs the boys and girls had done'.

The next tent was very big and long from the boy scout and girl guide groups of, Australia. It had been designed to look like the, Sydney harbour bridge. But it didn't have a roof to protect them from the weather, while they slept shoulder to shoulder, across the wooden bridge road. But, like most Aussies with relaxed and casual attitudes they said, 'She'll be right mate, Rain, Hail or Shine'.

The guys and gals from Italy, had a tent that was leaning over to the right, just like the, famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. They assured us all that it wouldn't fall over. 'Trust us, they said'.

Hong Kong had a very long tent that was based on the colourful, cultural inspired dragon. It had a lot of tent pegs on either side, to keep it's ever winding position in place. It was the most colourful and coolest tent of all. But at the same time, the most scariest tent of them all.

England's tent was based on the very historic, Tower of London. It even had two very serious looking guards on patrol out front, made out of paper mâché.

Norway's tent was in the shape of, a Vikings fighting helmet. It had, two large horns coming out from the left and right hand sides. It looked like a raging bull, in a bizarre sort of way.

Brazil came up with a giant yellow and green football, based on their national sport and colours of the country, for its design. All of us just hoped, 'It didn't get a sudden hole in it and start to knock over all of our tents, just like a giant pinball game'.

France went for a super, duper structure, that was wide at the bottom and became thinner towards the top. It was in the shape of the Eiffel Tower, of course. It was the tallest tent at the jamboree camping grounds and provided the best views from atop.

While the host nation the USA decided to honour the, Native American Indians. They, had a large tent resembling an original and colourful Indian Teepee, with a hole at the top. The scouts and girl guides from, the USA, sent out messages to everyone nearby, using the old, but still very effective, smoke signals way of communication. They said, 'Who needs the Internet, Facebook and Twitter, when you can send messages and cook a meal on a fire at the same time'?

After looking at all of the great tents made by all of the participating nations, we sat down to eat. Everybody had made a favourite dish from their home country. All the girl guides from Australia made the famous and delicious dessert cake called, Pavlova. But, it wasn't any ordinary Pavlova, for it was in the shape of the very large outback rock named Uluru. Which, by the way, is located in the middle of Australia, near a place called Alice Springs.

So my mum's friend has a very famous name indeed. The girl guides from Australia named this creation, 'The Alice Springs Rock'.

The Egyptians had made a dessert out of shortbread, that took them hours to make. Each piece of shortbread had to be skilfully cut, with exact precision or the creation just wouldn't stay in place. It was named, 'Pastry Plate of Pharaoh's Perfect Pyramid'.

The Italian Boy Scouts, prepared a series of huge leaning pizzas stacked on top of each other, on very acute angles, just like their tent. They named their creation, 'The Leaning Tower of Pizza'.

The host nation of the USA, made some yummy hotdogs with tomato ketchup, mustard and cheese. They made the hotdogs, pop up from each end of the roll and placed wooden sticks on either side to look like American Native Indians were rowing their canoes.

Norway had created a tasty snack made with salmon and biscuits which looked like little boats flowing down the Fjords. Also the impression of large rocks in the water that were in fact meatballs for all.

Thailand had served up several spicy dishes, including the famous Pad Thai dish with chicken and the hot soup named Hot and Sour with Prawns in Thai you pronounce it as Tom Yung Goong. It was so yummy in the tummy the dishes from Thailand.

In the Brazil kitchen they made us their nations famous Churrasco or BBQ. It uses a variety of meats like pork, beef and chicken which was cooked on large metal skewers stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of the charcoal.

France baked up some crescent shaped flaky pastry named the Croissant. They added some great tasting almonds to a few, while some others had dried fruits such as sultanas, raisins and even apples.

Holland had an assortment of plates consisting of Gouda and Edam cheeses with mayonnaise and mustards and other plates had a rich variety of fruits, freshly cut meats and nuts placed upon them.

