Sept 21, 2017

Shana Tova to all of you!

I am spending the holidays in Austin with my brother and sister-in-law who are taking care of me to the max. Just slightly short of force-feeding me…..

Looking back on my first week, I am so totally where I want to be. It’s hard to explain that this gives me such satisfaction despite the amount of time I’ve spent in tears. But, it feels like what I am doing matters. I get to talk to people who are in true pain and help them understand that our community really cares and is here to help. But, the most amazing thing is that my words to our clients are NOT hollow, because they are backed up by the resources, (yes, in many case, cash grants!), we can offer these folks. These are resources totally made possible because our community is fully funding these efforts. We can’t do everything, but, we are certainly making a dent. It is a wonderful feeling.

THIS will make you laugh: Every time I get off the phone and breakdown like a baby, everyone else in the room, (who are experienced social workers), rush my aid. Ha! Ha! IF I have to be a baby, I guess it’s good to do it in the midst of the largest collection of social workers I will ever meet. While this is exactly what I want to be doing, no way could I have done this for a living…. (Go hug a social worker today.)

Also, I am so very excited!! I got loan of a bike today, so I can now ride it to work and not borrow Tina’s car every day. Besides which, (and I haven’t said in my emails….), it was getting hard to keep making it into the office FIRST, and leaving LAST so no one would realize I was the one driving a BMW convertible sportscar into a Disaster Relief site……

I took the loaned bike to a local shop and they gave it a full safety check, (it passed), they filled the tires and helped me buy a helmet and a bike lock. I figure it will be a 20/30 minute bike ride each way – and since I haven’t been getting out much during the week, the exercise, (90 degree heat + 80% humidity, right), will be quite welcome.

Last night I took the bus to Austin. You guys would love it…. It’s called the MegaBus, costs $16 each way, and did we have an INTERESTING crowd. But, unlike my high school experience, (where the Tennessee State Troopers stopped our Greyhound bus from Knoxville to Chattanooga, and arrested the guy across the aisle from me), this trip was uneventful. The alternative to MegaBus is called VonLane – and at $82, offers the true upscale ride to Austin. I figured I’d pass….

I start my demolition volunteering on October 1st, and can’t wait to see what safety / hazmat equipment we have to suit up in. The remaining mess is pretty gawd-awful. After work each day, I will probably strip downstairs and throw my clothes into the commercial washers they have in Tina’s building. Nechama has made it very clear that our clothes and shoes will need to be tossed as garbage once we’re done volunteering. (Dang…. My Carhartt work pants give me total street cred, and took freaking forever to find!)

Please do me this last favor: As you see friends and family, PLEASE thank everyone for their amazing generosity. Every dollar that they have given is making Houston relief work possible and is providing hope in a way that is indescribable!

I really miss you guys and would love to catch up by phone if you have time! Hugs!