Long Haul…

Since Easter I have not posted as I promised myself when beginning this blog.  I think my ideal was a bit lofty and yet the goal was there to blog about life… my life. 

M is still in the hospital being cared for and meds tweaked.  We are not sure at this time when he will be able to come home.  Some of the extracurricular things he smoked, drank… etc. may have done more damage to a fast recovery than dreamed of.  It is part of the illness.  When he feels good he wants to “party” and that doesn’t mix with meds.

Mom started out by leaving an upper window open just enough for the cat to be able to get “in & out”  via the roof of the house.  This stopped quite abruptly when I went over to take in the mail on a dark rainy evening when Mom couldn’t.  I noticed something amiss but couldn’t quite put a name to it.  So I grabbed the cat while I double checked all of the doors.  (Don’t know if I was planning to throw the cat at anyone.)  When I got back to the kitchen to refill the food bowl we came face to face with the intruder.  Through his masked he glared at us and then it was a brief second before the last of his ringed tail was outside the window.  Yes, Rocky Raccoon had gained entry from the roof through the open window and was scavenging cat food.  I slammed that window shut and locked it then called Mom to let her know we have to go over daily.

Now Mom goes during the day, lets the cat out and brings in the mail if it is there.  I go after work to let in the cat (mail if necessary).   I’ve been spending extra time playing and being company for him. 

Yesterday was a particularly bad day for M.  His ex-wife and kids live in the NE corner of Oklahoma and she works in a hospital in Joplin.  We are fortunate that when we finally got a return call from her (6 pm Monday), she reported all of the family was alright and the power was back on at home.  She works in “the other” hospital in Joplin but they were busy tending to transferring a large number of patients from the hospital that was hit by the tornado plus any other ER & Trauma patients. 

Please add the people affected by the tornado to your prayers.  The Red Cross, as well as other organizations can really use donations of blood, manpower and funds.  Please do what you can.

Super Full Moon & 1st Day of Spring …

Today was the 1^st day of spring and it was following last night’s “super full moon.” We often joke about getting very crazy during a full moon and spring break often has the same reputation.  We had an “interesting” day cutting fabric.  We had a lot of odd requests.

I have a couple of prayer requests…

• First, one of our managers lost her fiancé’s father last night after being in a coma about a week from a massive heart attack at 60 years old.  Please pray for comfort during their grief.
• The other is for a regular customer who had a diabetic crisis while I waited on her.  I also noticed a scar from a previous heart surgery.  This one we called the Emergency Squad.  Please pray for her quick and continued recovery.

On the way home from work today, I picked up some seeds for herbs and vegetables.  I have a small sunny area where the herbs grow great in a window box on my stoop’s wrought iron fencing.  Last year I got a few tomatoes, sweet green peppers, and couple of zucchini before the squirrels got them.  In the German Village (historical area of town) the buildings date back to the mid-late 1800’s.  They have small patios or yards so I started planting in window box or patio planters for my vegetable/herb gardening.  

The rest of my space is mostly shady where I have flowers.  Yesterday, I saw the first crocus.  This really signals spring to me more so than a date on the calendar (Oh, and the orange barrels on the highway is another sign).

This is another way to survive… planning ahead & planting edibles if you have the space (no matter how small).  If you don’t have your own space, check into some community gardens or coops in your area.

On Getting Food...

Yesterday I received an e-mail from a friend who gave me information about Angel Food Ministries.  I have added the link to their site.  This brought to mind that many of the homeless and near homeless have difficulty with getting quality food and/or help getting aid to get food.

I have known people who have chosen to “dumpster dive” for food.  There a number of reasons this is not the best idea! In Ohio you can apply for “food stamps” to help you buy food at your local supermarkets.  Occasionally you do not qualify for one reason or other.  For me it was a typo on the second letter of my last name in their computers (but I’m dealing with that).

I have actually utilized food pantries, coupons, and some of the churches with sandwich lines or lunches.  Another trick is to do your grocery shopping Saturday or Sunday when they are giving out samples (you know your local store’s sample schedule).  Also meeting a friend for a happy hour that offers the appetizer buffet (though these are becoming fewer and fewer) can curb your food budget.

IF you still feel that dumpster diving is the only option, please follow your common sense along with your senses.  First be aware that many larger grocery and restaurant chains use a trash compacter or they pour bleach or ammonia over food in their dumpsters.  Their reasoning is to make the food inedible.  They are afraid of a mass of law suits if you get food poisoning from spoiled food. 

