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We looked at one another; as only married couples do, and we came to an instantaneous and complete agreement that we could DO this.
Well, we are doing it and we have to say that we are having a BLAST! Never mind that we must rise at 1:30 AM to have a quick breakfast and bolt out the door to receive our bundles at 2 AM! We have time to talk and laugh, we can enjoy one another's company as we make our rounds and we are learning much about our little community.
The Normanator was born and raised here so he used to know everybody, even those who weren't his relatives. Half a century later, the town has changed hands and all the faces are new. By dropping papers onto porches we are learning where people live and in many cases, we are meeting them face to face as we conduct our daily lives.
As an example of that, we were in the hardware store when one of our customers walked in. We asked how he gets along with his paper carrier. His face brightened as he realized we were the ones who brought his morning news. He told the story of how he'd found out we are concerned about getting our deliveries made in a timely fashion with the weather in mind and he seemed pleased to have made that connection.
When we began our work, we wrote a letter to our subscribers, telling them when they might expect their paper, how to reach us if there were a problem, and thanking them for the opportunity to serve them. One dear lady, who lives in the nursing home, phoned us as soon as she read her letter to thank us. Others, who attended a community function, buzzed about the letter and those "kids" who are taking the paper around now. Of course, all this fuss makes us grin.
Sometimes those newspapers skitter across a porch; other times they skate or plop. It depends on the material of the porch and whether there is a carpeted surface, wood, or concrete. There are a few porches, where yappy dogs live, where the paper is gently placed on the porch and slid toward the door, in order not to cause a ruckus. We place papers into crocks, on benches, in mailboxes, inside porch doors and in other special places. Folks seem to like this.
We enjoy keeping track of who rises early; whose garage light was left on overnight; who might be having trouble sleeping; and who is vacationing. Occasionally we will encounter a "welcoming committee" if the hospital staff is taking a break outside or if the weather invites people to their patios with coffee in hand. Often we see a man who walks his dog and carries his coffee cup. We can tell who is working the early or late shift and who has just mowed their yard. We note if there is a guest's car in the drive or if someone is sporting a new vehicle. These observations make us feel as if we are getting acquainted with our people and we love that.
When we finish our rounds, between 4:30 AM and 5:30 AM, depending on the day, the weather, and the time we get our bundles, we take time to drink coffee and review our 18 mile trip. We might discuss how to dispense the extra, complimentary papers we have so as to increase our number of customers. THEN WE HAVE A NICE NAP. After rising at 1:30, we are well ready to sleep again!
We are blessed to have the ability and the opportunity to manage this new career. We owe that to a number of factors: adequate sleep and rest; eating well, wisely and regularly; taking whole foods supplements; drinking plenty of good water; and moving our bodies. The little
Add to that the regular performance of The Healing Codes, brushing our teeth, and keeping good thoughts for healthy attitudes and we can probably carry those papers for as long as we like!
Connie Baum
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