Those of you who have spent time with me know that the World Tour is famous for its adventures. Each tour presents a challenge, kind of like an episode of Survivor, except that I won't win a million dollars when I finish the trip (unless they're hiding it from me somewhere at the Presbyterian Foundation...). I've gotten lost, locked my car keys in my trunk, and had a nice visit with Reynaldo from Nicaragua at 4 am. Well, my friends, Kelsey has acquired a new skill on this tour's adventure-- breaking and entering.

So I was all by myself at Beth Ruhl's house yesterday morning when I decided to start packing my car for my departure to Kansas City. I took out the camera and my suitcase, leaving the laptop and my bag (including Hagar and the World Tour Planner with all my directions and phone numbers) in the house. I closed the door behind me as I walked out, just as any safe, energy-concious person would. Only then did I realize that the door had locked behind me.

Now I knew that I was in a bad spot. I had my car keys, yes, but had no idea of how to get to Kansas City (plus I had no license, and Lord knows you don't want to drive without your license!). Hagar the Cell Phone, my lifeline in times of trouble, was in the house, so I had no way to call the home's owners even if I did know their number... and of course I didn't know, so driving down the street to use a phone wouldn't do me much good. I figured I could try to find my way to Beth's apartment and hope that she would come home after class, but that would entail sitting on her doorstep all afternoon with nothing to do. And of course, I was supposed to leave for my appointment in Kansas City within the hour.

First, I frantically started searching around the house in all the places where someone might put a spare housekey. All I can say is that if the Ruhls had one, it was very, very well hidden (although I turned up some sow bugs under the planter box...). Yes, I tried all the doors, too-- locked. So I went around to the backyard and did the same. No luck there, either.

I stepped back from the house, clearing my mind and trying to think "out of the box" for alternate solutions, let the Spirit move, all that good stuff. And then I remembered all those movies where you see kids get into their locked houses through the window (and who says Hollywood doesn't teach you anything useful). I thought to myself, "Well, it's worth a shot...." As I looked around at the windows, I noticed one with some sort of foam boards covering it, which in my mind signaled that it might be broken. It was also ground level, which is always good. I walked up to it and popped the screen covering off, hoping to find an empty window on the other side.

The glass pane was there, and it was closed. But then, as I tried prying it up with my hand, the window creakily slid open. So I just knocked over the foam board covering the window on the other side, lifted my leg over the sill, and climbed on into Beth's old room. The dog didn't even bark.

So that's my story of how I broke into Beth Ruhl's house. May I just say that it is a bit disconcerting how easy it was-- I'm glad my apartment is on the third story. I did close the window behind me and replace everything as best I could, and I called Beth to explain what I'd done. But I did get to Kansas City on time, and I left them a nice note and chocolates... hopefully they won't be too mad.

Today I'm at NNPCW alumna Megan Cornell's apartment, where she did in fact make me the promised origami crane with her eyes closed (as shown in the above photo). I will try not to break into her place, too.

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." --Matthew 6:20

Kelsey

PS-- Of course, I did not steal anything!

PPS-- Good to hear from you, Viola!

So, I am going to tell you a little story (my version of a breaking and entering story :) ) Bear with me, ok!

So, in my high school years, I decided I wanted to sneak out of my room, to go out with some friends. Any door in our house beeps when you open it, but not the windows (not very smart on the part of the security company). Anyway, so I open my window and pop out the screen and jump down 6/7 feet (Florida houses are raised up to combat the flooding we get from like everything). So, I come back a little later that night, and walk over to my bedroom window (which, fyi, is at the opposite end of the house as my parents) to realize that I cannot possible get back into my room. I tried jumping, I tried climbing the exterior wall, I tried pulling myself up, but each attempt left me falling on my butt on the grass. Well, what could I do! I couldn't use my key to get in the front door (the alarm would go off) and I couldn't just sleep outside and wait until my dad gets the paper, because he was supposed to wake me up for church in the morning. So, I walk to my little sisters room (she is 12 at the time) and throw stuff at her window until she wakes up and walks over. After she opens the window and pops the screen, and declares "jenny, you are going to be in big trouble", I ask her to get the step ladder from the pantry and pass it out the window. When I finally get back into the house, I make Kristina swear not to tell mom or dad, which she does, but I know one day it will come back to haunt me.

So, Kelsey, that is my breaking and entering story...since we are hardened criminals, do you wanna try breaking into Graceland?


:),

Jennifer