Our vows, our name... you squander them on swine!

[judecorp]

I called this direct contact person at the Red Cross that scirocco hooked me up with, to try to sign up for a Disaster Training session. Right now they have three sessions in my area: one this coming Thursday from 1-8pm, and two on Saturday from 9-4. Would you believe that this Saturday is the first Saturday in about THREE months that I have a commitment? Argh!

This coming Saturday is my work's annual "Family Day" at the Aquarium. Which isn't really a big deal except that I made Jen totally rearrange her work schedule so she could come with me. So I ended up giving the guy my name and number to call me with further trainings, and told him I'd call back if I arranged to make one of the sessions. I have a million knots in my stomach about it. I can't /believe/ the available sessions clash with something I freaking signed up for THREE months ago! So I guess we'll see what happens.

~//~

In other news, we have all of these butternut squashes that my grandfather gave us from his garden, so I'm trying my first attempt at making squash soup. I am going to improvise this recipe that I found and try to simmer it in the crock pot instead of on the stove. Right now I'm baking the squash and it is slowly getting to be a million degrees in here. But hopefully the soup will be yummy! I'd love it if my smoochie was able to come home to a steaming hot (and delicious) meal.

Also, I am taking out my Red Cross frustration on our apartment. I have already taken everything out of the hall closet and rearranged it. PH34R!

Comments

[livinganthology.livejournal.com]

You can nuke squash and it softens pretty well. My mom always nuked the squash - I grew up in AZ, and turning the oven on was suicide in the summer. She halved it and put it in a glass pyrex pan with a little water, covered it, and nuked, checked, etc. until it was done. Yummy! Kept a lot of its moisture, too.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I kind of shy away from the microwave but if I'm ever in a speed pinch, that would totally help. I didn't even think of that!

I can see where you wouldn't want to use the oven in AZ in the summer.

[folkyboy.livejournal.com]

in other news, family day at the aquarium sounds super duper fun!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I know! Last year we had our Family Day at the Museum of Science and I had a blast!

[00solstice.livejournal.com]

Pssst (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4571840097)... call me!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I'm excited!

[scirocco.livejournal.com]

Yeah, funny how that scheduling stuff always pops up at the wrong time. Not only am I leaving siercia and Widget with her Dad up in NH for the remainder of that weekend (family cabin trip), I WAS going to be coming back for a car race day on Saturday, and Now I need to blow THAT off too. Sheesh.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

We talked and it's likely that I will be blowing off Family Day... although that totally rots for me on a personal level because I will miss getting any opportunity to hang out with Jen that day. And our hang out days are pretty few and far between. Ugh.

another way to help

[dyketit.livejournal.com]

ShareYourHome.org is another way to help. i dunno if you ahve any extra room in your place or anytihng but if you go to the site and call or just register online you can help by housing a family or individual. we are in ohio and have already called and are waiting to be connected with a family. they need places all over as texas is filling up quickly. the lady told kate (my wife)they have way more "refugees" than volunteers so this has helped us feel as though we've done our small part.

Re: another way to help

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I already put our guest room up last week. I don't know how many people will be itching to come up here but I listed our room just in case.

We're also talking about adopting a displaced animal if they're willing to send them up this far.

But I want to do /more/. And I can't help but think that a shift in focus and a change in scenery might do me some good at the same time.

Re: another way to help

[dyketit.livejournal.com]

i understand i had to fight kate tooth and nail to stay put here. she was ready to just head down but unfortunatly we need two incomes and neither one of us are at a place where paid vacation would cover this. im hoping that we get a family and have the chance to really make a difference, because donating clothes and blood and everything just doesnt feel like it is even close to enough to "helping". there was a huge article in our sunday paper about the feelings of guilt helplessness and empathy that a lot of americans are feeling right now that really hit me.

Re: another way to help

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I still haven't signed up for Red Cross training (because I was waiting to hear about opportunities locally) but I'm thinking I might next month if they are still offering them since I haven't heard jack about opportunities here in Massachusetts. (And I totally gave my name in.)

We'll see what happens. I don't really have the paid vacation to do it but we could always dip into the small savings for a good cause. Not a smart move financially for us, but it makes my heart happy.

[siercia]

I read this morning that there's several thousand refugees en-route to Otis AFB on the Cape. I imagine they're going to need volunteers down there, so you might want to do some digging, find out if you can volunteer a little closer to home, perhaps without needing to do the Red Cross training.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well, I think you have to do the training no matter what (and a good part of the training day is filling out a bunch of forms, the guy told me)... but he did say they would be opening up trainings later, and perhaps those trainings would be okay for the transplanted refugees. (But man, those people used to Gulf Coast weather aren't going to be grooving on the chilly Cape.)

I'll probably end up skipping Family Day to get into a training class. I'll try to call him tomorrow and see if spots are still available for Saturday. But I'm super sad about it.

[hopemcg.livejournal.com]

I just got this from the Feds today. https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/ You can sign up online and they will contact you if they need you. Social worker is a category on the list. You become a non-paid federal employee for the time you are "deployed." (scary word!) They are also looking for epidemiologists. I would totally go if I wasn't all knocked up and stuff. Here are the ability requirements:

12 hour shifts
Austere conditions (possibly no showers, housing in tents)
No air conditioning
Long periods of standing
Sleep accommodations on bed roll
Military ready to eat meals
Portable toilets

Ordinarily I would have no problems with this, but currently I NEED afternoon naps, the ability to sit down, a nice place to puke and the ability to escape from bad smells. *sigh*

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I totally signed up.

p.s. I miss you.