350 books were sent to the prisons 1/3 each (100), and 50 to a fourth because some of the staff were visiting their graduation ceremony and wanted to arrive bearing something.
The E O s have sent appreciative messages and say that usage has been high and immediate, so that supports the aim of the drive.
I have to report to the Social Justice Committee, so it is pleasing that we had such a good response. Now I owe Nathan some babysitting as promised. I need to move to town first so it will be late next month, but I must let him know.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Book drive is done!
The books have gone!
The drive was really successfull with about 300 books donated and sorted, listed and packed off to the prisons. It was lots of work at the end and I felt really overwhelmed but by hiring Sylvia, and with Nathan's help, it was done. I will write a report for the Social Justice Committee. I did not take a picture of the pile of boxes, because I forgot to before leaving work. There were 30 boxes - three of fiction from the town library, three of encyclopedias, also from the town library and 24 of donated books. Kathryn, from Borallon, rang to say that she had received them but that the courier had only delivered 5! I hope she can get them to locate the others. No word from BWCC or Wolston about theirs.
Worst event - Barbara falling over box in corridor where I was packing it. She fell on her knee and it is swollen and sore but unharmed. She was carrying papers and reading them so not watching where she was going, but it was my fault for having the box in the way. Best event - Nathan's help and competence. He is an organized chap. He brough his baby son - a real cutie - to the second last session. Then on the last day he came and helped when I had just received another 2 boxes of books from Ronel. They were magnificent books, all recent and on varied areas in Business. They will be most useful.
Marilyn will be in on Tuesday so I hope I meet her for coffee. I must get around to asking her out for a meal here, before we finally sell.
There have been a few inspections but no one yet wants to buy.
Hugh is recovering quickly, still getting tired, but doing things like mowing.
Yesterday we cleaned up the bank behind the house. The day before I used the electric hedge clippers to cut it back. This was the first time I had used them and found them easy. The most frustrating thing was the cord kept uncoupling because it was a bit stretched and I did not have the two tied effectively.
Today, I have the usual soil mite itch spots. No wonder I don't go out in the garden much. Each time I do I get these intensely itch hive-like spots. It has happened all my life since moving to Glenorina.
The drive was really successfull with about 300 books donated and sorted, listed and packed off to the prisons. It was lots of work at the end and I felt really overwhelmed but by hiring Sylvia, and with Nathan's help, it was done. I will write a report for the Social Justice Committee. I did not take a picture of the pile of boxes, because I forgot to before leaving work. There were 30 boxes - three of fiction from the town library, three of encyclopedias, also from the town library and 24 of donated books. Kathryn, from Borallon, rang to say that she had received them but that the courier had only delivered 5! I hope she can get them to locate the others. No word from BWCC or Wolston about theirs.
Worst event - Barbara falling over box in corridor where I was packing it. She fell on her knee and it is swollen and sore but unharmed. She was carrying papers and reading them so not watching where she was going, but it was my fault for having the box in the way. Best event - Nathan's help and competence. He is an organized chap. He brough his baby son - a real cutie - to the second last session. Then on the last day he came and helped when I had just received another 2 boxes of books from Ronel. They were magnificent books, all recent and on varied areas in Business. They will be most useful.
Marilyn will be in on Tuesday so I hope I meet her for coffee. I must get around to asking her out for a meal here, before we finally sell.
There have been a few inspections but no one yet wants to buy.
Hugh is recovering quickly, still getting tired, but doing things like mowing.
Yesterday we cleaned up the bank behind the house. The day before I used the electric hedge clippers to cut it back. This was the first time I had used them and found them easy. The most frustrating thing was the cord kept uncoupling because it was a bit stretched and I did not have the two tied effectively.
Today, I have the usual soil mite itch spots. No wonder I don't go out in the garden much. Each time I do I get these intensely itch hive-like spots. It has happened all my life since moving to Glenorina.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Follow-up to the Book Drive
Well, yesterday I had Sylvia come in in the afternoon to finalise the allocation of books to the three prisons. Nathan brought his baby son in for the morning and was a great help too. We finished by 4.30pm. Now I have to get Courier's quotes to take the boxes to Brisbane. David advised me to discus it with Vicki, as she uses couriers all the time. I need to know if they move them by size or weight as this will dictate the way we pack the books.
