The home to the U.S Scouting Service Project and...

... SCOUTER Magazine's starting sites. Between these two sites to me, more than 80 percent of ALL things Scouting are connected to them!!

However, there's also:

Netwoods Virtual Campsite, owned by Steve Tobin

Gary Hendra's MacScouter site

I've found Coffeecup HTML software....cool, huh?? Check out version 8 of this popular software package!!

I love Dee LaRock's site...a good one to stop in on to get a military wife's perspective...on everything! Hey! Dee got her degree!! Don't forget to congraduate her!!

It's been a very long time since I've communicated with all of you. Too long, as a matter of fact. But there's been so much going on since the last time I've updated this page and indeed, the Tree as a whole.

For starters, I finally have the permissions I needed and am now trying to save up the money in order to publish "Patches and Pins," my first book. Whenever I think that I've got enough saved up, something else -- an overdue bill, for instance, comes up and I'm behind. When I get it finally to the printers, I'll let you all know...

September 11th occured, and it has placed my family into a deep tailspin. The free time that I have enjoyed for the last two years have come to an abrupt end. I still do public speaking engagements but the calendar has become full of military deployments and supporting events.

My daughter Lauren graduated from high school and started college at Berea College. I am SOO proud of her and of my two sons (one is a Junior this year and the other is a Freshman in the same high school)!! I am also proud of Hannah-Bannana, my Godsister's daughter. She and Lauren have been travelling the same "trails" over the years, and Hannah has started college this fall as well in Indianapolis!! I drove down and attended both gal's graduation ceremonies, three weeks apart from each other. It was important that I attened Hannah's as much as it was for me to attend Lauren's.

My oldest son Nicholas is still amazing folks left and right...I got to visit with him and his younger brother AJ over the first part of the summer. I also got to see "Court-Court" (Courtney, who isn't that small litlte redhead -- she's now a TALL little redhead!), Chase, and Joan (no "iebelle", just Joan!) also during that time. I didn't get to see the other Cox kids nor did I get to see "My Cori", but I'll be back to visit again soon...

As many of you are aware, I was selected for command of a public affairs operation center in Chicago, and that work has taken a LOT of my free time otherwise spent on Scouting and family stuff. I was not aware of how much time -- conferences, deployments, checking on my full time staff -- takes up. It has taken a deep toll on Jess and myself, more on Jessi than me.

Here's what's changed or added at The Tree:

New fax numbers: 612-232-5887 and when you hear the message, press 3 and start your fax machine. Or you can fax direct to 612-713-3153 or 952-435-3124. The first number virtually guarantees that I'll get the faxed message, since its connected to my email.

I was hoping to see my oldest son Nicholas perform as part of a Academic "brain team" but I couldn't get there where he was at in time to see him perform; but I will see him in action soon!! I tell you, those children of mine are getting taller and brighter every single day! I also have heard from Court-Court (the one with the red, RED hair and the goofy infectious giggle), Lee (the one with everything "UK" (Not the United Kingdom, but the University of Kentucky!!). Hey kids -- I NEED MORE PICTURES!!! Send me pictures and copies of report cards so that I can continue to dote on each of you with my friends, workmates, and of course, with YOU!!

Oh yeah...did you see "My Cori" in the Henderson, Kentucky newspaper, The Gleaner?? She was just soooooo cute standing there trying to eat as many moon pies as her little tummy would let her...during "Pi Day" at her school. The photos looked like she was having a LOT of fun!

I have posted some of Lauren's ball game photos on the Vanity site. As soon as I get some Academic Team photos as well as some other photos, I'll post them there too. I have some photos of me and places I've been to (and people I've met) while here and there. They are located at my Vanity site.

There are upgrades and updates I've been able to make over the past three weeks to several areas of The Tree.

Thank you very much for your comments, suggestions and input into the usage and usefulness of those branches of my site!

A reminder to those visiting: the ONLY COMMERCIAL (as in profit-generating) pages are on America Online ^tm . Thanks again to Minnesota Networking (MNinter.net)and to Dynasty Networking (Dynasty.net) for their support, assistance and chiding. Also, thanks to Daniel Saxer and to Joe "Fox" Nietman for their support and assistance in the earlier days of The Tree, when all I had to post up on the 'net was links to places I liked, a copy of my resume, and a lot of "I love me" stuff!! *broad smile*

As of this editing, more than 34,000 (!!) people have visited my site (something like nine people a day). While, compared to other people's sites, that's nothing....it means a LOT to me that people stop by and look, rest and read around The Tree or its branches. I have tried to make the information current as well as readable....if you have problems reading (or printing) anything here, please let me know and I'll do my best to make it in a format that can be readable!

Thanks for visiting, offering me advice (for a change!) and information and viewing what I (and others) had to say!

Settummanque!