and the earth shook

I was brushing my teeth when the earthquake hit a little after 8, I had just arranged to meet Armando, not really wanting the company until then. Then you don't want to be alone. He couldn't get throygh to call me on my land line although his cell phone worked.
It seemed to go on forever even though it was only a 5.6. It was centered near our homes. It took about 10 min to get any information on the t.v. Nothing fell but my Lacey was freaked out.

Tody is Halloween and all the kids are excited and dressed up in their Halloween costumes and ready for the parade at lunch. Some of these kids have been up since 5 putting makeup on. The costumes range from clowns to slashers to goths. I wanted to stay home today.

Costume or not?

The first rain of the season hit yesterday. It made me want to curl up and read with a fire, a bowl of soup and a book.

The time change hasn't happened yet but getting up in the dark makes it feel like it.

This weekend it is going back up to 80.

My last chance for painting and windows. I can't believe Thanksgiving is three weeks away.

I went to see the Dr. at Kaiser yesterday. The dermatologist told he I have rosea, adult onset acne and gave me an antibiotic and cream. I had such great skin for so many years I find this really hard to deal with. After a mere 4 days my skin was better but I needed to discontinue the doxycycline. (sic) It made my tummy sick. Not to mention the GI upset and the interaction with calcium.

I'm having one of those days where I just don't want to be here. The superintendent is having a luncheon here today.

My assistant was a flapper.

red door

Emily, Scott, Abby, Ethan and Libby celebrate the season

I've got a new red door. Granted it could use a bit more sanding. The garage is next. My friend wants me to just get a new one. My thinking is that this one works just fine. It can wait.

I talked to some people who built their own cabinets this weekend and it would see, I've grossly underestimated the cost of a kitchen remodel.
I figure counters refacing cabinets, new ovens and a pantry floor to ceiling.

My new blinds came and I got 2 of 4 hung.

I decided to repaint the garage door too...terra cotta. I can't believe how much time it takes to just paint and hand stuff. prep is a lot of time.

The weather was beautiful. I love it in the 70's.

like giving birth

Having my wisdom tooth pulled was like giving birth..you want to say lets forget this, leave it in I want to go home, but you know you can't. I did say mid pull, I'll just take care of it, we can forget this idea. Oops too late.

On the positive side, He said I have strong bones.

On the negative side he had to take a wooden mallet to it eat more Wheaties and beat it out. The root was twisted so it come out in two pieces.

It turns out my pcp told me the clindanizin he proscribed and gave to me yesterday presurgery, I'm alergic to. I haven't taken any more but my choices are so limited. doxycylin but no sulfa or pencyclin drugs and I hate enythroymecin. Maybe I don't need the drugs. It's hard to smile much.

Tonight I'm going to a play Arriving from Arrivada, the story of Mexican illegals walking across the Sonoran dessert to enter Arizona. It's in English and Spanish.

The potluck yesterday was great. A good thing before an extraction. I should have had done a r upper quadrant deep cleaning too as long as I was numb but I'm sure the oral and maxillofacial and facial cosmetic surgeon might not have wanted to do that.

He did tall me that he thought the bump I have on my tongue is 99% probably not cancer but just scar tissue from a place I bit. Now I have to get some antibiotics and go back in a week. Imagine they wanted to do 3 at once. Are they crazy? 1 was traumatic enough. I have 2 out 2 in. The last one 17 years ago was not as difficult but I was surprised then too that they just yank it out. This time they did drape me like for surgery to isolate my head and keep the area as sterile as possible. It was a good thing. I was bleeding a bit. I'm still in trauma and it's the next day.

I'm aware of the stitches and the swelling but there is really no pain. I did take one ibuprofen 800 mg last night at 1. He gave me 600mg. Imagine putting my age to the year and month on the bottle! It caused me to miss my nap. I fell asleep during ER.

Wisdom lost

Time to have another wisdom tooth pulled. Two to go but I need to go one at a time. Last week I broke a tooth chewing gum and a week later it was filled and may need a crown. Theses teeth are just getting old.