It is very satisfying to view the results of this book drive. There are some wonderful books from Sciences, Education, Nursing, Engineering as well as Psychology. There are lots on Developmental Psych which will be good reading for prisoners who worry about the effect of their imprisonment on their children. If they don't worry then this might make them.
Hugh is recovering well but gets tired, and having K and the grandchildren here for a couple of nights has made him very tired. The little girls are so full of energy and push each other all the time. Kit keeps a low profile and V is just a normal baby needing holding, caring and feeding etc.
She is really cute, just like the rest of them. They are beautiful girls. Kate and co are leaving for Sawtell on Sunday. We will go down there between Christmas and New year for a few days. That is all I want, the beach is not for me - too much sun, heat and humidity.
Lee is organizing a lunch next week with V and M, A and M, Gillian and her husband, and maybe a young chap and his girlfriend: he is the junior art teacher with Lee. We are meeting at the Enginer Room which serves good food.
It is very satisfying to view the results of this book drive. There are some wonderful books from Sciences, Education, Nursing, Engineering as well as Psychology. There are lots on Developmental Psych which will be good reading for prisoners who worry about the effect of their imprisonment on their children. If they don't worry then this might make them.
Hugh is recovering well but gets tired, and having K and the grandchildren here for a couple of nights has made him very tired. The little girls are so full of energy and push each other all the time. Kit keeps a low profile and V is just a normal baby needing holding, caring and feeding etc.
She is really cute, just like the rest of them. They are beautiful girls. Kate and co are leaving for Sawtell on Sunday. We will go down there between Christmas and New year for a few days. That is all I want, the beach is not for me - too much sun, heat and humidity.
Lee is organizing a lunch next week with V and M, A and M, Gillian and her husband, and maybe a young chap and his girlfriend: he is the junior art teacher with Lee. We are meeting at the Enginer Room which serves good food.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Success!
The book drive finished yesterday and it was successfull - over 200 books were donated. Nathan came to help me move them but arrived at the end. Of all days, the lift in S block failed so a kind girl from Marketing told me to store the books in the Loading dock, so that is where they are at the moment.
The Staff Christmas party - first, last and only one for the ELEPC - was a held at Swish, a new restaurant that had aspirations of grandeur - and charges to match. The meal was canapes and a main @ $25. Desert, drinks and coffee were extra! Three mains were brought out - chilli prawns, pasta carbonnara and beef tartare. The chilli was 'hot' the beef 'raw' and the carbonnara was OK (that is what I got). The chef had cut the ham with a machette it seemed as there were lumps of gristle in it.
The Dean came and I took the opportunity of thanking him for his support for the Book Drive and he immediately said he had some books to give. He was kind enough to allow Peter and me to come back to the uni with him as Ian was not returning to work, and I had organized to move the books from the library. It took three trips with the trolley loaded with three boxes each time. Lots of good hard cover reference, texts on a range of topics are included so they should be a good addition to the prison libraries. I have engaged a woman to type the details of the books and then we can keep a record of what goes where and have the prisons keep a record of how useful the books are. It would be silly to send stuff that they do not want.
Peter has had a testicle removed that was cancerous and he starts Chemo on Monday. He has to have more scans to see if there are any loose cells and if there are then he needs more chemo than the single dose that is on the cards now. I do hope he is found not to have any other signs. He is so young! His children are 5- Hamish and 2 - ? I must find out this.
Hugh has just had emergency surgery for gall bladder disease - bladder was full of gall stones and very dangerous - it had begun to be gangrenous. The Dr said 'Your husband has no right to be as healthy as he is!' because despite this situation he had no fever, no serious infection - just the pain, which was bad. The chap who did the ultrasound said 'You have a problem!' and the surgeon rang and told Hugh 'I have a slot at 4pm, and suggest you take it.' So he did. Recovery has been rapid and he was discharged from hospital on Thursday morning. Now he is well, with no infection and the key-holes are just a bit tender with no ongoing pain.
