Efficiently Managed by Kitties

Mornin ... How’s everyone? We’re doing fine ... ‘cept the part of smoking in our dreams. I think this thing is getting worse because we also woke up thinking that there was a naked man on our couch ... Hmm. Kinda makes a girl eager to get up ... just in case!

So here we are ... plenty of time to be writing. Not so sure what is going to rank importance to our mind. ‘Cept we’re thinking that it’s a Dr. M. night tonight. We’ve already been through a terrible shock in that most likely there won’t be Chinese. This throws all of life off kilter an inch or two.

Amazon played a trick on me. Back when we were ordering books they had split up our order and then tried to charge over 30 orders on my bank credit card at the same time. Well, that crashed the system. Our credit card and bank both said, "uh uh uh!" Amazon said if I didn’t pay them in three days the orders would be canceled. So, I let it go and purchased household items instead. I was kind of put-off with them.

Now, in the last couple of days ... almost 3 months later, Amazon decided they would ship me the books anyway and they charged my account ... like $1,004. I had that much money in the account - almost ... it had been there though for rent and gas for the car. They actually put me $180 something in the red. I’m not sure why my bank allowed this. But, it seems they did. I was glad yesterday was a payday, BUT ...

The bank says its going to take a couple of weeks to sort all this out. This morning I read an email saying the books have been mailed. Yikes! Certainly seems like not Chinese tonight... :(

Bottom line is I have $1 and change. We’ll have to borrow $4 for parking to see Dr. M. Not so sure if our friend would think, or we deserve to borrow a little more to take ourselves out for our weekly treat of Chinese Governor's Chicken. We’re figuring that it is going to be no and treated as poetic justice. *Sigh*

Other than that ... all is fine. Really ...

Yesterday, something very, very special happened. I was right in the middle of my day and Sr. Tess showed up in my office. But, the thing is?? She came in and sat herself down in one of my guest chairs. It has been like a gazillion years since she’s done that. What’s more? She wasn’t there to yell at me. She was there to discuss a couple of client cases. ‘Bout bowled me over. This is the first time in 5 months she’s given me any indication that she might respect my opinion. Man-o-man I was so happy that she was there and talking nice to me that I could hardly contain ourselves. Hehe though on the outside, I think we stayed pretty professional.

Sr. used to visit my office for this kind of talk about 1-3 times a day. I don’t know if it means I am out of confinement totally though, so we’re telling ourselves it may not be over yet. There is a lot of trust between both of us that needs to be rebuilt. This is actually the second or third act. She had let down her guard against me at the Administration meeting, then she tolerated slightly a couple of notes this last week (while holding off the growl), now this.

I think our friend had been correct in his advise. He said to maintain my professionalism and make sure I was working hard, especially in regard to catching up. So, we’ve been doing that ... keeping our nose to the grindstone.

Yesterday, there was a lot of contact with the outside world. The client I’ve been having problems with went over the edge and angrily punched one of his peers in the back. That situation took the rest of the day to play out. The family and extended family, the other community organization, and the University of Illinois were all involved. I facilitated the communications. We did a pretty good job I think.

The narrow tightrope was that I knew pretty much Sr. would have to suspend him, but it was a question of what would her terms be. She’d been thinking of releasing him for good. I’d like to think I guided her reaction a little bit by keeping her informed of the other agencies efforts and the family’s. It was decided that she would accept him back if he’d see a psychologist/psychiatrist/

hospital. The other community agency is doing their part. They interviewed our client and his family the day before for housing.

The third agency - directly, the state ... fell through on respite care, but we’re hoping the University will do their share by encouraging psychological help for the family. They are pretty good about this stuff, but there’s a bad phone tag game going on between them and the family. Seems both might be affected by a little pride? Not sure. Don’t want to judge them. Everyone is going to need contribute to put this family in a safe situation. They are under an extreme pressure and are very tired.

Getting back to Sr. Tess the thing about her stopping by our office was that it allowed us to discuss for a few minutes each this case, and the cases of four others that I’ve been working through the last couple of days. I think she has given me some credit in that she allowed me the leeway I was inadvertently asking for. We did not overstep ourselves. Each letter mailed or faxed out of our agency is given to Sr. Tess to check.

Can’t explain the feeling of being trusted to some degree and allowed to work with her. You can be sure I’ll continue to carry on my load as efficiently as I can.

Due to all the communication exchanges yesterday, we fell behind our other work goals. But, I wasn’t displeased in that in-between events we were writing out notes and continuing the next project on our agenda. To finish up the Annual work, we still needed to write out the goals and objectives on a two page report for 11 of the clients. That’s a little better than half of my case load. Felt pretty good about that. I think I got about half way through the 11.

Today won’t be such a good day for project work, because I’ll have to do the staff training. I’m not sure exactly what’s on the list to be done next. I’ll figure it out first thing this morning. Maybe if I make it a goal to finish the last half of the goals and objectives report, do the staff meeting and necessary preparation ... and faintly hint toward starting that search for outdated reports in the file ... We’re trying to make it a minor instead of major project. Hmm, probably somewhere between a half-full day.

Hmm. I guess we should end the talk on work ... our kitties say that I’m boring them too. Chief decided to play a little game of let’s disturb your pen with my lightening quick paws! Silly cat!