Thursday, August 30, 2012

Day Seventy - Sunset

obsessive SLP
The summer is setting behind me. It has been relaxing, exciting, serene and beautiful. I worked part time, took some great vacations, spent tons of time at the beach, caught up on reading, and finished house projects. I feel rejuvenated, and I am ready to tackle the next phase of my career. I start my Program Head position tomorrow. I have enjoyed this summer immensely, and I look forward to the new school year.

If you have been reading this blog, I thank you for your time. I hope you have enjoyed your summer as well, and I wish you a happy fall season!

A bientot!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Day Sixty-Nine - Savor

Spent the day enjoying the ocean...the waves were high and you could hear the surf even back at the cottage. Dearly Beloved and I had a date night to celebrate my birthday again. It was beautiful watching the blue full moon rise as we drove to Chatham. We had to wait a while at the Impudent Oyster even though we had reservations, but it was worth it! Shrimp cocktail, chilled salad, Coconut Thai Mussels, and an ice cream sundae with maple rum sauce for dessert! Heaven! The company was fabulous, too! What a lovely evening!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Day Sixty-Eight - Sweet!

Today is my birthday. I love my summer birthday...it is the last hurrah between summer and school. I got to spend it with my Dearly Beloved and my Dearest Mother in one of my favorite places, Cape Cod. I received many phone calls and Facebook greetings from my family and friends. I had a lovely dinner in a favorite restaurant. Life doesn't get too much better than this!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Day Sixty-Seven - Score!

dreamstime.com
The call came at noon. My principal and vice principal phoned me, using very formal language (the goofs), to officially offer me the job of Interim Special Education Program Head. I am amazed, scared, excited, terrified, and I said YES! I will work 3.5 days as the Program Head, and 1.5 days as the SLP. A contracted SLP will be hired for the year, so that I can "try it out" and see if the job is a good fit for me.

I am thrilled with this opportunity! Just need to figure out the nuts and bolts, and away I go!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Day Sixty-Six - Sleepyhead

Called Dearly Beloved this morning at 9:30 to see what time he would be arriving; he had planned to get up at 6:00 to fine-tune some grill work, and then arrive here in time to make breakfast! What an excellent man! Unfortunately, he was still sleeping when the phone rang, and wasn't sure where he was. Hmmm...guess he will be making breakfast tomorrow instead.

At that point, he figured he would wrap up projects at home, then come along. He arrived about 6 pm. I was really glad to see him; he is always the voice of reason, and I really needed to talk to him about the brother/s-i-l issues.

Brother seemed better today; he will take each day as it comes.


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Day Sixty-Five - Stunned

sodahead.com
My sister-in-law left my brother and their children today. A statement of "I'm done", and she drove away.  My brother is beside himself, my nephew and niece are heartbroken and confused,  and my mother is in tears. My mother has hopes that they will reconcile. In my experience, when someone tells you "I'm done", they don't return.

I am at a loss. All I can do is be a support for my family.


Friday, August 24, 2012

Day Sixty-Four - Seriously?!

Dearest mother asked if I would get a sticker on her minivan. No problem! It expires at the end of the month. I grabbed the registration before we pulled out of the driveway AND...it had expired in May. Really? The car that I drove 150 miles on the highway in June? Nice. NO sticker for you today!

After that little surprise, I decided I would get organized to renew my license since it expires next Tuesday. I got the paperwork filled out, but have to go to the Registry to complete it on Monday. Dearest Mother passes me her license and asks when it has to be renewed....wait for it...it expired LAST NOVEMBER. So, I have a lovely senior citizen driving around in an unregistered car with an expired license. How fabulous is that?!

I told her I would start saving up for her bail money...

LOTS of Registry things to do on Monday!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Day Sixty-Three - Savoir Vivre

Winding down... Time to head to the Cape to take a final getaway at Dear Mother's beach house. To begin and end the Summer of 2012 at the beach house is such a gift - I am very grateful to be here, to chat with Mum, to wander along the ocean, and to have the breeze pour over me as I sit on the porch. Joyful!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Day Sixty-Two - Synoptic

www.warrenharris.net
I wrapped up my final make-up therapy session of the summer. My almost-high-school-freshman finished all his Hunger Games questions, but it was challenging for him.  I barraged him with strategies, tips, techniques, word derivations, associations, sentence stems, skimming for key words, and anything else I could think up to help him remember how to analyze text and understand it. I know he knows these things, it is just that he only seems to use them when I am sitting beside him. Well, I am not going to be from now on. I am worried for his success, but he is going to have to take the things that I have taught him and fly away from our little middle school nest.

