I remember my mother being so excited when a Swedish or
Danish schmorgesborg was opened in Akron. She lobbied hard for a visit, and it
was worth it. Today is a schmorgesborg.
Perhaps I am so grumpy because it is cold and won’t stop
raining (not that the rain barrel can hold any more). I made a list of three things to do today.
Two are crossed off. The last I can do while Laura is at band practice tonight.
The rain barrel will not be emptied Thursday; Laura has a
one night job with Mrs. P, helping her teach an art class. She did ask if she
should turn it down in favor of the rain barrel.
She is such an influencer of the Laura brand, and I mean
that only in the kindest way. Deb told me the child won a place in her heart
the first day she worked last summer. She put her personal belongings on a
shelf, including her phone. When given the opportunity to work on a piece for
herself, she went off the clock.
I went to lunch yesterday with Deb and Pam. I go out with
friends as often as I can. Deb had her back to the TV; Pam is sort of
apolitical and I was left denigrating the Fox TV news. Pam did say we only awaited the exposure of Trump's rump, but the amusement ended at our table.
I wonder why Americans need televisions in restaurants.
It was Halloween yesterday and the wait staff dressed
appropriately. Lunches at this restaurant don’t excite me, but I’m always up
for breakfast, and ordered a waffle, with extra whipped cream. My Aunt Ruth doppelganger
put on a double batch. Aunt Ruth approved, I’m sure.
I was attempting to keep this light, but keep coming back to
troubling issues. I’ll skip over the latest discarded cat and move straight on
to the little girl with the red shoes, and her brothers. They have no propane,
no heat, no hot water, no stove. They do have electric space heaters, and the
power was shut down and later restored a bit ago. In short, nothing is better.
I try not to care; it’s not working.
So, I called Family Services in Columbus, the boss of all
the counties and their services. They did not want to hear one word; they
transferred me straight back to my county. I breathed deeply and repeated my
story. No, they will not tell me if or when the situation is resolved, so I can
stop bothering them. The social worker hung up on me when I said “Please let me
know…”
One of the options is to hang up and call the police. At least I actually know this person and can say "Don't hang up on me Joe. What are you going to do?"
I saw a last flower of summer in town today. Schmorgesborg
over and out.
That nun is looking over your left shoulder, I notice. Such a lot of food for such an elfin lady. I feel for you though, regarding the girl with the red shoes. We don't choose our families as far as I know, but most of us have either struck lucky or chosen wisely.
ReplyDeleteOh, gawd, what does that mean? Actually, she was kneeling at my left, to give Deb a balanced picture.
DeleteSorry - I didn't mean to be obscure. I just meant that most of us were lucky with having caring families and a peaceful upbringing.
DeleteWhat is wrong with that social worker to hang up on a caring person?
ReplyDeleteI hope you were able to eat all of that waffle.
ReplyDeleteMy heart aches for the girl with the red shoes, her family and all the other similar families.
Good luck - and I suspect I WOULD call the police.
I mopped up the real maple syrup and butter with every crumb of waffle.
DeleteA little bit of everything. You have a big heart.
ReplyDeleteThose poor children! Thank the Lord there are people who care about them! They are lucky to have you in their corner, Joanne.
ReplyDeleteBut not one thing is accomplished because CPS has done nothing. I need to find out about the heaters; they came from the maintenance guy and I think they may be industrial and dangerous.
DeleteSuch sweetness surrounded by dark. Bless her heart.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteOh for crying out loud, don't get me started on televisions and piped music in public meeting places... but that pales compared to the troubles for Little Red Shoes. You are her fairy grandmother Joanne, even if nothing big is being achieved in your eyes, to her, there is love being delivered which will not be forgotten. For you, it is a purpose; you are one who needs purpose. Golly I pray SOMEone listens to you a.s.a.p. YAM xx
Sometimes it just hurts too much too care. I turned myself off when he was elected. As for the little girl I'd have to call the police.
