Gail's Blog

Once upon a time, our preschool hosted a Thanksgiving Feast, with preschoolers dressed in paper bag Indian vests, and construction paper Pilgrim hats. We ate turkey, dressing, and the rest, most of which went uneaten by the children. So the annual event became a "Pow wow". The children attend in their Thanksgiving regalia, but carry non-perishable food for a "campfire", food to go to a food bank right afterwards. This is a nice change because rather than cook and serve leftovers to the homeless, which is admirable but messy, we send food to a food bank for use after the Thanksgiving food coffers are emptied. Over the years the pilgrims have disappeared! Pilgrim costumes are a pain in the neck to make, and Indian head-dresses and beads are easy, so teachers, ever looking for ways to cut after-hours labor, went all-Indian. Then one year, a class came as turkeys! They have been coming that way ever since. This totally blew my literal mind. I kept thinking that dinner w

She made it into rehab. The program is funded by Fairfax County, and, with luck, will survive budget cuts. It is an effective drug and alcohol rehabiliation program for those who are motivated to do the work. And she is motivated. She talks about her last chance. She says she doesn't want to be on the streets again. She dissects her own motivations, feelings, responsibilities and mistakes with the precision of a surgeon. So far she's lost and gained friends, gained and lost privileges, and worked very hard. She's never worked as hard. She honors me by making me a "screened" visitor, and recently, by asking me to come to family group. Visiting recently, I sat with her outside and heard all that she'd been going through, and suddenly she brightened and asked me what I was doing. She listened like a mature young woman. We laughed! People passed. She waved them over to introduce me to them. "This is my Godmother" she said. I liked the sound of that. I