He is a good kid...I will miss him and I wish him well!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Day Sixty-One - Squirrelly

Beautiful day...Very little traffic driving by the house. Nice breeze. Spent some time de-weeding the garden - an endless task, but very satisfying when you finish. My little family of white squirrels was bopping around, running along the top of the fence on their way to where ever it is that they go endlessly each day. This little fellow decided to take a rest on the powerline above the fence. He posed long enough for me to get some great shots of him.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Day Sixty - SIXTY?!?

Day Sixty - wow. I am treasuring every second of this time. Each breeze through the window, every leaf and tree branch that sways in the wind, moments to sip lemonade and read, working in the yard, random trips to the beach with Dearly Beloved - all of these things add to the fabric and joy of my days. I am truly grateful for this time.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Day Fifty-Nine - Smooth

Perfection of a day today - low humidity, nice breeze...let's head to the beach! Off to Maine we go! It was a relaxing drive up (mostly...we stopped to pick up a grill! The grill owner was a psycho, but that is a story for another time...).

We took an excellent walk along the beach at low tide with Dixie. Finished up with a Mexican dinner at Guac. Love days like this!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Day Fifty-Eight - Stellar!

Nice, low-humidity day...perfect for cleaning my sadly-in-need-of house! Since the dog got de-furred, it seemed like a good time to do the same in the abode. Vacuuming, deep-cleaning carpets, fixing the vacuum when it decided it had had quite enough of me and my type of fun! Do I know how to spend my Saturday or what!

I also made some delicious Lemon Coconut Bread, a variation on Nourished and Nutured's Lemon Coconut Muffins. Very delicious...I highly recommend it. Instead of using a muffin pan, I oiled a loaf pan, poured in the mixture, and cooked it for 35 minutes. Yummy!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Day Fifty-Seven - Sereneness

Still carless...no problem! Nothing like a day at home to calm the mind, and exercise the body. Did my leg/ankle routines, and even did a little badass boxing session via my iPad. Shadow boxing gets rid of some the AGGRESSION I feel towards the timing belt in my car. Done now....

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Day Fifty-Six - Stinko

While driving home from a wake, minding my own business, my little car gave a little "POP"...and stopped running! Stranded. Nothing.

Thank the Universe for AAA! They promptly sent a flatbed truck which hauled my car the 11 miles to my mechanic. The verdict? A timing belt. Oh, you gasp in horror! NOT the timing belt! That will cost a FORTUNE! And you are right in your assessment of this.

The only thing that makes this even more infuriating...I replaced this timing belt LESS THAN 8000 MILES AGO! Something is stinko with this scenario. The mechanic and I will have a chat tomorrow...

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Day Fifty-Five - Surprising!

Double Nickel Day! Have to expect something interesting on Day Fifty-Five, right? Weill, I got a phone call out of the blue from my principal. The job I interviewed for still has not been filled - no shock there since they changed the criteria for the position! Well, he had a proposition for me...which depends on the stars lining up, bigwigs agreeing with his proposal, and a blue moon appearing - but wait - there IS a blue moon at the end of this month!

Anyway, he is interested in hiring me for the job (3.5 days) while I continue in my current job 1.5 days. He would hire an SLP on an interim basis so that I could try the position for a year and see if it is a good fit for me. This sounds excellent, and exactly what I wanted!

We shall see what this Blue Moon brings me!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Day Fifty-Four - Spa

No, the spa is not for me. Miss Dixie Doodle Dog was in dire need of some TLC. Her nails were too long, she looked like she needed a good haircut, and she definitely needed a bath! She was not at ALL pleased to be staying at the groomer's...of course, she had never been there before! When we rescued her last Fall, she had lost most of her fur due to heartworm treatments (a cruel thing for a dog to have to go through!), so we would just put her in the tub and wash her ourselves.

Suddenly, in mid-winter, she grew this massive coat of fur which was fine with us! It was cold here! We kept her brushed, but as she started to shed, which she did copiously starting in May, it was hard to keep up with the knots and matting. We needed professional help! Dog groomer to the rescue! I liked this place; they let the dogs roam freely while others are being groomed. The dogs get to socialize, rather than being caged.

