Making Better Choices

So Tuesday was my last diet Coke day until Easter. Yeah, I'm cutting it out for Lent again. So far, so good. I do have a blazing headache today that I’m sure is from withdrawal, but it’s not like I’m cutting out all caffeine or anything, just the evil diet Coke.

Last night I had to run through Jack in the Box for dinner and I almost ordered a diet Coke with my meal. I had a couple of moments of sadness and despair when I realized that I couldn’t have any. So I got a chocolate shake instead and felt much better! Who needs stinky old diet Coke when you can have chocolate shakes? Calorie-wise I’m sure it is about the same. Who says I can't make good choices?

Zing-a-ma-bob

This is Zingy's new sleeping spot. In the blankets and sheets in the closet. In fact, he is there right now!

Officer Buddy Bear Blankets

Remember last year when I got my Knifty Knitter and my craft group at work made all those hats for the children's hospital? Well, this year this group took on a project a little closer to home.

The Gresham Police Department has participated in the Officer Buddy Bear program for the last 20 years. What is Officer Buddy Bear, you ask? It is a program where police officers have a bear and a blanket in their vehicles to give to children that have been involved in some kind of traumatic event, whether it is a car accident or child abuse or witnessing a crime. Having something soft and snuggly to hold can often make them feel better (and to be honest, I think the officers need them once in a while, too). After a short hiatus, Gresham has started the project up again. In January a couple of the gals in Police Records sent out a call for anyone that was interested to donate blankets to go with the stuffed animals. Our crafy group decided that we would make blankets for them.

So we made some blankets and in about a month we were astounded at the blankets that came pouring in! From fleece tie blankets, crocheted blankets, sewn blankets, and one amazing Sponge Bob Square Pants quilt, our crafters stepped up to the challenge with a vengence. We had about 30 blankets to donate to the program.

I sorta-kinda got involved with coordinating this effort from the crafter's end, along with my good friend Shannon. We planned to showcase the blankets in one of the meeting rooms for a couple hours one day, and somehow that turned into this grand event with the Police public information officer got wind of what was going on and sent out a press release. Suddenly, we were having an event in the lobby with presentations by police representatives and the media there taking pictures.

So we got some media coverage and some pictures out of it. Here is what was in the Oregonian:

Blankets and bears to comfort a child
Giving - Bundles show up after Gresham city employees craft blankets and spread the word
Thursday, February 19, 2009
CATHERINE TREVISON
The Oregonian Staff

When Heidi Seipert's son cut his finger last summer, the medical workers who took care of the wound comforted him immediately with a stuffed animal and a handmade blanket.
Seipert and colleague Hollie Kaiser, both Gresham police record specialists, talked about all the frightened children they'd seen and heard of over the years, and started sending a message to friends and colleagues: We want blankets.
Since then, it has been blankets by the armful, knitted, crocheted, quilted and sewn by church groups and crafters throughout Gresham. On Friday, dozens of blankets made by city employees will be on display in the lobby of City Hall. Next week, Gresham police will start giving stuffed animals and blankets to the children they encounter everywhere from car crashes to domestic violence.


"The great thing is we're making a difference," said Shannon Lopez, part of a City Hall crafting group that decided to support the program. "This blanket is going to go to some little kid who's having a hard time in their life, and make them feel better."
The city often receives donations of stuffed animals, but in recent years has not given many out, Kaiser said. Now, volunteers are bagging bears with blankets to make it easy to store them in patrol cars.
Since they put the call out in December, "it's just been crazy," Kaiser said. "Blankets show up -- a lot of times we don't even know where they're coming from. Sometimes people just leave them in a bag . . . beautiful ones."

The blankets made by the City Hall crafting group will be on display at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Gresham City Hall, with the creators on hand to talk about the project and receive thanks from Gresham Police Chief Craig Junginger.

