As our team walked back to our van after spending the morning at an AmeriCorps symposium in Annapolis, somebody pointed out a sprig of poison ivy growing along the sidewalk. This reminded our team leader, Sarah, of a story she wanted to share.
"At the summer camp I worked at, the guy in charge of the grounds decided he was going to mark all the poison ivy so the kids wouldn't get in it. So he sprayed all the poison ivy plants he could find with bright blue spray paint. Only, he didn't tell anybody he did this. So one day, while out on a nature hike, a couple of my kids come running up to me, yelling my name, all excited to show me a bouquet of these exotic blue plants they found. Their parents were not happy." Sarah laughed. "Murphy's Law, right?"
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Twinkle, Twinkle
I'm not sure what caused me to wake up, alert, with ears tuned into the noises of the night at 3:30 am.
A soft, melodic melody was coming from the guest bedroom. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, ..."
I peaked in. Where was Emma? I didn't see her blond head on the pillow but still the song continued. I entered the room and heard the blind rattle. Emma was tucked behind the blind, looking out the window at the stars. She continued singing. I joined in the chorus of Twinkle, Twinkle. "Gamma, dark out. Night time. See the stars."
Millions of stars sparkled in the ebony sky. "Gamma, pretty! Night, night, Gamma." With a kiss and a hug, Emma snuggled down on her Winnie the Pooh pillow nestling with her blue fuzzy blankie, clasping her stuffed elephant from the Shriner's Circus. And me? I closed the door and went back to bed!
Contributed by: Ann
A soft, melodic melody was coming from the guest bedroom. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, ..."
I peaked in. Where was Emma? I didn't see her blond head on the pillow but still the song continued. I entered the room and heard the blind rattle. Emma was tucked behind the blind, looking out the window at the stars. She continued singing. I joined in the chorus of Twinkle, Twinkle. "Gamma, dark out. Night time. See the stars."
Millions of stars sparkled in the ebony sky. "Gamma, pretty! Night, night, Gamma." With a kiss and a hug, Emma snuggled down on her Winnie the Pooh pillow nestling with her blue fuzzy blankie, clasping her stuffed elephant from the Shriner's Circus. And me? I closed the door and went back to bed!
Contributed by: Ann
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Cool Breeze
Saturday, April 19th, was my team’s last day working with our sponsor, the Academy of Success, in southwest Baltimore. In the morning, we worked with a score of community members and picked up trash in the blocks surrounding the current site of the Academy. For lunch, our friends at the Academy hosted a celebratory cookout for us.
After everyone had taken a seat, Mr. Eddie, the Director of Youth Services at the Academy, bellowed, “Alright, everybody. Stand up! Now, go sit next to someone you don’t already know.” Mr. Eddie grinned. “There’s gonna’ be a prize for the person who knows the most about their neighbor.”
I moved and sat down next to a wiry man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the Academy’s founder, Ben Barnwell. Right away, he went to work trying to win that prize.
“How tall are you, man?” he asked me.
“Five-nine,” I replied.
He tsked. “You’re taller than me. I’m only five-eight.”
What’s your name?” I asked him.
“Sanford Barnwell,” he replied. “And yours?”
“Eric. So you’re Ben’s brother that I haven’t met yet.”
Sanford smiled. “I kept meaning to head out to the site when you all were there, but it never worked out—I do a lot of substance abuse recovery work. I did get up on the roof—I used to do some roof-work myself—and saw what you all did and I ant to let you know that I’m impressed. It looks good.”
“Thank you.”
Sanford forgot me for a moment as he tried to get the attention of one of the young attractive team leaders visiting our site. “Sophie over there is going to be my wife someday.”
Sophie turned her head and started to say something, but I leapt in with, “Congratulations, Sophie. Sanford here is quite a catch.”
Sanford laughed. “Thanks, uh, what was your name again?”
“Eric.”
Sanford smiled. “I don’t mean anything by it. I have short-term memory loss, you see. So, usually, I just give everybody a nickname. Like yours, yours would be ‘Cool Breeze’.”
I laughed. “Why’s that?”
“Because you sit back and observe everything, real cool, calm. It’s refreshing, man, like a cool breeze.”
