HARD WORKING TRUCK....

Matthew, running the levers for Uncle Salt.

I'm Lean, I'm Mean, I"m a Workin Machine...
Getting It All Done is Just Routine
Climbing Through The Mud, Stone Dirt And Muck...I'm a Hard Workin' Truck (James Coffey)

Oh my gosh, I can't believe it is July 1. Another week has flown by! We brought Matthew home with us last Sunday and as soon as he left, Alice arrived from the Binghamton area. Alice works at Binghamton General Hospital so was caught in the middle of the Disaster deluge. She called Aunt Kitty to see if when she finally got out of the hospital she could come to the island for a little R&R. She can't even remember how many hours she worked since the flood disaster. Lourdes Hospital (also in Binghamton) as well as the Riverview Nursing home in Owego both had to be evacuated and her hospital absorbed as many of the patients as they possibly could.

That was only the beginning of the disaster for Alice and her family (my brother Tom is her dad). Their house is completely flooded and they have evacuated. They have no idea how long it will take to salvage and rebuild the house. They have been blessed with a friend who was recently married and living in her new husband's house, offering her vacant house to them for as long as needed.

I have started my new job (for the summer only) and am finding it SO rewarding. I am caring for Frank Augusbury (my dear friend and neighbor) for 20 hours a week. I work 8 hours on Wednesdays and then pull a 12 hour shift on Saturday nights so that Betty, who works 6 nights a week can have a Saturday night with her family. Frank is a wondeful patient and gives 100% in attitude!

Tom Tinney has been over for a couple of days this week, working with Salt in getting the drainage and fill completed in the building area. The structure will go up next week WEATHER providing. Of all the years to have the "rains"!

Strawberries are in and I am just a jam making fool. We missed last year and ended up buying jams from the store....urgh!!!