A Good Long Weekend

Song: N/A

Mood: 7

Nightmares: 2

This has been an extra long weekend. J took Friday and Monday off so we had all kinds of time to hang out, get stuff done around the house, watch movies… all kinds of stuff. I really enjoyed our time together and I’m going to miss her tomorrow when she’s back at work.

My mother-in-law came over on… Saturday, I think. The three of us had a very good time chatting and gossiping, and we had fried chicken from the best place in town for supper. She also brought a beautiful big quilt that she made for us (I will take a picture when there’s better light) and a nice big warm scarf for me for the winter. She also brought over some amazing homemade grape jelly that is taking a large portion of my willpower to not sit down at the table and eat all of the jelly straight out of the jars with a tablespoon. I don’t know if she reads this stuff but if she does – thank you very much for coming over and for all of the wonderful gifts!!!

A package came for me today, and inside it was a pair of mad scientist/steampunk looking safety goggles. I can’t wait to use them (and thanks, FA)!!

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about helping people out, and J and I talked about it at length. There are a lot of charities in town that everyone knows about – some get radio/TV/community paper advertisement spots, some have been around for every and everyone knows about them, and some show up once or twice a year to run funding drives. I’ve decided that I want to try and help the smaller charities that most people don’t know about, and, in particular, those that provide assistance to people with mental health difficulties or who are in crisis.

I’m not sure why I feel so strongly about this. Part of it may be how good it made me feel last year when J and I went to the dollar store and bought a box full of colouring books, markers, and notepads and gave it to the Recreational Therapist at the psych ward I stayed in. We gave it to her just before Christmas (which can be a very difficult and lonely time for people staying on the ward), and it was very nice to get a hug and see how much she appreciated it. What really made me feel good, though, was when Dr W mentioned that he had seen a lot more supplies around and people using them last winter than usual.

I don’t want to be rich (although I won’t complain if that happens). I don’t want to be famous. I just want to help make someone’s life easier – even if it’s for only a short while. A short while could be all that someone needs to get their life back on track. I don’t have a social work degree, I’m not a therapist, doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, psychologist, or have any training whatsoever that would let me work with someone who needs help. What I can do, though, is try to help the people who DO work with someone who needs help. All of the small charities that I’ve looked up are in short supply of something, whether it’s money, particular types of clothing, bedding, underwear, soap and shampoo, towels… the list is extensive and quite broad. I want to help.

We watched Ant Man and the Wasp this past weekend, it was a very good movie. Much more lighthearted and fun than Infinity War was, and the action scenes were great. They did the very end (at the credits) really well so that I wasn’t suspecting anything until suddenly I got hit by a bolt of dread just before the reveal. Very well done.

I am also looking into buying a sewing machine. I’ve been talking about it for a few years now, and between some clothes that need alterations and some projects I’d like to try, I think I’m going to pick one up. Not a big fancy one, just one of the little cheaper ones that do a couple of different kind of stitches. Found an inexpensive one that has a stronger motor and is quite inexpensive. So, if it gets used twice and then ends up in the closet or sold at a garage sale, no big deal. Likewise, if I make nine parachutes and two spinnakers in the first week and burn it out, not the end of the world. One of the things I’d like to make and give away at the hospital are some little stress bean bags. J’s cousin made me a bunch of them and I have found them very useful.

Argh… I just read this over and I spent so much time babbling that I’m not going to get a bunch of other stuff written down, and I need to get to bed.

Not sure what’s going on tomorrow yet. Hopefully I won’t have any nightmares.

Oh, and we had bacon and egg bagels for supper. They were wonderful, and the whole house now smells like bacon. I can live with that.

Stay safe.

Comments are closed.

Post Navigation