“Eric,” Sophie yelled from the end of the table. “What’s he telling you?”
“I was just telling Cool Breeze here,” Sanford interjected, “how perfect you and I would be together.”
“I think he’s right,” I said.
Sanford laughed and slapped me on the back. “Yeah, Cool Breeze. Yeah!”
After everyone had taken a seat, Mr. Eddie, the Director of Youth Services at the Academy, bellowed, “Alright, everybody. Stand up! Now, go sit next to someone you don’t already know.” Mr. Eddie grinned. “There’s gonna’ be a prize for the person who knows the most about their neighbor.”
I moved and sat down next to a wiry man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the Academy’s founder, Ben Barnwell. Right away, he went to work trying to win that prize.
“How tall are you, man?” he asked me.
“Five-nine,” I replied.
He tsked. “You’re taller than me. I’m only five-eight.”
What’s your name?” I asked him.
“Sanford Barnwell,” he replied. “And yours?”
“Eric. So you’re Ben’s brother that I haven’t met yet.”
Sanford smiled. “I kept meaning to head out to the site when you all were there, but it never worked out—I do a lot of substance abuse recovery work. I did get up on the roof—I used to do some roof-work myself—and saw what you all did and I ant to let you know that I’m impressed. It looks good.”
“Thank you.”
Sanford forgot me for a moment as he tried to get the attention of one of the young attractive team leaders visiting our site. “Sophie over there is going to be my wife someday.”
Sophie turned her head and started to say something, but I leapt in with, “Congratulations, Sophie. Sanford here is quite a catch.”
Sanford laughed. “Thanks, uh, what was your name again?”
“Eric.”
Sanford smiled. “I don’t mean anything by it. I have short-term memory loss, you see. So, usually, I just give everybody a nickname. Like yours, yours would be ‘Cool Breeze’.”
I laughed. “Why’s that?”
“Because you sit back and observe everything, real cool, calm. It’s refreshing, man, like a cool breeze.”
“Eric,” Sophie yelled from the end of the table. “What’s he telling you?”
“I was just telling Cool Breeze here,” Sanford interjected, “how perfect you and I would be together.”
“I think he’s right,” I said.
Sanford laughed and slapped me on the back. “Yeah, Cool Breeze. Yeah!”
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sharing Spirit
We were off on a grand adventure Friday to the Minnesota Children's Museum. The Sesame Street Exhibit was in its last week. Emma had been watching her boxed CD set of the early shows when Big Bird had few feathers and Oscar wasn't green. As we were getting out the elevator, a lady pushing a stroller asked if we had to buy tickets. "Certainly," I said. "How else would we get in?"
She waved a laminated book size pass and said, "If you don't mind, walk in with me. My pass is good for six tickets and I couldn't find anyone who was available today."
We buzzed by the school groups and followed closely on her heels as she waved her pass and out spewed five tickets! Talk about meeting new friends in your neighborhood! I walked around with this silly grin on my face all day. Why does it seem more enjoyable to get an unexpected free pass? Our thanks to the generous lady on Sesame Street.
Contributed by:Ann
She waved a laminated book size pass and said, "If you don't mind, walk in with me. My pass is good for six tickets and I couldn't find anyone who was available today."
We buzzed by the school groups and followed closely on her heels as she waved her pass and out spewed five tickets! Talk about meeting new friends in your neighborhood! I walked around with this silly grin on my face all day. Why does it seem more enjoyable to get an unexpected free pass? Our thanks to the generous lady on Sesame Street.
Contributed by:Ann
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Circus
The circus is coming! The anticipation of the weekend trip to Duluth was not to be denied by the mid April snowstorm dumping 34 inches along with another 10 inches within the next couple of days. Miraculously, roads were cleared, tickets in hand, and front row seats were occupied at center ring.
I can visualize the wide eyed wonder flittering across Emma's expressive face as she spotted two BIG elephants lumbering in with trunks swinging and positioned themselves butt end in front of her. She desperately wanted to see elephants! Chortling at the antics of the trick dog leaping onto the horses' back, she was covered in sticky cotton candy. She was dazzled by the trapeze acrobatics and laughed along with the clown. Her chest puffed up as she rode the pony between acts in the sawdust ring.