Hong Kong had very traditional Chinese meals prepared for all to enjoy. They had everything from fried rice, to Chinese noodles to my dads all time favourite Peking Duck, so when he saw the duck he said he was in luck. Also they had a plate full of Dim Sums and a Hong Kong favourite snack called egg tarts and another of my dads favourite drinks named milk tea.

Finally England had whipped up my Friday night special, which is Fish n Chips with tomato sauce. It was so good that a lot of the other nations said they would make it for their families, once they got home.

In the morning we had such great fun and adventure while trying every nations favourite sport or recreation. We started by having team races on the river in Native American Indian canoes, Norwegian Viking ships, Italian Gondolas, Egyptian river boats and Chinese dragon boat races in the nearby river. The winning order was Hong Kong 1st, Italy came in 2nd and third of all was Egypt.

We even had competitions to see who could do the best smoke signals and we even had fun rope climbing events to the top of the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning tower of Pisa, and walking and climbing events up the Pyramid of Giza and the Sydney Harbour Bridge tents.

Then some countries had a football game after lunch with teams from Brazil, England, Italy and France playing for the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides World Cup golden trophy. Brazil beat England in the final 3-1, to hold up the golden cup.

Some other nations had bike riding races, which Holland won with ease. Australia did really well in the boxing competition. Everybody laughed when Smoochy came out 1st, wearing a pair of boxing gloves, before they brought out a plastic blow up of their mascot wearing gloves "Big Red" the boxing kangaroo which was placed near the ring for good luck.

Thailand dominated the Judo and the USA couldn't be stopped in the 100m sprints and also the mixed basketball matches. So overall, everyone had such a great time and we all loved the tents, food and different sports to watch and perform in, from all of the world.

The week went so fast and it was sad to say goodbye to all of our new friends from all over the world, but we promised that we would stay in touch either by using smoke signals or the new generations way, which is either by Facebook or Twitter.
© Fetchitnow
20 October 2019.
This children’s fun adventure book series, is only for children from ages, 1-100. So please enjoy.
Note: Please read these in order, from diary entry 1-12, to get the vibe of all of the characters and the colourful sense of this crazy mess.
Jackie Mead Aug 2017
Prince Simon, Prince Jason and Princess Sophie lived a regal life.

Slaying dragons and battling witches by day, monsters and zombies by night.

Each day brought adventures new, trips on boats and to the zoo.

One particular day when feeling bored, Prince Simon decided to explore.

Down to the basement, he slowly sneaked, quietly to take a peek.  New adventures he did seek.

A rickety old wardrobe he did find and suddenly an adventure sprang to mind.

Running as fast as his legs would go, bellowing with his lungs as hard as they would allow.

"Prince Jason, Princess Sophie please come soon, I have a rocket to take us to the Moon". "Roll up, roll up tickets please, pull your dress right in Princess Sophie it's going to be a squeeze".

All three were so excited they could hardly say a sound.

Prince Simon reached around them both and pulled the door shut tight, buckle up fellow explorers you're in for the ride of your life.

The Wardrobe began to rock and shake, the Wardrobe began to lift and quake.

Destination the Moon, hold on tight we'll get there soon

The rocket started rising faster and faster, higher and higher.

All three children were delighted, the rocket ship made them so excited.

Higher and higher, faster and faster, they rose into the sky.

Higher and higher, faster and faster, leaving the earth behind.

Prince Simon, Prince Jason and Princess Sophie, all declared. "I hope we'll get there soon, I can't wait to walk on the Moon"

"Walk on the Moon", let me think Prince Jason declared, "I'm not sure that we can breathe without any air".

"No air," said Sophie that's no good!, "I need air, what about a hood?"
"A hood is a good idea," said Prince Simon "an oxygen tank and heavy shoes too". "Let's search around the Wardrobe and see what we can find".

Together they searched high and low, finding items as they go.

