Saturday, December 19, 2009
Home at last
Today started at 7:00am when both my roommate and I woke up to check our flights. They were both on time. We got our shuttle to the airport and arrived at Cedar Rapids airport at around 9:45. There were about 7 people from AmeriCorps NCCC on my first flight. We took off early and landed in MN on time. Then Jules, Mike, and I went on to our next and final flight to Boston. We took off on time and landed on time which was awesome considering how many people's flights were delayed or even cancelled. I felt so bad for some people from campus that went to the airport and couldn't get a flight out till Monday so they had to go back to campus. But I made it. Mom and dad picked me up from the airport and we went to Ann and Ed's do decorate the christmas tree like we do every year. It was so much fun. Ann feed me real food and I ate so much junk. I kept having to step back because it was just so weird to be back home and with family. When driving up to my house it really hit me that I was home. Now I am in my DOUBLE size bed using MY COMPUTER. It feels so weird to be doing this. Kind of lonely actually without my roomie Laura. But it is nice. Well I am pretty tierd. So night all. Love you. It's good to be home.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Last night in Vinton
So today has been a little crazy. We had a community meeting this morning and found out that my Team Leader (TL) is in the hospital. We had our debrief today and had to do it without her. But thanks to Jacob our Assistant Team Leader we did a great job. I started packing already and can't wait to be home. I feel bad for all those people's thats flights are delayed because of this snow storm coming. But I am happy that my flights aren't affected by the storm :) So by this time tonight I will be in Boston. Actually I will be in Charlestown decorating Ann's Christmas tree. I am so happy. I won't be able to sit still on the plane tomorrow. I am also happy that I have people on both my flights so I won't be so lonely. It sucks flying alone. Anyway I should go finish packing. Love you guys. See you TOMORROW!!!!!!!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Service Day
Today was a service day. I worked with Habitat for Humanity in Iowa City and ReStore. I worked with people from other groups and had a great time. It was nice to get a chance to work and get to know other people on my campus. We did recycling, swept, and winterized a house. I just got back a little while ago. I met another person from MA today. She is from Westboro and we are on the same flights on Saturday which is pretty nice. I am also on my first flight with my roomie which is AWESOME. ANyway I can't wait to be home. Love you guys.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Back in VINTON
Today started at 5:00am when I had to wake up. We left Toledo at 6:00am and started heading to Vinton. We met up with Cedar 1 which is the team we will be living with in Mobile Alabama. We had lunch with them at Subway. We made it back to Vinton at 3:00pm. We made great timing. We got here and there is SNOW everywhere which is weird because there was no snow in Toledo. I got everything to my room and was attacked by my roommate. I missed her so much. Mom you would be proud of me, I unpacked everything right away. After unpacking I went to the store to pick up stuff to make dinner tomorrow. I am making a Stir Fry. After that my team and I went to Peony (the local resturant) for dinner. It was yummy, but I still miss chinese food from home. Now I am going to update some pictures and stuff on here. That's it for now. Love you. I will be home in 4 days!!!!!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wrapping up in Toledo
I was at the Mannor House from 3:30pm to 8pm on Saturday. After finishing the ISP we came back to the house. We had a hydration party, which is playing drinking games but using gatorade. We had a good time and I kicked butt in gaterade pong.
On Sunday we hung out before going to the Mannor House at 3:30. After that we came back to the house then went out to a team dinner at Doc Watson's. I had the best burger ever. It was called the Hudiani. It was stuffed with mushrooms, bacon, and cheddar cheese and had BBQ sauce and grilled onions on it. It was the first time I have had red meat in such a long time. Then for desert I shared a fried snickers with Jim. It was amazing. After dinner I came back to the hosue and went to sleep.
Today (Monday) we had a team meeting about everything we had to do today. Then a bunch of us went to the post office to mail some things home that wouldn't fit in our bags. So mom, expect two packages with your name on it from me but please don't open them. After the post office I went to the greenhouse to say good bye to Joseway and Jason. I came back to the house and packed and everything actually fit in my bags I can't believe it. After packing our site supervisor came over to do our debrief and had only good things to say about us. Then we went back over to TBG to say good bye to all the guys we worked with. It was sad but we will keep in touch. Then I had my evaluation with Shalyn and she said that I was too motherly with people and needed to stop doing things for them and teach them how to do them for themselves. Also when I am talking and I am expressing my concerns to people I should speak up if they aren't listening to me. She said sometimes you have to rock the boat a little. After my one on one I went outside and kicked around a ball with a bunch of my teammates. Now I am sitting at the house about to get ready to go see the lights at the Toledo Zoo. I am pretty excited to go to the Zoo. Love you guys. I will be home sooooo soon. I can't freaking wait. I will be home on SATURDAY!!!!!!!
