Moving

I think UHaul should add me to their frequent mover club! And if I keep moving I may end up with only the shirt on my back as more & more things get thrown away each time I move.

My last day at the RC was last Friday & they made me an honorary nurse. Please note that no patients were harmed during this time.

The boxes are packed & ready to go. I found some victims aka helpers to assist with the loading & unloading.

Molly has been her usual helpful self...holding down her blanket or her bed/throne. She doesn't even hold the tape for me & gives me dirty looks when I make too much noise during her naps (which is pretty much all the time).

Back To Virginia...

It has been an interesting week around here, to put it mildly. The unexpected resignation of my boss has effectively ended my VISTA project. That said, I will be returning to Virginia in mid-September. I am still getting some of my end-of-service benefits for the 7 months I served which is somewhat helpful. This is all pretty sudden so I am still sorting out the details & making future plans. I would like to continue my work with the RC in some capacity.

Despite all that has taken place over the past week, I can not say that I regret my decision to move here & take this adventure. The lessons I have learned are both describable & indescribable & I know many of my experiences will have a lifelong impact on me. This has been a time of great personal growth & reflection. I am grateful for the support of so many people who have helped me along the way - both new friends & old.

As you know, it is nearly impossible for me to write an entire blog without mentioned my beloved daughter, Molly Brown. She has been a truly faithful companion through all this & I've seen her grow a lot too. I guess her personal reflection takes place while napping!

The Queen

I took a road trip this past weekend & realized that I am a well-trained dog owner. It will take a while longer to accept this fact but I know most of you are saying 'it's about time she noticed'! You are a well-trained dog owner when (please note that this list is not all-inclusive): you go away for two days & your dog has more bags & stuff than you; your dog has a wardrobe that requires its own storage area (I will not admit to its size); you come back from a vacation with many things for your dog & nothing for you; you come within seconds of buying a $130 life-size replica of your dog...so she has someone to talk to & hang out with during the day; you are not allowed to be on your own in a specialty dog store; your toughest decision at a store is which dog clothing to buy - the baseball jacket or the t-shirt (we picked the jacket); you have a dog clock on your desk on your work & a pillow at home that looks like your dog.

The best part is that I would not have it any other way. Molly had a hard life before she came to me so I think she deserves to live it up during her retirement years. She has thrived during all the changes over these past months & I have loved to watch her change. Instead of running away, she acts as if everyone is there for the sole purpose of petting her. As her dog tag will remind you, she is The Queen after all.

The infamous clock - the tail even wags!

This is what happens when she sees the suitcases. It gets me every time.

National Geographic - live & in your front yard

This city girl is experiencing the country life up close & personal. The state park near my home does have a member of Yogi's family in the name after all. My close encounter of a moose kind took place just after I moved to my current residence then again a few weeks later. There is a mommy bear & cub reported to have a crib somewhere in the neighborhood. Deer are usually out in the front yard at dusk or dawn or in the backyard. I nearly ran over a wild turkey & her future Thanksgiving dinners on the way home tonight. You could hear owls & coyote nearly every night where I lived previously.

Any of those animals are tolerable. There are only 2 creatures that I would prefer to avoid all together - skunk & possum. It's rather obvious why I would like to avoid the stinky skunk & possum are known to have a mean streak in them...to put it mildly. I went to take the trash out tonight & had a close encounter of the possum kind. It was just as happy to see me as I was to seeing it. I have said before that the VISTA experience extends beyond your 9-5 job but this is not quite what I had in mind. Molly just looked at it then continued sniffing around like usual...but would you expect a different reaction from her? I'm surprised she didn't ask the thing for a belly rub! I had to grab Molly, as we practiced during the previous moose encounter, & head upstairs. Now I am glad to be typing this versus getting the skunk smell off Molly while wearing a gas mask! It's those little things in life after all...

Back To Reality

I have been back in NH for over a week now. It takes time to get caught up on your sleep, re-adjust, come down from the adrenaline, etc. Molly has not exacted her revenge on me YET for leaving her. I remember not-so-fondly the rather sizable 'gift' she left on my living room floor when I returned from Alabama.

There is a lot of grant writing, research, etc. in the near future. It is weird to think about the end of my VISTA year coming up in January already but that seems to come up daily in discussions. My two primary goals with the RC are to submit grants this year & to develop a grants plan for the coming years.

