tv on the porch

I've been spoiled lately- on Sunday Keri's brother and his girlfriend, who live in Massachusetts, met us on our way back from Boston and took us out to brunch. One of the nice things about "living simply" is how much it makes me appreciate little things- like blueberry pancakes! and strawberries and pineapple and things we don't buy with our grocery stipend. Meredith's parents are visiting and last night they took her and I out to dinner at a really nice restaurant downtown- the food was amazing and I could go on about how nice it was but I've noticed lately that when I'm in a good mood I ramble on...and...on...

Work has been going so well- I have so many new people to work with lately, between the student nurses and MSW interns that volunteer at Community Meals and the two Americorps volunteers that will be working with Tom, Evan and I with volunteer engagement. All of them are around my age and so friendly and helpful- the student nurses and MSW interns seem comfortable at the soup kitchen and the clients seem like they love having new volunteers to spend time with. The depressing moments that bummed me out so much at first still do happen everyday- there are the clients that beg for sixty cents to take a bus home (the church does greyhound travel vouchers but no petty cash or bus tokens anymore) and it breaks my heart that I can't just open my wallet and give it to them, and the clients who seem to complain about every meal that's served to them, but there are also so many clients who are so upbeat and happy and say "Marvelous!" when you ask how their day's going, or so enthusiastically enjoy the food and give out compliments everyday, and there are moments like today when a man found out he was hired for a job and was so joyful and relieved that being there to see it was one of the best moments of my day.

And now we're watching TV off the laptop on the porch :-) It's so beautiful outside!