On Sunday we hung out before going to the Mannor House at 3:30. After that we came back to the house then went out to a team dinner at Doc Watson's. I had the best burger ever. It was called the Hudiani. It was stuffed with mushrooms, bacon, and cheddar cheese and had BBQ sauce and grilled onions on it. It was the first time I have had red meat in such a long time. Then for desert I shared a fried snickers with Jim. It was amazing. After dinner I came back to the hosue and went to sleep.
Today (Monday) we had a team meeting about everything we had to do today. Then a bunch of us went to the post office to mail some things home that wouldn't fit in our bags. So mom, expect two packages with your name on it from me but please don't open them. After the post office I went to the greenhouse to say good bye to Joseway and Jason. I came back to the house and packed and everything actually fit in my bags I can't believe it. After packing our site supervisor came over to do our debrief and had only good things to say about us. Then we went back over to TBG to say good bye to all the guys we worked with. It was sad but we will keep in touch. Then I had my evaluation with Shalyn and she said that I was too motherly with people and needed to stop doing things for them and teach them how to do them for themselves. Also when I am talking and I am expressing my concerns to people I should speak up if they aren't listening to me. She said sometimes you have to rock the boat a little. After my one on one I went outside and kicked around a ball with a bunch of my teammates. Now I am sitting at the house about to get ready to go see the lights at the Toledo Zoo. I am pretty excited to go to the Zoo. Love you guys. I will be home sooooo soon. I can't freaking wait. I will be home on SATURDAY!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Last week in Toledo
This was a very COLD week to be working outside. But I got to work in the greenhouse most of the days which was pretty amazing. I potted plants, pruned plants, and learned much more about gardening and plants than I ever thought I would know. This week all blends together in my head but I will try to explain it well.
On Wednesday I worked in the greenhouse for a little bit with Amy then we went over to the Toledo Grows house and finished sorting seeds and cleaning the place up. Around 2:30pm I went with Matti and Ian to do brew waste in the city. We picked up brew waste at a brewery and then dumped it on one of the gardens. The brewery gave us a whole case of beer for it lol. We came back to the house and hung out. Unfortunatley that day two computers were stolen from my teammates right out of our house along with an Ipod. That is kinda scarey. After the police came and everything a couple of us went to Ian's to get away from everything.
On Thursday it was 5 degrees below 0 with the wind chill. We were outside picking up fallen limbs from trees for 2 hours. I froze my ass off. Then we got to go inside for a while and work in the greenhouse. Then 4 other of my teammates and I delievered a plaster statue of a "Lady with Birds" to Camp Couragoues which is a camp for special needs kids. It was fun to see the place even if the kids weren't there. After delivering the statue I worked back in the greenhouse for the rest of the day. After work we all got ready then went to a pot luck at Matt's who works for TBG. It was a kind of good bye thing for us. We ate good food, played, games, talked, and played Wii. I had a good time.
On Friday I worked in the greenhouse in the morning with a bunch of people potting plants and stuff. After lunch I made phone calls to donor's for TBG thanking people for their support. After work we did PT then dropped some people off at the Art Museum and then I went food shopping for stuff to make for dinner. I made cousin Sara's Orange chicken, Grandma Duddy's Kugel, potato pancakes, and some veggies. It was a very good Hannukah dinner. After dinner I went out with a guy named Jason who works at TBG. He is very sweet. I had a good time.
Today is Saturday and the plan is to have a team meeting then we are doing an ISP at the Monor House being Hosts. This isn't really how I want to spend my Saturday but o well I will be home soon. Can't wait.
On Wednesday I worked in the greenhouse for a little bit with Amy then we went over to the Toledo Grows house and finished sorting seeds and cleaning the place up. Around 2:30pm I went with Matti and Ian to do brew waste in the city. We picked up brew waste at a brewery and then dumped it on one of the gardens. The brewery gave us a whole case of beer for it lol. We came back to the house and hung out. Unfortunatley that day two computers were stolen from my teammates right out of our house along with an Ipod. That is kinda scarey. After the police came and everything a couple of us went to Ian's to get away from everything.
On Thursday it was 5 degrees below 0 with the wind chill. We were outside picking up fallen limbs from trees for 2 hours. I froze my ass off. Then we got to go inside for a while and work in the greenhouse. Then 4 other of my teammates and I delievered a plaster statue of a "Lady with Birds" to Camp Couragoues which is a camp for special needs kids. It was fun to see the place even if the kids weren't there. After delivering the statue I worked back in the greenhouse for the rest of the day. After work we all got ready then went to a pot luck at Matt's who works for TBG. It was a kind of good bye thing for us. We ate good food, played, games, talked, and played Wii. I had a good time.
