#3 Collecting the Gear

Hi again mailing list,

Well, Today I went out and about to start to get together all of the "stuff", (wanted to use a more descriptive but profane word here...resisted the urge), that will be required for my deployment. So of course went to Tar-zhee. Otherwise known as Target to the plebian crowd..which of course includes moi.

Because the Red Cross is so overwhelmed, we volunteers must go out and get many of the required travel. " accessories ", ourselves. At our own expense.

Included in the requirements is a sleeping bag. The only hotel rooms will most likely already be taken up by the refugees/evacuees, and so we do-gooders will be making do with a cot or a bit of floor or ground space as we should. Well who knew there were such choices? The only camping I have done as of late is to sit around on a lounge chair waiting for my next mai tai to arrive. KIDDING........Sort of.

So I got together the duffel, flashlight, rain gear etc....and went up to the front to have a little chat with the supervisor. Thought I would wait on the sleeping bag for more "research"..

Explained to the infant "supervisor", the situation. That I was being sent out with the R.C...blah blah blah....can they perhaps give me a wee break on the price considering the circumstances. Forced purchasing etc.... He immediately adopted the proverbial rabbit in the headlights look about him and called his supervisor.

Supervisor #2 was invisible, but on the other end of the phone apparently. Supervisor #1's conversation after explanation went, " uh huh...yeah..ok...uh huh...ok" Answer: No discount of any kind. I was surprised that they didn't charge me double for asking. Employees standing nearby said to me, ....covering their badges, "hey...don't use our names, but we thing that Target sucks for not helping out." How much more well put can an appropriate sentiment be expressed??

Went around the corner to Sports Chalet. Imagine anyone calling anything "Chalet" in Southern California. It invites ridicule doesn't it?

Started out by asking an almost identical infant supervisor the same...hey..can you give a girl a break question. His reply was...well...uh...gee...uh...well...um...I can only give you 15% off. is that ok?? Big big hip hip hooray for the Chalet and its employees!! I am a happy camper...pun intended.

Went to the camping section, and the very very kind, older gent there walked me though all available Chalet-esque permutations of camping regalia. I ended up with a perfectly amazing sleeping bag, first aid kit and a bunch of other required junk that I will be surprised to use, but no doubt grateful to have once I am there. 15% off...To all of you....Please.......skip Tar-zhee, buy Chalet.

Wish I could have gotten together these campy things used, or at least borrowed them, but those that I had went with my ex, the firefighter. The camping pals that I have, are going with me and need their gear themselves....sigh....for the most part, almost all of us have to buy at least some of it......drat it!

So I am now packed up in my new duffle. Turns out that all of those different plastic bags that I use to package and ship out jewelry in comes in quite handy in bundling extra batteries, radios, flashlight parts and the like. Who knew? Sleeping bag fits into the secret bottom compartment of the new duffle perfectly. I feel very organized at this point. No doubt that will soon change.

Did you know that I am required to bring "office supplies"? I am. My kit contains whiteout and paper, envelopes, stamps, blue masking tape and paper clips to name a few things.

Only thing left to pack are my clothes, and I will wait until deployment orders to throw those things in.

I am told that in N.O., they are finally beginning to gather the dead. That may allow us into the city at last, however we will go to first deployments ahead of N.O. Looking more like Mississippi right now, although that may change again.

I take my Family Services class Wednesday morning. No doubt that will be interesting. It is limited to 25 volunteers, and includes how to counsel and assess families who have lost everything.....including other family members Still not sure if you can teach or learn that in a class. I guess I will find out.

Unless something happens before then, I will post next Wednesday.

Take care, be thankful for the things that you still have.

Lisa