Back to work

I couldn't get to sleep till 6 this morning when I finally took a sleeping pill. I crawled into work at 11:30.

I finished the Grisham book, The Appeal. They are less and less interesting to me.

For years I've been keeping special Valentine, birthday and other kinds of cards in a drawer. I also put, for lack of space, a bottle of of, which I just discovered leaked all over them. usually I also have a glass of water next to the bed and I assumed it was from when I knocked it off with the quilt. Today I discovered the truth. Goodbye Valentine from Michael, cards from Karen and Halloween card from dad, old loves, lost aunt and uncles...some were salvageable and I hadn't looked at some in years; it was a nice, sad stroll, I even had a beautiful card from Gwen.

Can't find anything

mala criada....


Miriam ticks me off when she leaves because she puts things away.
It takes me awhile to find where she puts stuff.

I had a bag all packed for my meeting and she put everything away.

She doesn't know not to put mushrooms in plastic and took them out of the paper bags and put them in plastic and she doesn't know that potatos and onions can't be put together because of the gasses them emit.

Apples too need to be seperate.

I need to tell her to pick it up clean and put it down in the same place. I know where things are despite the chaos. She does help but I b.... and moan for awhile after she goes.

Otherwise it was 7 hrs I didn't have to spend cleaning. That was worth 70 dollars.

Delivered flowers

There was a notice on AP yesterday that calcification of the breast and women who napped may be an indicator of heart attack. The study was on women in their 70's and not people who laid down to nap but those snoozing in front of the t.v.

I did one time or twice nap at school once during an assembly at my desk and the other in the nurses office during another assembly. The Dr. wondered if their hearts were also full of calcifications.

I brought the digital camera home to practice and take some pictures of the spring flowers and trees in bloom but I don't have the cord to charge the battery.

Just had my 2nd bunch of asparagus...yum yum and to think I would turn my bose up at a zuchini or asparagus in 2nd grade.We used to have a neighbor who had a big garden,
Grandpa also had a big garden I was fasinated with along with his burning trash out back,

There were these little mom and pop markets on each street and he used to save his pop bottles for me to return.

He also used to cut peaches or nectarines with his knife. I was fasinated with that.

When he came to D.C. I maanaged to fall out of a tree requiring my legg to have stitches. Then Janet ? next door threw in my forehead.

Then even mom's cigarette smaking or his cigars didn't bother me. I used to love sitting on the front porch at 1614 22 nd St. in Des Moines. Our annual vacation pilgrimage. Once we took the train. I ran up and down the aisles all night.

Michael showed me how to climb out the window of the 2nd fl bedroom and sit on the roof.

We never had any that didn't come out of a can..mushrooms either. Never had a taco till high school and Bob took me for a hogie run when I was in elementary school, We used to get pizza sometimes and that was it. Roast beef on sunday, r.b. sandwiches for lunch which I hate to this day and mom's were better and meatloaf and meatloaf sandwiches for lunch. I'm not too fond of either.

I took Barbara, an ESL teacher some flowers and chocolate today.

Tomorrow my housekeeper comes yeah!

I'm reading the new Grisham novel

The Appeal.

Hibernating

My laptop is hybernating. I'm on hold for the tech support hot line. For 3.50 a min. the tech. support line will help you. Yesterday the tech sais it sounded like my battery was going. I went homw took the battery home and it wouldn't start up. I put it back in and it started up but now it went abrubtly into hybernation. Like a sleep mode but can be woken up again quickly you just need to know the steps. Since I don't abd didn't have my credit card on me I'll call back.

My soup got better with fresj ginger and adding a little cornstarch and sour cream on top.

Since I could can't do this from home I'm in for the 3rd and last day of my vacation working.

The Dr., a physical theriapist/reflexologist/ last night gave me these muscle relaxers and some patches to put on my pack that are time released and good for 12 hrs. The only thing is I need some one to put them on for me. I can't reach the spot this one peeled itself off my the time I got up.

My housekeeper Miriam came with her boyfriend the plummer last night and showed me it was the regulator leaking in the garage. We turned off the main line of water and put a bucket under the drip. This morning at 7 he was back with the 99. regulator and 2 more parts and 100. for his time. He'll be back on Sun. to put a handle on by turn off next to the door and to fix the floater in the toliet if I don't first.

That's the latest.

I talked to tech support after my nap at 2 NY time and the fellow said it sounded like I needed a new AC adaptor. Fortunately I had one on hand from the last time. I replaced one box with the other and it seems to be fixed.

I left all my notes at school because I didn't think I's have the computer to work at home.

I'm mistly done. I spent 1500. and have 500. left of wich I'm spending with other catalogs and on Amazon. That I can do from here.

The buildings at school will be xlosed for another holiday tomorrow.

My friend Kim said to look out for a computer virus with invitation in the subject line...could be true so be aware and don't open one.

Can't use my laptop

I'm back at work doing some cataloging and stuff.

I'm getting that nasty message battery low plug into wall outlet network card is active.

The last time this happened I had to send the computer in and it was under warrenty. They replaced the mother board after the first 3 mo. Now I'm out of waranty.

I heard my principal say that laptops only last 5 yrs. AWK! 3 months---199. 24/7 for teachical support. hum....We'll see.