On Friday I worked in the greenhouse in the morning with a bunch of people potting plants and stuff. After lunch I made phone calls to donor's for TBG thanking people for their support. After work we did PT then dropped some people off at the Art Museum and then I went food shopping for stuff to make for dinner. I made cousin Sara's Orange chicken, Grandma Duddy's Kugel, potato pancakes, and some veggies. It was a very good Hannukah dinner. After dinner I went out with a guy named Jason who works at TBG. He is very sweet. I had a good time.
Today is Saturday and the plan is to have a team meeting then we are doing an ISP at the Monor House being Hosts. This isn't really how I want to spend my Saturday but o well I will be home soon. Can't wait.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
New Spike Assignment
Saturday was a good day. I ended up going to the bar with the over age people on my team. We had a good time.
On Sunday I worked at Heralding the Holidays in the Childrens Activities area. I helped children make glittering pinecone ornaments. It was fun to be workign with kids again. After working I did some laundry and then my teammate Jacob make Corn Beef and Cabbage with Soda bread. It was really good. I enjoyed it.
On Monday morning we wokr up and it was snowing. We went to work at 9:30am two houses down from us at The Toledo GROWS house. I cleaned and organized their kitchen and made pizza for everyone. Then I sorted seeds. We eneded up working until 3pm. After work we came back to the house and cleaned. Then we had a team meeting. Dinner last night was soup and sandwhiches. After dinner with went out with Matti and Jim from my team and Ian who is part of AmeriCorp state and National. We went to a piercing place where I got my cartaledge pierced. AFter that we went back to Ian's house and hung out and watched movies. It was nice to get out of the house and get away from some of my team members.
Today (Tuesday) I worked in the Green House at TBG with Jake and Joshua which is pronounced joses-way. We cleaned pots and repotted plants. After work we came back and had a phone meeting with our Unit Leader then we did PT. I am planning on going to bed early tonight.
Now for the news. My next project is going to be in Mobile, Alabama for about 6 weeks. I will be doing a construction project building houses with Habitat for Humanity. I will be living in a double wide with another team so there will be a total of 20 of us in that trailer. I am excited but nervous. Thats my news.
On Sunday I worked at Heralding the Holidays in the Childrens Activities area. I helped children make glittering pinecone ornaments. It was fun to be workign with kids again. After working I did some laundry and then my teammate Jacob make Corn Beef and Cabbage with Soda bread. It was really good. I enjoyed it.
On Monday morning we wokr up and it was snowing. We went to work at 9:30am two houses down from us at The Toledo GROWS house. I cleaned and organized their kitchen and made pizza for everyone. Then I sorted seeds. We eneded up working until 3pm. After work we came back to the house and cleaned. Then we had a team meeting. Dinner last night was soup and sandwhiches. After dinner with went out with Matti and Jim from my team and Ian who is part of AmeriCorp state and National. We went to a piercing place where I got my cartaledge pierced. AFter that we went back to Ian's house and hung out and watched movies. It was nice to get out of the house and get away from some of my team members.
Today (Tuesday) I worked in the Green House at TBG with Jake and Joshua which is pronounced joses-way. We cleaned pots and repotted plants. After work we came back and had a phone meeting with our Unit Leader then we did PT. I am planning on going to bed early tonight.
Now for the news. My next project is going to be in Mobile, Alabama for about 6 weeks. I will be doing a construction project building houses with Habitat for Humanity. I will be living in a double wide with another team so there will be a total of 20 of us in that trailer. I am excited but nervous. Thats my news.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Catch up
Sorry it's been so long since I have written. It has been a crazy week here. The internet at the house has not been working at all, which is pretty annoying. So here is an update.
On Tuesday I was back at TBG and worked in the perrenial garden with Jim, Jacob, Jake and Katie. It was a pretty good day. It was unseasonably warm and very sunny. After work we all hung out, my teammate Jim told his life story which was very interesting. Then I went to bed pretty early.
On Wednesday I was not feeling good at all. I had been feeling crappy since the weekend. I worked outside till 11am sorting greens and berries. Then my team leader, Shalyn took me to a clinic that was in a super market. It turns out I have a really bad sinus infection that had been building for a while. SHe put me on strong antibiotics 3 times a day, extra strength mucinex, 500 mg tylenol every 4 hours, and 600 mg of IBprofen every 6 hourr. So I am pretty much drugged up and exhausted. She told me to stay home and rest for the rest of the day and most likely the next. I went home had lunch then took a nap till about 3:30. AFter my nap I hung out with people, ate diner and relaxed. Then I went to sleep at 8:45 pm.
