Saturday

Today I had a very busy day. First I went to a Mormon emergency fair. I am not sure what they are preparing for? Armageddon, earthquake, fire ??? It was not an advertised event. I had insider information this event was happening, so I decided to crash the party.

This is what I found out, the church encourages people to dry can foods in #10 tin cans. Members can foods like dried milk, rice and dry dog food. You can go to a Mormon cannery or you can check out a canner and do your canning at home. It seems to me they take the canning process pretty seriously. The tin can lady and her husband were very nice. Down a few booths in the glass jar canning and dehydration area I a received very a chilly reception. Maybe it was because I was showing a little cleavage. It was obvious I did not belong there because many of the church women looked as if they were from little house on the prairie. There were a few younger women that looked "normal."

I did get a few winks from a man church member.

Next it was on to lunch with Dahlia. I was so happy to see her. Her beloved dog died recently. I feel really bad for her. I know it was a huge loss for Dahlia and her husband. We had a good lunch, I had to run off to my next event.

I went to the local library to promote libraries being accessible to people with disabilities. (The wealthy library are accessible that is.) It was fun to watch how people at the library reacted when I asked why these programs are not in the poorer areas of the county.  I was told it was because the more affluent areas have "friends" who are willing to fork out the big bucks for the upgrades.

My job was to show the "upper class" how the local library now has high tech and low tech gadgets to help all kinds a people. I was in charge of a Kurzwell computer station. Its a great program for people with dyslexia or low vision.
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/default.html.

One of the fun new items the libraries are getting is called "roll a nater." It's a rolling walker with a basket and a seat, so elderly people can pick out books and put them in the basket. If they get tired rolling up and down the aisles they can have a sit.

Trying to drum up interest the librarians and tech guy made this choreographed dance with the rollanaters to the song BAD by Michael Jackson. It was pretty hysterical watching (what most people would consider reserved) librarians doing this crazy dance with the walkers.  Only about 6 of people showed up to watch.  Most people were inconvenienced that the library lobby had dancing librarians with walkers.

The library had all kinds of informational booths, guide dogs for the blind, even a miniature horse. No one seemed to care. The word did not get out to people with reading, vision or hearing problems.

If you or your family does not have some one struggling with disability's why would you care if the library is accessible or not? During the 2 1/2 hours I was there I only showed 4 people the kurzwele program. Most were connected with the library.