I am almost at the 7-month mark & the time has flown by so quickly. Nearly all my expectations for this year were surpassed by the 3-month mark which is truly a blessing. I look forward to the opportunities ahead with some anxiety and lots of excitement. The goal of a better life for me & Molly seems attainable though Molly seems more focused on her napping schedule & giving pitiful looks for belly rubs than anything else. Yes, I am a well-trained dog owner & proud of it!

Kansas DR Pictures

WORKING ON THE DEPLOYED SERVER

RE-CERTIFYING CELL PHONES

HERE A FED EX, THERE A FED EX, EVERYWHERE A FED EX

Home At Last

After nearly three weeks away I have returned to NH. Just for the sake of one more adventure during this trip, DELTA (Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive) lost then found my suitcase with the majority of the clothes that I own. It feels like I have been gone much longer. Kansas was everything I hoped for & more in terms of learning, RC work experience, networking, deciding if this was a suitable career path, etc. It enhances your experience when working alongside people who have similar goals & passions in life. The RC does a lot of great work to provide immediate & long-term assistance to those affected by disasters.

Molly did great while I was away & added to her fan base immensely. She was able to win over the hearts of the family who watched her for me, their immediate & extended family members, countless friends...even an entire ward of a nursing home. Once she saw that I was there to pick her up, she stood right by the door waiting for me. I think she wanted to get home to her throne (aka plush comfy bed) more than anything but that's understandable once you lay on it. Now I have three weeks of belly rubs to catch up on...plus interest...and I know Molly has been keeping a running tally. As a well-trained dog owner I will find a way to make this up to her.

Wrapping Up

Things are wrapping up here in Wichita & I am ready to go home now. It feels like I have been gone much longer than 2 weeks. Molly has been waiting patiently for me & often sits by the door. If she could pack her bags, I am sure she would have everything ready to go at this point! This will be the longest I have been away from her & I know it's been tough on both of us. Fortunately, she is being spoiled (more so than usual) & adding to her fan base on a daily basis. I have enjoyed the work so far & learned more than I expected.

One of my goals for this year was to ultimately find a better life for me & Molly. I remember repeating that to myself as I packed my things in January. Given my work at the Concord RC & at the DRs I feel like I am well on my way to achieving that goal.

Yesterday was 6 months since I took the Americorps VISTA pledge. I remember having a lot of uncertainty & anxiety. There has not been a moment, however, that I have questioned or regretted this decision. God told me where to go...though it required a rather large neon sign...& I listened. Now I am waiting for His direction regarding next year...just wish He would hurry up & tell me!

Another Update

Wichita is keeping me busy. I expect to be here at least ten more days but that changes by the minute, hour. This has been an exceptional team to work with given their years of experience & willingness to teach. Half of the team will go home this weekend & the rest of us are here for the duration of the DR. We are in the process of transitioning to the long-term recovery phase where small teams of people will be working in the field for an extended period of time until every case is closed. It is helpful to see how these operations function & the overall role of the RC in disasters. I have been extremely impressed so far thus my desire to continue working with the RC next year whether as a RC reservist or based out of a local or the national office. The networking opportunities have been extremely valuable & I have met a number of key people at both of the DRs I have worked. Fortunately I think I am at the tail end of my cold so the day of rest was extremely helpful. We have Sunday off from work but there are no more days off after that. Thanks to everyone for their supportive texts, phone calls, & e-mails.

Kansas Update

It's been an great experience so far. I consider myself very fortunate to be doing what I love & loving what I do. We are in the process of closing down the branch offices that were open throughout SE Kansas. These were locations for flood victims to come & meet with a RC rep to get assistance. There will be personnel in those areas on a long-term basis to assist as needed. I have not had the chance to see the flood damage as I am based out of Wichita, approximately 1.5-2 hours away from the flooding. The pictures give you an idea of the damage but I can only imagine seeing it in person. It's like the Gulf Coast where the pictures only gave me a slight idea of Hurricane Katrina's impact. What I saw down there was indescribable in many ways & you can not walk away without being impacted in some way. I would appreciate your prayers as this is very taxing emotionally & physically - we are working 12-14 hours per day, 6 days per week, & 6-7 hours on Sundays. Right now I am fighting a cold so they gave me a day off a little early. I am feeling better now & plan to rest today so I can hit the ground running tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who has called or e-mailed - it means a lot to me.

The below pics of me & my cell phones - there are 300 from this operation that have to be cleared before going back to RTT HQ - & the yellow/black/brown lines on the house show the levels that the water & oil reached on these homes.

