Auld Lang Syne

The last day of 2006 brings us to Mary Helen, mom's sister's birthday.

Those Cavanaughs have good long lived genes.

Alas, Peggy Cavanaugh passed.

Two new babies are in the making with Tina due in Feb. and Gwen in July.

New Year's Eve here brings us an afternoon at the movies to see Happy Feet and Charlotte's Web.

Next week I'll go see Miss Potter, the story of Beatrice and her characters, Peter Rabbit et al.

We have a new Christmas Game like Monolopy and tournaments of bridge and hearts.

The near midnight we go out for our healthy, non alcoholoic celebration by walking around the track for a healthy, spiritual, quiet New Year.

Happy 2007 to you!

Time to take it off

The food has come and left the Christmas cookies remnants showing... time to hit the gym, start the aerobics, swim and walk it off.


I got pictures back today....Yikes

Damage has been done. I dropped 8 lbs but that was a drop in the bucket.

The crab for New Year will be the last hurrah....bring on the fruit and veggies.


There is something decedant about, strawberries, rasberries and fresh pineapple in Dec.

Today was a day for the kitten fair.

Time to get these kittens to homes. Our baby girl, Posquinyak, along with her brother Miedo, are now 15 weeks.

They need to leave me and find a home.

I have pictures to post and history to write so safehaven and town cats can help find them a home.

2006

The year has found me retiring from teaching and returning to the "calm" of the library.

I can't say I miss the imps but there were some good kids.

It was tough with 40 per class and 6 classes.

My blood pressure sky rocketed.

The holidays were calm with good friends.

Last night I took 10 to the movies.

Try and coordinate that many people! Then, since they were late and later, the movie was sold out!
I was early. I should have gotten the tickets, but then we had a surprise - two more showed up.

We ended up dividing the group in 3.

One of my sweet students came in the library today. They are a pleasure...they read!

Teenagers just run in packs! Then they are tough to handle. It got more and more difficult every year from 1976 to 2006.

One at a time they can be sweet.

Movie Reviews

Let's go to the movies.....

Blood Diamonds was the best but bloody.

Apocoalypto was ok,

Pursuit of Happiness and Volver o.k.

I'd pass on the Good Shepard.

I go t stopped by the police driving home.


After I left the garage I neglected to turn my lights on....oops...he asked me where I was coming from and gave me a sobriety test.(kinda

I didn't have to get out of the car or walk a line just follow his finger.


I haven't had but one glass of wine in a year! Well it was 11:30 or so....

Excitement!

Dream Girls

Dream Girls

The movie didn't leave me singing but it was good.

It was darker than I thought and not the simple script I expected.

It was a kick to see the 60's syles a afros.

I expected a different star the Diana Ross look alike did mimic her style and moves.

Interesting to see the first black act break into Miami and Las Vegas.

The tension in the supper club when Eddie Murphy pointed to a white woman was amazing she cringed along with the lily white audience and left insulted with her husband.

I found the warm up jokes offensive to Jews and blacks and everyone laughed in the club....those days.

I remember them. Going to a segregated school through 3rd grade in Detroit, the burning in DC. Seperate parts of the city, the hostility....

Another group segregated and debased. It must make those that can abuse their power feel superior.

Aren't people just people? A thought provoking, not simple and light movie.

Reviiewing movies...hum, I have no desire to see Night at the museum.

However, Apocalypto by Mel Gibson about the Mayans, The Good Shepard, a CIA thriller, Blood Diamonds, Pursuit of Happiness, and

Volver, a story in Spanish , about girls from the provinces living in Madrid (with English subtitles) are on my list.

I've got to use up those free theater passes before the year's end.

Feliz Navidad!

I helped my friend put up her Christmas tree since she just got back from Bolivia.

Then I helped her son Richard, an excellent artist, make his mom's Christmas present - a poster that said Merry Christmas Mom I love you!

He put stars and ornaments and a santa, candle and a church on it with hearts and kisses in between.

We watched the movie calendar girls...funny, with Helen Miren.

