Allison’s Blog

Well, I have just had enough of this place!!  So I am out of here!  It’s been a pleasure working with you but it’s just time to go…

To Washington!

Therap has a new wild, wild west division: me.

I will be moving to Vancouver, WA, in the next few weeks to better support the west coast folks who are using Therap.  This means the following:

1. The need for less air conditioning.

2. More Starbucks coffee.

3. I’ll have to eat more apples.

4. Portland, Salem, and Seattle are all right nearby

5. California is awfully close too…may have to take a trip down there REALLY SOON…More details on the way.

6. Archie will make new friends and have new mail to read.

7. I will have to fly to Maine to go see Laurie (Crane-Turton), Laurie (Cyr), or Laurie (Phillips)…and everyone else.

8.  Kara and Maureen will be on their own at “The Table.”

Gotta go pack.  See you soon!

Allison

My plane from Portland to Chicago had an “emergency” landing in Minneapolis due to severe weather and a failed weather radar. This left most of the “Flight 928 Refugees” stranded for the night in The Twin Cities. I quickly asked the desk agent if she had seen a certain person named Kara in the airport–she assured me that they let everyone know whenever Kara shows up.

United kindly (after a two hour wait) paid for a hotel and sent us all there. I had dinner with Jill from Rhode Island, Marjorie from Atlanta, Marie-Claire from Tampa, and Linda from Maryland. We were a surprisingly lively crowd given the circumstances…How misery loves company!

After three hours’ sleep, here I am waiting for the shuttle…See you back in Connecticut (I think!). By the way, it’s 90 degrees in Connecticut and was 55 in Bremerton yesterday…food for thought, no??

Allison

This morning began with a great drive to Seattle to visit with Rescare Washington. We spent several hours together and ended up including colleagues in remote locations: Larry was in Puyallup so we decided to have a live and web demonstration all at once. I screamed into the speaker phone and everyone seemed pleased. Thanks to Carrie Ann for a fantastic cup of coffee (two actually, Starbucks of course!).

And then it was off to see Jamie who was meeting me at Pike Place Market…She was coming by ferry and I was sent to the brass pig in front of Pike Place Fish. A brass pig–who’d have thought? Also, who would have ever thought watching guys throw fish would be truly great entertainment either?

We enjoyed lunch and then roamed about the walkways, buildings, alleyways; crammed with vendors and street musicians (I never thought I’d hear Pink Floyd played on an accordion…). The air is brimming with the smell of fresh bread, produce, spicy meat, and of course…coffee. Starbucks’ first store is here…it’s like an historical landmark with a line out the door.

Restaurants are endless and varied: from Cajun to Middle Eastern to Basque…to good old seafood. Vendors are equally diverse: handmade pottery and jewelry, book shops, clothes and foods from everywhere: handmade salami, cheeses, local vineyards, and every vegetable imaginable (except arugula…sorry, Jamie). The flowers were around every corner and stunning bouquets could be had for $5. Their fragrance was equally as powerful as we weaved in and out of this highly evolved farmer’s market.

Mount Rainier was in the distance by the Seattle Aquarium…and the wind blew off the water. A perfect, perfect introduction to Seattle. Thanks, Jamie!!

I just drove up to Bremerton and the weather is gorgeous: 70s, windy and bright sunshine. And…I came around the corner of I-5 and Jamie was right: THE MOUNTAINS ARE DEFINITELY OUT (as they were in Oregon!). I almost drove off the highway trying to get a picture and I FINALLY DID…

A long day with folks in Lacey…and today a very special pug turns five years old…He’ll have to get presents on Saturday, I guess.

Tomorrow, Rescare in Seattle.

Allison

The past couple of days have been rather wild: a visit with Spruce Villa on Monday in Salem. Yesterday was spent driving all over the place: from Salem to Vancouver, WA, from Portland to Keizer.

Today was spent driving to Lacey, WA, on the outskirts of Olympia to visit with a bunch of folks about Therap. I have meetings all afternoon.

The weather: sunny, windy, and 70 degrees. I could get used to this northwest stuff.

More later…

Allison

Yesterday morning, I flew to Portland, OR, from San Diego.

During the flight, I had a nice chat with a programmer from Qualcomm who showed me a bunch of photos from her work with a Tiger Rescue program.  My personal favorite is Couch…You meet the most interesting people around these parts!!

It was 60 degrees when I got here.

The sun shone and the wind blew and I somehow found myself in Coastal Oregon…not sure how all that happened.

The photos are from Cannon Beach with their Haystack Rocks and some of the coastal cliffs towards Tillamook on Route 101.

Today–after laundry is dry–a trip to Vancouver, WA.  More about all that later!

Allison

108 degrees in the shade…and yes, I am here.  Amazing what Therap gets me to do!

So, let me tell you about BARC (aka The Arc of Bakersfield)…They are madly cool.  I spent a big part of the day with their management staff going over Tlogs, GERs, SComms and such.  Now, Paula’s assignment is to figure out staff training and a drop-dead deadline to go LIVE with Therap!!

The COOLEST THING about BARC is their MOVE program…They are getting people up and out of their wheelchairs for oftentimes the first time in their lives.  Paula absolutely gushed and told me stories of clients needing their first pair of shoes, of walking around Hawaii for the first time, of playing foos ball…The hallways are brimming with life: painted with trees, flowers, flags of people’s heritage. This place rocks.

This morning, while waiting, I watched vans and trucks pulling in and out to the 22-acre facility heading for their wood shop, their recycling center, their employment sites.  Busy.  A true, nice busy-ness of a facility that seems to brim with being “alive,” as Paula said.  So even though it is too darn hot for me…I’m good with being here.

More tomorrow!

Allison

July 10th is Rick Dorian’s anniversary!  He has been with LEAP for thirteen years.  I’ve enjoyed my time with both he and his staff immensely and look forward to continuing working with Rick, LEAP, and the Maine Association of Community Support Providers (MACSP).

A little aside: no one in the world has traveled Maine the way that I have and visited with providers from southern to northern, from midcoast to central…(I have this Maine thang down!!)

…And this is what I’ve found: all I need to do is mention Rick and I hear nothing but kind things and admiration for his acumen as an executive director as well as compliments towards his emphatic devotion to working with people.  Lucky are those LEAPers to have such a person…

Here’s to you, Rick! Cheers!

Allison

Finally arrived in Bakersfield this afternoon after about four hours on the road.  Through Burbank, Los Angeles and the Hungry Valley…giant mountains of scrub and sand…I made it home to the Hilton which looks just like the one in Maine.  Home Sweet Home.

The only difference is that it is 110 degrees here…

Yikes.

Allison

Today was my last day with Home of Guiding Hands…until the end of August anyway.

Everything from Tlogs, Secure Communications, to Billing & Attendance…They’re super cool!

Tomorrow, off to Bakersfield and the Arc…after hanging out with WorkFirst and training their managers (can’t forget Maine!).

Allison