Building Blessing

 The Bishop Archie Hopkins came to the pointe today.  He did a walkabout the building giving it a blessing.  There has been a lot of illness, falls, deaths and general malaise lately. It seemed like it was time to burn some sage or get a blessing.  When he was done, he said a prayer with some of the staff.  Gratitude for all that is.  

Now the bishop is known to the big boss at the pointe as he is her pastor at her church.  I just know him as Archie.  Over 30 years ago he was my boss at my second real job.  He was the manager at Yaw's Restaurant in the early 90's.  

We got to reminisce and catch up.  It truly is a small world.  I worked with his daughter for a short time at the college.  We talked about the time he jumped out of a closet to catch a thief.  He didn't remember specifically that it was me also sitting in that room.  He startled me and the thief.  And I knew he was there.  I just didn't expect him to jump out.  We talked about some of the people that we lost touch with years ago.  It was really good to catch up.  

And we are grateful for anything that eases some of the pain and loss we feel lately at the pointe.  I know winters are hard and expect it.  But a little faith in things getting better does not hurt at all.  Spring will come.  

The Hard Stuff

 Working at the pointe has great energy.  There is a fabulous sense of community.  The people are spectacular.  The flip side is working with an elder community is the loss.  

I've been there for six months now and the first few months were pretty quiet.  Winter brought something more.  We've lost several residents to moving to assisted living type arrangements.  And then we have just lost a few to death.  

Yesterday I heard about Earline.  She died the day before and had been gone from the community about a week.  I was instantly sad.  

My favorite Earline story is how one night we were finishing up.  If there are leftover specials that are going to be tossed, we are allowed to take some home.  So, I got a nice box of food to take with me when I was done with side jobs.  Earline came in very late.  She had been reading and just lost track of time.  She was hungry and of course, the kitchen was closed with the cooks done.  I offered her my box.  She was hesitant to take it, but I insisted.  She opened it up and said it was way too much food and she insisted I take part of it back.  We came to an agreement, and she got fed.  My take is, the residents pay for the food in their rent, and they should come before me.  I can eat at home.  She was grateful that I was willing to give up my food.  From that day forward whenever she would be a bit late, but still able to get food from the kitchen, she always asked if it was my food.  

I always ask how the residents are doing and she almost always answered "maintaining".  Now she is maintaining somewhere else, and I shall miss her greatly.  

I find myself honored to meet and get to know all these people who live in my new community.  With love comes loss and it is okay.  I'm grateful for the love even at the cost.  

Me

 I realized the other day, that the people at the pointe get the very best of me.  I am always up.  I smile a lot. I dance a lot.  I tease a little bit when appropriate.  I do little things because I know that how you make someone feel is important.  And it is the little things that count.  I give hugs (and I'm not a hugger).  

It feels like I remember who I was before some of the trauma in my life happened.  It's kind of freeing and most of them don't make any judgements.  They just like me.  They really do.  I like the person I was and am finding my way back to.  

Good Laugh

 Periodically the soda machine needs new syrup added.  Our youngest team member was trying to do so and felt like it had broken.  He asked the head cook for help.  No problem.  Changed right out.  Helped that someone knew how to do it.

When I asked about it, he informed me that there is a latch that has to be pressed down for it to unscrew.  I commented that the syrup dispenser has a child proof mechanism.  He said yeah, and it worked.  It took me a minute and then I laughed and so did he.  

Seattle

 

I felt the need to go explore.  Having a job means I have to be more creative and look closer to home.  So Jodi and I went and spent a couple of nights in Seattle.  We rode the train up and back.  That was wonderful.  About three hours and no traffic.  No parking or driving in Seattle.  We stayed at a hotel just a few blocks from Pike Place Market.  

Over the years I have been to Seattle several times.  This trip we added a jaunt through the Chihuly Glass Museum.  It was spectacular.  We also went up the space needle.  Even though it was a cloudy day and started raining upon our entrance, we still had a fabulous view.

No trip is complete without poking around the Market.  We did not spend a ton of money.  But we did manage to find a fabulous spice store that we bought some Vicious Voodoo spice at.  I think it will be good on veggies and Jodi liked the idea of it on chicken.  Once home she did try it and said it was wonderful.  The lady at the store said it was a cajun kind of spice.  

I could not believe that we were at the market and there were not a ton of people.  Guess it helps being mid-week and mid-winter.  Found the gum wall...eww.  We missed a fight but got to witness the aftermath.  We were eating dinner and starting hearing yelling.  Wow.  I think we spent a lot of time people watching and there are a lot of characters to watch in that city.  

It was a great three days.  Had a lovely time.