Then, I came home to nap with my kitten and up in time for midnight mass in Rome with the Pope in St Peter's.

Afterwards. I made some of my mom's Christmas cookies with butter and drop frosting with sprinkles. I read until 6.

Hum, one was enough, Not interested in the cake or the cookies. There's a first time for everything.

I opened my Christmas presents. My friend Marilyn sent me a lovely pair of blue, square, glazed earings and my favorite lavender soap. One for my drawer one 2 for the loo.

How exciting!

On Christmas eve Gwen had Clair open one present and it was a tee shirt that said I'm a big sister!

A July baby!

I'm off to see Dream Girls then home for lobster tail, twice baked potatoe and harcouts verte. Yum

Things I like:

movies
400 thread count flannel sheets
bed socks
warm, soft flannel night gowns
my whirlpool tub
lavendar soap
my new square, glazed earings from Marilyn
bubble baths
hot tubs
tea, mint herbal and earl grey
christmas cookies and christmas lights
carrot cake with cream cheese icing
lobster and crab and shrimp
good books
candles

Thinks I'm thankful for:

good friends and family
a home
my health

Things I'm interested in

The history of Judiasm

In 83, Uncle Mart gave me a book on it but I wasn't interested then.

I was investigating our family tree

Now faith is the reason we accept there is a God

tenent says "he always is, always was and always will be" and the Jewish faith follows old old testement and the torah and the sacred books.

What do we know of history?

I googled it and the history they found a menorah burried...the holy sites are there. I didn't realize that at one time Jews worshiped multiple gods.

hum............

It was the day after Christmas

...and mom used to get up early to get those cards and ornaments and wrapping paper 1/2 price.

I thought she was crazy to get up so early and face the cold and the crowds.

I remember her getting Gwen a teddy one year on her first Christmas, all pale brown with a big red bow.

I appreciate the fact now that I have inherited some of those ornaments.

Michael got plastic ones and stored everything in a grocery sack...blue elipses and some just all jumbled together...but he was a buzy fellow with two little one's; ..even the zorro ornament or was that Bob's?

The rest were carefully individually wrapped and unwrapped every year in the Dillards box from FL.

I put up lights around the door and went out running. I has a tan then.

We had candles in each window.

I bought a baby's first Christmas ornament and took it out to show outside and it shattered in my hand from the cold. :-(

I remember her taking the tree down her last Christmas...why is it everyone wants to help it go up but no one wants to help take it down?

On New Years, Joe and I had a party and made lazagna and had her boss Casey over and my friend Cathy and her husband and Dad.

I made Christmas cookies and tried to tempt her appetite and a ham for Christmas. We went to get her from the hospital and then went to get a tree. Both mom and I fell asleep in the car.

I remember Coni coming for Easter, pregnant with Emily, in her 1st trimester; and having to escape the smell of the ham baking. I didn't understand morning or afternoon sickness.

Memories.....

One year they came to Hawaii to see me. We spent Christmas on the beach.

One year, I left HI to come hope to the chagrin of Connie, and Bob. Since all the beds were taken, Connie asked me where I was going to sleep.
Emily had a fancy white penoir.

On our first Christmas in FL Joe and I arrived the 23rd and got an apt. and then went to get a tree. They were all free in Orlando by the 24th so we brought one home decided it was too sparse and went to get another. We went to the beach the next day for a picnic.

We had Christmas dinner on the floor with our new table cloth, napkins, placemats, crystal et al and even invited another officer as a dinner guest without a chair to be seen.

We didn't get a table and chairs till CT the next move. A couch and love seat and bed and lammps came in CA 2 years later.

In HI a TV, microwave and cabinets then when we moved back to CA a dining room table.


It's 70 and sunny here

still I can't wait for my 400 threat count flannel Christmas Sheets to arrive.

Well...I had to get myself a present right?

off to the post office then to see Happy Feet and Charlotte's Web.

Got some great Christmas pictures from Mickey of Michelle's aka Mikie take on Christmas at Gwen's.

Blue's clues, musical instruments, puzzles, books and a train rule!