Miss Dixie looks like her lovely self again!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Day Fifty-Three - Sorting

Tick-tock...is that my summer clock ticking away! Where has the time gone? So many projects planned, so little motivation to do them. No painting done...no clothes final sorted...Summer, slow down!

I did spend some time going through my clothes, with Fall in mind. I am trying to cull my clothes so I have a cohesive color palate, with outfits that work with each other. I did get a nice donation pile pulled together. Now to get it out of my house, and to the donation store!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Day Fifty-Two - Sookie

http://truebloodfansource.com/tag/lorena/
Spent the evening catching up on four out of five backlogged True Blood episodes. Is it me or are these latest episodes uberbloody and depressing? Where is the fun? Vampire wars and a Sad Sookie are just bringing downer energy into my space, and I can't have that! Perk it up a bit, Vamps or I am going to stay in my happy place and not tune you in!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Day FIfty-One - Sizzle

Hot and Humid by Nancy Eckles
Still in the middle of a sticky, high-heat week. Not an official heat wave...it has to be 90+ for three days in a row for that - but icky enough at 88 degrees that I don't feel like doing anything. There are rooms to purge, clothes to organize and an office desk that is a disgrace. I am going to be kind to myself and make lists of future plans. Having a power session with my iPad and a fan sounds very good to me!

Friday, August 10, 2012

Day Fifty - Self-Care

www.amazon.com
I am reading Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfillipo, another tool I've discovered on my grain-free, gluten-free journey. The author provides excellent rationales for why eating wheat and grain products are bad for our health. Having followed this lifestyle for four months now, I can honestly say, I have never felt better. I feel so much healthier. I have no more physical ailments or joint pain! I can never imagine eating any other way!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Day Forty-Nine - Scrumptious

Decided to make an easy, low-key dinner on this hot, humid evening. Nothing like a salad to accomplish that!

This one has arugula, baby lettuce, mint, cucumbers, watermelon, avocado slices and grilled scallops, topped with extra virgin olive oil and lime juice.

It was excellent!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Day Forty-Eight - Stop

Final day of Summer School... Whoo-hoo! Progress reports are filed, materials are packed up - time to kick back and relax! (Briefly. Before I kick butt and get going on house projects!)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Day Forty-Seven - Shiny

Did something totally superficial today...I got my teeth whitened. I had discount coupon that I had to use, so off I went. It was an excellent experience! The gel they put on your teeth was not all that offensive. Nothing hurt. I actually fell asleep during the procedure! As part of the special, I got a gel pen to touch up my teeth every couple of nights. I don't look like my mouth is full of Chicklets, and I am delighted with the results.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Day Forty-SIx - Stalwart

Vacation's over - back to summer school for the final week! Getting to bed at 1:00 am after the late flight made getting up in the morning a challenge. The kids were all in good moods, and so was I!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Day Forty-FIve - Stinker

We had a lovely time on vacation. Even our flight home was pleasant overall. The only issue was... The Stinker at the flight gate!  We wanted to tuck ourselves into the back of the gate area, as the whole room was really crowded. We walked down a narrow outside row with our carry-ons and - the guy at the end of the row had his bag across the aisle with his feet propped up on it.   "I'M not MOVING!", He snarls at us. DB stepped over him. I came along with my rolling bag. "Excuse me," I said.


"I AM NOT MOVING I TOLD YOU!"

I passed my bags over his head to DB, then climbed over his suitcase and feet. The Stinker then started to berate us, loudly, shouting about how selfish we were...why didn't we go on the other side...who the hell do we think we are... blahblahblah.

DB got up to use the restroom prior to boarding. As he stepped over The Stinker's bag again, The Stinker shot his foot out AND TRIPPED HIM! DB recovered nicely and kept walking. I said to the jerk "That was unnecessary!" I said it three times. Each time, he denied that he did anything...what is wrong with you people....you are selfish bastards...

And then he picked up his junk and walked away.

Still yelling things at me.

Glad I am me and not him.


Saturday, August 4, 2012

Day Forty-Four - Snorkle

Our last full day of vacation... Breakfast at the Marina, and a visit with the Chum Fish. They hang around the docks waiting for tourists to feed them frozen fish chunks that they have just purchased from a vending machine, or until fishermen chuck innards overboard. They are huge, and amusing to watch.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Day Forty-Three - Stormy

It was a beautiful morning here today...overcast and cloudy, just the way I like it!  But as the day wore on, the clouds turned dark, the winds whipped up, and skies opened. Nothing like a tropical storm at the beach to make the day interesting!

