It's Saturday 27th of September, 2014. Not much happened yesterday, so I slept in. When I woke I saw workers outside on the playground putting up arrangements to what was already there. I must say that it looks really nice, now that it is all up. I spent time on getting today's and tomorrow's lessons together. While waiting for the kids to arrive, some were already here. The teenage girl "L" and her tag-along approached me in the hall and asked if I would like to go to a basketball game in the neighboring village/city of Jakabpils. It was there home team playing, and if memory serves right the opposing team was from Riga. Wow! OF course I said, probably almost shouted! And I met them a five downstairs. In the mean time I lent my DVD player and two DVD's to a young guy who asked if he could look at it. I said sure... worst that can happen is it breaks, and to my knowledge it didn't. He did give it back because the charge was due on the battery. So me, "L," two nanny's and about seven other orphans went by bus to Jakabpils. It was in a small gymnasium and they had a silver trophy cup on display on the floor as you walked into the arena. I asked "L'" what they would do if I took it and poured some beverage in it and drank out of it... of course she didn't understand, and my humor isn't always the greatest, so the levity was none for the better.

Apparently it's a athletic facility, encompassed by many other sporting areas and a school. The place to me seemed quaint, not noisy like at home, but there was a lot of traffic, though nothing on the scale we would see in the states. The rest stayed down on the floor, while me and "L" took to the bleachers at about as high as we could go. She asked if I would like food and beverage so we headed out to go to the "veikals" (shop/store) and we met the other two of her orphan friends from Likumi. We got beverages and a sack-o-chips and returned just before the game started.

I knew it wouldn't be anything like american basketball, but it was still neat to see and of course get out. Jakabpils was the home team and expected to win, the trophy cup I don't know if it was for the win that night or because they already won it and were displaying it, so it stayed out until the start of the game. They had a small cheerleader group, about 10 or 12 young ladies doing dancing and small human displays, like doing a pyramid, and so on. Of course it's something the high school girls could probably do with ease back in the states. Hey, they were cute so let's give them some credit!!!  Jakabpils had a guy from America, how did I know... he was the only black guy there, and probably for hundreds of miles. Not being racist, it's just how it is in these scandanavian countries, most black people would have no real reason to come except on a holiday or something. Let's face it many never had ancestors that came from here. So at the end of the game I went up to him, "so you from America." With a grin he said,"yes, sir..." I asked him from where in the states and he said twenty minutes north of Pittsburg/ or Philly, can't remember now. I said from Gloucester county across the river from Philly. "How do you like it here?" His reply,"Great, it's quite and cheap to live, I can't complain." Then I got a picture taken with me and him by one of the orphan teen's, I forgot my camera. I forgot to ask his name and give mine, but time was pressed. Then this morning I realized I should of got a picture taken with a cheerleader or so. What's a boy to do?

I got to meet "L"'s boy friend who sat on the other side of her, Seemed reasonably nice and we did talk a little. But it was hard to hear with the pep-rally group behind us shouting the entire game. One guy had a drum and was constantly pounding away at the blasted thing. The entire game, POUND... POUND... POUND!!! I was not only beginning to get a head ache but was starting to feel sick. At the end I had to dodge the flag toters and the drummer boy. "L" left, but didn't see her until we got on the bus, and she was extremely quiet and to herself. Great I thought, I made her boyfriend uncomfortable. NOW what else could I do to wreck things.

So today I was hanging around with the kids and got ready for the "Auto veikals" (actually a bus that is a store). They have vegetables, things to drink, candy, ice cream, batteries and all sorts of things. I got sparking apple "lemonade," two bars of chocolate, chips, and two ice cream cone ( not like at home, this ice cream is only filled to the top of the cone!) one of which I gave to one of the boy orphans.Quickly I ran up stairs to my room and finished my ice cream and got my material together for the class. And went outside and waited... and waited.... and waited.... for 45 minutes. And then I thought of "L." Great!! I really messed up things now.

So I hung out with some of the kids and we played and played with the dogs and cats here at the orphanage. We had a good time. I even made it on time to afternoon snack. I must say I do get feed. They give me bigger portions because I'm an adult but  they keep giving me extra stuff. I tell them "NO MORE!!" but they insist, and I don't want to hurt there feelings so I take left overs to my room. I NOW have three buttered slices of white bread, four small tomatoes, a pear, and a bread/pizza that was from today's snack that they said take back to my room. So I have plenty of food, as you can see now. I gained more weight, weight I should be loosing. So after tomorrow I'm going to walk and do my fitness DVD's. Man, this was what I didn't expect....

While out with the kids, I ran into the other two friend's of n"L." I asked them how she was doing and told them what I thought I did. Well, let's just say I was partially right, but "L's" boyfriend was getting jealous of other guy's/friends of "L's" that she had been texting. I see how that could happen, now. They said it wasn't me and said I could see them both but I said no, because I felt they needed the time alone to sort things out. As far as I know, all is well. WHEW!!!! I DID managed to teach two little girls how to count from 1 to 20. Alls not lost, there is always a way if we just trust in God a little.

Tomorrow my classes resume.

Till next time my friends
Brothers and sisters and family in Christ
Peace be with you
In HIm