My paper whites are starting to sprout. Picked my first one today. Thank you Bob and Pat for the gift that comes back every year!

Enjoy your cruise!

Christmas

I got a tiny tree and put on some lights and decotations and some tiny presents my friend Marilyn sent.

Bob and Pat sent a basket filled with drawer liners, body butter, bath salts, bath foam, foot soak, bath caviar, an eye mask, body mitt, sponge and lotion.

I'm getting myself 400 count flannel sheets. This fall I got 200 count cotton...nice but not soft enough.

I need some black socks; these great ones that coution the foot...expensive but I'm worth it and it be on my feet so much I need them. It seems the wash and the dryer eats them.

Saw the movie Eragon. It was great as good as the book, about dragons and riders and good v evil.

I may bake some Christmas cookies. I like Yessica and Brianda to come and help decorate.

Lisa from work made some great cranberry bread.

Tried to make veal scaloppini again last night. The veal was tough again. I don't know what I do wrong. Maybe I need to pound it.

Lobster tail tonight. Yum.


I'll go to Midnight mass tonight. I like the quiet when you come out and the lights. It's a joyous, peaceful time.

Merry Christmas to all.

The Festival of Lights

Well I haven't gotten wreaths on the doors or my menorah out and I don't think I have candels anyway.

My friend Norm brought me the dove shaped menorah from Israel. I'd like to visit and put my message for peace in the wailing wall amd visit Bdthlehem and the church of the Navitivity.

Last year I had it lit and one candle fell on the paper underneath and set on fire the vcr. It didn't work and i was going to return it now it's an expensive clock.

I did a little baking last night, some cookies to give to a friend.

The kittens are still here. I tried an experiment and put the sweet girl Posquinyk, yiddish I think for squirel, in the cage with her wild brother.

(Help me out here, my Yiddish and Russian is non-existant except for a dozen for so words from childhood. = Pos Quin yaok)

She was so cute all snuggled up. Then came the time to take her out and she hissed at me. He was teaching her his tricks! She is better now but they can visit through the bars if she wants to get close enough.

They were introduced to the mixer and food processor. They like that better than the vacuum.

12/15 my birthday

Walter's was Monday and Bradley's was earlier in Dec. A lot of us Christmas babies.

I remember holding Bradley at his bris when he was so tiny. I can't believe he's in college and at my alma matter JMU.

I made my favorite carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.... thought everyone would like that except people like my brother who never ate a vegetable except a pea God forbid 3 c of carrots.

Then I made one for my beau Troy and it was not his favorite or the lazagne either...oh well...ask 1st.

I had lunch at Le Foret. It's a nice restaurant in the woods, as u might have guessed, beside a brook.

There was also an inservice meeting at work at the Hayes Mansion.

Bought myself a coat, my annual white turtle neck and Michael sent me cash, my favorite, with which I got a nightgown and Bob a spring bath basket from overstocks.

I lit the candle and had myself a nice bubble bath in my whirlpool tub with a good book.

Books

Read The Metaphisto Club

A great mystery set in Boston, Italy and other places as the character runs from her cousin.

A surprise ending keeps you reading and then looking for the clue you missed near the start.

I'm reading the book Wild Fire by Nelson Demille now. A thriller involving a right wing mens club and terriorists groups are are they?

Miedo, the kitten, 12 weeks

He's still reluctant to be touched and depending on my patience I play with him or not through the cage.

He's starting to teach his sister hissig and swatting. That won't do.

He's got to go out on the street or start acting more friendly!

Jennifer's Batmitzvah

Sounded great, wish I had gone; and the pictures were great of Gwen and Clare and babies Zander and Clare getting to know another.

Mikie went and was introduced before her impending wedding to Michael in Williamsburg in April. Look on weddings.com for details.