"A hood" shouted Sophie "just what we need at least now we can all breathe".

"Heavy shoes" shouted Jason, "thank goodness for that, now we can go walking, I heard the moons flat".

"An oxygen tank", Simon declared "together with the hood and boots we are fully equipped for our trip, whoop, whoop, whoop!".

The items they came in three sizes, small for Princess Sophie, medium for Prince Jason and large for Prince Simon and quickly they all dressed up, it wouldn't be long now before the wardrobe came to a stop.

The rocket started descending, slowly it did fall and the children curled together on the floor in a tight knit ball.

Once the rocket had landed the children all ascended to their feet,
clearly excited not one of them could speak.

Prince Simon was the eldest and took the superior role, he looked out the window and said I will be the first to go.

Prince Simon conjured up his nerve to open wide the door, stepped outside, turned around with a smile a mile wide and set off to explore.

Thirty seconds later he shouted out to Prince Jason and Princess Sophie to join him by his side, "I have an idea" he said to them both that the moon is made of cheese.

Prince Jason and Princess Sophie laughed so much they began to cough and wheeze.

"Made of cheese" they both declared "you really must be mad", but we must be sure they all said, so let's all set off to explore.

One by one they found a spot and pulled a chunk off in their hands, looking at each other daring to be first, "altogether" Prince Simon shouted with an enthusiastic burst.

"Cheddar" shouted Prince Simon, "Edam" shouted Princess Sophie, "Red Leicester" shouted Prince Jason, they looked at each other in disbelieve.

They could not fathom how they had all got their favourite cheese, so they moved around the moon, trying different spots, leaving behind them crater pots but that did not make them stop.

Half an hour later their tummies were full, having eaten every type of cheese you can name from Brie to Camembert, Wensleydale to Stilton.

Looking back the 3 space cadets could see what they'd done to the moon, "I think" said Prince Simon "we need to return soon to try to mend the moon".

But now it's time to go they all 3 agreed, we've been gone a long time and mummy will be worried.

They climbed into the rocket and took off all the clothes, set their destination to their home a million miles below.

As they approached their home, the roof opened and the rocket landed safely just in time for tea.

The children all stumbled out of the wardrobe and running through the doors found their mummy in the kitchen serving up their tea.

"Where have you been?" mummy asked, "I've been calling you 3, now you're here just in time for your very favourite tea - Macaroni Cheese!"

The children usually would have been delighted now all moaned and grumbled "Mummy" they sighed "we all have belly aches, can we please be denied our tea and just go straight to bed".  

We are sure that by the morning break we will no longer have our belly aches and tomorrow for our tea we would love Macaroni Cheese :)
2017/11/20 - Update
I am pleased to say that this story, beloved of our family for such a long time has been published today by Authorhouse.com
When I was about 10 yrs old I bought the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe book with a voucher I won at school. It was the first book I ever bought. My children were raised on all the books and films.
When my children were little I used to tell them this story at bedtime they would request it rather than a book.
When they got older I wrote the story up for them and bound it and gave it to them so they would have it for their children. I have converted the story to verse. It's a lot more difficult than I first thought and I am not entirely happy with it but happy enough to publish on HP and welcome the feedback from my fellow poets.  I will continue to work on it and will update it and republish it at a later date.
I have not plagiarised any words from the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, these words are my own and the children's names are my own too, although I am not a Queen :)
Natalie Sep 2018
I have fashioned out my worry doll of you,
your hair and eyes richer, sweeter
than the darkest honey.
Now you are borne from my own hand,
you cannot leave me.

I’ve sewn in a heart to keep you warm,—
amber eyes to charm me—
moulded lips from red Edam wax
and pressed them into your cloth cheek.
They do not stay. At night,
my teardrops stain your linen dress
a briny, bitter shade.
The lines I've painted on you bleed and run.

