I got up just as my boyfriend was getting ready for work, about 10:00 am. I was wore out, which isn't unusual for me. I almost always wake up as tired and achy as when I went to sleep. But the last few days have been different. I've been staying up til about 3:00 am, however it's not working out well for me. Todd works the evening shift, so I try to stay up with him for awhile...but this morning I realized I need my rest.
After I got up, I started working on my blog. I found a great site with headers, backgrounds, etc. It's called "Cute N Cool" Blog Stuff by Itkupilli. All the artwork is original. I worked on my blog for awhile, then had to lay down for awhile because I was exhausted.
My dog, a chocolate Mini Pin wanted out, so I put him on his leash. (We live right beside a road, so I don't let him run loose. That's not to say that he doesn't escape from me ever so often). Before long, he started barking his "Help me Mommy, I'm stuck" bark. I looked out the window and sure enough, he was wrapped around a bush in the corner of the yard. I had to put on my Timberland boots, coat and scarf to rescue the little monkey.
I have to be careful about falling when getting out in the snow like that. I've had a couple of minor falls since my initial accident and it's made my back pain much worse. The doctors always say, don't fall anymore, but that's not something you plan. You can be careful, but sometimes it just happens, no matter what. My last fall seemed really minor at first. I twisted my ankle and it seemed like I just sat down a little harder than normal. NOT. That was in Sept. and I'm still feeling the results of that fall.
Back to the rescue of Buddy, the little brown monkey dog. I got him loose and got him back in the house. I dried him off with a towel and I lay down on the couch. He loves to get all snuggled up in the blanket with me. I dozed off to sleep watching some special on BET about Michael Jackson. After I got roused up from my 3 hour nap, I decided to work a little more on my blog. It's starting to shape up nicely.
I love photography and I plan to start posting some of my photos within my blogs. I have two photos of my little furry neighbors on my page. We feed them, along with dozens of birds, sunflower seeds and cracked corn. They drive Buddy crazy. He will tolerate the birds if they are around the feeders, but he doesn't allow them to light in the yard. He's the only dog I've ever seen that will bay at (or tree) a bird. If you're not familar with this terminology, it's what a hunting dog does when he spots a racoon or squirrel in a tree. I realize not everyone speaks and understands Appalachian dialect.
I love to photograph nature scenes, but I also love to take pictures of the Haitian people that visit the medical clinics I've worked in. I plan to post some of my favorite photos, along with some comments about where they were taken. I'd like to hear your opinions about my photos and comments.
My back and neck pain is starting to get the best of me, so I think I better wrap this up for the evening. I've learned you have to listen to what your body's telling you. If you don't, then there's heck to pay for several days. Just let Buddy back in, so we are going to retire to the couch. If I feel like it, I will probably knit a little. We'll see.
Au Voir
(Orevwa in Haitian Creole)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
My Friends of Haiti
After almost 3 weeks, it's still hard to believe all the devastation that has befallen Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I've been there 4 times with medical missionary teams. I've spent a total of 5 weeks working with the people living in the outlying villages. We work with a wonderful organization, International Missions Outreach. It is a faith-based organization run by a husband and wife team from West Va. They have been in the country for over 35 years. They have built over 50 churches, schools and two medical clinics. When we're in Haiti, we always visit the village of Boutin, where one of their medical clinics is located. The clinic serves the people of 5 villages; Coutin, Bois Leger, and Drouillard Bel Bel to name a few.
Boutin has a church, a school, and a medical clinic. IMO also built several cinderblock homes in order to house the sick and elderly that have no one to care for them. It's IMO's version of an American assisted living home. However, Boutin sustained severe damage from the quake. Most people in the outlying villages live in mud huts with thatched roofs. A few of the people can afford to build a cinder block house. Every building in the country is built out of masonry.
IMO is trying to raise the money to buy 20 ft by 20 ft tents, and 30 ft. by 60 tents to house the homeless. I read on Facebook, they are going to house 1500 refugees at Boutin. If you are interested in learning more about the organization go to www.imohaiti.org. On Facebook, search for John or Joyce Hanson, or Faithe Hanson Claxton.
It was a miracle that John and Joyce, along with the IMO staff at the Compound survived the quake. The buildings on the compound are still standing, although some of them have foundational cracks that have worsened with the aftershocks. Almost all the IMO staff lost their homes. One teacher at the Delmas school died in the quake. She at home. A student at the Bible School (where students study for 3 years to become a pastor) also died. Paulette, one of the women that cook for us lost her teenage daughter when the school where she was attending collapsed.
I see places where I've been, and now it's totally destroyed. I have hundreds of pictures of street scenes (along with the Presidential Palace), the people at the clinics, the mud huts, etc. It breaks my heart to know that people that were already struggling to survive have yet another devastating blow. The quake has set the country back decades. They had little infastructure such as roads, bridges, schools or hospitals due to the widespread corruption of government officials. They have no social programs-period. If you don't work-you don't eat. It's a sad situation that's been magnified a thousand fold.