In Wichita

I have arrived safely in Wichita. Though the flood waters have receded in nearby towns, there is still a lot of recovery work in the days, weeks, months ahead. I am working on the Response Technology Team (RTT) which coordinates everything from cell phones to computers to satellite hookups. The team I am on has years & years of experience so this is a great opportunity to learn & see if this is something I want to do next year. They are passionate about their work & have similar goals to mine so we are meshing well. This is also another chance to see how Disaster Relief Operations (DROs) function & the various roles that each team plays in the process. I have learned more acronyms than anything else but it is helpful to speak RC-ese since everyone speaks in this unique language. Every day I get a different report as to how long I will be here from another week to the full three weeks (ending August 8). You work seven days a week – 7 days on, 1 day off. The first & perhaps most important lesson you learn when doing this type of work is FLEXIBILITY. I am glad to have this opportunity & a supervisor who is willing to give me the time away from writing grants to have this experience. And, contrary to popular belief, there have been no sightings of Dorothy or Toto YET.

The pictures in this blog are from Coffeyville, Kansas, & show the extensive flooding that took place in this town. After the flooding there was an oil spill which resulted in 500+ condemned homes. I would ask that you remember these people in your prayers. It's hard to go home at night (especially while working on this DRO) thinking that your life is lacking anything once you see this widespread devastation that has far-reaching & long-term consequences.

I Forgot...

I've been running around like crazy since I found out yesterday about the deployment. It's a minor understatement to say that mind is racing right now but Queen Molly has been attended to & relocated to another palace (temporarily) with a sufficient number of servants & adoring fans so all is good.

A couple of you had asked about the comments setting on my blog. I set it so anyone can leave me a comment now (after my approval) so please be nice. Those with more adoring sentiments will be approved faster than the others.

MUCH Better Than A Kidney Infection

I have been deployed to Kansas to assist in the flooding. I'll be working with the IT folks out there which will help me in deciding if that is what I want to do next year. It's a great opportunity & I am really excited. They send you for 1 to 3 weeks so I'm really fortunate to have a supervisor who is willing to give me a break from grant writing.

My birthday is this Friday. As you may know, I spent my last birthday in the hospital with a kidney infection. It wasn't quite the celebration I had planned on for the big 3-0 but life is funny that way sometimes. I will say that this deployment is MUCH better than a kidney infection...maybe even better than the abscess I had in recent days though that is still being determined!

Someone Else's Turn

This past month I have been a frequent flier - not on the airlines but to the doctor's office. I wish you could get bonus points for it because I would have accumulated enough to go on a very, very long trip somewhere that has adequate health care, just in case I need to earn even more points. The antibiotics for a sinus infection led to an abscess on my chin that conveniently decided to make its appearance while I was on vacation in NY. It is next to impossible to find a doctor around here so I have been forced to resort to ER visits. For example, I called to see about making an appointment for a sinus infection & told them all of my symptoms & the lady asked if I could wait 3-4 weeks...enough said.

I am one of the lucky ones to have semi-decent insurance. After all of these medical bills are said & done I might tell you otherwise. Part of the Americorps experience is living at the poverty level of those you serve. However, most of these people do not have or can not afford insurance. It is tough enough to make the copays for each of these visits much less paying the full price for someone to spend 30 seconds in 'consultation' with you. I now have a better idea of how people are forced to choose between seeking medical attention and putting food on the table for their families.

This is just another example of how this experience has taught me something outside of my 9-5 work. The lessons I have learned extend far beyond the office where on work on a day-to-day basis. Many of these are indescribable & will last me for the rest of my life...unlike this abscess I hope.

It is now someone else's turn as I am taking myself out of medical rotation...at least until the end of this month!

Best Three Things About NH

When I moved her in January they told me the best three things about NH are June, July, & August. That seemed funny & unbelievable back then but now I have to agree. I have finally thawed out from the winter & begun to enjoy all the wonderful flies & mosquitoes. You don't have the oppressive humidity of Washington DC & the nights are quite cool here. There is a lot of outdoor stuff to do around here - beach, hiking, kayaking, Lake Winnipesaukee are all within 2 hours of my home, office. Fortunately, Molly has been doing better so she is able to tag along with me as she loves the outdoors.

Next week will be a few days of R&R in upstate New York. It will nice to have a few days off & Molly will come along with me of course. She is terrible at giving me directions in the car so I will just let her nap on the drive back & forth. Getting lost all the time has nothing to do with me being geographically challenged of course!

