You Are Beautiful

I just wanted you to know that.

I took this picture on a trip to Philadelphia a few years ago. It was just hanging on a chain link fence.

I'm feeling good because I have the night off. I just don't have any place to be, no place to drive Kate to. Normally Kate has social group, but if there is a fifth week in the month, we take off.

Last night we went to a big public meeting put on by the DDD. In New Jersey that means Department of Developmental Disabilities. I was told to enroll Kate with this agency as soon as she turned 18 so that she could get on the waiting list for housing. Generally I have no contact with our case worker, because either we don't qualify for or don't need any of their services. I figured we would go to this meeting because they were announcing "major changes" to DDD. Our main interest is housing. Kate is nervous about this, even though I assured her that it is at least 20 years until anything is likely to happen. After attending this meeting I think it is more like 50 years.

Here is the way I understand it: When the parents of a client turn 55, the client moves to the PRIORITY list. The list is currently 4600 people long, and they place about 25 people per year. Think about that. At the end of the meeting, people lined up to ask questions. One woman got up, all crazy and emotional, and asked if it was true what she had heard. She heard that many people are not placed until their parents die, and of course, at that point, it's a crisis. The clients end up being placed in a developmental center, (an institution) and there are criminals mixed in to the population. The speaker assured her that there are not criminals mixed in the population. One of the centers has a criminal building, but they are by themselves. He did, however, admit that the rest of it was TRUE. That's just great. I have to make sure that I don't die until I am at least 90.

I need to investigate the alternatives. There must be some way to go in on a condo with a couple of other families and then have the state provide someone to supervise. Then, when everyone has passed on, the State inherits the property. I think I may have heard of something like that. I wish I had more money.