Pastor John and Joyce are desperately working to secure food, water, medicine and shelter for the homeless. The rainy season starts sometime in late April. The people need to have some type of temporary dwellings to protect them from the rain, mosquitos and disease.
Boutin has a church, a school, and a medical clinic. IMO also built several cinderblock homes in order to house the sick and elderly that have no one to care for them. It's IMO's version of an American assisted living home. However, Boutin sustained severe damage from the quake. Most people in the outlying villages live in mud huts with thatched roofs. A few of the people can afford to build a cinder block house. Every building in the country is built out of masonry.
IMO is trying to raise the money to buy 20 ft by 20 ft tents, and 30 ft. by 60 tents to house the homeless. I read on Facebook, they are going to house 1500 refugees at Boutin. If you are interested in learning more about the organization go to www.imohaiti.org. On Facebook, search for John or Joyce Hanson, or Faithe Hanson Claxton.
It was a miracle that John and Joyce, along with the IMO staff at the Compound survived the quake. The buildings on the compound are still standing, although some of them have foundational cracks that have worsened with the aftershocks. Almost all the IMO staff lost their homes. One teacher at the Delmas school died in the quake. She at home. A student at the Bible School (where students study for 3 years to become a pastor) also died. Paulette, one of the women that cook for us lost her teenage daughter when the school where she was attending collapsed.
I see places where I've been, and now it's totally destroyed. I have hundreds of pictures of street scenes (along with the Presidential Palace), the people at the clinics, the mud huts, etc. It breaks my heart to know that people that were already struggling to survive have yet another devastating blow. The quake has set the country back decades. They had little infastructure such as roads, bridges, schools or hospitals due to the widespread corruption of government officials. They have no social programs-period. If you don't work-you don't eat. It's a sad situation that's been magnified a thousand fold.
Pastor John and Joyce are desperately working to secure food, water, medicine and shelter for the homeless. The rainy season starts sometime in late April. The people need to have some type of temporary dwellings to protect them from the rain, mosquitos and disease.
Friday, January 29, 2010
This is my first attempt at writing a blog on the Internet.
I am a published author. I've had five articles published in GOLDENSEAL, a magazine published by the WV Division of Culture and History. It publishes stories about traditional WV life (see links). I wrote a personal interest column in the NICHOLAS CHRONICLE for approximately eight years.
I compiled a book of short stories about my late husband and published them in 1998. It was stories he'd told me about his childhood and living through the Great Depression. I'd grown up hearing similar stories from my Mom and grandparents. Over the years, I always thought about writing his stories down, but my life was busy...And I didn't think of myself as a writer.
I was busy with my job at the WV DHHR (aka the Welfare Office) and being a wife. After going to work at the office, I decided to start college classes. I took a computer class at the Vo-Tech and enjoyed it. I decided I wanted to try taking a few English classes to develop my writing skills further. Part of my job was to attend a unit meeting every month and take notes of the topics discussed. My job title was Clerk I. I was assigned to a specific unit to do their clerical work and filing, in addition to writing the minutes. I also did administrative assistant work for the supervisor or acting supervisor.
From day one, I was assigned to attend the monthly meetings, take notes, and write detailed minutes directly from my notes. At first it was a difficult task, but I quickly learned to take good notes. (This was an invaluable asset when I started taking classes). I was forced to write a draft of the minutes, then submit them a Services Coordinator for review. After she was finished critiquing them, I got them back to correct. THEN, the corrected copy was sent to the Area Administrator for his approval. Then again, I had to re-type the minutes with his corrections.
All this intense focus on note-taking, writing the minutes from my notes, having two bureaucratic buffoons picking my work apart honed my writing skills. I did the minutes and clerical work for that unit for ten years. I gained lots and lots of hands on experience writing technical, bureaucratic gibberish. However, by virtue of that monthly task, my skills as a writer came to the forefront.
My quest to take a couple of college classes to improve my writing skills turned out well. I ended up taking classes part-time for about six years. I had 62 credit hours. I got stressed out thinking I had to study to make an A on every test. I developed health issues and one of my late husband's granddaugther's was killed in an accident. My break of a couple of semesters turned into a few years.
I was ready to start back and my husband got sick. He was in the nursing home for three and a half years. He passed away in 1999. I knew I'd go back and finish my degree, but it took me four years to get to the point I could handle the stress and disciple college demanded.
I earned an Associate Degree in General Studies (with Honors) in Dec. 2003. I continued my studies and earned Board of Regents BA in English Literature in August 2006 (Summa Cum Laude). I earned 103 classroom hours and I wrote an 80,000 word Board of Regents portfolio for the additional 25 hours I needed to graduate. In the end, I earned 39 hours from the portfolio. When I finished, I had 31 thick notebooks full of information and evidence to support my claims.
I received credits in Secretarial Sciences from New River, credits for writing classes from Bluefield State College and Marshall University. Most of my credits for writing were upper division llevel. All of my experience of writing for the paper, the magazine articles, my book, attending writer's workshops and even my work experience ended up working to my favor with the Board of Regents. Another aspect I revel in is that the state paid for approximately 90% of my college education. It's really ironic that the people in the office where I worked never chose to utilize my intellect and willingness to learn. Their loss, my gain.
