Mr. Mud Puddles

This is my mothers dog, Mr. Mud Puddles. He does not like me one bit. Too bad for him that my mom and dad left on Sunday morning for Baltimore to make arrangements for my grandmother's funeral. So, Stephanie and I are left here to take care of him.

Last night, when we came home from dinner and our day out, it was about 9:00 p.m. When we opened the door to the house that dog shot out of the house like a bat out of you know where and took off running up the street. Of course I tried to run after him but if anyone who knows what I look like would understand why I couldn't catch him. I'm fat! Plus, I was wearing flip flops and now I have huge blisters on the bottom of my feet.

Anyway, the dog ran up the street and took a left like he was a hot dog missile. At this point, it is almost pictch black outside so we couldn't see the dog at all. Stephanie had to go back to my parents house and get the van to drive around the neighborhood while I walked this huge neighborhood with a flashlight trying to find him. Finally, a woman said  that he ran right past her so Stephanie sped down to the end of the street and got out to try and catch him. Well, he took off again so Stephanie got back in the van sped down past him, turned the van around and got out and the stupid dog jumped right back into the van. All in all we spent about half an hour looking for this dog.

If I surrvive another day with Mr. Mud Puddles, it will be a million wonders.

Racoons

The Annapolis Corps seems to have an issue with Racoons. The racoons like to get into the trash and tear it up. The solution was to have traps placed outside of the dumpster. So far, those traps have caught 2 racoons and I can say that I felt very sorry for the racoons because we all know there is no happy release back into the woods for them. So, all that to say, before 2 p.m. this afternoon you could have called me a racoon sympathizer.

Rewind to 2 p.m., Sunday, June 22, 2008. I was attacked. After church, I decided to take out the trash to the dumpster. As I got to the dumpster and opened up the side door there was a racoon staring at me. I threw the trashbag in the dumpster and it jumped out of the dumpster at me. I took off running to the door of the building because I thought he was chasing me. When I got to the door and looked back I saw him tearing up the bag of trash I had just thrown in. I got so mad that he tried to viciously attack me that I went into the kitchen and got a broom (I was about to whoop up on him) but when I got outside he was gone.

Tomorrow, I will be the one waiting for him inside the dumpster. Vengeance is sweet my friends.

Peace

Annapolis here we come!

Well, we are coming back to Maryland for the summer. Annapolis to be exact. Stephanie and I couldn't be more happy and excited. We get to come back to an area that we really love and is familiar to us. We are really excited about the ministry and learning opportunities that will present themselves for the summer. Also, I am excited that I will get to see some Oriole games this summer. Go O's. Plus,God is good!

Tonight while waiting for Col. Faulkner to give us our assignment, my heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going to pass out. I haven't been that nervous in a long time but it was great. We still have some time before we leave.We only have a few weeks worth of class here and then its the final push for the commissioning musical. It is a busy, busy, busy time here. I hope all is well and we will see a lot of you all soon.

Pants.....Never Leave Home without them

Hey people, yes I am still alive. I just haven't had much to write about and now I guess I do.

Last week and the week before we were in Lake Charles, LA for Spring Missions (Spring Campaigns). Louisiana is a very interesting state. Too flat for my tastes. I was also disappointed that I did not get to see any live alligators. In fact the only alligator I saw was the one on my plate. I do not care what anyone says, alligator does not taste like chicken. It's kind of like a fishy beef jerky, nasty!

I was up late the night before we left hanging out with some friends so I ended up packing hastily before I went to bed. I had everything ready 5 uniform shirts, my tunic, my tie, my dress shoes, 5 pairs of neatly pressed uniform pants. Man I was ready to go! Well we leave the next day, and travel 11 and a half hours there and go to bed. The next morning I wake up take a shower and come out and get ready to put my uniform on. I get my uniform shirt on and then I start fumbling through the hanging bag, WHERE'S MY PANTS? Well I'll tell you where they werent. The state of Louisiana. I forgot all of my uniform pants at home! I was mad. I had to go to wal mart and buy some of thier 13 dollar pants that did not match my uniform and thats what I wore all week. Good thing we didn't have to wear our uniform that much over the week.

If leaving my pants at home wasn't good enough, I decided it would be fun to lock the van keys and the trailer keys in the trailer. It's always fun asking the corps officer if he has some bolt cutters handy. It was even more funny when everyone was waiting at the van wondering why I just didn't leave the keys in there and deal with it later. Well, probably because the van key was on the same ring locked in the trailer! Good Times.

All in all, Lake Charles is a wonderful corps and they treated us great. I was glad to be back at my house but sad to leave the people and the work we were doing there.

Other then that, not much new. We are in our Spring Quarter here at the school. I am playing in the Men's Club Golf Tournament here in a couple of weeks. I just started playing golf a few months ago and trust me when I say people have to have their helmets on to play on my team.

I just wanted to catch everyone up on life, I hope that God is blessing you all!

JB

Kettles

Here are some of my thoughts on kettles.....

1. Why do women clutch their purses when I say "Merry Christmas"? How many robbers wear uniforms.

2. Why did that little kid stick his tongue out at me. If he had been my son he would be learning sign language right now because his tongue would be gone.

3. I find it funny when I say "Merry Christmas" and they respond "I already gave". Next time they do that I going to say "I dont believe you...where's my dollar". Today I said "Merry Christmas is free" but in my head I said "Its God Bless you" that will cost a dollar.

4. I think the grown man that asked me if I worked for Delta wasnt quite all there. I thought in my head, "Yes, thats why my hat says the Salvation Army and I am standing in front of a walmart with a bell instead of the airport with a plane....heres your sign.."

5. Some kid asked me if my dad was in jail, I thought "I dont know, I havent talked to him today"

6. Some Chinese man called me jingle bells and asked where the nearest Subway was located and if he could eat there. I thought " I'll tell you for a dollar"

7. If we want to encourage people to give money, then why do we make the slots in the kettles nearly impossible to put anything in it.

8. Why are kettles red? I think a nice blue would go good with winter, or maybe green.

9. My uniform in a uniform, not an outfit or costume.

10. Why do I have to say thank you to the person that picks a dime up off the ground and puts it in the kettle? I could have done that myself and saved my voice.

11. Why do teens give more then older people, and poor looking people more then rich?

12. I think people that say thank you for standing out here, should give me money to prove it.

13. Why do people fake me out all the time...they open up their wallets and purses and two feet in front of me they pull out a reciept or close them up....not cool I tell you.

Well these are just a few of my thoughts. I have been blessed by the giving I see in teenagers. Everyone talks about how bad the teenagers are, how lost they are but I see a lot of goodness and care in the teens that pass by my kettle. More so then in the adults. There is still hope for the world.

Merry Christmas everyone.

JB