As a rule, I am not a jealous person.  I love my family, my job and my life.  I am healthy.  I adore the people I work with and my personal mission.

But I do feel jealousy every single day.  I am not proud of this, but it is true.

I am jealous of Wrigley - our basset hound puppy.
Wrigley and Rigga
I think you would be too.  Here is an account of her day as I imagine it in her mind.

“Owner Susie is up.  Time for my first mission.  She will let me outside.  I head to the Rookie Village.  They are awake early and playing gaga.  Yep, they need an adorable distraction.  I know just the puppy.  HERE I AM! LOOK!  Come to me, children who want to pet! I am here for you.

Back inside.  What is that in my bowl?  Man oh man, I hope it is . . . can it be . . . DOG FOOD?  It IS dog food!!!!  That is exactly what I was hoping it would be.  These people can read my mind.

[Note: it is now flag-raising]

More people needed to pet me. I must soldier on.  Someone needs to do it.  Yep, behind the ears is nice.  Belly?  Check.  Take your time campers – I have all morning.

[For the next 15 minutes, watching Wrigley surrounded by campers is like watching One Direction fight off 12 year-old girls fans.  Campers form a huddle around the delighted puppy.]

Time to play with Lucy [Leah and Robbie’s puppy] for 30 minutes.

Nap time.

Wake.

Eat (DOG FOOD AGAIN!!)

Play.

Accept complete adoration.

Nap.

Repeat.

This, my friends, is a mighty fine day.

So, Susie Ma’am and I remain wonderfully happy, but we cannot help but wonder if Wrigley’s gig isn’t the best one in camp.   If not, it must be close.

But then again, it is pretty nice to be a camper, too.  Every week, we have all the campers fill out surveys so that we can see if there are any issues that we are not aware of.  We filled them out today and it was the best set of first-week surveys I have seen in years.  The campers are thriving and having a blast.  They are coming together as cabins and learning skills.

In short, they are giving Wrigley a run for her money in the joy competition!

Steve Sir

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