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This week my company held it’s annual volunteer day where everyone in the company donates their work day to volunteer at non profit organizations globally. This year I was in Frederick, MD and chose to dedicate my time at Community Living.  This organization has 27 homes around Frederick which houses people who need assistance carrying out their day to day activities.  Some require only 10 hours of assistance, where others require 24 x 7 care.

Our duties for the day?  Landscaping.  We are to plant a hedge fence consisting of 75 plants with mulch that are to boarder the grass and line the sidewalk.  The only problem, it was a tied record day of 90 degrees outside.  None the less, this was a great opportunity to get the team together, work outside, and forget about work for a few hours.

You see, this was my boss’s last week with the company. Since I had to go to Maryland anyways, we took advantage of the timing to celebrate his departure and work together as a team one last time. It was almost meant to be that these events occurred simultaneously.  He was absolutely thrilled.

Above is the house at which we worked.  We started the day at 9 AM, well after we got our Starbucks of course, meeting the professional landscaper and the managing director for Community Living at the address provided.  The landscaper, Brian, a stocky guy whom you can tell from the picture below has done quite a bit of heavy lifting in his lifetime, was there to guide us and give direction. In fact, I was told, that he and I resemble each other.  Everyone in my group got quite a laugh at my expense about that! I believe the  term used was “Mini Me”.   All I have to do is grow a beard and get some glasses! There you go, Mini Me!

The team consisted of Rob, Jarrod, Brian, Jamie, Marcelle, myself, as well as three people from the business. It wasn’t a very big group, however, we all worked really well together and had a great time doing it.

It turned out to be a fantastic day despite almost getting shutdown by the city since the landscaper didn’t have permits to do the work.  Good thing they were cool about it all and told him where he could plant and they won’t worry about it.  So, we moved on, cut the grass with the best and most heaviest machine in the world, a sod cutter, and started digging.  I’m sure anyone reading this knows, digging in clay like dirt with rocks is a bit challenging.  Furthermore, some holes weren’t as deep as others because we ran into underground utility boxes and fiber lines for the neighborhood..ooops! Did you cut that, or was that already there?

Well, here it is..the fruits of our labor, the proof in the pudding, and it says it all in the finished product.  The house looks great and the team did a fantastic job.  The Community Living program was so thrilled with how hard everyone worked and our dedication to completing the task at hand.  The director was so impressed after I explained my company’s motto of giving back to the community and what this day meant globally for us. She then was floored when she learned that Rob was still participating even though it was his last week, Jarrod drove down from Framingham, I flew in from California, and there was a college intern from the business with us.  All here to be a team, be there for Rob, and dedicate our time to the Community Living program.

I hope they enjoy their shrubs and may they grow vigorously!

Good job team!

I am please to announce that we have completed the adoption of Urepi Beka Coeur De Masai aka “France”.  France is a pure bread Standard Schnauzer born June 16, 2003 in Villefargeau France.  At the age of 4 months old, France was shipped to Sylvia Hammarstrom of Skansen Kennels where he helped maintain the purity and integrity within the schnauzer breed.  However, recently, Sylvia decided it was time to retire him.  My wife and I originally were looking at a different dog to adopt until we drove up to Skansen’s and met France.  He was so calm, friendly, and was the only dog that never barked as I drove up the kennel driveway.  We felt he would be the perfect addition to our family and we were right.  Our family consists of a female Standard Schnauzer Skansen Elizabeth v. Brando, a female Kerry Blue Terrier Eidenbock’s Annabel Lee, an Eclectus Parrot, a 3 yr old boy, and my wife and I.  It’s kind of crazy in the house, that’s why the tranquility that France brings to the house is a nice change.

The day we picked France up from Skansen’s, Leina, the keeper of the dogs, had given him a bath and a haircut in preparation for his new home. Even though she was so busy as other people were picking up other retired dogs, she was sad to see France leave.  She gave him one last hug and a kiss then helped me put him in the crate for the ride home. France did well on the ride given it was probably only the second time in his life being in a car.  When we got home, we met my wife and the girls at the park for their introduction.  It’s strange, but I think the Schnauzers know their own kind as France seemed more interested in Lizzy rather than Annie, regardless, they all got along beautifully.  France is an amazing dog.  For most of his life, he’s lived in an outside kennel without rules.  Even though he’s going to be 7 years old, he needs to be trained how to live in a house, where to go to the bathroom, how to react to commands, how to deal with children and the other sites and sounds that are in a household environment that he has never seen before.  Within two days, he learned how to use a doggie door in and out, had only one accident in the house, snoozed in Lizzy and Annie’s beds, and has adjusted to our schedules.  Granted, we are learning about France also.  We try to give him space so that he can adjust on his own schedule, however, that hasn’t been easy to do since he is always following us around and enjoys being pet, scratched, hugged, and kissed. 

Overall, France is doing very well and we absolutely love having him in our home.

Wow..It’s been a long time since I have posted here.  Well, it’s time to pick it back up again.