Today, Saturday, we drove out to Acland to a farm where the Ferguson tractor, the spray outfit and the tractor accoutrements were in an auction. Richard had taken on the work of getting them ready when Hugh went to hospital, and it was so good of him. All the stuff sold, which was great as the money can be used for the garden, and I believe Richard enjoyed the task. He is getting bored and needs another project.
I also need a project at home. I just need to focus on one thing at a time.
A list of projects:
1 Make bed cover from material I have.
2 Finish the quilt - green & white.
3 Start painting again.
4 Winnow the books
5 write down my early morning dreams - they are interesting situations that could be used to create stories.
The Staff Christmas party - first, last and only one for the ELEPC - was a held at Swish, a new restaurant that had aspirations of grandeur - and charges to match. The meal was canapes and a main @ $25. Desert, drinks and coffee were extra! Three mains were brought out - chilli prawns, pasta carbonnara and beef tartare. The chilli was 'hot' the beef 'raw' and the carbonnara was OK (that is what I got). The chef had cut the ham with a machette it seemed as there were lumps of gristle in it.
The Dean came and I took the opportunity of thanking him for his support for the Book Drive and he immediately said he had some books to give. He was kind enough to allow Peter and me to come back to the uni with him as Ian was not returning to work, and I had organized to move the books from the library. It took three trips with the trolley loaded with three boxes each time. Lots of good hard cover reference, texts on a range of topics are included so they should be a good addition to the prison libraries. I have engaged a woman to type the details of the books and then we can keep a record of what goes where and have the prisons keep a record of how useful the books are. It would be silly to send stuff that they do not want.
Peter has had a testicle removed that was cancerous and he starts Chemo on Monday. He has to have more scans to see if there are any loose cells and if there are then he needs more chemo than the single dose that is on the cards now. I do hope he is found not to have any other signs. He is so young! His children are 5- Hamish and 2 - ? I must find out this.
Hugh has just had emergency surgery for gall bladder disease - bladder was full of gall stones and very dangerous - it had begun to be gangrenous. The Dr said 'Your husband has no right to be as healthy as he is!' because despite this situation he had no fever, no serious infection - just the pain, which was bad. The chap who did the ultrasound said 'You have a problem!' and the surgeon rang and told Hugh 'I have a slot at 4pm, and suggest you take it.' So he did. Recovery has been rapid and he was discharged from hospital on Thursday morning. Now he is well, with no infection and the key-holes are just a bit tender with no ongoing pain.
Today, Saturday, we drove out to Acland to a farm where the Ferguson tractor, the spray outfit and the tractor accoutrements were in an auction. Richard had taken on the work of getting them ready when Hugh went to hospital, and it was so good of him. All the stuff sold, which was great as the money can be used for the garden, and I believe Richard enjoyed the task. He is getting bored and needs another project.
I also need a project at home. I just need to focus on one thing at a time.
A list of projects:
1 Make bed cover from material I have.
2 Finish the quilt - green & white.
3 Start painting again.
4 Winnow the books
5 write down my early morning dreams - they are interesting situations that could be used to create stories.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Book drive - started
Well, the Book Drive started today and already some have come in. I will know more on Monday. I have found someone who is willing to work with me for a couple of days sorting and packaging the books for distribution.
It feels good to know that the project has reached a productive stage. Need to plan the next steps to ensure it works, no matter how small the number of books gathered.
Need to contact the librarian at Springfield, Kerrie, to discuss their discarded books. Not sure if there will be many as they are so new and have lots of space.
Had lunch with some librarians today, Vivienne, Sue and Helen. We had great fun and found a lot in common with them. Sue, married, is very fair, with reddish hair and freckly skin, and likes the beach. She has a daughter in London. Vivienne is dark and brown eyed with olive skin who likes heat and has a daughter in Bangkok and one in Sweden. Helen who is fair with creamy skin, unlined despite many trials and tribulations over her life. She has two sons, one of whom is estranged and one who works at USQ. She is a lovely person, calm and positive and married to Ron who adores her.
