He's a mindreader

After 31 years of marriage, my spousal unit is a mind reader. I was just thinking - hmmm, Paul is gone next week. Maybe I should try to make an appointment for a massage. Then I opened my anniversary card - and saw that he'd included a massage gift certificate from my masseuse Christine Davis. Sigh - he knows me like I know myself.

I'm going to miss that guy. He's now gone for 10 days hunting in SW Colorado with his bow for Elk. Stay safe Pablo!



The gang in front of the soon to be completed CR Linn Resource Recovery Facility in Marion
 

Educational viewing area in the new building

Paul took off around 3:15 a.m. today. I'm sure he didn't sleep much before that (pre-trip excitement). Jud texted anniversary wishes last night and asked if Paul was checking his bags 3 times like a good Goldsmith. haha - they (the Goldsmiths in my fam are a bit OCD that way...)

I woke up to say goodbye, and took awhile to fall back asleep. I got up at 5 a.m. myself, to get my stuff done and get to work for a trip to Cedar Rapids. Scott, Jeff, Angie and I spent the day there (and we met our other team member Shelly there) for another Environmental Management System Audit. Angie is replacing Becky these days - as Beck is due any day now with Jolly baby number 3.



We headed to CR Linn's other site near the Czech Village after lunch. It's the old landfill, now closed. They compost there and recycle a number of materials.

Scarab - compost turning equipment



Shingle recycling pile off behind my sizzling hot friends (it was near 100 degrees by then)

We got back to DSM in time for me to report to HyVee Hall on time for my stint at Meals from the Heartland . I had signed up to help after Mass at our church, St. Francis of Assisi on Saturday. I got there a bit before 5:30 a.m., the appointed time - and watched the required video, then donned the hairnet and took off my earrings and necklace.

I didn't get a pic of Bob Stewart - he didn't dig the hairnet look, plus he snuck out a bit early as he's recovering from hip surgery

Here is what the bags looks like before they are sealed

Then I got in line behind another "single". The other St. Francis workers weren't there and I decided to go ahead and get to work! A volunteer lead the other guy and me to a group who was already busy filling bags with rice, dried veggies and a packet of vitamins. I looked up to see my cousin Bob Stewart was one of the workers! Small world. It turned out to be a group of Knapp Realty workers.

I was assigned weighing the full bags of product - they were to be between 390 and 393 grams on the little scale. I scooped rice in or out with a plastic spoon to make it come out. Then the guy next to me sealed it. He was married to the gal across from me who was doing the same thing as I was.  As we talked about her work at Knapp - I found out she manages Diamond Brooke - our Townhouse Association - what a small world indeed.

They have packed over 2 million meals so far during this event

The huge room was filled with groups like ours filling bags. After 2 hours, our group and the one next to us had together filled 46 cases with bags. Pretty impressive. For a half hour or so, a guy played his guitar and sang oldies, including the theme song to the Beverly Hillbillies. We sang along! It was fun and the whole time I was feeling good about what we were doing.

Just over 31 years ago people threw rice at us when we got married. Now I'm packing rice - to feed the hungry I thought. This is a much better cause. I feel so humble to have been a part of it.