I love you, all the same.
Ikimi Festus Feb 2019
Trapped within enigma's embrace,
My heart pounds, a wild chase,
Searching eyes pierce deep within,
Seeking solace, fearing lonely din.

Edam grew empty, void and bare,
Yet two gazes intertwined, aware,
Weary feet and longing souls collide,
As I, the strange beast, arrive.

Mutual, unfamiliar, a dance anew,
A connection formed, sensual and true,
Bound to stay, unable to depart,
Witnessing our fading hearts.

She, adorned in beauty's grace,
I, the beast with hidden face,
Love intertwined, destined to be denied,
I perished when she uttered, "I can't abide."

She perished as I turned away,
A beast's departure sealed her dismay,
Yet, look beyond this monstrous guise,
See the beating heart that never lies.

Though screams of terror fill the air,
My heart remains untouched, fair,
For she is all that I desire,
The one whom my love won't expire.

In her grasp, I find solace's touch,
No longer bound by loneliness's clutch,
Her essence lingers within my veins,
Her thoughts ignite joy, erasing all pains.

No force on Earth or heavenly high,
Can quell this love that won't comply,
Her beauty meant solely for my gaze,
Oh, the tragic tears our fate displays.

For her beauty claimed the beast's last breath,
Our love's demise, a dance with death,
So, I climbed the heights of Babel's might,
With a note proclaiming, "Beauty killed this Beast."

Reaching the summit, I took a leap,
Hoping the struggle would finally cease,
Breathing no more, as still as the night,
While she drew a bath, preparing her plight.

She bathed in sorrow, her heart torn apart,
A note declared, "His true Beauty killed the ugly heart."
With wrists cut open, a final sigh,
Her last breath joined mine, bidding goodbye.

Beauty Killed The Beast, a tale profound,
A monster of beauty, a truth unbound,
A beast whose beauty thrived within,
At last, together, the beauty and the beast shall win.
mlk Dec 2018
Nobody can comprehend;
It baffles one and all
Just how much I love Edam
And pine for Emmental.

Gouda smoked is very toothsome
The same is with Gruyère
And Mozarella and I have
An eternal love affair.

Cheddar when it's sharp and sweet
Is an absolute delight!
Parmesan, simply divine
When it is aged just right.

Some may call it an obsession
But I don't seek a cure,
For though all the world may melt away,
My love for cheese endures!
Cheese, how do I love thee?
paodje Mar 2012
regardless
i'll see you in my dreams
we will ride through the streets
on horses
we will eat in the dark at the movies
and be chased by an oversized edam cheese

we will walk through the gardens
and talk, no less, no more
of all we never said, in barcelona
and every other place we forgot to go

we will dance like demons 'til dawn
circle like warmth over embers
procrastinate at bus stops
until the morning breaks.
2007
a Oct 2014
Recently,
i've noticed the way the sky dips itself into the trees at sundown
and the way the blue fades in with the anthracite so neatly
but so messily at the same time
and the way the backdrop refuses to be the same every day
because the clouds are always placed in different shapes
unlike the outlook of society
and the orange is then born, like magic as it blankets the earth
born out of red but there's always a bit of mustard to help
not pure blood, have some cheese
but then there's also those splashes of pinky-purple paint
or could it be squash, to help wash down the edam
foods that the popular despise
and it reflects so beautifully against the metallic of life
adding some colour to the regular plastic routine
that i admit to following
but that doesn't mean i don't conspire or want or fantasise or plan
about being the sky at sunset and succeeding, just more humane
i'm just much too cowardly to change
not only at sundown, at the day's end, but at sunrise, the wholly beginning
the sky has a fresh start everyday, a new meaning, a new reason
but i have none now
so, please, whoever controls me, whether it be me or a further omni-
allow to transform and become the early morning sky, or go to sleep and turn into that of the night
because no longer can i sit and watch the stunning backdrops
whilst so many people are falling further
the sky is new
cheese is as addictive as hard drugs,

not that i have tried it.



