A typical day of a meals on wheels driver in West, by Goddess, Texas

So...Donna the director of our little Senior Center was on vacation this week..We were closed Monday (should have been closed Tuesday too, cause it was 18 fecking degrees out) and I know to all you Canaderians and people living in Florida 18 degrees is nothing..but here in the middle of Texas...it was freeze your ass off weather for us..So Margaret is in charge and I'm her helper..Margaret is 86 years old and weighs about 90 pounds and  walks with her chin on her chest cause she can't raise it..but she is still sharp and gets stuff done..and very very diligent about her duties..when I'm up there I make sure she doesn't do anything but her paper work..and Kathy her 'helper' has horrible knees and she can't walk for long distances or do much..so helper is a stretch..She does take the free donated kolaches out of their bag and put on tray and turn the oven on..we get donated kolaches from Gerik's, Slovacek's and Village Bakery(which is oldest Czech bakery in Texas and invented the sausage kolach which is not a kolach it is called a klobasniky)and Kolache is plural and Kolach is singular.crap...now that I pasted and copied klobasniky the font won't change..oh well, take a good look at that face in my photo and tell me if it looks like a face that gives a shit.
so I'm at the center all of the week, except for Monday cause of the new years..so starting Tuesday I'm up there..I had made enough chicken and noodle soup to feed Ike's army and it lasted two days and they were scraping the bottom of the pot to get the last of it..really made me feel good. I only drive on Friday but the rest of the week I had to put everything out like 2 big bowls of ice for water and bottled water..put out sweet tea and unsweet tea, and the tray of kolaches, set up coffee maker and make a pot of coffee which is hysterical cause I drink tea and don't know jack about making coffee..first pot was 83% coffee grounds..the guy that brings the meals from Waco had to show me how to make the coffee..so now I always send him off with either coffee or some of my soup..then on Tuesday and Friday we have bingo so I drag the bingo machine out and get it set up for them to play bingo(and what- ever you do..you don't talk while they are playing bingo) Monday and Thursday they have a lady that's about 113 that comes in and they do exercise..they are low impact ..lot done from chair they put in a circle..I mentioned once that it would be cool if we set up a tv and used videos to do yoga or tai chi.thought she was going to snap my neck..Then I have to put out empty lunch bags opened so I can put in the milk/juice fruit bread and a kolach..then I fill the coolers full of the exact amount of lunches and make sure they have the right amount of milk and juice..then the drivers take them out..we have 12 on one route and 15 on the other..if we had enough drivers and hoppers(they hop out and take the lunches to the houses)..I don't have a hopper..so I'm in and out of the van 24 times..reminding me at end of the day that I've had 4 back surgeries..
so my Friday route..I start out at the apts where I live which is .04 of a mile from the center..there are 3 ladies I deliver to..W which is my neighbor has a little weiner dog and he loves me cause I always bring doggie bones for the dogs..then I hit A and K..Annie is in wheelchair and is Czech..speaks with Czech accent..and I love her soo much..so sweet and upbeat..knowing most of the people we just knock and go in with their lunches or unless they say differently. I always joke with her that I'm going to come in and catch her in her drawers which cracks her up..K is in a walker and has made such progress..she walks all over the place.even walks to town..round trip maybe 2 miles..Then I head out into the country to L's who has a country farm and has ducks and cows and donkeys and 3 outside dogs and a little mutt chihuahua which is the sweetest chihuahua ever..usually they are vicious..The first time I went out there the outside dogs ran up to the van barking and I said uh oh..so got out my bag of doggie bones and we became friends.. now they lope up to the car with tails wagging..when I took Abby with me one Friday she fell in love..she loves animals and when I finally dragged her away all the big dogs were laying in yard on their back and she was running from dog to dog giving them belly rubs..
After L's I go to W. another one of my favorites..her house was destroyed in explosion so she was in the apts until they built her a new house..she loves her new house and it's really cute..when she lived in the apts I had found a beautiful black angel Christmas tree topper ..so I bought it and gave it to her..the first time I delivered to her she showed me her angel sitting on her end table..it stays out all year long..sweet.
Next house is C. who is new on the route and is a sweetie..she has shingles and I keep trying to find something online that will give her some relief..any suggestions would be appreciated. then I go to P's who I really like(oh hell..I like all of them..don't have one person on my route that I don't like) I always check her mail and put out her garbage if she has any. Then I go to L's who used to come to the center for bingo,but her knees are really bad and she's had a lot of therapy and is hoping to be able to come back..and boy you better not forget her kolach..she loves it when I make banana bread..I also made sausage gravy and biscuits one day and took them too her...
then I go to D's who has a 65 pound blue and white pitty bull dog..I have known her since she was a puppy...she's built like a brick.D has a disability and can't be the alpha so she is and at 65 and only 9 months old..she's got a discipline problem..he can't control her..which lucky for everyone her only danger is knocking you down and licking you to death like she did yesterday..she loves me and my bones..going to go by today and tell him since he can't train her he really needs to get someone to train her in basic manners..I'd help but putting her on a leash and having her jerk me around isn't a good idea. Then after D is M who has a little furry who is still leary of me but knows I bring goodies so she tolerates me..M is new on the route but seems to be a nice guy too. Then there's L who has a dog and he's up and about and in good humor too..then the last one is B who is new on route and I enjoy talking to her..some of these people are able to come to the center and play bingo or do exercise but they don't have a way to get there and back..I wish we had a big van like most places so we could go and get them and bring them home..it would be great for them to get out and be among people and enjoy what we have at the center..
so after delivering all the lunches..takes over an hour..I go back and help clean up and take Margaret and Kathy  home..

I try and make soup every week...the first couple of times Donna paid for the supplies but she said we couldn't afford to do it(the center) so I have been doing it and paying for it myself..which pisses off my grands and most of my friends..but I think it's needed and needs to be done..during summertime I make what I fondly refer to as 'bigass salads'.banana bread, squash casseroles, and assorted stuff.I pay for it myself..it's my good deed for me..

Y'all come on down and visit us in West, By Goddess, Texas..I'll buy you a kolach, skunkegg and a pivo..laters