Casino Royale

Great Movie

Beautiful pics of Venice and the Tuscan area of Italy. The new Bond is not a pretty boy.
Lots of scars, but by the end of the movie he grows on you...a go see

Kittens should wear diapers

I was having a snuggle with the tiny purr ball kitten, pumpkin, and fell asleep. 11 weeks is cute

She got up climbed under the bed and pooped. ick...

try and move a king bed and clean it up
i've had my diaper changing with her

all i go is scoop and feed.

her brother, miedo, is still hard to hold

he may have to go go back out on the street he's still pretty wild

NYC

I wish I had gone to Nancy's daughter Jennifer's batmit....

Thanksgiving

Well the market gave me a turkey and I cooked and stuffed it. I get tired of turkey fast. I make turkey enchilladas with the shreaded white meat and feed the cats the dark meat and the skin. I made rolls, gravy and pumpkin pies.

Since the kittens are sick I have to give them pumpkin and broth to help cure their tummy upset. Just like babies. They are cute. I like them at this size but although I'm a bit attached to two it took me a month to get there and one is enough for me.

Kittens

I'm fostering 3 kittens they are now about 10 weeks old two after a month are ok to handle the other just arrived and is of the same litter but I can't touch him yet.

The girls are sweet. They have the runs and being a kennel attendant isn't fun. I'm feeding them broth and pumpkin to cure the runs.
They had antibiotics too but to no avail.

They are starting to play put on a leash. The both got loose and it was not fun to catch them and clean up after them. Easier in their cages.

The Queen

Saw the movie the Queen. I cried at all the Dianna footage and marveled at the coldness of the royal family and their response to her death.

Teaching

I don't like it and I'm not going to do it anymore.

Those that can deserve a lot of money

PATIENCE is required I don't have much.

Adolesence is a pain.

We should just stop it.

There must be a better why to try our wings and learn all we need to learn than rebellion.

Students and parents and administrators oh my

SCHOOL DANCES AND 15 HR. WORK DAYS, iEP'S, PAPENT MEETINGS, EMAILS, TEAChING AND PREP. GRADING PAPERS AND ALL THE REST. tHAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. There must be a reason I returned to teaching for another year but I can't recall what it was right now.
I have more interested and concerned parents than ever before. I also have huge classes with 36 students and a lot of characters. I writw notes home, give stickers and praises, have groups, give prizes, have good lesson plans, have warm up expercises, yet I get meetings from my advisor, my mentor teacher and the principal.
It's bee a rough week or two...
I have CPR and a dentist apt. next.
Have a cavity and need a filling replaced.
I have a sore throat.

Boo Hoo.....

school - same ole same ole

Well I have two classes of 8th graders that are with me for two hours each. I spend time every day keeping them late for their behavior.

I tested them before and the ladd mean was 58. with many in the 20's. My students in the 80's got moved out.

We have a lot to learn.

This year I have kids in 6th grade 1st and second period with a few 7th and eighth thrown in . They are slow.

We've retested 2x on their vocabulary.

I'm stuck in the last portable with intermitant air conditioning. Yesterday, we had a lock down.

I shouldn't have changed my room. The one thing I like is it's near parking.

I don't hear announcements either.

I survived my open house too.

Trinidad

What a beautiful place Trinidad is. It sits on the ocean in a tiny cove with a beach and a head to walk around. I want my bench and ashes spread there when I go.

Got to visit with my friend Marilyn.
Unfortunately she is not well.

Saw the coop in Arcata, ran her errands and moved her form one house to the one in town.

I was glad to come home. It was not a vacation.

It was a Labor day!

Buy the return contract cancellation option

Returning a car is not easy.

I never intended to have to.

I did it within 48 hrs. Now, on Sunday I still l have no return paper

I have to meet with the managers manager on Monday

Stay tuned for the painful continuing saga..............

Prius

I decided I wanted to get a Toyota Prius.

I got one that was an 04 with 24k miles that had been a fleet vechicle. Great warranty etal.

I dropped off my rental car at Enterprise and sat in the parking lot for over an hour trying to figure it out. I rolled backward since I was on a slant but couldn't get the car to start and say ready.

Finally, I took the gas car over to the airport and called the dealer. (Near tears) it was getting dark and it was issolated. Reading the book did not help.