I found someone who is interested in my job when I get around to retiring. She will be free after Semester 1 next year as she is doing the final stages of her doctorate then. She already has a job that is on-going so no rush. She is doing some marking for me this semester to test the water. I'll be interested to see how she goes. David and Tas are both receptive to the idea but I guess that the position will need to be advertised.
My SDS knowledge is so ingrained now that it has become intuitive for some clients.
Saw a Sudanese chap today who the others think is too grandiose in his plans. Told him the requirements and not to miss any of the steps, but he seems very confident. Wilson and Jess are not so sure he can do it, but he will have to fail for himself before he will accept a lesser level of work.
Clare is keen to be a friend and I need to pursue this too. I need a diverse group around me, younger and involved in things.
What will my life be like if/when I stop work? U3A offers many activities but I need to feel busy for myself, not just to be entertained. A series of projects are indicated. I have a quilt to finish. Must get back to painting and this will co-incide with the renewed Culliford House, next year. I could start a TAFE Vis Arts Diploma but Hugh wants to do some travelling around Australia. so, it looks like a bit of voluteering might be the best solution.
I could try to see if DDCC is interested in me doing some work out there. This would present an ideal opportunity to try out the Careers Ed stuff, especially if I also use the lesson plans I have developed for this project. Maybe it can be used as a qualitative research project? Needs lots of planning to ensure the questions are considered, research goals too. One should be 'the effect of specific phrases and words on the students' attitudes and behaviour.'
It feels good to know that the project has reached a productive stage. Need to plan the next steps to ensure it works, no matter how small the number of books gathered.
Need to contact the librarian at Springfield, Kerrie, to discuss their discarded books. Not sure if there will be many as they are so new and have lots of space.
Had lunch with some librarians today, Vivienne, Sue and Helen. We had great fun and found a lot in common with them. Sue, married, is very fair, with reddish hair and freckly skin, and likes the beach. She has a daughter in London. Vivienne is dark and brown eyed with olive skin who likes heat and has a daughter in Bangkok and one in Sweden. Helen who is fair with creamy skin, unlined despite many trials and tribulations over her life. She has two sons, one of whom is estranged and one who works at USQ. She is a lovely person, calm and positive and married to Ron who adores her.
I found someone who is interested in my job when I get around to retiring. She will be free after Semester 1 next year as she is doing the final stages of her doctorate then. She already has a job that is on-going so no rush. She is doing some marking for me this semester to test the water. I'll be interested to see how she goes. David and Tas are both receptive to the idea but I guess that the position will need to be advertised.
My SDS knowledge is so ingrained now that it has become intuitive for some clients.
Saw a Sudanese chap today who the others think is too grandiose in his plans. Told him the requirements and not to miss any of the steps, but he seems very confident. Wilson and Jess are not so sure he can do it, but he will have to fail for himself before he will accept a lesser level of work.
Clare is keen to be a friend and I need to pursue this too. I need a diverse group around me, younger and involved in things.
What will my life be like if/when I stop work? U3A offers many activities but I need to feel busy for myself, not just to be entertained. A series of projects are indicated. I have a quilt to finish. Must get back to painting and this will co-incide with the renewed Culliford House, next year. I could start a TAFE Vis Arts Diploma but Hugh wants to do some travelling around Australia. so, it looks like a bit of voluteering might be the best solution.
I could try to see if DDCC is interested in me doing some work out there. This would present an ideal opportunity to try out the Careers Ed stuff, especially if I also use the lesson plans I have developed for this project. Maybe it can be used as a qualitative research project? Needs lots of planning to ensure the questions are considered, research goals too. One should be 'the effect of specific phrases and words on the students' attitudes and behaviour.'
This writing is for my own recording of thoughts, I don't care if no-one else sees it, ever.
