I’ve not been here for a while… there are several drafts that I’ve written over the last 3 months that never quite made it to posting status. What happened to me was the second to last class for the completion of my Masters degree from the LPC.. which class was it, you ask? Leadership Ethics in the Old Testament, taught by one of the best professors I’ve ever had, The Good Dr. J.W.A. … & most demanding. Free time? There was no free time. I found myself putting in 20-25 hours a week on the class just to keep my head above water. (Previous classes had been between 8-12 hours/week. Yikes). Now, I’m 6 weeks into my last class – 2 weeks of coursework left, then a final project that, God-willing, will be approved, fully undertaken, & completed by April 1. No fooling.

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We had wind. It blew. Everything.

The weather channel said our gusts were 20-30 mph. All of the garbage cans in the neighborhood challenge the veracity of that estimation, as at least 7 of them were picked up & thrown down the street, gathering on the corner for some garbage can pow-wow. I saw the gathering of the cans & grabbed mine & my neighbors (hey, I’m a giver,) & trekked the 1/4 mile back up the hill towards our house. About an hour later, a neighbor I didn’t recognize (he said he was my neighbor – from a few houses down) & came looking for his garbage can. He saw my can & said “That looks a lot like mine.”

To which I replied, “Yep. Except it has my address on it.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but instead looked longingly at it & asked me again, “Are you sure?”

“Yep. Pretty sure.”

“Ok,” & he departed.

I went outside about an hour later & the trashcan was gone. As in, nowhere to be found. I drove up & down the street like a creeper, going about 5 mph gazing intently at each house in the ‘hood, eagerly searching the nooks, crannies, apses, & other spots for my trashcan. Nothing. Me & iDoey went out a few more times over the next few days, but to no avail.

My trashcan. Stolen. I contacted waste management about getting a new can, & then yesterday as a part of the speech, I bemoaned the fact we live in a world where peoples’ trashcans are prone to being unscrupulously lifted. Sigh.

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And then, this morning on the way to take theWeez to school, theBean found her. My trashcan.

It was across the street from our house, about 100 yards down the street, butted up against the curb all nice & pretty (or as pretty as a refuse container can be.) She called me, & I went & got my can. On the way home, I sang an impromptu version of “My Little Trashcan” to the tune of “My Little Buttercup” (from the classic Martin/Short/Chase movie, The Three Amigos – if you click the link, the JOY starts at about 3:20 of the clip.) I think my next door neighbor Vladmir enjoyed it.

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December 1 annually marks the day when I finally relent to the wishes of the girls hopes & dreams of constant Christmas music. Found a couple of new sources for these holidays, including Sufjan Stevens “Silver & Gold” which is a collection of 58 songs played & sung like you have never heard them before. Also, I’m enjoying the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s take on a few of the more recognizable holiday standards, especially “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Check ’em out.

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I would like a banjo. Like THIS ONE. For Christmas. I cannot currently PLAY the banjo, but if I HAD a banjo, it would be that much easier for me to LEARN. It could happen.

Here’s to Christmas. Joy. Peace. And growing in Jesus.