George, Knitting and the Art of Volunteering

Sorry about neglecting to mention George's pedigree in my last post. George is a Chevy Sonic 2012, 5 speed manual, and totally without a shred of posh. Hand crank windows, no bluetooth abilities, manual seats. From my description it sounds as if I dont love George, oh but I do! Sure who wouldnt want leather seats, bluetooth, etc? But George fit well within our budget and he's fun as hellz to drive.

This summer was so full of TH's health drama, the endless packing and moving that my knitting needles grew dusty and lonely. After a week here, I dug out my needles and an am again knitting. A co-worker of TH's has 5, count em 5! adopted children between the ages of 3 and 9, all of them are relatives children they had to give up due to many family issues. For a xmas gift I'm knitting them all hats and scarves, a useful gift for Alaskan families. If I dont run out of time, elephants and kitties and bunnies will be sent along as well.

In just a few days, I head out to San Mateo to a knitting lab for 4 fantastical wonderful days of non-stop knitting....so damned happy. I have signed up for 9 classes: knitting with wire, to learning how to sew a zipper into a knitted item, using Japanese stitch dictionaries, etc. The zipper one, came with homework that I promptly forgot the moment I finalized my class list wayyy back in May. I was supposed to have a project ready to put the zipper into. Well, when I read that two nights ago I totally freaked! Then I calmed down and decided to do the second option, of bringing knitted swatches to sew a zip into, a totally doable option. I will still learn how to install a zip, so its all good.

Today I have an orientation for volunteers at main branch of the library, about 4 miles away. The list of options for volunteering are wide and exciting, I'm excited to get back into a library again, I miss my job at the community library in Hell Town. When i get back from my knitting binge, I have a meeting set up for the outreach program for street kids, my role is tutoring them on the non-math portion of the GED. Their main objective is to find a way to get these kids off the street permanently. These kids can come in and take showers, wash their clothing, have a hot meal, and have the use of one rough tote to place in a locked closet to keep their belongs safe. They work with them to get a GED if they ran before graduation, and then to get them into a training program, that leads to a job.

Also after the hours for these two volunteer are nailed down, I'm also thinking of volunteering for to work under a guardian ad litum, who is a court appointed lawyer who looks after the children's interest, not the parents, but helps the court decide what the kids truly want and need. The position is visiting the kids on my list several times a month to check up on them, and see how they are doing in their foster homes, at school, etc. These are all children who have been removed from their parents homes for various reasons. I wont have to appear in court, or do paperwork, but check in with the GAL after each visitation.

I need something to do, to help with the loneliness, and I think the best way to fill up ones time besides hobbies to help our fellow travelers.