Well, yesterday I rearranged my workroom to accomodate a space for me to do my collage and scrapbooking. My cat, Alley, and I were having boundary problems. A small glass of tea wound up being tipped over and spilled into my keyboard. Keyboard is fried! I've borrowed one until after the holidays. Benefactor is gone for the holidays. All is not lost. I have two people that I will ask about a used keyboard.

Today Mom and I meet with her caseworker from Nashville. I have been in prayer about this. God's will be done. It's all I know to say.

Well, here I am a few hours removed from the afore mentioned meeting. Mom and I met with the caseworker from the Department of Mental Retardation and the assistant director of Impact. The psychological made mention of her having an IQ of 70 which puts her on the cusp of mental retardation. However, given her physical disabilities- poor eyesight and near deafness- I really do not feel that that score is accurate. Of course, I realize that my opinion is clouded by her being my mother but even as a special educator, I'd have to take those factors into consideration.

Mom came out in her true colors. They saw her independence and controlling nature. They saw her compassion and obsessive worrying. Due to the independence she exhibited the talk of a group home was dropped. It may turn out that she does not qualify for what they have to offer or it could be that she will back out of her decision to enlist their help. She has the right to change her mind.

Barry is on a waiting list but given Mom's age she was put ahead of him in priority. Mom and I filled the caseworker's ears about Barry though. He's drawing knives on her again. He used to do that sort of thing when we were younger. When I had a lot more fight in me I would stand toe to toe with him until he backed down. I'm not afraid of him. But I just don't have the fight in me any more. Hopefully, this moves Barry up on the waiting list. He does need some sort of group home environment. Although given what we told the caseworker about his violent streak, he could be turned down.

At any rate the assistant director and the caseworker enjoyed the interview with Mom and me. The caseworker called Mom "a hoot" and said she thought she was going to enjoy working with her.

Someone asked me about the poem that was in the blog on the 23rd. It came of my perpetual calendar. No author was given. I have no idea who wrote it. I've since looked it up on-line and found two other blogs that quote it but they didn't list an author either. I figure it was someone in recovery. "Just for Today..." is a trademark slogan of AA and Al-Anon.