The Final Countdown

Well, it's my last Monday in the office and hopefully any office for a while. Where I'm going, we don't need desks. That was a strained reference to Back to the Future. I am still in disbelief that I have actually been here this long. What's crazier is how much just this office has changed in that time. I'll save all of that for a reflecting post at the end of the week. For now, we'll focus on my next to last week at work.

If I just talked about that, however, it would be a very short post because things have calmed down recently. KNOCK ON THE WOOD OF CLARA BARTON'S COFFIN.

I mentioned that two Fridays ago we were going to the house dedication for one of our volunteers. I was in tears most of the time just out of complete happiness for Pam Nero and her husband. It definitely represented a full cycle of things for me. When I left Tuscaloosa last May, Alberta City was devastated beyond recognition as my childhood home. Now over a year later, I got to see a family move into their new and well deserved home. Tuscaloosa is really coming around, and I am so happy that I was able to be here to see the process. As things pop back up, it's become the town I recognize, and my love for it has only grown deeper.

Over the weekend, I had the joy of communicating with the replacement campus minister at the Wesley Foundation. He texted me to discuss a group picking up cots to stay at Wesley Foundation over the week. I was just surprised that someone I have not interacted with in over a year decided that texting me was the most professional way to get in touch. It was a big mess getting in touch with the church. Mike, a volunteer, wanted to meet me to get his last hours in, so I told him to be at the office at 6:50 PM because the people from the church were going to get there after seven and call me before they got there. I drove up as it was raining at 6:45 and in the parking lot was a tour bus blocking every single car from leaving. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY?????????? Luckily, the rain subsided long enough to load 120 cots on to their bus. Once they left, Mike and I had to inventory the cots left so we knew how many they took. The humidity made me realize that it was a bad idea to take a shower before getting there just to stand in a trailer or ankle deep water.

The rest of the week went pretty smoothly. There were a couple of fire cases bringing my total for the year up to 50 out of 150 at one point. Other than that, nothing really happened. We have so may community service volunteers right now that Cody and I are just trying to make up stuff for them to do. I hate when the ones we like finish up, though, because then we never see them again. It's been a year of temporary friends and oddities. There are all kinds. This will again be touched on in a reflection post at the end of this week.

Cody and I went to trivia on Tuesday last week and Lexi and I on Thursday. We had good performances at both as Green Eggs and Ham and Huffalumps and Woozles. Obviously, I chose to regress a little in my team name inspiration. There was a terrible discussion Cody and I had about a question regarding a train. I just made a guest appearance explaining it in his blog.

Our old building that was damaged in the storm was finally bulldozed last week. It is completely flat now, though, I've yet to see it. I didn't have any emotional attachment to it since my only time inside was for my interview, but I know a lot of other people were sad to see it go. It's actually been more of a pain for me with the numerous times we've had to move things around and take things out. Those desks volunteer Mike and I moved were about the DEATH of me. Well, the mold would have killed me if the desks didn't.  

This weekend was relaxing with a coloring of fun. Friday, I went to El Rincon with some friends, and while I was overcharged we had an enlightening conversation about the Illuminati and its members including Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, and Mark Ingram... You shouldn't be too  surprised that I played the role of he sceptic. Saturday after getting a few things moved out and a set of tennis with my dad, Cody and I went to dinner for his birthday since Wynease and Toya both bailed on us, with good reason I'm sure.

I also made the exciting decision to go to Camp Sumatanga next week as a counselor. It just hit me in church of all places that it fits perfectly into my schedule and I may not be able to go again for a while. I was delighted to discover that two friends are the directors. I know this week will pass by even more quickly now that I have the promise of immediate fresh air and lack of technology come Saturday.