It doesn't help that I like bit of honey and sticky candy and gum.

The weather here in No. CA has been spectacular. "They" call it earth quake weather.

I'm planting my bulbs and put in paper whites and yesterday picked 3 more tomato's. In the back where they don't get enough sun I've yet to get one but the basil is fine. I need to more those sweet 100's to the front and see if I can get one this year from the plants I started in May as seeds.

The primroses and violets and inpatients look great.

My 4 new sets of blinds game yesterday. Three go in the kitchen to replace the woven wood that were there when I bought the house. The other set are for my office. I need to move the one there to the spare bedroom and put mine up again from under the bed.

My cat Lacey won't be happy. She likes to "Patrol" from up on that window and that is where she goes every a.m. around 6.

I'm having one more wall in the dining room painted melon, the color of cantaloupe. I hope they managed to match what the other one was. I did the first 3 2 years ago in the heat of the summer.

I just read the new Stuart Woods, "Stone Barrington" novel,

Shoot him if he runs

. Kept me up till 1. That must be why I woke at 7:15. I've got to start setting that alarm again.

We're having a potluck at school today. I made my carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

Painting

Armando just primed the front door and then it gets painted red. The trim is black. After 4 trips to Kelly Moore and one to Orchard Supply, my Sunday was filled with the farmers market and the Thai restaurant we love for this great coco, chicken soup with lemon grass, carrots, onion, cilantro, tomato and I also like their yellow chicken curry as hot as it is.
I hit the farmers market too.
After the Mexican market where I discovered carnitas I made the rounds home.

It was a spectacular weekend. I love October in CA.

Before I left on Friday I chose the winners for the bookmark contest at school.

I need to copy and laminate them now.

Black Monday

Remember when all the stocks took a dive? I lost a lot on paper.... It was Michael's birthday then too. This time it's friday.

Happy birthday Mr. Mickey! I hope you have great plans to go and celebrate.

I've been getting in to open up at 7:30. I've been getting some kids to sign up for a drawing and I have a few bookmarks but they come in for the games. Gift cards to Jamba Juice and Starbucks only go so far. I've been giving out pencils.

I'm running out of time each day to get things done.

Tomarrow I sign papers to redo my kitchen...new oven,lights,counter and cabinets. I'm having the living room upper windows replaced too, the fireplace eplaced with marble and new carpeting. I just got blinds for the kitchen and my office.

Fall

The leaves are changing and we had our 1st major rain storm.

I opened up early yesterday so the kids could come in. They want me to open at 7:30 v 8. I tried this morning but still was 16 min off in traffic. The rain didn't help though. The principal is checking my contract to see if librarian/teachers are required to be here different hrs, than the teachers. Well, then they should pay me more. I gave book talks today. I go to another school on Monday for

Teen Read Week

.

Everyone Bob and Pat and Peggy are off to Italy and I'm envious. I'd like to see Florence and Venice again and Rome, Milan and Turkey and Greece. I need 3 weeks at least. Traveling longer than that is too hard on me.

Then there is the diving I'd like to do in Australia. This would be a nice time for that too.

I'm planning on a clown for Halloween or pulling out Mom's ,mink stole out over a dress with a hat and heels and make a cake, carry it on a stand and be a 50's lady.

I'm up at 5.

Today I'm going to made Armando's chicken mole verde and plant my onion, garlic and shallot sets.

I had to go to two markets to find pumpkin seeds unshelled. They are distributed by Guadalajara out of L.A. Then I had to toast them till they popped and grind them. It smelled like coffee. Afterwards you add a cup of stock and simmer and it turns dark then add the tomatillos you simmered with serrano and jalapenos and chopped to the mix and simmer. Already it sounds too spicy to me.

