LOONNNG Day
Good morning … this is me again. It looks like we’ve bought a little time. Sister Florine came in unexpectedly and asked to take the group so she could go over stations of the cross. Sr. Theresa says to put up with whatever because she’ll only be here a few days – after that she’ll go to the hospital for exploratory surgery and then she’ll go back to the motherhouse on the North side for her recovery. Sr. Theresa says that Sr. Marceline will be coming to stay with her and that she is the seamstress. I’m sure she’s going to bring work with her and Sr. seems to have some sewing work in the chapel … but, more than anything its so that sister has some company, which also plays out as a safety for them.Sr. Theresa asked me directly this morning if I knew about Sr. Florine … and I had to tell her yes, because it was a direct question. Then Sister said that everyone knows so I guess she figured that one out. Sr. then complained about Sr. Florine not following procedure in telling the lay people before the Sr.’s made a formal announcement. They were waiting for the results of her test.
In the meantime, Sr. Theresa just called to remind that a group was coming this morning. So, I’m thinking I have to prepare something different so that the group has something to do while I’m talking with the volunteer group. I’m wondering if I have enough calculators … that would be something, but I’m not sure if we do. Hmm, we got our one group side lined so maybe what we could do is have the group work on the project on their own while I’m gone … it meant taping into a tape recorder.
I’ve got from 9:30 -10:00 to get them to that point … hmm have to work out the part where they are on break too.
Ok, that’s checked out … So 9:30-10 prepare the group for being on their own, and then let them surprise us with what they did afterward. 10 am they work independently, and I go with the volunteers. We give our little presentation, and then we’ll do the tape and then we’ll take the tour and divide them up … at 10:30 am the volunteers will break up and Group 1 will go on break, and then we’ll do an exercise where we’ll be with the group and then we can have the volunteers meet in the leadership room at 11:25 pm and ask Rosa to watch them the group those last 5 minutes prior to lunch. Then we’ll let the lunch group go and then – oh Lordy … we’re going to have a choir practice too at 11 am.
Lordy why does this kind of stuff happen? It’s all discombobulated. I wonder if I can get three volunteers and have them work with the individuals from three different tables in doing the charts I had prepared for working on a budget. That might be an idea. Choir at 11 and then lunch and then I go back to Group 1 and finish up the day and then I come into my office and collapse. Ok, then … it seems all scheduled. I wonder what other kinds of surprises I might run into.
Hmm, we should get message after chapel to the other instructors that a group will be in at 10 … it’s a nice thing not to totally surprise them. Hmm?
Better go see if my disk is set up ok. BRB
Pswhoo. We’re getting through it … but it’s not easy. We’ve got about 15 minutes of lunch yet. I just finished eating so I’ve got that going for ourselves, but we’re going to need jumping back into it in a few moments. We’ve gotten through the actual time with Group 1, we’ve gotten through the volunteers and we’ve gotten through choir and almost all of lunch. We still have the Circles group with sign language and then about an hour more and then they’ll leave and we’ll do the end of the day paperwork. AND THEN we’ll have our breakdown~!!!
Well ok, well not really, but you’ve got the idea. We’re heading for a need nothing but massage and hot tub! Not sure if Sister pays me well enough for these kinds of days, but since we squander others it probably comes out about even.
The group seems fine, but because of everything going on and me needing to do some of these other things in-between it seems a bit blocky. I wished I could have had a more simple exercise for them to do with Group 1, but I think the magic works just in trying to help someone and in the realization that they aren’t talking or thinking the same as you.
Hmm and you want to know what else made this so much fun? They invited someone for publicity YEEKS! He had a video camera on during quite a bit of time … I hope he got a chance to work with everyone as well as he would have liked. Kind of have to let all that sort of thing just run its course.
Hmm, better check I hear doors. I want to see if lunch ended early.
Well we’re back again after doing all sorts of stuff. We had finished lunch and then went in to see the volunteers off. I really do like it when they spend time in the group, but they ARE extra work. All my dodging in and out of things seemed to be ok. We went right from Volunteers to doing the circles group, since we had Group 1 we had about 5 singers to accompany the signers. WooHOO!!!
The one girl who is doing the lead part in one of the songs was there, so we had a chance to play out that part. It was a little difficult though in that she kept confusing the words me with your. The song is just that tricky like on the first verse it is are you looking at me and then the second verse is I’m looking at you.
It gets even trickier, but we’re not going that far into it today. It was just too hectic. The group hung tight though and gave her every opportunity to work through it. I was really proud of her.
ESPECIALLY, since this is the one I sometimes complain about for being overly talkative. She really had the chance to show off her stuff this time. I think afterward she was more willing to settle down into being just a PART of the group.
Hehehe … us staff are sneaky in that way.
Not only is it me, but the entire center gets wiped out on a day like this. They still had another hour to go at the end of Circles and I know I was drained and figured them too. So, instead of doing the lesson that I had planned, we went into a housecleaning activity. We took apart several things on the shelves – cubbies and an old desk and we cleaned them out. I know that Sr. Theresa has done a good job in getting rid of the garbage, but we pushed that task even further ahead. This was the kind of day you do something more productive with the loose paperclips, dice and pennies found.
I felt much better after it was done. I tried to keep as many people busy as I could so there were people doing running activities to other rooms, to the back end of the shop or sweeping or checking markers or sharpening pencils. You know that sort of thing.
AHA! Rich just called he said that he was headed home and was going to eat dinner with us … we’ll be having Chinese leftovers. I guess he’s been at his Mom’s since 1 pm, and he was going to stay out there for dinner, but she’s cranky because her husband didn’t give her an extra drink. SOOOO, she was going to rebel and not go out to eat tonight, so Rich said fine … see you later. I’d hate to be Bud tonight.
I think Rich’s mom could cause a headache. But, I find her lovable.
Rich also is ancy because he wants to instead go out and play cards with the guys.
I figured that was ok. He let me complain about my tiredness today … that was nice of him. We told him we were going to be too tired to of great company. I think he’d have gone out anyway, but no harm in putting our blessings on in, hmm?
Ok, so then I better get going … see you soon.
posted by Ann Marie @ 3/04/2009 03:47:00 PM
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