MAY 30—HOLIDAY WEEKEND

They're beginning to accept me—or take me for granted. I like it. Joey says, "You're growing on them, Miss Joy." Today, numerous of the pre-release and the shelter clients came by the serving bar to say thanks before leaving. They're growing on me, too...

Joey made steak burgers and potato salad for lunch. He had some honeydew melons, and I asked him when and how was he planning to use them. He didn't know. Said he didn't know how to cut them up—didn't think anyone would like them. Oh, dear. So I took a giant can of fruit chunks, cut up a melon, mixed them, and we had fruit salad. It was all consumed.

It was my pleasure to offer the pre-release folks extra meatballs today. They were standing in line for those. ...I often wonder if they are really "full" when they leave. Joey gives each person a plate of food, but it's obvious that for some the portions are small. A woman my size will get the same plate as a man well over 6 feet tall ...Jewish mother winces again.

Today I tried to bond with the @!#%&ing can opener. It's just an ordinary electric opener, but try shoving a half-gallon can under its nose. Joey makes it look so easy, but when I tried it, he said, "Miss Joy, that plane's just not gonna take off."

Goodness, but we worked hard today! There were only 52 sandwiches to make, but I did a lot of serving that I generally don't do. I even prepared a pan of sweet potatoes for the evening meal—covered with slabs of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, and a touch of ground cloves. Tonight: sweet potatoes, turnip greens, and barbequed chicken.

Our shelter residents give their bed numbers when they get their plates, so we can check them off the list. When I was handing out extra meatballs, one sweet old man said quietly, "I'm 34," assuming I'd need his number for extra meatballs.

"I'm 64," I smiled, "but I don't tell a lot of people." I heard a few titters from the dining room.

SCHOOL! Joey went to GED orientation class last Wednesday! He's pumped! I got the whole skinny on class, paperwork, pre-testing, filling in little circles, going to the lab. He goes back next Wednesday, and there are labs he can go to anytime to work on his skills. He can also do much of the work online. We talked about the convenience of that, versus the added attraction of labs where an instructor would be available. He's on it! Lurking in the back of his mind, Joey even has a dream of becoming a chef . Sky's the limit.

I left at 1:00—tuckered plum out. Several of the guys were sitting on a wall just outside the door, calling dearly to me, "Thanks! Have great day!"

I am. I surely am.