My Last Day

Well, I was contemplating posting a picture of Brad where he photo-shopped all his hair off...but I decided not to...or rather, um, Brad said, "Nah." And since he holds all the knowledge of how to post pictures on here, well, that was it. Sorry I have left you all in suspense...but no, he did not shave his head. I think we are dealing with enough change at the moment.

Speaking of change- I am now officially UNemployed! Hurray! In all the frustrating moments and difficult, dark days this last year when I just wanted to flee that job and make a screaming exit, I could not have imagined the great sense of bittersweetness that flooded me yesterday- my last day. The girls at the Shelter now are a very high energy, high maintenance group. They were pretty low yesterday morning- for their own particular reasons. And then I got up in front of the room to read my goodbye letter/speech...I envisioned it going well...but as soon as I started reading it, I plunged into tears. ARGH. Anyway, I was glad to have a chance to really share my heart with them.

Later in the day, I took my last trip to the Antrim Recycling Center...and I had some great finds at the Swap Shop - some books, a fall wreath, and a little OWL ornament which I left in the kitchen for Marci. I also got a really nice blue and white lampshade for one of the girls' rooms and as we came back to the Shelter, I said to the two girls with me, " Okay, make sure we take EVERYTHING we brought. Don't leave anything in the van." We started to walk away and one of the girls said, " Uh...Claire...?" and pointed back to the van. I had left the lampshade on top of the van.

As I came back into the classroom carrying my new treasures, the room exploded with people yelling at me; it was my very own farewell party. While I was away at the dump, the girls had decorated the room with posters and a colored paper chain...and they had made special food over the last couple days. They had made a big card and all written in it...and were eager to show me all the things they had done for me. The staff also gave me a card, and a gift- a beautiful framed photograph of Mount Monadnock complete with fall foliage. What a wonderful gift to take to Georgia with me. On one of the marker boards someone had made an acrostic with my name. For the letter "C", they chose the word " Cunning." Cunning? I never thought of that word in connection with myself. It tickled my funny bone.

We ended the party by playing outside. We had a clothes relay race which was hugely exciting and fun. It was a great way to end my experience there- totally silly and wild....running across the yard bedecked with all kinds of clothes...including a pair of pants and shorts that I had to just leave around my ankles and waddle as fast as I could...and an umbrella, slippers, a hat, purse, baseball glove, scarf...Don't you just wish you'd been there?

I'll really miss the staff there -- they are very special, wonderful people. I plan on going back to visit sometime in the next six months; I really want to see the finished addition to the Shelter which will house the new bedrooms and schoolroom.

It felt pretty strange to drive away for the last time. I'm glad I didn't leave when I originally wanted to- at a low point when things were tough; I'm so, SO thankful that things took an up-swing over the summer. I see that as nothing less than a direct blessing from God.

Go up thou bald-head?

Here's the deal: Brad got a haircut. Mistake #1. The longish look was WORKING! Mistake #2: He didn't have his Mom cut his hair! What was he thinking? So I came home from work today
( today is his day off) and he was wearing a SHIRT on his head and cringing before me.

The decision lies before us: To shave or not to shave? We are posting a picture of him sporting this new cut and we desire YOUR input as to whether he should suffer through it or take the plunge and shave it ALL OFF ( which he has long wanted and threatened to do). I am ambivalent: at this point there's really no good outcome so why not let him have his little fun? I would be okay with this cut if he gelled it up and let it be sort of bed-heady and trendy but he is determined to comb it over like an old geezer and then his cow-lick sticks up on the side and RUINS it all.

(As soon as I experimented with the gel on his hair he sort of gave this little shudder of suffering and exclaimed that it was a "liberal" look. I don't really know what that means except that it's not conservative and I know that he resists change and eschews fads and trendiness. )

So we are sort of on the proverbial fence with this one. I have no idea what he would look like with a shaved head! Will NO HAIR look worse than BAD HAIR?

AWOL fruit and other Terrors

So I was sitting on the couch this morning, ( or rather...uh...yesterday morning- FRIDAY morning) reading my Bible, and suddenly I see something out of the corner of my eye...moving fast across the living room floor. As I was wearing my glasses, which are sadly not so powerful, I couldn't tell exactly what the creature was. It was sort of brownish and bullet shaped, very small and moved with amazing speed. I sat transfixed, mute with horror, watching it disappear, and appear, and traverse the length of the living room...and then I let out some small, wailing cries to my husband who was just waking up in the next room. Bless his heart- he came out and set some traps. Sigh. So the traps are back. Yep- peanut butter and all.

The THING IS...it was NOT news to Brad that we had this furry guest. He was like, " Oh, yeah. I saw him the other day. He lives over there." WHAT? It's like - we have a new PET and you didn't TELL ME? And you KNOW his HABITAT? You didn't set the traps RIGHT AWAY?? Hmmm. Perhaps we should name him. Herr Vole. ( I think 'tis a vole, not a mouse.) Argh. I don't feel safe in my own home. I step with care like I've never stepped with care before. I think I need to get Marci's owl in here to take care of the pest problem.

So I got to work and as the girls were eating breakfast in the kitchen, someone dropped a grape on the floor. I didn't see them drop it- I just saw this small thing on the floor moving towards me out of the corner of my eye for a split second and I practically jumped up onto the fridge. WOW. Sent into palpitations by a wayward GRAPE? I think I have some serious nerves going here.

And speaking of work- one more week to go, folks. The countdown has begun. I think I'm telling the girls on Monday.

And another thing that has caused me consternation this day: There are four toothbrushes in the bathroom- and Brad casually confessed to me this evening, " Oh, by the way, I have no idea which one is mine." Huh! So we have another pest infestation AND you have unilaterally decided we have interchangeable dental care devices? UBER-gross. I don't even want to know how long this confusion has gone on. I suppose it is partly my fault for allowing this mass toothbrush situation to develop. Ew. Time to go buy two new toothbrushes and some real heavy duty labels.