Well another conference is about in the books. Technically, the LIHEAP conference IS in the books. I am staying this morning for one Weatherization workshop, then probably lunch and home. I have picked up some good information, as well as been in on some discussions of ways to improve what we do. I think my main thing though is getting to catch up with some of my friends. I guess there are hidden blessings to having new stuff that you have to come to trainings for. We are all used to seeing each other a lot more than we have this year. I didn't realize it until we got up here. One of my friends and colleages has lost 149 lbs, basically since the last time I saw her. She said hi to me and then realized I wasn't realizing who she was. Then I remembered one of my other friends telling me she had lost weight so it dawned on me. Debbie, if you are reading this, I told you to your face, you look beautiful, but wow, you have been an inspiration to me this week. I have struggled so much lately and knowing you did it makes me believe that if I work as hard as you did, I can do it too.
Our lunch speaker Tuesday was very inspirational as well. She is a counselor and published author from here in Springfield. She told about becoming pregnant at 14 and her own counselors treating her differently after having the baby, basically telling her she now needed to forget her dreams of going to college. She told them she WOULD go to college and she did. DON'T let other people write your book----EVER!!!!
The connection to us was when she was a single mom trying to make ends meet and wouldn't quite have the cash to pay her bills. She would play the game of sending the wrong bill to the wrong company to buy her some time. One day, a lady from the electric company called and told her about LIHEAP, point-blank, she told her that we could help her stop playing that game.
While I was gone, our totally amazing staff at home spent ALL of the AARP money we had received. $7500 in basically 3 days. These were all for people over 50 who were in threat of disconnection. I feel a little guilty I wasn't there for basically any of it, but so proud of giving them a task and them just blowing it out of the water; thanks girls!
SO, back home this afternoon, looking forward to being home. Mom had a bunch of precancerous cells froze off (to the tune of 43 of them) of her face and arms. I hated that I wasn't there for that, but we neither one had any idea they were going to do it. Andrew had a nerve conduction study done on his arms and neck yesterday, hopefully we will know the results of that today. I would give anything to find the source of his pain and be able to alleviate it. Robert has been back and forth between Charleston and Mattoon this week, glad they trust him and like his work well enough to send him. He likened it to being at a great-aunt's house instead of being at your own though. He can only take so many of his own tools with him to Mattoon, so he has to borrow and sometimes someone else doesn't have the identical tools, so it's different, but as I said, good.
Well, close to time to load up the van and get to my workshop.
Happy Thursday everyone!
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