Why....

OK this may sound like it is possibly going to be a big deep philosophical or theological blog but it isn't I'm afraid as I am not that type of person. The real subject of this blog is dogs and houses.

As part of September those of us in the Salvation Army are encouraged to do door to door collecting as part of the Annual Appeal. As my mum is a minister now guess who has to help her out with this (to be fair there are only about 3 people under the age of 65!!). I do not mind the idea of it at all, my biggest problem is I am scared of dogs, and I mean scared, I cross over the road, that kind of thing. So anyway we went out last Saturday knocking on doors and I like nearly got killed like three times (FYI I am a slight drama queen!!). People opened their doors fully and out come bounding dogs. Now surely if you have a dog, who barks at visitors and is excitable, you do not open the door to its full width or am I missing some huge point? The funny thing is that once I screamed in pure terror when two big dogs came bounding at me from the same house the woman said, 'They won't hurt you', good I'm pleased but how can you categorically know that.

So the question and the point of my little rant is why do people who have dogs and other excitable animals open the door really wide and not take into account the fact the person at the door may be slightly scared of them?

It's Been 4 Days and....

I am exhausted. Seriously how all you people work all the time i have no idea, I'm shattered and I only started on Monday!!! In fairness though I was in York until Wednesday doing some seriously intensive training (yes that did involve sampling a lot, and I mean a lot of chocolate, and yes I will be going to the gym on Sunday), driving all the way back from York in my new company car (red Vauxall Vectra, if anybody is interested), it was really scary, and then today driving all the way to Gatwick and to other places shadowing a fellow BDE (that is what I am). I am now exhausted and want to have a month off at Christmas like normal, instead I have to make do with only a week ( I am fully aware this is more than some people get, sorry!!).

I will just make one comment, next time you walk into one of the big supermarkets, the co-op or woolworths and you see a big Nestle display, please think of us who are trying our best to get them in the shop and perhaps buy something from it!!!!!!!!!!

Guess What....

I have a job, I have a job, wahoo. After nearly three months of constantly applying and going for interviews, finally someone has decided they want to employ me, wahoo. This is who I will be working for...

That's right I'm working for the chocolate people. How exciting. It's surely like everybody's dream to work for a company who makes chocolate and I am actually going to. That was all I have to say, I HAVE A JOB!!

Summer School and Boxes

Just a quick blog whilst I have access to the internet.

Summer school was amazing for many people. For me as an oldie it was interesting but I just want to take this opportunity to say I have never been so proud of our youth as I was that week. The way they were praying and stuff with each other was a truly amazing site and I would ask you please to keep remembering all of us that went. It was a very challenging week, life changing for many and coming back can be such an anti climax so prayer would greatly be appreciated.

Boxes, it has been exactly one week since I moved house and I never want to see another box again. All my boxes are unpacked, Sarah's are still mostly full and those that aren't she has most probably tried to climb into (for many that will not surprise you!!). The move did go well though and for the most part we are settled although builders are still coming round nice and early every morning, oh the joy!!

Summer School

It is that time of the year again when we are off to summer school. I ask for your prayers for all those who are going this week, staff, students, leadership students and anyone else who pops in along the way. It will be a very fun and tiring week as wellas spiritually challenging as you never know when God will pop up and nudge you. The theme for this week is holiness.

Summer school is an amazing opportunity for the youth of our church and so I seriously ask you to remember us all in prayer and that when we return you encourage those youngsters that have been.

And Finally....

Miss Claire Nicola Tomkinson BA(Hons) History from the University of Portsmouth. Yes after three hard years involving many tears I finally acheived my goal and am the proud holder of a degree although I may not have the certificate yet as they are updating computer records!!

Leather Pumps Clearly Equals No Metal...Or So You would Think

I have just come back (well on Saturday) from my summer holiday in Majorca and felt the need to blog about the journey home.

It started OK, the coach picked us up at 7.20, everybody was ready we all got on, went and picked up more people from different hotels and then started on our journey to the airport. We were going along the motorway (which is really odd because people overtake on the inside, its weird) when suddenly we pull over onto the hard shoulder and we stop. There is smoke pouring out of the engine and so we have broken down. We are 5 minutes from the airport and on a very scary motorway with a coach full of people and luggage. The Rep rings the coach people and asks for another bus and they send an 8 seater minibus, this was not very funny. Checkout was open, we were five minutes from an airport with a broken down coach full of people and they send an 8 seater minibus. The Rep sent the bus away rang and asked for a coach, (she stressed the word coach) and we sat and weighted, no air con, boiling hot and stressy, angry Brits!! Another coach came and then we had to get on it, trying our best not to get run over by scary fast moving Spanish people. We all get on, our luggage gets on and we are on our way and arrive safely at the airport.

Checkout. For those of you have never been to Majorca or Spain, they are not the quickest of people (no offense to anybody) so we join the long queue to check in, bearing in mind we are late. It is now 8.45, plane leaves at 10.25, boarding starts at 9.40 and we are at the back of a very slow moving queue. Anyway it gets to 9.15 and we are still not checked in when an announcement comes over the speaker to say we need to move to the last minute checkout desk. We move along with many others (most of whom were on our coach) and queue again. Two groups of people had gone through and the machine that prints out the boarding cards breaks. Great. It is now 9.25. Slowly starting to panic about being stranded in Palma airport. Eventually however we get checked in when they open up another desk for us and we then go and join the queue for security.

The security queue was moving a lot quicker thankfully (I don't think they are that bothered compared to the English) finally its our turn to pick up a plastic tray to put my watch in and put the bags through etc. I go through those metal beepy things, which I hate, and I beep. Great. Then came the stressful bit (it is now 9.35) the guy told me to take my shoes off. I was wearing white, leather , flat, pumps. There is no possible way there was metal on them and no way inside them, THEY WERE LEATHER PUMPS. Anyway I take my shoes off and put them on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed but it has stopped moving. Why? My stuff is at the end clogging it up but I couldn't move it because apparently leather pumps contain metal. Anyway it starts moving and I go through the beeper thing again and I still beep. I then realise my knee support contains metal but apparently that does not matter they let me go, reassuring huh!!

It is now 9.40 and we check the screens and have been delayed by 5 minutes so boarding is now not until 9.49 so we go and have a wander round the shop to try and find something for the plane. I find some Milka chocolate (love Milks chocolate) and queue up. The checkout guy is the slowest man on the planet, if he went any slower he would not be moving. I am now very stressed and getting more an more impatient with the stupid man who takes forever to do anything. Eventually the man in front of me is being served and then they announce our plane is boarding, well I'm not leaving it now, they can wait a min.It took another 10 minutes for me to get out of the shop!!

We then start to run to the gate as its 10.00 but I need the loo. Go to the loo on the way and guess what surprise surprise there's a queue and the women in there are taking 10 minutes to go to the toilet, seriously what are you doing in there. I am now very stressed and very impatient. Eventually get out of there and run to the gate and make it, thank goodness.

That is where the drama ended and we made our plane and got there safely but it was one nightmare journey up to then. Just had to blog the fact that THERE IS NO METAL ON LEATHER PUMPS AND NOWHERE TO PUT METAL OR ANYTHING ELSE ANYWAY!!