On Thursday I still wasn't feeling any better but I did end up going to work. I strung holiday lights on bushes and cleaned the maintanance building. Then I went home, ate lunch and took a nap till about 4. After my nap I felt better. I had helped make dinner with Sarah and then had dinner with my teammates. Some of my teammates left to teach kids how to cook veggies. I played Wii sports with Jim. When the rest of my teammates got back we hung out and all of the girls on my team ended up going to sleep about 10:30pm. We never go to sleep at the same time.
On Friday I was feeling better. I got to work in the greenhouse all day with Sarah. We had a good time. We put the cananas in crates and brought them over to the Toledo Grows house. I got to drive the Kobota with Joshua. AFter that Sarah and I pulled some flowers off of plants, feed the plants (lol), then repotted plants. It was a good day. I left work early to teach inner city kids how to cook veggies with Matti, Jim, and Katie. It was a fun time but was really disorganized. This was also the first night of Heralding the Holidays. When we got back I went to Heralding the Holidays with Matti. It was fun. We met Sarah there and went to all the different art studios where you could by what they made. I got so good stuff. We were there for a while then came back and hung out at the hosue. A bunch of people went to a coffee shop until 12am and I went to sleep around 10:30 lol.
This morning, Saturday, I worked at Heralding the Holidays with Sarah fron 10 - 1. Then we came back and had some lunch. Now I am hanging out at the house listening to Cat Stevens with Matti. A little later a bunch of us are going to a shopping center to walk around. After that those of us that are of age are going to a bar to have a few drinks. IT is shaping up to be a pretty good day today. O by the way it snowed today and it stuck to the ground. It made me happy. Well I am still feeling yukky but I am not letting it ruin my mood. I hope you are all doing well. Love you.
On Tuesday I was back at TBG and worked in the perrenial garden with Jim, Jacob, Jake and Katie. It was a pretty good day. It was unseasonably warm and very sunny. After work we all hung out, my teammate Jim told his life story which was very interesting. Then I went to bed pretty early.
On Wednesday I was not feeling good at all. I had been feeling crappy since the weekend. I worked outside till 11am sorting greens and berries. Then my team leader, Shalyn took me to a clinic that was in a super market. It turns out I have a really bad sinus infection that had been building for a while. SHe put me on strong antibiotics 3 times a day, extra strength mucinex, 500 mg tylenol every 4 hours, and 600 mg of IBprofen every 6 hourr. So I am pretty much drugged up and exhausted. She told me to stay home and rest for the rest of the day and most likely the next. I went home had lunch then took a nap till about 3:30. AFter my nap I hung out with people, ate diner and relaxed. Then I went to sleep at 8:45 pm.
On Thursday I still wasn't feeling any better but I did end up going to work. I strung holiday lights on bushes and cleaned the maintanance building. Then I went home, ate lunch and took a nap till about 4. After my nap I felt better. I had helped make dinner with Sarah and then had dinner with my teammates. Some of my teammates left to teach kids how to cook veggies. I played Wii sports with Jim. When the rest of my teammates got back we hung out and all of the girls on my team ended up going to sleep about 10:30pm. We never go to sleep at the same time.
On Friday I was feeling better. I got to work in the greenhouse all day with Sarah. We had a good time. We put the cananas in crates and brought them over to the Toledo Grows house. I got to drive the Kobota with Joshua. AFter that Sarah and I pulled some flowers off of plants, feed the plants (lol), then repotted plants. It was a good day. I left work early to teach inner city kids how to cook veggies with Matti, Jim, and Katie. It was a fun time but was really disorganized. This was also the first night of Heralding the Holidays. When we got back I went to Heralding the Holidays with Matti. It was fun. We met Sarah there and went to all the different art studios where you could by what they made. I got so good stuff. We were there for a while then came back and hung out at the hosue. A bunch of people went to a coffee shop until 12am and I went to sleep around 10:30 lol.
This morning, Saturday, I worked at Heralding the Holidays with Sarah fron 10 - 1. Then we came back and had some lunch. Now I am hanging out at the house listening to Cat Stevens with Matti. A little later a bunch of us are going to a shopping center to walk around. After that those of us that are of age are going to a bar to have a few drinks. IT is shaping up to be a pretty good day today. O by the way it snowed today and it stuck to the ground. It made me happy. Well I am still feeling yukky but I am not letting it ruin my mood. I hope you are all doing well. Love you.
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