Don't EVER Use the Q Word!

Tonight's religious ed classes were going well. There were some minor things that popped up, but easily handled, and nothing that really required anything other than running up and down a hallway a couple times. It was weird. It was eerie. I knew something was coming.

That sense was confirmed during the second session, during which two catechists said to me, "It's a really quiet night!"

I knew we were doomed. I didn't even bother to chastize them for using the "Q" word, because, truth be told, I was beginning to think that in fact, all was well.

Don't EVER make that mistake!

I went down the hall to a meeting room where a small party had taken place tonight, noting that a little cleanup was needed. As I stood in the kitchen, grabbing a couple items, I happened to look into the cafeteria, and saw that for some reason, there were paper towels piled on the floor near a boy who was standing upright, holding more paper towels to his face. What was this game?

It wasn't hard to see the blood. Lots of it.

I had a couple of wet paper towels in my hand, and entered the room. The catechist had a clump of bloody paper towels in her hand, said he had a bloody nose, and it wouldn't stop. She wondered about a biohazard kit. I realized we didn't have anything handy and decided that it wasn't immediately important...the ongoing blood WAS a factor.

The kid was calm, but the catechist wasn't so much...her concern...it wouldn't stop! She'd never seen it not stop! She had been about to come get me. I have to admit I mostly ignored her, noting only that she was close to panic, and I was surprised; she's a champ around kids. And I had to try not to get caught up in her panic. Her tone made me want to just call 911, and I knew that such action wasn't necessary...at least, not at that point.

I asked the kid how long it had been bleeding. About 2 or 3 minutes, and yes, he'd had bloody noses before. The catechis said again that it wouldn't stop. I told them both it was fine...sometimes it takes a little while. And this one had started as a result of an unfortunate meeting between playing children. All of the playing had stopped, and the group was genuinely concerned. It's always a major event if someone is bleeding.

So we walked the kid down the hall towards the office, and it seems one of the kids had run to get one of us, for our secretary was bringing some napkins and paper towels (much better than the industrial brown paper grocery bags they place on a roll in schools and other mass-people settings). She also had an ice pack. Perfect.

We sat him down in the office and proceeded to clean him up. I gotta give that kid credit; he had remained calm, although he was a bit shaken while standing in the gym. And his first thought about moving was that he didn't want to get blood trailing him in the hallway! And then he let us clean him up, and just did as he was told, careful not to touch anything or do anything to make it worse. That kid was a champ!

Of course, this was immediately at the end of the session. That meant that all sorts of catechists were rushing the office with stuff and things and requests for next week or two weeks from now. One had a form to turn in, one that goes to the DRE, not me, but they always try to give that form to me, no matter how many times I tell them it goes elsewhere. So there I was, kneeling, cleaing this kid up, blood all over my (gloved) hands, bloody paper towels in my hands, and she tries to hand me a form. I admit I looked at her like she was nuts, kinda waved my hands a bit to show off all the redness, and suggested she just set it down in a convenient location?

Oh...right. She agreed. I learned that one can do many things and carry on several convesations while mopping blood from a child.

Quiet night? Dear God, SPARE US from "Quiet nights!"

Other Business...

I have been in recent contact with the Sisters who came to speak last fall at a vocations day for the Confirmation class. Sister M.K. in particular has been in contact, and today reiterated her invitation to visit them some evening for prayer and dinner. I sent an email in return, but as they don't tend to check their email more than a couple times per week, I decided to just call the convent. She wasn't back yet (they are teachers), so I left a message with my numbers, and haven't heard from her yet. I'm accepting her invitation...they are awesome Sisters, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

My DRE is aware of the visit. She asked me if it's a "professional" visit. I don't know. But I do know I LOVE the Sisters and really want to visit them. And I know some of you are out there...DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS!

Next thing...

On the garage door...a friend of mine, a neighbor who also recently had problems recommended a particular business and gave me the number. So I called them, and told them I knew a cable had snapped. It'll be $138 to replace both cables (which makes sense to replace BOTH at the same time.) * sigh * They'll be out on Friday, which is a day I was going to take off anyway. This time it just means I have to sit at home and wait for service. Oh, and I really need to clean my house because it's a disaster and I can't have people walking through here to access the garage and have them see such a sty. My neighbor already did. I'm still embarassed.

One of my catechists also had a similar problem, but in her case, it was the spring..which they realized when they tried to release the door so as to open it manually. It wouldn't move...like mine. I'm just praying I don't have a two-fold garage door failure.

NEXT TOPIC....

Another winter storm is coming. The brunt should pass to our north, but my county is included in the watch and disaster. On the positive side, the worst of the travel that day will be on Friday..which I'll have off. And I can delay giving my dog her Frontline (someone I know already saw a tick on her dog), and I also have the day off, so I won't have to deal with traffic. Unless I visit the Sisters Friday, and it could be that we do that on Saturday instead. Or Sunday. Or in a couple weeks.

But the bad side....I can't get my car into my garage, meaning that I'm hoping my doors don't freeze shut, I'll have to clean off my car, I'll have to shovel my own stupid driveway instead of let the people I'm paying my left hand to plow do so. Etc.

And besides...it's APRIL! I'm not ready for warm temps, but I am SICK of snow! It's not useful to me in the way of skiing, it's the sticky sort that is FAR WORSE than cold, dry scuttering snow, because it packs down and becomes a rink if any pressure is placed on it.

I'm not asking for much...a cool, rainy spring (I'm ok with rainy), no more snow, and a cool summer that doesn't involve humidity or the necessity of using central air. Because other than my plumbing and electrical, it's the only thing I have left to replace.

Oh...yeah....just don't use the word "Quiet" and maybe we'll get by for a little longer....