"That is Garbage, Mister! GAOW-BEDGE!" - Homestar

When I found that today's schedule included me being in charge of "Recycling", I stifled an inward groan. The last trip I took to the "Antrim Transfer Station" ( a.k.a. "The Dump"...Why do they bother trying to glamorize the Dump by tacking a fake moniker onto it like "Transfer Station"? I am not fooled.) was a couple of months ago, and it was a miserable, slow, cold experience. But what a difference the spring makes! I needn't have feared today's venture. No freezing winds to battle with as we sorted the recyclables in the back yard...No two feet of snow to flounder about in...No frigid hands...Instead, it was sunny and warm; it was positively a JOY to scatter scores of plastic milk cartons on the grass and stomp on them and put them, and tin cans, in their respective bags...And the three girls I worked with were cooperative and good natured - thrilled, in fact, just to get out of the house for a while. It went quickly, and somehow, digging around in bins of yucky old recyclables was fun...because we were outside in the spring sunshine! It was a great ending to a very long week. I guess I will go back to work on Monday!

Badminton

In today's news: I played badminton for half an hour with three girls at my place of employment. It was a huge amount of fun! I got way into it and the girls were amused with my commentary and said I was "animated." Truly! That was their exact word! But the sad thing was, I am so out of shape that my right arm is now a little sore. Sore! From half an hour's worth of badminton. Outrageous. I am afraid I am as flabby as a noodle.( Although, I WAS using a tennis racket, not a true badminton racket...) ( The girls said some other funny stuff, stuff that made me perk up mentally and say to myself, " Gotta put THAT in the blog..." and then I forgot it. Rrgh.) But it was the highlight of my day to play with them; there's something about playing badminton that makes me truly myself and comfortable with people. I suppose if I have any job interviews in the future, they should be held during games of badminton.

Playing badminton brings up all sorts of good family memories...whether it be in Milford at Grandpa and Grandma's, in Essex, or at Chestnut Hill... I remember playing many games of it, sometimes with Liane, sometimes with Andrew. ( I have a picture taken on the day I graduated highschool...I was in my graduation dress, playing a game of badminton with Andrew.) I don't remember Karena playing so much...but what I do remember about her was the time she was laughing so hard that she cried, fell down and laid on the grass, overcome with mirth at Grandpa Sawtelle's antics with a badminton racket. ( I am remembering this correctly, aren't I?) I think we have a picture somewhere in the family collection...She looks like a slain deer, crumpled gracefully on the grass.

Never a dull moment

Guess what I got paid to do today? Play Uno! Yes, I had my turn sitting 1:1 in the office with Miss April Fool herself, and after we finished schoolwork, we had a few games of Ye Olde Uno. It was kinda fun but the whole time I was wondering if she might be plotting another escape that would take place when I was watching her...so it wasn't really that relaxing...So I'm eyeing her, checking out the door, pondering possible escape routes, and trying to win at Uno...all at the same time. It's a wonder I actually won a couple times. And she cheated! Surprise!

I also got paid to do an art project with the girls. Every week, a wonderful lady, who we all call "Honey" because that's what she goes by with her grandchildren, comes to volunteer for about an hour ( although it usually turns out to be two hours) and does art with us. I participated along with the girls and did the project this morning; I made a "stained glass" creation out of black construction paper and colored tissue paper. I was quite happy with the results.

I also attended an hour and a half staff meeting, dealt with a girl who wouldn't get ready in the morning because she had lost her nose ring during the night and was tearing the room apart to look for it, and armwrestled a girl during P.E. ( I lost - how scary is that...) So if this kind of job sounds appealing to anybody, the Shelter is hiring...part-time positions, sub positions, transporters...Come one, come all! It's a boatload of fun!