i like edam and do you know that

if you play at the garden fountain



it may all get wet, so you carry them

and go bare foot.



did you now there is an electric boot

cleaner there, where

we went the day after the referendum.



that was the beginning and the end.



there is no alpha nor omega on this keyboard.



sbm.
Timber
I was going to write something from my everyday
but got bored and changed my mind, instead, I switched
on the TV and I can now know how to build
a timber cabin in Alaska and *** Edam cheese is made
a knowledge that hitherto had not interested me.
I have lived in a house made of timber from a stranded schooner it was never painted and had the aroma of tar, soap suds, ship baked bread and dreams of home.
alas, the house was destroyed by a drunken British bomber- pilot who mistook the house for a tank but
there was a war and the Brits were our allies, no point
sue the liberators.
There was a screaming, arrogant lady called Judge Judy
who took great delight in insulting people who didn't
have much in the way of defending themselves.
TV, has the ability to bore me, every ****** news channel
copy one another, and the weather forecast is
a guessing game in a nice dress or suit, what the hell
I'm better off reading a book that is not too long
Owen Hayes Apr 2020
Hating someone for nothing is stupid
Being bi is great
Being gay is great
Being straight is great
No matter your fancy. You're great
But the death of cheese is greater

Men Vs women is a bunch of bull
Both are cool and fine
Cis or trans. Doesn't matter
Both are good.
But certain cheese is Gouda.

No matter who you vote for
No matter where you from
Or what you look like
Everybody is amazing
Except mozzarella.
He's a pizza ****

Just so you know
You're pretty rad
To know you I am glad
Edam you're pretty **** cool
Yenson Nov 2018
From their base perspectives Ha-ha union funfool
We will play with colours and swings in our reign
Simpleton's chicanery devises to turn black wool
Into alchemy's fleecy soft White fleece by design

Compound asinine seek to manipulate emotions
We are ruling in absolute terms from our nonsensical
The theory of ignorant illiterates mass hysteria notions
Hate some and the whole race is ****** as if that's ethical

Paintings by numbers of the dumb Groupthink idioticals
If like us he's not panting for Stella then he must want Adam
Does one dignify such stupidity that vias so far from skeptical
Witness odious minds full of putrid **** that ranks like Edam

Someone said stop explaining to the rancid Narcissists
They can only understand from the level of their perceptions
Lower echelons or racists do not understand bioethicists
Mindless hysterical Mobs are mindless without exceptions
or anywhere

abacus of Amstel lights

cube-stacks drizzled citrus

behind the iris

funnel of fauna

propped up by charcoal arms

violet grapes

avocado stone

raspberry drupelets

visible from here

market on a Monday

the hard ‘g’ of Maandag

a guttural language

my throat warms to

orange not my shade

but do as the Dutch do

plump cylinders of Edam

coated in red rind

oysters in their cots of silver

shrimp galaxies like tangerine hooks

Japanese tourists

taking snaps for the ‘Gram

everybody passing over the King

sun proffering a hand through the glass
NOTE: The lines are supposed to alternate between coming in from the left and right hand side of the page, but HP is messing it up again.
Written: 2018/19.
Explanation: A poem that was part of my MFA Creative Writing manuscript, in which I wrote poems about cities that have staged the Eurovision Song Contest, or taken the name of a song and written my own piece inspired by the title. I have received a mark for this body of work now, so am sharing the poems here.
little tiny cheeses
come with wax to be
removed

what to do then

first we make funny lips
and make a photograph

to be shared with family

then it is wrapped precisely
in waste paper for kindling

saves that chopping

looks like crackers sitting
there on the logs so tidy

so unlike the ones that mum
made, then me, then her

mum could not afford that
cheese and I guess it is a
fairly current snack

she bought edam
i found it fascinating

i still make the concertina
type sometimes or buy

those waxy things from the farmers shop

— The End —