This has felt like a busy day but not sure it was. I did get some things done and a few phone calls made.
I called an electric company about an issue that I have been working with them to resolve since the first part of June. No movement on their end yet.
I got the sealed and stamped copy of Max’s probate form back. I put together a packet to mail to his bank so I can close those accounts out. I took it to the post office but they were having technology issues so will try again tomorrow.
I was also going to attempt to forward Max’s mail but couldn’t do that either. I will try that again tomorrow too.
The lady that was working the post office today felt so bad about the delay. She was crying! There was another lady waiting with me and we started visiting. She decided to go get gas for her car and come back. Before she left she offered to bring the postal worker an iced tea. What a wonderful random act of kindness. Made my day!
I took a Series EE savings bond Max had to the bank to cash it. Unfortunately since it also has my grandmother’s name on it I will also need a copy of her death certificate to cash the bond. I have ordered one at a cost of $35. The bond will cash out at $115. Guess it is worth it? We shall see what else I might need before I am finished.
Went by the Detention Center and was able to speak to the two people I needed to speak to. The Director saw me coming and he came out and the other lady who I didn’t know I needed to talk to was in the lobby already and joined the conversation.
I was given two boxes of things that had been donated that the Center cannot use. I have a phone call in to the lady that runs the food pantry to see if they can distribute toothbrushes and tooth paste. The box also has some ink pens and markers. If she can’t use them, I will find another place to donate them to.
I keep getting told that the detention center is going to start passing out cards to let the detainees write a note home but they haven’t done so yet. Today is to be the day. The lady that will manage that is to let me know how it goes over and what the need for cards and stamps will be. She is anticipating that the majority of the 148 detainees and other prisoners will take advantage of sending a letter home. She was almost giddy about the idea of offering it to them. She is also putting together a wish list and came up with several more ideas of things they can use. They slowly keep expanding what they are allowing me to have sent in. All future donations need to come directly from Amazon or me.
I received another $650 this week to add to the $3,100 that had already come in. That doesn’t include the value of the many stamps, cards, basketballs and soccer balls that were sent.
The Director told me he had emailed me his wish list yesterday but I haven’t gotten it yet. I sent him an email today so I know he has the right address. My email is tricky as it ends in uk.co and many people miss that and put .com Hoping to get his list soon so I can post an update to the project.
Chase County Leader News has a front page article about the project. I went to pick up a paper copy of it and both the Dollar General and Casey has the Council Grove paper but not the Chase County Paper. Curious minds want to know why?
While I was out looking for the newspaper I happened to look east and saw a low riding rainbow. Rainbows are always fun for me and I had to take a picture of it. We have too many trees on the east side of the road across from our house so rarely get to see rainbows from this house.
I received a package of post cards today for the project as well as an envelope with a check for $100 from a lady in Maryland. She heard about the project from a relative in Lawrence.
I have several more thank you notes to write from this week’s donations. Guess that is a good problem to have!
Tomorrow I will go back to the post office and attempt the two things I failed at today. In the afternoon a lady and her husband are coming by to share their story with me and hopefully give me some ideas of how the community at large can better support them and the millions of families like them.
Kathy and I are going to a friend’s house for dinner tomorrow night. That will be a treat.
No other plans until next Wednesday when I have to go to Topeka for a doctor’s appointment and an ultrasound. It will be nice to have several empty space days.
Hoping we can come up with a great idea to add to the Detention Center Project. The one I am hoping for will reach the families of those left behind or the ones that are making the impossible decision of what to do. I can’t possibly raise enough cash to touch lots of families but hoping we can come up with something that will let them know we care.
Feeling a bit less restless today although it is still running in the background. Lots of uncertainty about the future and it can overwhelm me at times. Remembering to release the anticipation and take it one day at a time. Staying present to what is my map out of overwhelm. I learned this when I walked the Camino – one step at a time. When I break things down to what is my next step, I usually can take that step.
Grateful the probate paper came today, grateful for the partnership I am developing with the Detention Center, and grateful for the support of the community near and far for the Detention Center project.