MOW Wednesday

Meals On Wheels did not go perfectly today. I have it planned to be the last person there to pick up the food so I don't have to see anyone. I just walk in the front door of this church office and the coolers are in the foyer. I pack up my stuff and leave. Well today the delivery people from MOW were late so EVERYBODY was there. I couldn't put my ice chest on the stairs and do my normal routine and had to make small talk with all these old ladies. Ick.

My first stop was fine. The new man that I did not see last week was there. I wasn't sure, but I thought the cats looked different, so I asked how many he had and he said 5. One kept rubbing all over me and I love cats, but I am allergic and would have had to wash my hands if I had touched it, not to mention that I was delivering FOOD to people. My next stop was a "No Response" meaning she didn't answer the door. I also noticed those little Rat Terriers did not bark which was odd. So the routine is, first I call the client and let it ring ten times, then I have to call into MOW and they call the client's contact. Well MOW always tells you to give the meal away to another client. This was a no-brainer because it was a regular meal and I only had one other regular meal stop - the rest were diet meals. When they tell us to give it away, it's up to us who to give the extras to. I know who wants extras and who doesn't.

My third stop was that ratty trailer park with the rutted roads. Well a block before my stop was a "road closed" sign and giant construction machines. So I pull into another road and have to navigate thru this giant construction area - at one point walking on like a 20 inch space between a fence and a giant hole in the road. Oh, and did I mention that we are having record-breaking temperatures. Yes, September 21, the last day of summer and the high was supposed to be 100. It was probably only 96 at the time. Plus since I was leaving my truck so far away I had to turn it off. I always leave it running at houses and only turn it off at the one apartment complex. Now I'm pretty hot and the next stop, I pull into the driveway and just as I get to the door a car pulls up, I turn and see it is my client's nurse helper lady. Well I'm in the middle of the driveway - my truck is, I mean. So I rush in, hand her her food, grab her mailbox key, run to the mail center, run back so I can get out of that lady's way. Now I'm really hot.

And of course, the next stop is the apartment complex. That was kinda funny, because just as I walk into the breezeway, a UPS dude is knocking on her door. I said, "She thinks you're me and I always knock and walk right in." This is the lady in the recliner that I've only seen out of that chair once in 2 years, and, no, she is not crippled. So I walked in asked if he needed her to sign and made him come in. Fortunately my next 2 stops were normal.

When I finally got to Bennigan's Chad was there again. He was there 2 weeks ago, but before that I had not seen him in months. Last Wednesday Kate had joined me after 4:00 and we coerced Kevin into going to a bar with us when he got off at 5:00, so I figured we scared the bejeezuz out of him enough that he had to trade shifts with Chad. Chad said, "No, he really had to do something, but I forgot what it was." Yeah, right.

A man came in and sat at the booth behind me (I was at the bar, but it's close enough you can shake hands without leaning) and we started talking about Katrina because he was from just south of New Orleans. After a bit, I noticed the conversation felt competitive. I hate when that happens. I was thinking, "Is he trying to one-up me or am I trying to one-up him or are we both doing it?" Anyway I was relieved when 2:45 rolled around. My hair appointment was for 3:00. I got a new cut. Believe it or not, I took the picture from just below of Paul, Barry and myself and told him to do something like that. Although I'm a redhead now, it is very similar. Also it is very different for me because that was probably the last time I had that particular style. I never keep the same hairstyle very long. Those makeover shows just kill me when the woman's husband or daughter says, "She's worn her hair the same for 25 years." I can't even comprehend that. I should do a collage one day of all my different hair lengths and styles. (And shades.)

My "bad friend" Kim (her words, not mine) called from NC tonight. The last time we talked was in June. Then we watched the season premier of "Lost." Great as always. That's about it for my Wednesday.

I just ran spell check and it flagged "hairstyle" which is probably supposed to be two words, but the only suggestion the spell check had was "horsetail." That's a classic: Tyler gave me a wonderful new horsetail!