By five o'clock, the rain had stopped, the clouds had lifted, and we were back in the pool. I love Florida!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Day Forty-Two - Skeletor

This interesting ship sailed by early this morning. It has been dubbed it "Skeletor"...it looked like skeletal parts were rising up and floating on the water.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Day Forty-One - Sky

Parasailing is the most freeing experience in the world. You are above the noise, the bustle, the craziness. It is one of my most favorite things to do. It is a chance to step into a meditation. Weightless...ageless...endless!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Day Forty - Swim

Short post...

     
        Must....

               Swim...

                       Now!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Day Thirty-Nine - Sales Job

Three hour lunch with time share sales rep...Boring, yet educational

High pressure sales pitch where we continue to counter her proposals with counter-proposals...Amusing yet endless
Walking away without spending a dime...Priceless!!! 

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Day Thirty-Eight - Stress

I love vacations - but not so much the process of getting to one. The driver arrived at 4:30am to take us to the airport. Although he drove deathly slow - I figured the cops would stop him for being 20 miles UNDER the speed limit - he didi get us there in plenty of time. Security was a piece of cake. The nonstop flight to Florida was enjoyable enough. We had a little fun with the car... We had it reserved at the wrong airport, so we had to do some Internet finagling to get a good deal. But once we arrived at the beach...it was paradise! We have a beautiful corner room with a panoramic view of the ocean. It is wildly beautiful - it is so worth putting up with my airport anxiety to be here.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Day Thirty-Seven - Strong

robertjessup.com
As I was packing for our trip tomorrow, I rounded the corner from my dressing room to my bedroom, stepped awkwardly on the threshold, ROLLED MY ANKLE and crashed to the floor. Seriously?!?!? The day before vacation?! I swore a lot, cried a little, and assessed the damage. It was my left ankle this time, which is my stronger one. I got an abrasion on my right knee, BUT...I was able to get up fairly easily, walk downstairs and put some ice on ankle and knee. I actually feel fine now. Being twenty pounds lighter, and doing daily leg and ankle strengthening exercises seems to be paying off! Vacation, here I come!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Day Thirty-SIx - Spectacular

The Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games was spectacular! It is hard to fathom a mind that could create such a historical, melodramatic presentation depicting all that is great about Great Britain. Agrarian society, Industrial Revolution, healthcare, children's literature, British music...unbelievable!

Add the Parade of Nations, thousands of volunteer musicians and actors, Paul McCartney, Peace Doves on bicycles, and the Queen parachuting into the stadium with James Bond - well, I just don't have enough adjectives! Top it off with the lit Olympic Cauldron rising up out the the center of the field and enough fireworks to light the entire city of London, and I have to say, Mr. Danny Boyle, well done!!!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Day ThIrty-Five - Smile

Well, it is hard to believe, but here I am at the half-way point of my summer sojourn.  I have worked a lot, but it is different from school-year school - much more relaxed (although much more humid and steamy). I have been to the Cape for a week. Sunday, we leave for our trip to Florida. I am really looking forward to getting away with DB. We haven't gone on a vacation of any distance in three years. I am going to relax, walk, swim, and chill.

What are my goals for the final four weeks after vacation? Wrap up my week of summer school. PURGE my large collection of clothes and shoes. Paint my dressing room and get some shelving installed. Maintain my dedication to my grain/gluten/wheat-free lifestyle. Ramp up my dedication to strengthening my legs and feet through my physical therapy program (Can't be a runner with weak ankles). Rejoice in the fact that I am returning to my SLP position! Sleep, friends, meditation, gratefulness....

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Day Thirty-Four - Strict

Had my second physical therapy appointment. The PT was not impressed that I had not done ALL my exercises EVERY day. He is right of course...can't get better unless you work it! I will do better!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Day Thirty-Three - Staying

Well, today I got a phone message from the principal of my school asking me to call him. I could tell from the tone of his voice what he was going to tell me - I was not selected for the Program Head position. He went on to explain a few things about the job that clarified for me that this is in my best interest. First, the Superintendent and Special Ed Director changed the job specs after people applied for it - it went from a full- time position to a .7 position. Really? In addition, they decided they would select someone who had an administrative certification. Again, this was not stated in the original job description. How do you run a department this way? How do you interview people for a full-time position, and then tell them "Oh, by the way...we are only going to hire you for 3.5 days a week!" I'll bet the two candidates with the admin certs are going to jump at that opportunity! My principal is frustrated, and so am I!