Catherine Trevison: 503-294-5971; ctrevison@news.oregonian.com

Here is what was in the Gresham Outlook:

BLANKETS GALORE COMING OUT OF GRESHAM CITY HALL
And here’s an even more uplifting story from the cops beat: Over at the Gresham Police Department, employees have long shown their concern for children involved in traffic accidents, family disturbances and other incidents that may frighten small boys and girls. For more than 20 years, the Police Department has participated in the Buddy Bear Program, which allows Gresham officers to hand out stuffed animals to children who are dealing with some traumatic event.

But two of the department’s record specialists – Heidi Seipert and Hollie Kaiser – decided to carry those comforting gestures to a new level by providing special blankets for these children. They enlisted the support of Kristine Leibrand and Shannon Lopez, also Gresham employees, and soon the city workers were churning out handmade blankets – lots of blankets.
On Friday, approximately 40 blankets were displayed in the front lobby at Gresham City Hall. Among the contributors – people who either made blankets or donated supplies or money – were: Charlene Siegfried, Sarah Gulde, Dixie Delarm, Emily Randel, Julie Kallem, Ken Koblitz, Sarale Hickson, Gary Lile, Elaine Peyton and Judy Wylie, Wendy Marshall and Janet Young.

The group of crafty folks, each holding a blankets they made.

A bear and a blankie all packaged up and ready to go into a police officer's car.

Just a few of the lovely blankets.

A few more of the blankets.

This one is my favorite. The lady that made this blanket made a little blanket for the bear, too.

The picture that ran in the Outlook:

So there you go. A nice happy story for once.

Blah, Blah, Blah

I know I've only posted jokes and not much about me for a while. I hope the Random Thoughts readers aren't disappointed, but I just don’t have much to say that isn’t whining, complaining, or just plain bitching. I'm sure you really don't want to hear that!

Here’s the update on what I’ve been doing: Mostly it’s blah, blah, money. Blah, blah, work. Blah, blah, Greg’s not feeling good. Blah, blah, housework. Blah, blah more money. Blah, blah taxes. Blah, blah, fighting. I’m sure you all get tired of hearing me go on and on about my sucky life. I try to keep this blog more upbeat.

I will have some pictures and a cool story for you next week, so stay tuned!

It's Groundhog Day!

So, today was Punxatawny Phil’s big day. He got dragged out of his nice warm stump and held squirming up in the air in front of thousands of people in the cold light of an early February dawn. No wonder he has predicted 6 more weeks of winter 97 out of 112 times this has happened. I’d be cranky enough to predict 6 more weeks of winter, too! He did give a shout out to his Pittsburg Steelers, though.

While in the U.S., Phil is the most famous groundhog, there are several other weather-hogs to look to if you don’t like Phil’s outlook.

There is Staten Island Chuck, the less-known, but no less beloved winter prognosticator of New York. Staten Island Chuck says that Phil is full of it and spring is on the way.

There is also Wiarton Willy, who is the Canadian Groundhog Day seer. Will says:

His Shadow Did Appear

There was a shadow on the ground.
Which means that spring will not come round.
Six more weeks of winter fun.
Hopefully we’ll see some sun.
Children laugh as they ride on their sleds.
Blankets warm us while we curl up in bed
Fires will roar while the tea kettle steams
Arenas awake as hockey fans scream
Snowflakes fall from the sky up above
Valentine’s Day it’s the season of love.
Soup, casseroles, chili, homemade bread
Perhaps you prefer a restaurant instead
We have lots of great one’s from which you can choose
So get in your car you’ve got nothing to lose.
Head for the North, South, East, or West
Which ever direction will bring you the best.
Four seasons of fun is what you get here.
With plenty to do throughout the whole year.
There are just two things that you really must do
Visit our Willie and bring a camera too.
C. Wyonch

If you prefer a groundhog with a little more southern flavor, check out General Beauregard Lee.

I now know more about groundhogs than I ever thought I would.

So who do you believe??