The Word of the Day

Chuck is at a Bible study, Diana's at work and Beth is still asleep. I'm sitting here with my hot tea, thinking about all of you and wondering what I should write about today.

Did I ever tell you that I'm a tea drinker? Hot tea when it's cold out and iced tea when it's not!

Thank you for your comments about my problems with Blogger. I took your advice and changed a few things with Comments and Settings. I also found the problem with my New Post page. I was in the Edit HTML tab and not the Compose tab. Ooops.

Beth told me this week that she wanted her hair cut. It was down to the middle of her back again and she didn't like it. So, it's now to her shoulders and she struts around like she's the Queen of England! No, really! Walking to the car, into the grocery store, she walked out in front of me (she seldom walks in front) and was strutting, tossin' her hair back and forth! Such a goon.

I took her to work on Thursday and she met her job coach there. They both went in and she gave them her official resignation. That's been the word of the week, "Beth do you know what resignation means?" "Beth! I need you to come sign your resignation!" "Okay, when I come home for lunch, I'll take you to work so you can hand in your resignation." I'm not sure how she feels about the whole thing. She hasn't said much about it, but also hasn't been sad either.

She went to her first Job Class. In Washington State, when your child reaches 21, you choose a vocational service to assist them with finding a job. We are with Washington Vocational Services and if their clients are unemployed between jobs they offer a job class. They all get together and talk about what jobs they'd like to have, do worksheets, talk about job etiquette, etc. It basically keeps their 'clients' active while the job coach looks for the job. Then the coach takes the client to the job site, is with them during the interview, then trains them for the job. It removes you and me from the process which I like. It's good for Beth to get out and work with others. She doesn't like to take orders from me anyway!

She brought home a long list of Job Class Rules. 'Arrive on time. Participate in class. Only ONE cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate.' I guess Beth isn't the only one who likes to enjoy life in excess! Whether it's toothpaste, or granola bars or shampoo, her cup definitely overfloweth! "Beth you only need one yogurt a day. Only ONE."

She has choir rehearsal in the Sanctuary tomorrow, as opposed to the choir room downstairs. They are singing again on Father's Day and she is so excited! She's been asking me for two weeks, "Do I sing tomorrow?"

I tried to get some pictures of her the last few weeks; She was dancing in the livingroom but quickly stopped when she saw me stand up! Her and Allison were sitting on the floor together playing with my electric keyboard. I got the camera and as I got into position, Beth got up and walked away! "Wha?! Elizabeth Meigan!! I just want a picture of you and Allison!?" She just smiled.

Mystery of the Red Bucket

I got an email from Beth's job coach saying she couldn't go to work until we met with the owner. Beth works for a local group home, doing their laundry twice a week. She likes it okay, she's been there for 3 years and the other employees don't talk to her or include her in anything. And lately they've been accusing Beth of some interesting behavoir. The latest incident has to do with a red bucket.

The acting supervisor at the group home said that an unwashed sheet with blood on it was found in with the folded laundry. The other employees have all denied having anything to do with it so they concluded it was Beth. This sheet was in a plastic bag, in a red bucket in a different room of the home. They are saying Beth went into this other room, opened the plastic bag, pulled out the sheet, folded it and put it with her clean laundry. Beth's job coach was there for part of the day and watched Beth fold a huge mound of laundry but never saw a sheet. How would Beth have even known the bucket was in the other room? And how would she have known there was a sheet... inside a plastic bag? It just doesn't make sense.

Beth and I met with her job coach today and the job coaches supervisor. They feel it's time for Beth to leave that job and look for something else. I've felt that for a few months. There have just been too many red flags the last few weeks. The bucket being the final straw. Her job coach will write up her resignation and have Beth sign it. She offically no longer works there. It's kind of sad but at the same time I'm excited to see Beth get into something that doesn't require TB tests and N1H1 shots.

For now Beth will attend a job class. A group of young adults meet once a week to talk about etiquete on the job, how to dress, they practice filling out job applications, etc. Plus, she'll meet one on one with her job coach to look for a new job. So, another chapter begins!

We may never know the truth behind that red bucket.