Time Flies

It seems hard to believe that it's already the middle of June. This Friday, the 15th, will be 5 months since I moved to NH. The time has gone by incredibly fast. I have been challenged & stretched way more than anticipated & learned more than I expected to in an entire year. For example, this past weekend I learned to drive an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV), took a Psychological First Aid course yesterday, & plan to participate in a Shelter Ops & Simulation class this weekend. That means I can drive an ambulance-like vehicle to an emergency, assist in setting up a shelter, & assess you psychologically! Be afraid...be very afraid.

The grant writing continues as well. There are currently 4 in process for July deadlines. There is also the ongoing process of making plans for next year. I know that this year will lead to a number of opportunities for me. I've got 4 more months to decide though many of the application processes have to start at least a year in advance. I know that God has placed me here & He will show me where to go next...just wish He would hurry up with that!

Things continue to be busy here but I am enjoying myself. Guess the old saying is true - time flies when you're having fun!

Catching My Breath

It has been an incredibly busy month. I am still unpacking & have a few remaining boxes in my living room. Molly won't know where to take her naps once all the boxes aka hiding spaces are gone!

The flood relief work was an amazing experience. There are still some families needing additional assistance though most of the relief operation has been completed. Another disaster action team member & I have been rounding up furniture & miscellaneous donations for some of the families. There have been 3 floods in New Hampshire during each of the the past 3 years. Many people were just recovering & rebuilding from last year's flood when their home flooded again.

Spring/Summer is finally here which means no more snow, at least for a few months. The weather has been fantastic for the most part. I can't say that I miss the lovely humidity of Washington DC...not yet anyways!

My best friend won a trip to Bermuda & I really enjoyed having some r&r after the flood relief work. It was a great time & now I am ready for hurricane season!!

Floods

It has been a busy couple of weeks with the flooding in NH. I had the opportunity to see a disaster relief operation (DRO) go from the local RC chapter to the national RC level. They set up an office space & warehouse within 2-3 days with 200+ people coming from all over the country to help in different capacities. I am glad to have experienced this firsthand as I hope to be deployed sometime in the near future. There is still lots of casework & follow up needed though FEMA has FINALLY arrived to give some assistance.

The move went well despite working on the DRO & trying to pack up my things. There is a couple who is renting me an in-law style suite above their garage. They even helped me with the move! There is a person on the disaster team who has taken me under her wing & found me this place. Then she asked family members & friends to let me borrow all kinds of furniture, lamps, etc. to use in the new place - definitely a gift from above.

Molly is doing great at the new place & loves to run around - both inside & outside. Last night I ended up on the rocking chair since she had spread out on the couch for one of her infamous naps! Yes, she pretty much runs the place! The couple I am renting from will be getting a puppy soon named Molly so this should be fun.

Update

It's been a really busy week here. The flooding was statewide & the damage is extensive. I had the chance to do casework this week - people come to a RC service center & you speak to them & provide assistance with food & clothing, as needed. There were so many similarities to the people I met in Alabama - lost everything, not sure where they will stay tonight, anxious, frustrated, etc. Many of the people had just finished fixing their house from the 2006 floods. One of the guys I spoke to had just finished repairing the wall board this past weekend then his house flooded again. The National RC has taken over the relief efforts so things should calm down a bit...that's what I have been told anyways. It's a beautiful, sunny weekend in NH at last. I hope to be off work soon & able to take Molly out so we can enjoy this gorgeous weather together.

Flooding

It's still raining up here & there is flooding everywhere. There are many problems with dams, rivers flooding over, landslides. Fortunately the house where I live has not experienced any flooding. It is supposed to rain through Thursday but not as heavily as Sunday & Monday. There are people, families being evacuated all over the state. The RC chapter where I work will have open a service center so people can receive assistance & report property damage. 20+ shelters are currently open throughout the state. Hope everyone else is on dryer ground.

2 Months

It has been just over 2 months since I moved here & started my work at the RC. I have learned so much & had so many opportunities come my way. I have enjoyed the grant writing so far though I know how most people shudder at the thought of writing one. Just yesterday we had a RC day at the Statehouse where the governor spoke about our role in the NH floods last year, gave out awards, etc. There was a lot of coverage in the press - there's not much else in terms of news around NH most of the time anyways!