What images fill her dreams as she slips into an exhausted sleep relplaying the elephants and the treasures of her first circus? She replays it all treating her dollies to a visit to the circus sharing all the fun she had!
Contributed by: Ann
I can visualize the wide eyed wonder flittering across Emma's expressive face as she spotted two BIG elephants lumbering in with trunks swinging and positioned themselves butt end in front of her. She desperately wanted to see elephants! Chortling at the antics of the trick dog leaping onto the horses' back, she was covered in sticky cotton candy. She was dazzled by the trapeze acrobatics and laughed along with the clown. Her chest puffed up as she rode the pony between acts in the sawdust ring.
What images fill her dreams as she slips into an exhausted sleep relplaying the elephants and the treasures of her first circus? She replays it all treating her dollies to a visit to the circus sharing all the fun she had!
Contributed by: Ann
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Road Trip
Thirteen states. 3,500 miles. Spotty weather flittering between rain, sunshine, and gusty winds kept us guessing. Our road trip from Minnesota to Maryland and onto Boston was a once in a lifetime experience. As banker for the toll roads and bridges, I didn’t spot any consistency or pattern in the charges and grew frustrated with our frequent trips to local banks. I just kept doling out the bills, quarters, and coins in varying amounts and wondered if this might become the Minnesota solution to road repair.
Our arrival in Perryville, Maryland found us grateful for the Ramada Inn, open but under going remodeling, with WIFI access allowing us to keep in touch. It became our home away from home. We were amazed at Team Eagle Five’s progress on their renovation project in Baltimore putting in 10 to 12 hour days ripping up tar, patching holes in the roof, and demolition. The personalities and exuberance of the eleven person team was evident. What committeemen and perseverance in hostile weather conditions. A great bunch. America is in good hands with AmeriCorp NCCC!
We did travel on to Boston and enjoyed the historic sights. Using my Charlie subway card to get around, walking the cobblestone Freedom Trail, and pouring over the slate markers in the cemeteries was awesome. We ploughed through the Haymarket seeing fresh fish, fruits, flowers and vegetables offered and bartered. Aching muscles that screamed “100 miles” was actually probably only 3 were soothed in hot soaking baths.
Good food, scenic sights, long visits with relatives, meeting new friends and fascinating people were all a part of our adventure. Thanks Eric!
Contributed by Ann
Our arrival in Perryville, Maryland found us grateful for the Ramada Inn, open but under going remodeling, with WIFI access allowing us to keep in touch. It became our home away from home. We were amazed at Team Eagle Five’s progress on their renovation project in Baltimore putting in 10 to 12 hour days ripping up tar, patching holes in the roof, and demolition. The personalities and exuberance of the eleven person team was evident. What committeemen and perseverance in hostile weather conditions. A great bunch. America is in good hands with AmeriCorp NCCC!
We did travel on to Boston and enjoyed the historic sights. Using my Charlie subway card to get around, walking the cobblestone Freedom Trail, and pouring over the slate markers in the cemeteries was awesome. We ploughed through the Haymarket seeing fresh fish, fruits, flowers and vegetables offered and bartered. Aching muscles that screamed “100 miles” was actually probably only 3 were soothed in hot soaking baths.
Good food, scenic sights, long visits with relatives, meeting new friends and fascinating people were all a part of our adventure. Thanks Eric!
Contributed by Ann
Monday, April 7, 2008
April Snows!
For those of you no longer in Minnesota, I just wanted you to know that Virginia, MN on April 6 & 7 had 32 inches of snow! Think that's even taller than Emma who took a sled ride around the block Sunday. Think what you are missing--and smile!
Contributed by Ann
Contributed by Ann
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Eyepatch
This guy that I work with at Brewberry's decided to celebrate National Talk Like a Pirate Day a few weeks ago. When he saw a woman wearing an eye patch he approached her, leaned over, and let out a "Yarrrrr." Her unamused expression revealed that her eyepatch was not being used to celebrate National Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Contributed by Aryn.
Contributed by Aryn.
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