Retirement Party

Yesterday, my group at work had a retirement party for one of our colleagues. She worked at the hospital for 31 years and was ready to call it quits. It was a wonderful get together, something that people don't do as often as they should.

The Gifts

I suggested that a great gift for her would be a scrapbook. I made the suggestion knowing full well that I would have to make it. At least I had a co-conspirator who took almost all of the pictures. We were right: the scrapbook was a hit.

A scrapbook for someone's retirement is a wonderful idea. We didn't have access to photos from her work life prior to her employment in our unit, but we made a snapshot of work now, when she completed her career. I used a great book as my guideline: Scrapbooking Made Easy. This book gave me ideas for all the page layouts and embellishments. In fact, I copied many of the pages outright.

Most scrapbooking sites and books focus on: weddings, births, family heritage, graduation, vacations, or milestones of growing up. I didn't find many suggestions about retirement and work life, so I improvised.

Here are some other tips if you are thinking of making a retirement scrapbook:

• Title page: with title, a quote or phrase that is meaningful to the situation, and a nice picture of her with one or two favorite coworkers.
• Search for retirement quotes on Google.
• Dedication page: a few sentences of dedication written by a trusted colleague who can write from the heart. Also include names of those who helped make the scrapbook.
• Table of contents: which outlines how the book is organized.
• I organized this book by topics: our unit, the units we work closely with (and have close working relationship with), other coworkers (such as former colleagues), and extracurricular activities.
• A section for each item in the TOC.
• An ending page
• Appendix pages: the recipient can place a few more pictures or mementos on these pages. Another good idea is to attach vellum envelopes or sleeves to a page or two, into which the recipient can tuck retirement cards.
• Use a scrapbook kit or a coordinated line of products for a cohesive look. You can buy these at Joann, Archiver's, Michaels or any other major craft/scrapbooking store.
• Don't skimp on the text. Tell a story.
• Label photos with people's names. That becomes priceless as time goes by.
• Find an outgoing person to take the pictures (if that's not you).
• Use online photo printing. I used Costco's: you upload the photos, order the prints, and go to the store to pick them up the next day. I would guess other photo services do this, too.

If you don't know how to scrapbook, many craft stores have free classes. You really don't need to be super crafty or creative to create attractive pages. It helps, but as long as you can cut a straight line, glue neatly, apply stickers, follow a page layout template, and either write neatly or print out text on your computer, you will succeed. And, there are tools available to help you with these things!

Warning

If you want to do a good job, this will take a lot of time: maybe 1-2 hours per page. My book had 20 pages. I started working on it in January. Yes it's laborious. But it's so personal, so special. If you think it will be well-received and if you really like the recipient, of course you should do it. Go for it! Work in teams if you have to!

Somehow I also got the responsibility for buying the other gift with the remaining money. I went to Things Remembered and found a pretty necklace. I got it engraved with her initial on the front and the date and occasion on the back.

The Dinner

We went to a chain restaurant that had a private room we could use. We had about 30 people there. This allowed us to be a little rowdy and noisy. Everyone ordered off the menu. Everyone paid for themselves - they were kind enough to allow us to have separate checks. We took good care of the serving staff who had to put up with a group of 30 women!

The Toast

And, because I am a bit sentimental, I prepared the following toast for our guest of honor:

May you always have work for your hands to do.


May your pockets hold always a coin or two.


May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.


May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.


May the hand of a friend always be near you.


And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.


I found the above blessing on the Internet when I was searching for quotes on retirement for the scrapbook. It was sweet and added a nice heartwarming touch to the evening. People thought I wrote that myself! Oh my, I'm not that creative!

Like I've said before, I'm really good at applying ideas. That I did, with most lovely results.

And, OK, OK, yeah, I liked the attention, too

Simple Tribute

I've talked about my quilt a bit. I think it's time to show some pictures.

Here is my quilt as it hung for the play earlier this week.

Here is my quilt with the quilt that was hanging next to it.

Yes, I did.

I did apply for the job. I heard through the grapevine that a favorable and informal recommendation was given to the hiring organization by a colleague. That's really nice, and when I heard, it did warm my heart. But, no request for an interview yet. My application was only submitted 3 days ago, anyway, and these things take time.

My quilt is being used as part of the scenery for a musical put on by some college students. It's pretty exciting. A few more people have seen my work! I need to go pick it up this evening, since the show closes tonight.

Post number 180.

I'm almost at 200 posts to this blog. Imagine that.

I was going to write a fifth post on my "cultural experience" series, but I changed my mind. This post was going to be about the one difficulty we had with the program and particularly the J family. It was hurtful, but you know, all it will do is make me look bad and emphasize how whenever I do something, there must always be a problem. Nothing ever goes 100% well for me. Usually I wallow in the self pity. Today I think I'll try to forget it.