I am really loving the outdoors - downhill snow skiing is just 15 minutes from my house, cross country skiing is in my backyard, hiking trails are abundant. There are also beaches nearby for the 2 weeks in the summer when it will be warm! I think I have explored or discovered most things by getting lost...which seems to happen quite often.

Molly has not been feeling so well lately. Please pray for her. I know she'll be ok...she is the unsinkable Molly Brown after all.

Game Back On...

I have finally found indoor & outdoor soccer in NH!! I e-mailed someone yesterday & played tonight...the entire 52 minutes of the game (he didn't mention that part in the e-mail). It was around minute 45 that I felt very old & very out of shape. The outdoor teams play high school, college, & us 'older' ladies all on one team so I think I am going to miss the old days of 30+ teams. Guess I will be chasing the young 'uns with a respirator in tow! And my friend kindly offered to send me her inhaler to 'borrow' as needed (guess it's the thought that counts).

It was weird jogging yesterday with shorts on & a foot plus of snow piled up on the side of the road. There is still a good enough base for the ski slopes to be open this weekend so I may get to ski in 50 degree temps. The closest downhill slopes are less than 15 minutes away which will be really nice next season.

Hope everyone is having a nice Spring so far. I will be cheering for UNH in the Frozen 4 this weekend & maybe MSU. It will be just 56 days until I am dragged to Bermuda to serve as a cabana girl for my best friend...but who's counting?

Duke, Frozen Four

I just wanted to say thanks to the Duke men's basketball team for bowing out of the NCAA tourney early this year (by losing to VCU). I am sure that Coach K was aware of my inability to watch more than 2 channels so my tourney coverage would be limited at best. It was a very thoughtful gesture & I look forward to watching Duke & CBS during March Madness next year...when Duke wins yet another championship! 1991, 1992, 2001...we are due for another one!

All the best to Michigan State during the Frozen Four though I am secretly cheering for UNH. They get more coverage in our area so their games are easier to watch on TV! There are 2 games in Manchester this Saturday & I hope UNH survives. It's so nice to have hockey - college & pro - get extensive coverage on the news.

We got over a foot of snow on Friday night, Saturday morning but the roads were cleared by Saturday afternoon. There is more of the white stuff forecasted for this evening - only a couple inches though. I think the ski season will last us a while longer...it was nice that all the snow waited until I arrived so the slopes would be ready in time.

More Snow...

It seems like every blog starts with a weather update! We are expecting 10"+ tonight so winter is still alive & well here in NH. I opened the door for Molly to go outside tonight & she ran out a few feet then backed up (didn't even turn around) to go back inside! I think she is over this whole snow thing.

This week I finished my first full-scale grant & the second is being finalized. After another disaster training course on Thursday night, I went to my first fire on Friday. I interviewed two of the people involved & filled out lots of paperwork. The RC does a great job as we were on the scene within a half hour & the people were set up with money for food, clothing, etc. & a hotel room within an hour. It was a great learning experience so I have signed up for the Concord Disaster Action Team (DAT) which means even more opportunities for training.

I hope this finds you in a warmer place with little or no snow on the ground... :)

Heat Wave

Happy birthday to Molly Brown. She has been with me one year now & we celebrated with a hike along the Merrimack River (that runs through Manchester, Concord). I will say to all those in VA enjoying the 60+ degree temperatures that nothing beats hiking in the ice & snow in March! We had a 'heat wave' this weekend & got up to over 40 degrees - nearly tropical it seems!

It was nice to find a church just 10 minutes away. A couple of girls have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. We met for dinner & breakfast this past weekend. It was a nice change of pace since the moose & Molly don't talk back very much! People will slowly come out of hibernation as the weather gets warmer. I plan to start playing soccer again in the next month or two which will be another good chance to meet people. There's only one season up here from May - August & the closest indoor soccer is somewhere in Massachusetts so I'll just have to soak up as much soccer as I can this coming summer.

And It's Still Winter

We have experienced record colds here this past week. Most days I leave for work & it's zero degrees or colder then factor in the wind chill & it's well below zero. The high temperature for Tuesday was 9 degrees in the city so it was probably even colder in Hopkinton! They expect it to go up to 40 or 50 degrees by this weekend so I hope my frozen body will have a slight chance to defrost.

I am working on 2 grants right now & both are due on the 15th. There is plenty of stuff for me to do in the coming months so being bored does not seem like a possibility anytime soon. This chapter of the RC currently serves 2/3 of the geographical area of NH so there are many needs that could be met by these grants.