While I was in the Mexican market I got a taco for lunch. I told him to put a tiny pit of salsa verde on it. Mistake. To me that means 4 drops. He put a lot. I ended up tossing the tortillas and heating more when I got home to add with crema and black beans. I told Armando I made his favorite. I can have some left over brisket ot carne asada or leftover cube steak or chicken mole with rice if it's too hot. I dipped a tiny piece of chicken in it to test but I really couldn't tell.

Toasting the pepetas (pumpkin seeds) reminded me of toasting Indian spices, black mustard seeds particularly.

I'm going to look into going to Belize or Costa Rica over Christmas or Spring Break. The trip to Belize goes through Charlotte so maybe I could see Nancy and Mikie n Michael.

Post Office

Yesterday I went to mail a baby present to Wesley and the first p.o. had moved. Then I went to the 2nd and was so irritated that I had to use a machine. Once I got home I realized it was Columbus day and all banks were. I was lucky to get it done at all.

The biggest pumpkin weighed in at 1500 lbs.

I have mine on top of my pillar in front. At school I got a small one and some Indian corn.

Since we shut down the school's ethernet Friday and Monday there were tons to check in. I also had to re thread the laminator, a pain, but with help from my library assistant Carol we got it done.

I've been putting kids to work to pay off their fines. There were over 11k in lost books.

The tomatoes and basil are still growing.

The Beach

This weekend was beautiful and we went to the beach driving over past all the pumpkin patches in 1/2 moon bay, Pescadero, Santa Cruz and Capatola. I love the drive next to the ocean. We sat on the beach for awhile and when he got too cold with only his shirt we
moved on. Everyone was out to enjoy the splendor. The weather was beautiful.
All the pumpkin patches are full. It's so wonderful to have the company. It's been a long time. I stopped at the 1/2 Moon Bay Nursery to stock up on bulbs, tulips, paper whites, amaryllis, freesias, iris and for the first time onion and garlic sets. I got my favorite pansies, mums, jonnyjumpups and primroses. It's time for cyclamen here.


I made a beef brisket, my first, the other night. I had it with Aunt Francis. Seems good but you have to cook it in liquid, wine and stock with garlic, onion and bay leaves. I also made Armando another pot of black beans.

Life is good.

It's almost soup weather. Once I eat the brisket and potatoes and carrots I think I'll make a pot of my favorite beef veggie soup. Why is beef brisket so expensive if you have to cook it so long? The same with short ribs?

We are preparing for Teen Read week October 15-19th. I'm presenting a booktalk on Magyk by Angie Sage and have a contest of making bookmarks and drawings for the most books read and book talks every 1/2 hr. The public library is having a drawing for Barnes and Noble gift certificates, movie passes, money and a movie and pizza. I can't compete but I do have them captive. The other is at 6 p.m.

I read the new Nora Roberts mystery High Noon.

I'm so happy not to be teaching the little I do in the library is just right.

Il Fornio's

We went out to a wonderful Italian dinner last light at Postrio's I had this great risotto with tiger shrimp and believe it or not Armando had a steak. With 5 types of bread homemade in the basket, me would have prefered tortillas. He did get a side of cannaloni beans he likes and spinach and gave me his yummy fingerling potatoes and a bite or two of the filet of his 22 oz steak. With all that food we could do without salad. Still I did have a Cospopolitan. He thinks they are horrid.
To each their own. They give a free give, olive oil, or this month it was polenta,then risotto and last month cannolini beans. In Nov. there is a calendar and at year's end a drawing for a trip to Italy.

I had my first meeting yesterday of the literary magazine. It's made of mostly of older students and some that worked on it last year which helps me.

I'm in the midst of my evaluation, writing it and will have it by the 15th.

I'm off to the dentist again on Fri. to get another filling fixed and then my annual glasses.

Feels like fall is here. I have a sweater in the morning but afternoons are sunny and 70. Time for mums and apples.

I think I may have jammed the laminator trying to change the film for the first time. Now the joys of the job begin, trying to eliminate the porn. site, fix the printer, clear the server, fix the tension on the laminator and unjam the film on the roller by unscrewing the roller or heat shield. Isn't their someone I can call?