He came out and in one minute showed me that you have to step on the brake at the same time you push in the ignition switch. (embarrased)
Off I went

The next morning I hit the car pool lane and saved 15 min commute time.

Then on Sat., with counsel from my wise older brothers that yes, my suspicion that I had been taken was true. I was screwed and didn't even get to enjoy it.

I took the car back to the dealer.

TRAUMA!

I handed the key and the papers and went to rent a car.

I took the light rail to the airport shuttle and got a car.

Then I went to drive a sonata by Hondai. I was interested in them when they first came out in 87. Its 18 - 1k rebate and 10% licence and tax. A lot lower

Bob doesn't see an extra 6k for hybrid.

If I buy one in IN and drive it back there is no premium. Here in CA they charge an extra 3k and the tax credit may be that. Here you wait till Nov.

There a week or 3.

What to do?

Will the dealer take the car back now that Bob has given her the CA Buyers Bill of Rights?

The Hybrid

I like the Toyota Prius and the milage at 50k.

It's a different experience to drive no key, push button to start.

Remember the cars that had push button for the gears reverse, drive and park it's kind of the same thing.

The price however is msrp 23 and another 3 for premium. With gas at 3 a gal. it could pay for itself fast.

On the other side Honda has a hybrid too. It's not as advanced. It costs roughly the same.

Neither is available. Both require a deposit.

Car

Yesterday started o.k. I took the car in to get it checked out before my trip to Trinidad. I had to get a new rotor, axel and drum. After allignment I started off. I got as far as 1st street, about 7 miles and I smelled burning as I had before. I was trying to decide if it was me... I noticed all the lights go on and pulled off the 101 fwy. to the shoulder. (The last time that happened I was in Nova Scotia!)

The car was billowing smoke. When I finally opened the hood, I thought the oil cap had blown. I called AAA after flagging down someone with a cell phone.

After an Hour I called again after flagging down another motorist. Finally they showed up and towed me home and to the garage.

In the interim, the CA Hy. service had shown up 2x and we tried to fill the radiator with water and think it had a hole.

Now I've had enough. I'm looking for a Honda hybrid. Gilroy is out and I'm calling the others now.

Yikes...at 167k after 500.$ of repairs it's time!

To Teach

Well I'm gonna teach another year we'll see if I made the right decision.
School starts next week/ Mon - Wed.

I have teacher meetings. Then the kids come back on Thurs. I'll set up and hope the year goes well. Our new principal seems nice. I hope as is suggested he is good.

World Trade Center

We went to the movies last night an saw World Trade Center and An Inconvenient Truth.
WOW! It's difficult to watch but, World Trade Center is a powerful movie.

We cried.

I can't believe that only 21 people were pulled out. I never really got the scope of the ruins on the news. It is a grave site.

Downtown San Jose on a Saturday night was crowded.
All the post teens and young adults out cruising.

The theaters were empty but all the parking lots were full along with the bars.

The police were out in full force.

Wedding shower

Went to a wedding shower last night. Its nice to see an older couple try again. They are probably in their 50's. He teaches English at the CC and she 2nd grade.

We made a Chinese chicken salad, pasta salad with shrimp and feta, frest fruit salad and had aram rollups. No traditional cake but a waltz Bolivian style for two haoles. (white people)
Good conversation and we held the party in my friend Gloria's son Jon Davids' home.

He's building another one too. In this one he remodeled the kitchen, recessed lighting new appliances and cabinets and counters and put in floors all over and painted over and over again. It looks good.

Emily's mom Connie is sick with occluded arteries as a result of her thyroid cancer radiation treatments over 30 years ago. She's having surgery. Emily is going with the kids to be with her. Hope she will be o.k. She is a nice woman.

Gardening

Time to beat the heat with early morning gardening, sweet fruit salad and vine fresh tomatos and basil.

It takes about 30 min to water the plants in my back yard and deck while the sprinkler on the front lawn do their thing.

There is something about digging in the dirt. Planting and transplanting and even watering that is calming.