Monday, November 24, 2008
New House - Thoughts
We have just built a new house. Planning the decor is fun, but so far it seems very bland and monochromatic. I think this will improve when the paintings, etchings, drawings etc are up and floor rugs are down. The art works are a mixed lot - by local artists in the main - landscapes, portraits, still life, some of my own, photographs by my husband, and family snaps.
The frustrating thing is that the main floor area is waiting for the concrete to dry out enough for the cork to be laid. It needs to be under 5% moisture and is still above 6 - 7%. According to the carpet laying people it could take weeks to dry to the required level. It has been almost 6 weeks now! Rainy weather does not help and also the fact that we don't live there - the place is shut up most of the time and only open when we are there. Today was a good one.
The driveway was poured this morning. The workers mix sugar with the top layer of cement to prevent it setting really hard!! Then, when it is, hard enough they jet the top layer off to reveal the aggregate surface below. A magic process. Tomorrow they return to put on the sealer that gives it a shiny, wet look and enhances the colours of the stones - a mix of 85% pale with 15% dark. The front yard is a mess but the bones of the shape is now visible.
The best part of today, though, was a visit from an old friend. She came to town with her daughter who addressed the Women in Business seminar at USQ. We spent many years very close to this family as our daughters were similar ages and they played the same sports. We also camped with them for several years on Fraser Island. Then her husband retired and they moved to Brisbane, right on the bay at Cleveland. He loves to fish.
She is well although still troubled by asthma, and her daughter is very successful. She started a mobile physio practice and now employs 50 part-time physiotherapist who visit their clients, and therefore, have no 'rooms'.
We served her lunch and talked until the daughter came to pick her up. Being near all facilities is great. I walked down to the library, returned some books, selected some magazines, bought the lunch ingredients - all in about half an hour. Must make a couple of roomy bags that will take all requirements to do the shopping.
This afternoon after our friend has left we fixed the curtain rod in the bedroom, and have hung one curtain. The other needs a bit of repair. I pulled the gathering strings too vigorously and now have to reattach them - a bummer. This morning the bed we bought on Saturday arrived and we put it together. It is really comfortable - nice and firm. We went for an inner spring with boxed springs on a slatted base. No more skirts that get twisted and now have space for some storage bins under the bed. I will make a new bed-spread - a simple throw using the material I made the chair covers from, and then get/make cushions to match the paintings I will put in this room. The Chinese one I bought in Xian of ladies drumming. A chair cover too and maybe a small table with a cloth. The room is big enough and we need to use the big chest of drawers, too. The walk-in robe has adequate hanging but little shelf space for both of us. Sorting out my clothes will be a good exercise, as I have stuff that is years old, and not wearable or worth keeping. A bad habit of mine, at least an odd one, is that I quite like old clothes, or I did. Lately I have started to like new ones.
The frustrating thing is that the main floor area is waiting for the concrete to dry out enough for the cork to be laid. It needs to be under 5% moisture and is still above 6 - 7%. According to the carpet laying people it could take weeks to dry to the required level. It has been almost 6 weeks now! Rainy weather does not help and also the fact that we don't live there - the place is shut up most of the time and only open when we are there. Today was a good one.
The driveway was poured this morning. The workers mix sugar with the top layer of cement to prevent it setting really hard!! Then, when it is, hard enough they jet the top layer off to reveal the aggregate surface below. A magic process. Tomorrow they return to put on the sealer that gives it a shiny, wet look and enhances the colours of the stones - a mix of 85% pale with 15% dark. The front yard is a mess but the bones of the shape is now visible.
The best part of today, though, was a visit from an old friend. She came to town with her daughter who addressed the Women in Business seminar at USQ. We spent many years very close to this family as our daughters were similar ages and they played the same sports. We also camped with them for several years on Fraser Island. Then her husband retired and they moved to Brisbane, right on the bay at Cleveland. He loves to fish.
She is well although still troubled by asthma, and her daughter is very successful. She started a mobile physio practice and now employs 50 part-time physiotherapist who visit their clients, and therefore, have no 'rooms'.
