• Feel your pet’s ribs. They should be easy to feel without pressing, but shouldn’t be visible through the coat.
• View your pet’s torso from above. It should resemble an “hourglass” shape.
• Look at your pet’s abdominal area. It should be “tucked in” just past the ribcage, rather than rounded or sagging.

I bring this story up because I came across the results on this study:

A recent survey by Opinion Research Corporation, 20% of the consumers polled described their number one complaint as reps are hard to understand because of their thick accents. For another 17%, their biggest grievance was the excessive amount of time they had to waste to get in touch with a service rep. And 14% got their blood boiling over reps who were poorly educated about their groups’ products, services or organization.

MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS

 Eloquent, Love, Symphony, Beautiful, Lavender and Tranquility

MOST UGLY WORDS

Vomit, Moist, Puke, Phlegm, Slaughter and Snot

So this morning, we arrived at the Interfaith warehouse in Ocala to begin the day.  Little did I know that this was the final point for thousands of canned food items from the recent United States Postal Service letter carrier food drive held in May.  Our job was simple; to sort the canned food into categories that would be stored until needed.  Many of the canned good items had already been sorted into boxes that made solid walls from ceiling to floor, but there were still thousands of cans left to be sorted and stored.  It looked like enough food to last a lifetime, but  the director of the warehouse, Thomas, told us that there was just enough canned food items to last them through the summer. 

The thousands of donated canned food items from the 5/6/10 Letter Carrier's food drive

So were lead into the sorting room, that was filled with smaller bins labeled for vegetables, meat, liquids, beans, soup, fruit and baby food.  Right in the middle was  huge cage on wheels filled with hundreds of cans of food.  We began our job of pulling our random cans in the big cage and placing into the category piles.  OF course, we had to check each can to see if the contents had expired.  If so, it was promptly tossed aside.  After the first few minutes I began to wonder how many different brands of green beans are actually on the market!  As the sorting continued, we cheer out when we found an expired item. “Hey, this expired in 2002″ one of my co-workers shouted.  It was then I decided to make a game out of it; looking for the oldest can food item.

Receiving our sorting instructions from Interfaith of Marion County, who distribute to other local food banks and needy families.

The big cage of canned food nearly all sorted.

Later on I noticed two distinct points about the donated food.  The first is that many people use this service as an excuse to clean out their cabinets of old food.  I got news for you, if it’s expired, throw it away!  The second point is that the vast majority of canned food items I saw were corn and peas. 

It was interesting to point out some of the stranger canned food items donated; Anchovies, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts!!!  plus some food had actually made it from Canada.

From the big cage, we sorted the food items into sub-categories that would be stored until needed.

After 3 hours and a sorting process that never seemed to end, I was beat.  I took a break and walked around to the other side of the Interfaith warehouse; where they give out food to needy families.  It was amazing to see the cross section of people who needed help.  From young families to an elderly couple, there are many people you would never expect that depend on this service to help them with food.  Thomas had mentioned that Interfaith was supported by private donations from local businesses. 

It was time for us to leave.  The look of thankfulness on the faces of the other volunteers and workers was one of gratitude.  I left the building feeling like I had made a difference, not in sorting the food items, but realizing that I had helped my community.

So the next time you are asked to donate to a canned food drive remember these things:

1-Give out food that isn’t expired.  Give useful food that you’d eat yourself…otherwise, toss it in the garbage.

2-Donate more than just peas and corn. Donate canned meats, potatoes, spaghetti, peaches, baby formula; anything other than the obvious

3-Donate a couple of hours of your time to help your neighbor.  There are still thousands of canned food items that need to be sorted at the Interfaith Warehouse in Ocala.  They surely would appreciate your help!

The next day I prepared to do my part in the wedding, which was to give her away.  I felt so honored to do this for her!  So, I got the tux and worked with the best man on my future brother-in-law’s 2nd to last night as a single man, which meant it was bachelor party time!!!  So we went out to a local watering hole, where I began to honor him with a couple of adult beverages.  You know the type…really small but really strong!!   His brother and my sister’s friend from Tampa joined us and before we knew it, it was 2am and time to head home.  

The following day, I call my sister to get the plans for the evenings rehearsal and find out that I may have damaged the groom…OOPS!!  Apparently the whole apartment was spinning when he returned home!!!  After I profusely apologized for my error (secretly I was proud of my accomplishment) we all gathered at the garden where the ceremony would take place.  We leaned our parts and how we were to commence them in the ceremony.  That night wrapped up with a wonderful dinner where the families got a chance to get to know each other.

Saturday arrived…the big day.  Noteworthy was that my sister was late to the venue, not the groom…but if you knew my sister this isn’t a big surprise!    One o’clock arrived and it was time to begin the ceremony.  The bridal party lines up and take their cues from the coordinator.  Then the time came for my sister to get ready to walk down the aisle.  It was then that I realized a memory was being made; one I would never forget.  My sister begins to walk down the stairs and there she was, in her wedding dress and a nervous smile from ear to ear.  She was stunning!  She was glowing as a bride does and it was such a wonderful moment in time.  I cried…yes, I surely did!  I held my arm out to her and said ‘it’s time’.  As I walk her down the aisle, I never felt more proud to not only to be her brother, but to walk her down the aisle.  The little kid who use to annoy me at times, had grown up  and was ending one chapter of her life and beginning another.  The minister asked who was giving her away and I said my lines, kissed her on the cheek and handed her to the man of her dreams.

The wedding continued and the moment came as they were introduced as Man and Wife for the first time….YEA!!!  Then we were off to the dinner reception and of course the fun job of tactfully dressing up the newlywed’s vehcile.  It was a pleasure getting to know the newest members of our family and the weather was perfect, but the one thing I will always remember is the time I spent with my sister. It is hard to believe my baby sister, which I held in my arms when she was 2 days old, was a married woman ready to start their own family.  It is one of those moments I wouldn’t have missed for the world!  Kimberley, I love you always!

Isn’t that gorgeous?!?!?  A Margarita made of flowers, including limes!!!  CeCe made the arrangement herself.  I know this post may embarrass her but i couldn’t let something like this go by without comment.  We are very lucky to have CeCe part of our family.

Hope to see you tomorrow at the March of Dimes/March for Babies-Marion County edition.  As with last year, it is at the Baseline Road Trailhead of the Marjorie Carr Greenway (at the corner of Baseline Rd & Maricamp Rd).  Stop by our spirit station.  Click here for more information, to donate or walk!