On Sunday, I look forward to celebrating Molly's first anniversary. It was one year ago that I brought her home as a foster dog. She adopted me & then I formally adopted her (as my daughter) a few months later. She has come a long way from the dog that shook in the corner for the first 2 days she was at my apartment...scared & unsure of all the changes...too anxious to eat. I still remember peeking around the corner & nearly crying when she finally ate just a few bites...then she ran away. You would not recognize her as the dog she is today so this is a great thing to celebrate. I think she has dealt with this move far better than expected which relieves her mommy greatly.

Still Winter

We are expecting temperatures with wind chills up to -25 degrees this week. We got 10 inches of snow last week so it seems like Spring is a long way away. I usually wear at least 2 layers at work...sometimes 3!

I am already beginning to write grants after just 5 weeks here though I wasn't supposed to start preparing these until my 2nd quarter here. There are 2 grants due March 15 so I will be very busy which is much better than having nothing to do. They are continuing to offer me as much grant & RC training as possible. Unfortunately, the outdoor/wilderness certifications will probably have to wait until the Fall.

Homesickness has set in, as expected, but I am thankful for all the support I have. Some of the other VISTAs do not have very much support at all from friends/family which makes me realize how fortunate I am. Plus it brings a smile to my face every time I see Molly running around the house, tail wagging, more & more confident each day...acting like she owns the place (she wears a tag with 'QUEEN' on it for a reason).

I Have Been Blessed

I have just returned from a trip back to Virginia. A plane ticket was generously purchased for me at the last minute...just as homesickness was starting to set in. It was a short trip but I was reminded of two things:
-I have been blessed with friends & a wonderful church that support & encourage me on this adventure.
-This is where I am supposed to be at this moment in my life.

Many people have asked what I will be doing after my year of service. The answer: I have no idea. One of the things I learned during my initial Americorps training was about living IN the moment, not living FOR a moment. Just like God showed me this is where I am supposed to go, He will show me what to do next & where to go...in time.

Cold Much?

We have a rare event today - it's over 32 degrees!! The foot of snow was cleared easily within a day whereas DC would have been closed for a week & there would have been widespread panic. Fortunately, there are a couple co-workers who have offered to help me out with rides since I probably wouldn't make it up or down my driveway if there's a huge snow storm.

The job is still going well & I am learning a lot about the RC & non-profit world. I have several more training opportunities - both in the classroom & outdoors training - which will take up most of my weekends through April if I choose to do it.

The program I am in has been really helpful to network with other VISTAs who are going through this year with me. It gives us a chance to meet & commiserate, support one another, hang out, find good deals on stuff, etc. One girl even offered to teach me how to make a Ramen noodle casserole - I said thanks but no thanks! I have learned a number of LEGAL ways to get free food & stretch out your dollars. You can only imagine how creative people have become using their mind, a lot of Ziploc baggies, & clothing with big pockets!!

Blizzard

We got over a foot of snow yesterday. That would normally shut down DC for over a week but the roads are pretty much cleared here. I went cross country skiing last night in blizzard-like conditions & it was awesome...even though you couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of you!

The job is going great & my living situation has worked out really well. Molly is so happy here & just loves her roommates (3 brittany spaniels). She has found a favorite chair for napping & usually curls up with 2 of the other dogs when it's nap time...which is just about anytime we're not outside. We went walking yesterday & she really didn't like the snow so she ran all the way back home & waited for me in the garage!

It's been hard to meet people since everyone hibernates for the winter but I have been working or traveling most weekends anyways. The people are really friendly in Hopkinton...though there are usually over 50!

Southern Girl Frozen In The North

Winter has officially arrived in NH. The high today was in the teens...with the wind chill it's WICKED cold. I have a lovely office right next to the door so every time it opens I am reminded of my northern surroundings! This has not impacted my intake of ice cream though.

I opened the door this morning for Molly to go outside & she put her head & 1 foot out the door then gave me a look of "Are you crazy? I'll just hold it!" She has done quite well on our hikes & is getting lots of use out of her sweaters though.

A couple of you asked about the food stamps I mentioned in my last blog. VISTAs serve at the income level of the people they serve. Food stamps are a part of that & you learn to live accordingly. Things like cable TV & the Internet have become a luxury. I have gone from 100+ channels to 2 fuzzy ones. Molly will be learning lots of new tricks this year, whether she wants to or not!