It was only five months after I received my degree in the mail, that I suffered a devastating back injury. I fell on the stoop of my front porch and broke my back in two places. It was a week before my 54th birthday. I was in major pain for months from the initial injury. As it started to heal, the residual pain started to set in. As time as passes, my back and leg pain has gotten progressively worse.
When I turned 55, I was eligible for retirement from the state because of my years of tenure. I wasn't planning on retiring so young, but I really didn't have any choice. Luckily, I had a retirement to fall back on.
Again, they treated me like crap when I worked there, never giving me a chance to do anything but exactly what they dictated...lock step, Nazi-like. But in the end, I have prevailed. They paid for my college education and I have a retirement for the rest of my life. Now I have an additional blessing. I was approved for my Social Security Disability in December.
Daily life involves constant pain and limitations to my mobility, but I'm slowly learning how to deal with it, yet try to be productive. It's an ongoing journey...
I am a published author. I've had five articles published in GOLDENSEAL, a magazine published by the WV Division of Culture and History. It publishes stories about traditional WV life (see links). I wrote a personal interest column in the NICHOLAS CHRONICLE for approximately eight years.
I compiled a book of short stories about my late husband and published them in 1998. It was stories he'd told me about his childhood and living through the Great Depression. I'd grown up hearing similar stories from my Mom and grandparents. Over the years, I always thought about writing his stories down, but my life was busy...And I didn't think of myself as a writer.
I was busy with my job at the WV DHHR (aka the Welfare Office) and being a wife. After going to work at the office, I decided to start college classes. I took a computer class at the Vo-Tech and enjoyed it. I decided I wanted to try taking a few English classes to develop my writing skills further. Part of my job was to attend a unit meeting every month and take notes of the topics discussed. My job title was Clerk I. I was assigned to a specific unit to do their clerical work and filing, in addition to writing the minutes. I also did administrative assistant work for the supervisor or acting supervisor.
From day one, I was assigned to attend the monthly meetings, take notes, and write detailed minutes directly from my notes. At first it was a difficult task, but I quickly learned to take good notes. (This was an invaluable asset when I started taking classes). I was forced to write a draft of the minutes, then submit them a Services Coordinator for review. After she was finished critiquing them, I got them back to correct. THEN, the corrected copy was sent to the Area Administrator for his approval. Then again, I had to re-type the minutes with his corrections.
All this intense focus on note-taking, writing the minutes from my notes, having two bureaucratic buffoons picking my work apart honed my writing skills. I did the minutes and clerical work for that unit for ten years. I gained lots and lots of hands on experience writing technical, bureaucratic gibberish. However, by virtue of that monthly task, my skills as a writer came to the forefront.
My quest to take a couple of college classes to improve my writing skills turned out well. I ended up taking classes part-time for about six years. I had 62 credit hours. I got stressed out thinking I had to study to make an A on every test. I developed health issues and one of my late husband's granddaugther's was killed in an accident. My break of a couple of semesters turned into a few years.
I was ready to start back and my husband got sick. He was in the nursing home for three and a half years. He passed away in 1999. I knew I'd go back and finish my degree, but it took me four years to get to the point I could handle the stress and disciple college demanded.
I earned an Associate Degree in General Studies (with Honors) in Dec. 2003. I continued my studies and earned Board of Regents BA in English Literature in August 2006 (Summa Cum Laude). I earned 103 classroom hours and I wrote an 80,000 word Board of Regents portfolio for the additional 25 hours I needed to graduate. In the end, I earned 39 hours from the portfolio. When I finished, I had 31 thick notebooks full of information and evidence to support my claims.
I received credits in Secretarial Sciences from New River, credits for writing classes from Bluefield State College and Marshall University. Most of my credits for writing were upper division llevel. All of my experience of writing for the paper, the magazine articles, my book, attending writer's workshops and even my work experience ended up working to my favor with the Board of Regents. Another aspect I revel in is that the state paid for approximately 90% of my college education. It's really ironic that the people in the office where I worked never chose to utilize my intellect and willingness to learn. Their loss, my gain.
It was only five months after I received my degree in the mail, that I suffered a devastating back injury. I fell on the stoop of my front porch and broke my back in two places. It was a week before my 54th birthday. I was in major pain for months from the initial injury. As it started to heal, the residual pain started to set in. As time as passes, my back and leg pain has gotten progressively worse.
When I turned 55, I was eligible for retirement from the state because of my years of tenure. I wasn't planning on retiring so young, but I really didn't have any choice. Luckily, I had a retirement to fall back on.
Again, they treated me like crap when I worked there, never giving me a chance to do anything but exactly what they dictated...lock step, Nazi-like. But in the end, I have prevailed. They paid for my college education and I have a retirement for the rest of my life. Now I have an additional blessing. I was approved for my Social Security Disability in December.
Daily life involves constant pain and limitations to my mobility, but I'm slowly learning how to deal with it, yet try to be productive. It's an ongoing journey...
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