As I said before, I love what I do. I am glad I applied, but I am delighted that I will continue to be working as an SLP in September!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Day Thirty-Two - Speaker

www.nexusacademyschool.com
One of my students, Grant, is starting High School this year. He is a tall, enthusiastic young man with a beautiful face and a wonderful smile who hopes to play basketball on the freshman team. Although he has a strong-sounding voice when he is  making comments, when he has to organize his thoughts and talk at the same time, his voice fades away until he cannot be heard. We did some breathing and voice projection activities today, along with fine-tuning the precision of some of his speech sounds. I hope he will continue to practice these techniques when he leaves for vacation next week.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Day Thirty-One - Strange

Dixie is a fabulous dog in so many ways - she is smart, she is cute, she is friendly. She enjoys meeting new dogs and people as we walk along the beach, which we did today.  However, she a Golden Retriever who retrieves nothing. Throw a ball...she looks at you as if to say "You ought to go and get that." Have you heard of a GR who despises the water? That would also be Dixie. She is like a sand piper - she will run along the edge of the surf...the minute it approaches her feet, she runs in the opposite direction.

She does love the beach, though...and of course, we love her!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Day Thirty - Sticky

I had a lovely opportunity presented to me today...a young man knocked on the door and said he would give me a great price on sealing my driveway. My driveway is a big mess - I always run the lawnmower over it to get rid of the grass growing through the cracks. I was intrigued, but told him I had to do a little research before I would agree. He said he would be around, and to call if I was interested. Well, his website was impressive, his video looked good, and he was on Angie's List. I decided to go ahead with it.

Josh and Company arrived, and got busy. They dug up all the grass, sealed the cracks with rubber, and gave the driveway a nice spray. It looks good. Josh says it will last for four years. If he is right, I will certainly call him again.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Day Twenty-Nine - Spicy

I know...another weather post! Today was just so spectacular, it bears commenting. Seventy-five degrees, overcast, low humidity, nice breeze - my idea of paradise! It was hard to decide what project to complete first. It is so much easier to accomplish things when you are not dripping with sweat! I did a little weeding, then came in to tackle some house projects. It was a great day to do some cooking. I decided to make one of my grain-free recipes that I have been wanting to play around with for a while. Another blogger had posted a spicy peanut butter cookie recipe, so I gave it a whirl. These babies were HOT - perfect for a coolish day. The almond flour gives the cookies a nuttier texture...I liked them!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Day Twenty-EIght- Stretch

I finally started physical therapy for my foot today. The PT said my foot and ankle are weak, but not all that unstable! He put together a strengthening program that I will do every day, then see him twice a week for a couple of months. It felt really good to be doing some work with my legs again. No running, no elliptical, no treadmills (no worries there...), but I can do my beach walking and yoga. It feels good!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Day Twenty-Seven - Special

I adore hydrangeas. They remind me of summers on Cape Cod. These are some from my garden, the Endless Summer variety. We had some minor rain early this morning - I love the way the water beaded up on the petals. An hour after I took this, we were blasted with a massive thunderstorm with hail and a deluge of rain. The hydrangeas still look beautiful, but these are special.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Day Twenty-Six - Swelter

buamai.com
Hmmm...seems all I do is write about the weather. In all fairness, it was 97 again today, and I work on the third floor of a school with no air conditioning. The kids all looked at me glassy-eyed, and acted as if I was speaking a foreign language. Perhaps I was. Who can function normally with heat like this? It was a pleasure to jump into my car when the day was over, and crank the A/C.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Day Twenty-Five - Stuck

My car has been making a huge whirring noise for quite a while...I stopped by my mechanic last Friday to see what was up. He agreed it sounded bad, and I made an appointment for today. Bad wheel bearing. Three hundred and change later, and I am back on the road!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Day Twenty-Four - Stifling