I want to go to Australia and dive on the Great Barrier Reef. The last time I got a visa it was free in 78. Now it costs more than $50.

It will be an expensive trip and I'm not getting younger...got to go soon.

I have no desire to go to see Ayers Rock or over to the over side Sydney and maybe Lady Elliott island will be enough. A long 20 hr. flight for a week.

New Zealand? I'm not sure? Tanzania? maybe....

Love those sweet fresh fruits of summer

Nothing is better than a sweet nectarine, rasberries, blueberries, strawberry shortcake and peaches or cobbler yummm!

Love it and stuff myself from asparagus season here in CA in Feb. to artichokes in May and everything fresh in June.

Wonderful corn and basil salad and fresh grown tomatos! The best!Fortunately it goes to Oct. here.

I make my favorite rasberry jam :-)!

A little more painting

Decided the entire dining room wall needs to be painted.

Too bad I gave the remaining paint to Gloria for a friend of hers.

An Inconvenient Truth

Just finished Al Gore's book An Inconvenient Truth. It was great. I will continue to look for ways to conserve. My next car will be a hybrid. I have reduced my driving a lot. It helps that my commute is so short.

Today it was in the 80's again. I was up overlooking the Silicon Vally and saw the grey. Smog breathing it, We better get a handle on our world. The US and DC better get on the environmental train.

We've got such a beautiful planet I hate that me are destroying it. What's wrong with us?
Alternative forms of energy can certainly help.

Plant!

Sleep

Slept for 11 hours today got up and went to work. I can always tell when a cycle is coming. I keep drifting off. I read a bid and prefer oblivion. Marilyn called at 9 to tell me not to come to Trinidad since her friend was extending his stay. Given this feeling I'm not sure I'd be in a place to make the 6 hr. drive up there anyway. It would be nice to beat the heat and it is beautiful. She is really in pain and needs a lot of help. I need to be up to do that.

To teach or not to teach that is the question.....

I am toying with this question for the fall. I don't like teaching jr. high. I am investigating returning to adult ed. One minute I say I will then I have a dream where my subconscience tells me not to. I should listen and stay with the library and fill in with occassional teaching.

Bob is now 63.
Happy birthday bro.

Pirates and Superman Returns

Pirates of the Carribean was great with the special effects.
The second flick, Superman was interesting but by the end of a double feature my feet were frozen and I had enough of movies even if I had to go out and face the heat.
It was nice for the library to give freen pizza and theater tickets as part of their summer reading program. I certainly read enough to qualify for the 25 hours many times over.
My kids at school likes them too they even reluctantly took a book that I told them they had to have to get the other prizes.

Too Darn hot

I went to see a double feature from 1-6 in the afternoon to get out of the heat. With temps. up to 104, two fans just couldn't keep up! There have been up to 125 deaths in CA and I have been pouring decaf icetea with mint and lemon continously down my throat. It doesn't even cool down at night. Usually the fog rolls in but at midnight, 2 and 4 a.m. I know it's not going to happen.

bbq

WE'LL I'M GONNA CELEBRATE THE 4TH BY GOING TO SEE THE MOVIE cars WITH dAVID.
THEN WE'LL DO A COOKOUT.
HE'S MAKE TERREKI CHICKEN AND i SUPPLY THE GRILLED VEGGIES, EGGPLANT, PEPPERS AND ZUCHINI AND I HAVE CORN ON THE COB.

Since I start Summer school on the 5th it will be a early night. I don't like to go out among the throngs anyway too much traffic.

Brunch and Swimming

Went to Los Gatos to the Country Cafe with Kim and Brianna today. Then we went to the swimming pool. It was hot!

Don't eat a yummy breakfast and then get in a bathing suit. I didn't care I just wanted to get my clothes off and et in the pool to cool off!

I got my first frapachino at Peet's coffee and stopped by Whole foods for some take out curried chicken salad. Yum!

NO AC AT THE MN LIBRARY

Went to work today to find out that the AC was out all weekend, Here I am sweltering in 90 degrees,,,then we get to go home.