ReplyDeleteHate tvs in public places.
Your waffle looks wonderful.
I was afraid that would happen and I am sorry for Little Red Shoes. Even to the people who are being paid by our tax dollars children are not important enough to bother with. Those poor children will have a miserable time of it and not know how to have a better life when they are grown. I hope you will let us know if anything changes. I think of them often.
ReplyDeleteSo Dad didn't come through with the oil or propane-whatever it is they heat with? You do the best you can and for you that is always a lot but never enough, I suspect. I'll be keeping little red shoes and her siblings in my thoughts and hoping for a resolution. There's a restaurant near us that has a whole wall of televisions and they are always on. They are all tuned to the same 2 or 3 channels. It boggles the mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear nothing has been done yet to help that little family. The wheels do turn oh-so-slowly. To "them" Little Red Shoes is just one more sheet in a mountain of paperwork and all things must be done in turn. nYou'd think with winter coming on fast, they could do a little queue jumping and at least get some heat in there.
ReplyDeleteLove the flower. The waffle looks delicious.
Oh, such heartache over the family with the little girl in the red shoes. I would be like you and take it all in to the point that it would make me ill. I work for a non-profit agency for our town. We provide a food pantry and help with other social issues. If we can not help, we refer them to other agencies. Have you tried LIHEAP. They provide help to people who cannot pay for heat. It is a Fed program and is not hard to apply. Trump (of course) wants to eliminate it, but, so far, it is still in place. People in need must apply ”NOW” as there is a deadline and the amount of money is capped. This program might work for the family’s problem.
ReplyDeleteNo one should be hungry or cold. Look for the helpers, they are there.
We need so many Joanne’s in this world who see a problem and want to do something.
Hooo boy! I feel for the children you are worried about. it seems so many do not worry. I know worry doesn't solve a thing. I hope maybe the social worker will act even if she hung up on you or perhaps Joe? The breakfast looks fantastic. I'm partial to whipping cream with strawberries on waffles. It was good of the nun to join you. I'm not a fan of Hallowe'en activities unless for children but yesterday when I was out I did have to smile at the many grownups that seemed to go the extra mile with their costumes this year. Plus there was an unexpected fireworks display in my neighbourhood. I think several vendors that only opened to sell fireworks were now coordinating a light show in 3 directions. Wow it was fun.
ReplyDeleteThat waffle looks delicious but would leave me in a sugar/carbohydrate craving for the rest of the day.
ReplyDeletebetty
Invite the kids to sleep with you in your home. Then you know they'll be warm. Charity begins at home. Forget social services intervention, it usually wrecks family love.
ReplyDeleteunbelievable that the fathers and grandparents of those children are so uninvolved. must be especially disheartening to you who did the right thing regarding her own grandchildren. as for TVs everywhere, Americans are so shallow they must be constantly stimulated I guess. Or maybe it's just the modern version of 1984. Personally I hate TVs in restaurants. One last line of my own schmorgesborg, I see you have been spammed by the asian porn site. they usually hit 5 or 6 of my posts at once and get deleted immediately.
ReplyDeleteTwo sites so far. They get tired of being deleted and go away a few days.
DeleteIt's ironic. There are 30 families on the street. I know them all and live across from the drama.
Problems, problems, I hope they are resolved.
ReplyDeleteThat's a mighty fine looking dessert, and
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they hung up on you.
I don't know what to say or what to advise. I'm sure this little girl and her siblings are only the tip of the iceberg in your region. Where does a person begin to help? Or maybe more heartbreaking, where does a person stop? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the call to the policeman would help clarify it.
I want to go to the Church of the Holy Strawberry Waffle with Whipped Cream too! Can you and your nun friend take me with you next time?
ReplyDeleteThere are open denominations wherever there are free thinkers. The most important foundation of the creed is real whipped cream. Let us know.
DeleteSo sad when the people who are paid to care just don't !
ReplyDelete