Memoirous

 Visitors to the Tiny House have been introduced to my favorite trail, just steps from where I work and the loop is close to 3 km in length. A few weeks ago, Playmakers, where I work, asked me to help re-set the community room after an event. There had been a meeting for Friends of the Lansing River Trail. As I picked up trash and ate some catered leftovers, I said to a guy: I love the river trail! Let me tell you about my favorite trail. He said, Hold that thought, and brought over another person. Come to find out Jordyn is the communications director for the organization and after I gushed about my favorite section of the trail, we arranged a time to meet at the trail entrance, where they set up a camera and had me and my grandson ride our bikes back and forth. It was fun! It’s about connection. The following is a link to the website and to my video. facebook.com/reel/2094247154809332/?rdid=wFNswiXhGHHD1rKB&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fr%2F18aX...

Drone Fireworks Show—a sign of the times I’d seen the signs—“Celebrate Meridian” Activities for the children, ice cream social, classic cars=all the things we’ve come to expect in small-town America. Drone fireworks show! Here’s something new. Actually this is the future. While on the West Coast all fireworks are prohibited, no one wants to risk forest fire. Drone firework shows at least offer an alternative. Much safer too. No chance of someone blowing off their hand. No undetonated ordinances for children to discover. Yet . . . I waited at my usual spot: beneath the lights at the bank drive-thru situated on elevated crowd. In past years I was able to see the exploding colors hurled above the tree-line. I waited and waited. It got dark, it got late. Still no boom to kick things off. I continued to read in my lawn chair. Then . . . It had started and I never knew—much like how electric cars can creep up on us without the rattle and hum of a motor to let us know they’re ther...

I was super excited and also a bit anxious. Let me just say that reading through the employee handbook online was inspiring. Playmakers and my own philosophy of wellness are a perfect fit. That being said, the first training module following a fitter on the sales floor was challenging. The customer had always had trouble with collapsed arches and her ankle literally rolled when she walked. Yet the person training me was able to find the right shoe. I was merely an observer but clapped when the woman said her shoes felt great! I’ve only been there one day and can already see that there is going to be a huge learning curve. The nice thing is that my job is a quick walk from my house. I can be there and home in five minutes. The work/home balance is what I’m looking forward to as well as the camaraderie from staff in a supportive environment.