We served her lunch and talked until the daughter came to pick her up. Being near all facilities is great. I walked down to the library, returned some books, selected some magazines, bought the lunch ingredients - all in about half an hour. Must make a couple of roomy bags that will take all requirements to do the shopping.
This afternoon after our friend has left we fixed the curtain rod in the bedroom, and have hung one curtain. The other needs a bit of repair. I pulled the gathering strings too vigorously and now have to reattach them - a bummer. This morning the bed we bought on Saturday arrived and we put it together. It is really comfortable - nice and firm. We went for an inner spring with boxed springs on a slatted base. No more skirts that get twisted and now have space for some storage bins under the bed. I will make a new bed-spread - a simple throw using the material I made the chair covers from, and then get/make cushions to match the paintings I will put in this room. The Chinese one I bought in Xian of ladies drumming. A chair cover too and maybe a small table with a cloth. The room is big enough and we need to use the big chest of drawers, too. The walk-in robe has adequate hanging but little shelf space for both of us. Sorting out my clothes will be a good exercise, as I have stuff that is years old, and not wearable or worth keeping. A bad habit of mine, at least an odd one, is that I quite like old clothes, or I did. Lately I have started to like new ones.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Books for Prison Libraries - Donations
Books, Maps, Dictionaries of all types (languages, history, art, philosophy, psychology, mathematics, sciences etc., reference books, encyclopaedia) Practical "how-to" with diagrams for building, sewing, craft. All of these are needed.
This is my first blog and my first post to it. I am keen to have this idea pursued by as many as possible as it is something that can be done to help people who are often overlooked except for their crimes. Most prisoners are like the rest of us - people who have made bad decisions, chosen the wrong path and many feel trapped by this and their circumstances. Recidivism is reduced by giving hope.
For the past few years I have been involved with the pre-tertiary education of people who need a start to get into higher education. (Post secondary education.) One group with whom I deal are prisoners. Their access to education gives them hope of evading the return to prison that is the lot of many. It has become a passion with me to try to help these people to learn something positive as it is true that education opens doors and offers hope of change.
As part of this the access to reading materials that are supplementary to the texts is limited by the resources that the prison library hold. If people with professional libraries need to move them or clean out the parts where they have changed direction would put aside these materials and give them to the prison nearest they would be building resouces of background knowledge for students in prison.
Subject areas are as wide as the degree offerings of any well resouced university library. From Anthropology, Archaelogy, Art History ..... to English, Literature, Poetry, Drama, Psychology, Science to Zoology, and all points in between are needed. Also, books that are about crafts and hobbies, leisure activities, sporting heroes, gardening, building techniques for projects in the home and garden are needed.
Education Officers welcome these materials and to donate you need to contact the Senior Education officer to discuss your donation.
This is my first blog and my first post to it. I am keen to have this idea pursued by as many as possible as it is something that can be done to help people who are often overlooked except for their crimes. Most prisoners are like the rest of us - people who have made bad decisions, chosen the wrong path and many feel trapped by this and their circumstances. Recidivism is reduced by giving hope.
For the past few years I have been involved with the pre-tertiary education of people who need a start to get into higher education. (Post secondary education.) One group with whom I deal are prisoners. Their access to education gives them hope of evading the return to prison that is the lot of many. It has become a passion with me to try to help these people to learn something positive as it is true that education opens doors and offers hope of change.
As part of this the access to reading materials that are supplementary to the texts is limited by the resources that the prison library hold. If people with professional libraries need to move them or clean out the parts where they have changed direction would put aside these materials and give them to the prison nearest they would be building resouces of background knowledge for students in prison.
Subject areas are as wide as the degree offerings of any well resouced university library. From Anthropology, Archaelogy, Art History ..... to English, Literature, Poetry, Drama, Psychology, Science to Zoology, and all points in between are needed. Also, books that are about crafts and hobbies, leisure activities, sporting heroes, gardening, building techniques for projects in the home and garden are needed.
Education Officers welcome these materials and to donate you need to contact the Senior Education officer to discuss your donation.
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