Ninety-seven degree days require some serious intervention....nothing is better than a trip to the beach! We popped the dog and some towels in the car and set off in search of cooler climates! Unfortunately for us the A/C in DB's car is not working, so I put up my hair, put down the windows, pulled Dixie's random dog hairs out of my mouth, and enjoyed the ride. We live about 45 minutes away from the New Hampshire and Maine coasts, so it is a nice afternoon trip to take. Once we got off the highway, and onto Coastal 1A, the temperatures dropped by about 20 degrees and the skies became overcast - my perfect idea of a day at the beach! Once we arrived, we lounged around, walked the dog, wandered through the incoming tide, and chilled (literally!). We wrapped up the day in sweatshirts, eating Mexican appetizers on the porch of a new restaurant while rain moved in and fell softly on the sidewalks.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Day Twenty-Three - Strokes

I visited an old friend today. Ed was one of the first patients I worked with when I had started a new rehab position five years ago. He had just been admitted from the hospital after his stroke, was paralyzed on his right side, and was unable to speak. You could see the fear in his eyes when I met him; none of his words were coming out of his mouth and he was unable to move. Our rehab team (physical, occupational and speech therapy) swooped in to help Ed start his recovery.

Ed's stroke occurred in the motor area in the left hemisphere of his brain, resulting in Broca's aphasia. Usually, people with Broca's have good comprehension, but struggle to express themselves verbally. Ed and I started with yes/no questions, picture-pointing tasks, and Melodic Intonation Therapy. His progress was slow, but steady; he was able to request items with single words like "drink", "bathroom", and "cold".  His wife Eleanor was an interesting lady. She was very intense, asked many questions, and frequently screamed at the nurses if they did not get her what she wanted. She liked me, fortunately. I think it was just the fact that I listened to her and empathized with how hard Ed's recovery was going to be for both of them.

I was fortunate, given the limited rehab time that is often given to patients post stroke, to work with Ed for almost six months. He continued to make measurable progress. We had progressed to short conversations. He shared some of the details of his life. I found out he had been a mechanical engineer. He had three sons and four grandchildren. Ironically, two of his grandchildren attended my middle school. He is a recovering alcoholic. He told me his marriage was challenging, and that he had considered divorce. His wife had thrown the telephone at him, hitting him in the head; it was at that moment that he had the stroke.

Ed could be challenging himself; he would become frustrated with his inability to express himself quickly and would swear at the staff - his words came out so clearly then! Even after his health care plan stopped paying for therapy, I would stop in to see him before or after my shift at work to have a conversation, or to set up his TV to watch a baseball game. He became like a second father.

I worked at the facility part-time after school. The facility decided after I had been there a year that they wanted to hire a full-time SLP. Since I was not available to take the job, they hired someone else. I was sad, because I really loved working at this place. I filled in here and there when the new SLP was on vacation or unavailable, and continued visiting with Ed. One day, when I stopped by to see him, a nurse on the floor told me that the family had moved him. The administrator would not tell me where he went. It would have been blurring the margins of my jobs to talk about this with his grandchildren; I knew eventually, I would see his son to ask Ed's whereabouts.

Ed's only granddaughter was graduating this year, and I ran into her dad, Nate after the ceremony. He gave me a big hug, and told me where his dad was living now. His mom was in an assisted living facility as well. Today, I stopped by to visit my old friend. His speech continues to come out in short bursts - he uses three to four words phrases, but they are clearly articulated. He told me about his wife, his grandchildren, and how much he missed the old facility. He kissed my hand and told me how glad he was to see me again.

I know I say it all the time, but I am so blessed to do the work I do. I meet the most wonderful people, and get to have a positive impact on their lives. I know that they have an even bigger impact on mine. I plan to see Ed again next week.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Day Twenty-Two - Sticker Shock

I seem to have issues with the Department of Motor Vehicles...Last year, I forgot to re-register my car. This year, I did not get it inspected before the sticker expired in June. Woe is me.

I sat for 53 minutes in line at the inspection station in 93 degree heat waiting to get my newly updated sticker slapped on my car. When it was my turn, I happily drove in, registration and $29.00 in hand, only to be told that the Registry would not let them inspect a car WITH A GREEN LICENSE PLATE. My plate is old; most people in the state have shiny red and white, front and back plates. I have an old, single green one- a holdover from the days when the Registry went to one rear plate to save money.

I was never notified about this. Now I am told that I must drive to the Registry, remove the plate, turn it in and get a new plate and registration. I am disgusted. Why did they re-register the car with this plate last year, if they won't let me use it anymore. ERRGGHH!