• Go to a place that does not smell like bleach, ammonia, or totally rotten food.
• Know their trash pickup schedule… that means the following day food is fresher.
• NEVER pick fish, mayonnaise or sour cream based deli items.
• Check the expiration date on any labels… this gives you a clue as to how long it has been there.
• Try for packages that are still completely sealed.
• If the item is supposed to be refrigerated feel the package to see if it is still cool.
• Fruit with a peel is best… sometimes a whole bag of oranges are tossed because of only a couple bad ones.
• ALWAYS wash everything including the outsides of meat packages.  This will get rid of any possible bacteria before further contaminating the food inside.
• Whatever the food use your senses… LOOK at it, SMELL it, FEEL for bruises or sliminess, finally if it passes all of the previous senses you may TASTE a small bite when prepared. At any of these points “When in doubt, throw it out!”

Keep in mind I do NOT advocate dumpster diving! 

Preparing for Monday…

Katy and I started with a Vet visit.  We are keeping an eye on a slight heart murmur and avoiding knee surgery… so far.  Then I was scheduled 5 hours at my retail job (next week they only have me scheduled 6.5 hours on one day).  That left this evening to evaluate my business wardrobe to prepare for Monday.  With my weight loss many need to be altered and some are gently loved but no longer liked.  I had heard about an organization called DRESS FOR SUCCESS COLUMBUS. They assists low income women who are seeking employment by providing them with interview and business appropriate clothing, a network of support and career development tools.  I decided that would be the place to trade styles.  I have placed their website in my links.  This is the local branch so check for locations near you if you choose to make any kind of donations.

At this time I am suspending my Daily Tally… hopefully permanently.  We are praying for the temp assignment to become permanent.

Exploring One Avenue…

It was a beautiful day at 40° today. You missed my singing on the corner today but I was not playing hooky.  I was taking steps toward becoming employed.  
In this article, I need to discuss IMPACT Community Action.  I met their representatives at a job fair a couple weeks ago.  I put on my “think positive hat”, grabbed my resumes, and went booth to booth.  Like most people I started toward the right side of the room (perhaps instilled by driving on the right side of the road in the USA). After scanning the booth directory I stopped at every booth with job listing for which I have qualifications (and a few I thought I could learn what I lacked).  IMPACT was in the last booth on the left side of the room.  By that time I did start to feel discouraged but I shoved out my hand and shook that of a tall, inviting, beautiful woman saying, “Hello I’m Pati Shambaugh.” She told me about their program “Employment Plus”.

I placed an application at their office a couple days later.  “They’ll call you in a few days,” replied the building security officer who took the applications.  Honestly, my thoughts were, “I’ve heard that line before.”   I ended up calling the number on the sheet to check on my application after the usual 5 business days.  I was one of 82 invited to the class orientation (only 64 showed up).

You may think I got into the program… not so fast.  The orientation today was informational for both the applicants and the counselors.  We were given options at a few different times to leave or continue.  Those who continued were given a drug test, an interview and a time to return for computer testing on Wednesday.  So, I am not in the program yet, but I am going back.

The important part of this program is that it too is in danger of being discontinued with the Obama Administration’s proposed 50% reduction to the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG).  Please follow my link to IMPACT to see more specific statistics on their services and how to help keep the funding. 

What does that mean to me personally?  This class runs 7 weeks to prepare 15-24 participants to be gainfully employed, providing a small stipend and help in their other temporary needs during training.  The vote in Washington DC will determine whether this will be their last class and will it be completed with all 7 weeks.

Since this is federal funding it is not limited to the Community Services in Ohio… It will affect services nationwide.  The lack of these services will only increase homelessness and desperateness.  So write, call, email, fax AND text your representatives in Washington DC, asking them to support continued funding for Community Services.  You might ask, “Would you rather support programs proven to turn the downtrodden into income tax paying professionals or supporting prisons to house the ones turning to crime out of pure desperateness?”

Thank you for any help.


Today's Tally:
Monday, February 14, 2011                      Time:  9AM – 3PM
Location:  IMPACT Employment Plus offices
Temp:  N/A
Newspapers sold:   0
Viable job postings:   0 (1 in Cincinnati)
Filled or baiting job posted:   8
Resumes/Job Applications sent:   Attended Orientation, Interview & Drug Testing