Maybe it's Polyanna of me. Maybe it's denial. Maybe I'm just trying to keep a good attitude.

Moving on now.

OK, I got the message. It's time to move on in my job, for real. Life is too short to work someplace that does not bring me joy. I had a very bad day last week, and stupidly, I have sealed my fate with my boss. I am done. Thank you God for clarifying my dilemma, and to my coworkers, I'm sorry. It's my life, and as much as I like you all, I must pursue my own joy. To my patients, I'm sorry. To the patients I won't get to take care of, I'm sorry. There are plenty of great nurses out there, you don't need me.

Well, probably you do, because there aren't enough great nurses, but you need to help change the system so that people like me are kept at the bedside. You don't, though, so you get what you pay for.

There's an office job posted that catches my interest. Tomorrow I swear I will apply for it.

Quilting

My Simple Tribute quilt will be on display for the first time this week. It's serving as a backdrop for a play at a local theater. I sewed on the hanging sleeve yesterday. I need a label, which I will do today or tomorrow.

My online shop:

I'm working on a new product line with success. I've got to work the kinks out and make some to post. I also bought a new pattern to use to develop "doo rags." Inspiration has come to me.

This weekend I made two cap with a Kansas City Royals theme. There seems to be no major league baseball fabric manufactured currently, and I've gotten several requests for KC Royals hats. My solution: I found some Royals patches on the Internet, ordered them, and I'm sewing them to the caps. They have come out really nice. One is the look of a baseball cap. The other has a logo on light blue. I hope my clients like them.

Embroidered patches are fun to use.

Cultural Experience - Part 4

We only had our student for a few days, so there wasn't much time to play together, with her busy schedule of school, field trips and planned events. Here are some of the things we did with the limited time we had:

The first week, when A was staying at the other family's house, we wanted to participate as much as possible and show our support for her and for the program.

We attended the welcome dinner, which was the first day they arrived. They looked very frightened when they filed in. They were paired with their families to eat a sandwich dinner. We had arrived early to the event and settled in at a table, hoping the other family ("the J's") would sit with us. The J's arrived late and there was no room by us to sit so they found their own place. No, they didn't invite us to move or join them. But, since they arrived late, there wasn't much space near them, either.

We got to know some of the other families. That was fun. When their students joined them, we chatted a bit with them and their students. We made an effort to go over to the other family and meet them and meet our student, A. She seemed shy and nervous, but very polite.

On Wednesday of that week, there was a bowling/dinner event. We came to watch, visit, and say hi. We did see A, and what a transformation! She was confident, well-rested, happy and enjoying herself with her new American friends. Some of the J family was there, too - no adults, but the daughter who was in the Japanese class ("D") and two of her sisters. One of these sisters, who was about 20 or so, had her little boy with her, much to the delight of the Japanese girls. It was fun to watch them interact with each other and between the Japanese and the Americans.

Many of the Japanese girls found one of the American boys to be very handsome. Lots of giggles and pictures. It was adorable.

On Friday night there was a pancake dinner. I was working that day, so I couldn't go. Husband went and he hung out with the J family and some of the other families we had gotten to know.

Sunday, A came to stay with us. That afternoon, we went shopping, per her request. This is when we had the cultural misunderstanding I mentioned in a previous post. Dinner was at Sweet Tomatoes. After dinner, a fun trip to the Price Chopper grocery store for food for the week and entertainment for her. That evening, we watched The Princess and the Frog on DVD. That movie is new in Japan, so A got to see it before all her friends did!

(We put on the English subtitles. That seemed to help her understand the dialog.)

Monday after school, it was a lovely day, so we took her to the dog park with our dogs. It's fun to go for a walk and watch the dogs run and play without a leash. There are dogs everywhere! She liked seeing so many dogs, some like her dog in Japan.

Tuesday evening we went shopping at Target. Later in the evening we hung out at home. She taught us to make origami cranes and chopstick holders. We shared pictures and talked about Disney, and Tokyo Disney.

Wednesday was the group dinner to say goodbye. That took up most of the evening.

Thursday, husband took her out to dinner (at Taco Bell, per her request - oh so American) then they went to his college level Japanese class.

Friday, A and the group went home to Japan.

Cultural Experience - Part 3

As you know, we are vegetarian. What did we serve our omnivorous exchange student, A?

(I'm using her initial for privacy and convenience.)

The first night, we went to Sweet Tomatoes for salad dinner. She had soup and a little salad. At that point, A was nervous and shy with us - it was our first meal together and she ate like a bird. After dinner, we went to Price Chopper and picked out some items for the coming week: fruit, eggs, fruit juice, bread, and cheese.