Can't work or serve the SJSU patrons in that heat!

:-)

What did we do in DC before air?

.....sweat

Summer School

Summer school starts on Mon. with teachers workshops on Thinking maps.

next week the kids come.

Only a month.

I can do that right?

But why do I want to?

The library is calmer....

Yessica helps

6/20

Picked Yessica up to spend the night at midnight and we prepped and painted. She, going into 6th grade just jabbered like a magpipe till 2 when we had finished 2 walls of the family room.

I've known her since 1st grade from biblioteca (the library). Her sister Brinanda have had friends over to camp out in the back yard and I took them to Big Sur camping. Some exposure to things they wouldn't normally have and things to do and for me a little "parenting" and a peek into a culture I only see the outside of. I went to her mom's baby shower....really different and interesting...there were more kids than mom's!

They now have a little sister Adrianna, now 2.

Their mom speaks only Spanish and it's been interesting to watch her grow up.

I was a chaperone for her class to SF Mission Delores last year.

We watched a movie till nearly 3 and finally passed out.

It's been so hot we have to paint in the morning or given my propensity to be a night owl, in the middle of the night.

Painting

Finally painted the LR fireplace wall the mango. cantaloupe color, It looks good. Don't know now what took me so long.

The I painted the DR wall to match. That was nervy. I think it looks o.k.

and then the FR wall too. see pictures to follow!

The door to the house comes next sanded and red!

Recovery

6/10

Took me a week to recover from the school year!

Just finished Robert Parker's new book Blue Screen. I liked it.

Finally got ot in the garden and started getting it under control.

I'm looking at plans to head to NYC in Dec. for Jennifer's do and April to Williamsburg for Michaels.

Hope my friend from H.S. can join me in VA. The Wren building should be beautiful.
On Sunday we can go for brunch or tea sat the Williamsburg Inn. I

Great America/School's Out

6/8
So happy! Couldn't take another moment.

Took the little angels to Great America. One ran off with her boyfriend and we sat on the bus for an hour calling the police, mom, dad, home, cell, principal, the park with 100 kids before we could go.

Another boy got arrested for shoplifting.

I was so sore the next day.

Can't see I missed anything waiting 26 years to get to the park.

I went on two rides, one water one and one whirl thing nothing above a 3 for me.
I don't do rollar coasters so let the kids do the others Survivor and Top Gun.

Gas Prices 5/9/06

Well I had to fill up my Honda Accord today for the first time in a while. The gost per gal. is $3.25 or so and I spent over $31.00 without being totally empty. I'm glad my commute is only a mile and I don't do too much driving. I've always tried to group my trips together but I sure will now.

Testing is over for the kids today. I have 2 more days of sick leave to take before the end of school 6/15. Guess some long weekends are in order. The weather is 80 today.
I just started The diary of Anne Frank with one of my classes today. I really want to show then Schlindler's List but it's R rated so I'll selectively skip some sections. They don't have any grasp of the Ayran race and ethnic purification.
I tried to prepare them today to imagine what 3 years of hiding at their age with their family and 3 strangers in a tiny space might be like.

I remember being horrified and shown footage day after day in social studies the realities of WW2.
I'm not sure these kids have social studies. (Except a select few or art) I know they don't have science. The tests were difficult. I sure didn't know the answers to the comparative religion questions. Science was today and they didn't know that water turned to gas as it was heated. (the sample)

Back to normal tomarrow. I'm watching War of the World today.

The Monday after....5/8

The dinner party was a success. What turned out to be Mexican instead of Chinese consited of:

Menu:
Chicken Enchilladas
guacamole
salsa
4 color salsa
chips
flan
tacos
Enchilazana or Chaquillas A tomatillo, jack, garlic, onion, cillantro sause with chicken and layered corn tortillas like lazagna.
and a big salad
dinner for 6
I had one vegetarian and one diabetic so I had a lot of low fat things like turkey tacos with corn adn black beans!
(blastfamy!)
What a lot of work, my feet hurt. Maybe if you take it in stages of an hour or two you can do it. Even with the food processor it was a lot of standing and chopping.

