Emotional

It is an emotional time for me.  I have friends who are in the midst of crises and for some reason, they are looking to me.  I hope I can be the rock they need now.

Several years ago, Lisa was the admin assistant at a Dementia Care unit in the organization where I was a manager.  She became good friends with the Recreation Therapist.  When she was bumped (union org) Lisa told me that I should hire her as I happened to have an opening.  I did.  Lorraine was/is a fantastic therapist but truly resident focussed and opinionated.  I happen to like  employees who will level with me. When I retired, Lorraine and I remained friends.  She is still working but having difficulties with the manager who seems to have taken a dislike for her.  Lorraine has been in the organization for 23 years and is close to retirement.  Anyway, she is being harrassed.  It sounds like they are trying to find a way to fire her.  I listen to her and make suggestions and we talk.  It is her way of expressing feeling and I also provide a bit of comic relief!  I have to say that the organization has deteriorated since I left about 15 years ago.  We were proud of the care we provided which was innovative and totally resident focussed.  The last time I did resident satisfaction surveys for them, I saw a demoralized staff who are working in a people warehouse!  It breaks my heart!

Then.  I have a friend who is having an existential crisis.  She is in the clergy and has recently come out as two spirit (she has an indiginous background) and has been shunned by much of her family and some of her congregation.  She has spent the better part of her life fignting for the poorest of the poor.  She is hurt, angry, and terrified.  All I can do is listen and let her know I care and support her always.  

Having said that, I am in a place of equillibrium at the moment so feel comfortable being there for them.  I am glad though that I can come here and let it out!  

My niece Wendy, whose son died in October is doing fairly well.  She lives in my home town Thunder Bay.  She has become an actrivist. She will be part of a documentary about the drug problem that is to air in the summer.

If you are able to access Crave (streaming) there is a documentary out now called Thunder Bay.  I haven't seen it yet but I know what it is about.  The police are racist and have treated the indigenous people dreadfully.  There have been murders that have been ignored.  In fact a book entitled Seven Fallen Feathers is about 7 teens who were murdered and the police said they just drowned.  It is sad for me.  Thunder Bay is a beautiful area on Lake Superior.  But the rotten underbelly is putrid.  There is also alot of gang activity along with the drug problem - I hope the publicity forces them to clean it up!

On the upside - our Ukrainian houseguest finally found a job.  She had high hopes of a great paying full time job.  After much discussion and reality checking, she is now a dishwasher at a restaurant.  I hope it goes well because, we gently told her that she will need to find other accommodation in June.  We will need our spare room because we want Cevyn and the twins to come and visit. 

In 2 weeks we will be in Ottawa to spend spring break with Cevyn and her family.  I am excited as we are going to spend 2 days in Montreal!  It is a 2 hour drive from Ottawa.  It has been several years since we were there.  The twins and I are particularly excited because we are going to visit the Insectarium - we do like bugs! Okay maybe not the mosquito kind.

I miss Lisa terribly but I think she is here helping me navigate this thing called life.