This has felt like a long day. I did get some sleep last night and even slept in this morning.
Tomorrow is our first of three laundry days to get things washed up for the Go Bags. I must have spent two hours today trying to decide what to wash tomorrow. My problem is that every item has four piles and they can’t be combined. But some of the piles are not big enough for a load themselves and some are too big for only one load. We have separated things by sizes as it was easier to do with the tags on them to read the printed tag on the garment. Most of the items have all white items plus colored items that have to be separated to be washed.
I don’t want to wash medium and XL together as then we will have to separate by sizes again. I have over thought this way too much today. I finally figured out what to wash each of the three days and have pulled some items out to wash at home. I did three loads today and think we can get the rest washed at the laundromat in three days.
Man, I tied myself up in knots trying to figure this out and it really isn’t that complicated…. Oh my tired brain tonight!
I am also trying to find somethings for the volunteers to do while the washers and dryers are going. We don’t need five or six people to sit around and watch the washers and dryers go round and round. I think I have found something else for them to do for each of the three laundry days. That will help the time feel a bit more productive.
This evening I went up to the Detention Center. They held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new exercise equipment that finally came in and got installed. One of the county Commissioners was there as well as the Sheriff and most of the top dogs of the Detention Center. They served sandwiches, chips and cookies afterwards.
The Center gave me some wall hangings with love as the theme. They also gave me a card that the staff signed as well as each pod had written thank you notes. I wasn’t allowed to take my phone back with me but they took pictures and will share tomorrow.
I found out this morning I could bring some guests. I sent notes to three people but only one could attend. The one that came was the one that gave me a sign from the Universe that this project should happen. When I first posted about the possibility of raising the $6,000 someone local wrote she was against it as the county makes lots of money off the jail and they should use their money to buy the equipment. The lady that came tonight wrote how she supported it and felt it was important that the Detainees be able to exercise and have the equipment to help them. She started the fundraising off with a very generous donation. The funds came in and it happened. I was grateful she was able to go tonight and share the experience with me.
After the event was over I went up to the Grand and went to the watch party for the Hamilton/Marshall debate. The debate went about how I expected it to go.
There was some discussion afterwards amongst the group. One of the locals running for state representative was there and he spoke about the need for rural representation. Some lady was there that is a single issue Republican and she talked a bit. I had to leave during that. My inner detector was going off and I decided I didn’t need to stay to listen to that.
I need to get to bed and get some rest. I have a group of five coming tomorrow. We are going to meet at the Grand for lunch and then come to my house and pick up totes and go to the laundromat. Trusting that all the washers will be available and we can get eight loads of laundry washed up. I washed up some socks today that will need to be matched up. We are also going to write thank you notes so they will be ready for me to send out when donations come in. It will be nice to have visiting time with them during lunch.
Friday more volunteers are coming for another wash day. I finally figured out today what we are going to wash each day so I won’t have to go through that again.
Found out the memorial service for my classmate from high school that died last Saturday is next Monday. I have another wash day scheduled for that day. It so happened that the two board members for Love in Action had volunteered to work that day so they are going to take the lead for me that day so I can go to KC and the memorial service.
Next Wednesday we will put the Go Bags together and the first 100 bags will be ready to start going out when I come home from vacation the middle of November. I will be grateful to move the totes to the shed when we are done Wednesday. I am tired of the clutter in most every room of my house. Maybe that is why I couldn’t think today – when my house is cluttered my mind doesn’t work as well as it should.
Tomorrow is a new day. I am trusting I will be more alert and ready to go tomorrow than I felt like I was today.
Grateful the exercise equipment is installed and the Center found it important enough to celebrate it, grateful the lady that gave me the sign from the Universe to proceed with the project was able to share the experience with me, and grateful I finally figured out what to wash when.