Karen came over on Fri. and helped with some prep too. It was great to get some one on one time with her. I was pooped.

I started on Friday making the stock chicken and the green sauce.

We had a good time. It's always nice to be with friends.

I don't know how Peggy does groups 25 and up my limit may be 10. (except for family) ((not that I have any here, so my friends are family)

On Sunday, we saw the play, The Cook. It was good. I prefer night, not Sun. afternoons. I feel I've wasted those Sundays and they are precious.

Boy, did I sleep.

I'm reading Dark Harbor by Stuart Woods.

I'm getting a new crown today. The other one was removed. These things are expensive!
After picking up the paint yesterday, Eric, the scamp didn't show, nor was he in school today; nor did his mother. Here I am trying to help these people out and they did me.
It's a good thing I really wasn't depending upon him. He promised up and down he would do it today.

After looking at the color, I think that I will to a faux finish. The dark color alone would be too much, but mixed and wiped with yellow and honeysuckle it should be ok for one wall. It's not that big a space with a fireplace and a window and two high triangle windown on that living room wall. It probably won't even use up 1/2 a gal.
Now with company coming I have all the space preped. Oh well, I won't take it down and do it again we will survive. 8 for dinner now. Couldn't find blue corn tortilla chips.

Cinco de Mayo

It's not Independence Day but you ouldn't tell it here! Flags are waving are music is playing. The French who lost the battle in Puebla might not appreciate it though.

Discovered Goldfish PhysEdibibles, baked lemon animal crackers yum .9 ox is 120 cal. better than rice cakes!

May 4th Almost Cinco de Mayo

Just watch A day without a Mexican and watching Tortilla Soup. I've got to keep the kids quiet after testing and we give them 3 hours. today was math. There are only so many word searches and so much reading they can do. Tomarrow they are bringing "Charlie and the Chocolate factory" or "Water Boy". The library can help but they have seen my copies of Jurassic Park and " The Horse Whisperer."

Today the painting of the living room fireplace wall takes place with one of my students doing the work. His mother cleans for me. His dad is a Gardner and they did my spring cleaning in the back yard. They need the money and stupidly his dad bought a new truck yet he doesn't have enough money for a $25.00 lawnmower part.

May 3rd a play "The Cook"

Going to see a play at Teatrovision at the Mexican Herritage Plaza on Sunday. Its about the cook who keeps on cooking her favorites in pre and post Castro Cuba while the Senora is runnning around, packing and trying to get her stuff together. The cook is the keeper of the hacienda once she leaves and the caretaker as well. A la "Water for Chocolate", she keeps the traditions alive through the food.

Boy was MAy 1st a big deal here. Once of my classes had only 8 kids. There were pictures of huge lines of people running more than a mile and more than a million. I really didn't see any difference except some of the kids were out. Fine with me.

April showers

I'm tired of the rain here in San Jose hopefully this week we'll get back to normal. It has been great for the plants. My orange and lemon trees are in bloom, the primroses and geraniums are flowering and the grass is growing.
The freesias smell good, roses are abloom and the paper whites have run their course. Now all the flowering plum trees are in bloom and the lillies.
I've had the gardener come once to clean the back dow to cut the 1st grass of the season. Its finally dried out so I planted some poppy seeds and sunflowers.
My tomato seedlings are sprouting too. Time to put them outside once it gets to those 80 degree days scheduled for this week.

Its so great to see Clare Rena's picture's as she grows on gwen's blog. Was fun to see the pictures of Tina's wedding too. I have some of Jonathan's NY NY I should post from April last last.

I heard from Lynn. She and Walt are doing well. Can't believe Alexa is 16 and a Jr. Brandon is at my almamater, JMU and her other son working on his MBA.
NOt too sure my MBA ever helped me but it was interesting.

Only 7 more weeks or so of school. The kids are all getting antzy. They are never easy though.

Just got a laptop.

It helps to play bridge and for those sleepless nights.

This morning I was up at 4 and did a document for my class and had time to get it run off before school.