For breakfast Monday, husband prepared pancakes with fruit juice to drink and grapes. Lunch was at school.

Dinner was my mother's "famous" macaroni and cheese casserole. It's decadent with bechamel sauce and Land O Lakes American Cheese, topped with breadcrumbs and baked. Also had a tossed salad and I made some simple Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.

Simple Strawberry Shortcake is a shortcake biscuit with sliced sweetened fresh strawberries. I make bisquick shortcake. She was more comfortable with us by now and enjoyed a second helping of mac and cheese - she even asked for the recipe!!

Tuesday breakfast was an omelet, toast, with fruit and juice. Lunch on the field trip. Dinner was just student and me (since husband was at his Japanese language class), and I made a frittata of egg, potato and southwest style vegetables like green onion, pimiento, and corn. Asparagus was on the side. Yum. I made chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for dessert.

Wednesday breakfast was French Toast. Lunch was on the field trip for the day. Dinner was the Sayonara Dinner for the exchange group, including lasagna and baked pasta catered by the Olive Garden, with sides and desserts provided by the families. I brought mini corn muffins.

Thursday I had to work, so I didn't participate in breakfast. Husband made pancakes again - because student had said she liked pancakes. Lunch was at school. Dinner was with husband, and they went to Taco Bell, at A's request. They went to Japanese class together, since I was working.

Friday morning, everyone got up crazy early to see me off to work. We had bagels and fruit and cheese. Goodbyes.

I think the food situation worked out well. She really liked the mc and cheese, and she asked for the recipe. I copied it on a nice sheet of paper, and did some of the conversions of measurements to metric. She also liked the chocolate cake on Tuesday night - so much so, she asked me to bring it to the potluck on Wednesday, to share with her friends. I think she talked about it with her friends.

The cake was an ordinary boxed mix with frosting from the tub. It did turn out unusually good, though. I am in the habit of making half a cake mix at a time, so this was only an 8x8 pan size cake. You just estimate the amount of mix and use half of the add-ins (oil, water, egg). You bake it up in a 8 or 9 inch round, an 8x8 square, or a few cupcakes. When you're a small family, this works well.

Despite the fact that we eat off the mainstream, we can provide "normal" foods that are extremely healthy. Our student ate well with us, which counteracted the processed snacks she enjoyed all day with her friends.

Cultural Experience - Part 2

Hosting the Japanese high school student was great! She was very nice, she seemed to appreciate what we did for her, and it was awesome for us to get to know her.

She certainly does know how to shop. She especially liked buying food, cosmetics, and clothes. We took her to a mundane Price Chopper because we needed some more groceries for the week. And there, she got so excited about the flavored Oreo cookies! They can't get mint Oreos in Japan, so she took 4 packages, for presents for everyone at home.

Interesting. She also bought chocolates - we encouraged her to buy Russell Stover, since it's a Kansas City brand - and a big bag of Twizzlers. She put back two of the Oreo packages.

Earlier that same day we had gone to several shopping centers. There, she especially liked Victoria's Secret, but curiously, she focused on lotions and perfumes from the "Pink" side of the store. She had been to VS earlier in her stay with her previous host family, and had bought some clothing at the store at that time. She also liked Dick's Sporting Goods (present for Dad), Forever 21 (clothing for her), and Tommy Hilfiger.

Later in the week we went to Target. There, she picked out tube after tube of mascara (at least 6 tubes!), eye shadow, powder foundation, and false eyelashes. Also she bought a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - very American, I told her.

To her, all of these items were insanely cheap. And culturally, it is important that she bring gifts for everyone when she returns from travel - family, extended family, her classes, her friends, etc. She had a suitcase stuffed with gifts when she went home.

We had one incident of culture shock and hurt feelings. When we picked her up on Sunday we decided to go shopping first. Being a 40-something old person, I thought she'd be happier if I kept out of her business while she was shopping. She thought I was bored with her! Husband did the same thing....she thought we both were bored. She was used to friends and family being in her business, admiring her choices, helping her pick things out, sharing opinions. We thought she'd not want us, with our uncool old-person tastes, around her. We hurt her feelings and she was certain she had offended us.

What a terrible way to start off with her host family! The poor thing....I felt bad that we'd upset her.

However, it took us a while to figure out what was wrong. Once we did (actually, husband figured it out - he's more astute about Japanese culture than I am), we changed our behavior. When we went to Target, I made sure I stayed with her and showed her things and commented on her choices, etc. It went much better.

There's a lot more to write about, but I don't want this post to get too long.