I can play one or 2 hands of solitare and 2 hands of hearts before I get the message. I'm never unplugged so it was disturbing to get save your work msg.

The customer service said to take the battery out and it sounds like the battery is going. He said dell's are bad. I'll try that.

I handed all but my morgage intesest over to Caro and a stock sale ands she has them mostly done.

I'll go over next.

Then I have to go to the Dr.

I took my car in to have the fuel injection system done today.

Talked to a woman who doesn't trust Hilary and would vote for Obama. Interesting reasoning. She thought Chelsea and she were hypocrites for wearing a burka.

It's raining

I made some butternet squash soup. I don't like cutting the squash up, it didn't soup out. I had too much stock so I added some carrots to sweeted it and some nutneg and ginger to taste. I finally had some at 11 p.m. after my nap. It's o.k.. but maybe not my favorite. I remember it thicker and sweeter.

I'm heading into work and to have my taxes done at Caro's before I see the DR at 4.

It was nice to have leftovers for breakfast. I actually added yet another egg and tossed it in the microwave with the rest.

I'll call the pkummer once I look at my calendar at work. Now that it's raining, it's not so obvious in the courner of the garage near the outside water main.

I finished Hugo and another book, Picture Book last night.

I love to stay up last and read into the night.

2 or three hrs. at my desk and my back is breaking. I gor my spreadsheet done but not the catlaoging. It is nice to have a copier at my back and all the stuff at hand. I think I'm the only one on campus.

I'm leaving. Off to taxes, the library and the Dr.

My computer is acting up at home it says my network card is engaged and the battery is low and to save my work, but it's plugged in. Last time that happened I had to send it in for a new network card after owning it for 1 month. Then it was under warranty.

I like to watcth the first part of the View at 10 too. The two are now always compatible.

Happy Birthday George

I read the 1st book of

The Invenyion of Hugo Cabret

, I can see why it won best children's book.

I got up this morning squose some more oranges,cleaned leeks, made a crumpet with my raspberry jam and desmalzed the chicken stock.

I'd also like to make some French onion soup but maybe I'll wait on that one. It actually ises beef stock.

There is this great market in Vancouver on Granville Island that has a shop that sells just stock. I love that market. I went every day just to look and buy stuff for meals. Wish we had one here.

In Oaxaca there was another interesting one. I was a bit freaked out by the rustic presentation. I saw one man very early pick up a steer out of a bloody pick up truck throw it over his bloody shoulder of his stained shirt with dirty hands and carry it into the market. There were blue corn tortillas though. Lots of fruit.

In Cozumel there was a juice shop that I went to every morning for o.j. or fresh grapefruit juice.

I don't like Mexican pastries though.

Hand made tortillas are not bad though. I've been educated, Here there are several "luncherias" that open at 5 and sell grilled tacos carne adada, pollo chorizo, carnitas and other things I's rather nor eat. They have grilled onions too, They can keep the jallepeno unless I use it for salsa.

I need more stock for both soups. Pureed ths caltiflower, found the souffle recipe and am wondering if I can make one 1/2 califlower 1/2 broccoli? I'll try it.

Decided to made chicken enchilldadas or chicken enchilasagna with the "pollo". Don't mush like chicken soup or eating it unless it's in Chinese something.

Now I just need people to eat all this or room in the freezer. I'll take some to school for lunches.

Time to clean out my office and put a new plastic thing for the floor that I got at the give away sale. The problem is I need to move a lot of boxes, files etc. first.

I want Armando's roomate Alfredo to come haul them out and do the heavy lifting.

Armando doesn't want me to let either his brother without his wife Sylvia and baby in or his roomate without him being here. I never even thought of that.

My house keeper Miriams boyfriend is a plummer and he is coming to to the leak work.

Maybe I'll even work some more on my selection list.Tomarrow I'm gonna get my taxes done. I worked on my decuction spreadsheet Sun.

I'm off to saute spinach and mushrooms and to make a white cheese bechemel sauce for eggs Florenteen.

Well the answer is you really can't to 2 souffles in the same disk, It's entirely possible to divide them and fold in the egg whites to each but its liquid so the first one ran into the 2nd.

We'll see how it comes out looks good anyway. Perhaps it's good no-one's here. It looked like it was all broccoli on top but once I spooned it out the teo were still segregated, caltiflower pure white and the broccoli on the other side, pale green.
Kinda cool.

The eggs florenteen look good with button and shitake mushrooms and I grated fresh nutmeg on top. Looks yummy. I used to make this a lot too.
I once had my friend kim over for breakfast and she told me later she fed the eggs to my cat, she doesn't like poached eggs.Good thing he ate them. I fed them to her mom too one other time.

The recipe comes from the

Enchanted Broccoli Forrest

cookbook by Molly Kasan.

My feet hurt...it's a lot of work.

Mustard Flowers on Farm,

Mustard Flowers on Farm, Washington Wallpaper

Love the art couldn't find a jpg print to add. There were many for sale.

The hills are covered with yellow mustard flowers

I went to the Farmers Market and to supermarkets this morning to get speciality items like leeks, cauliflower, broccoli, marble rye bread, crumpets, a bagette, a bagle,shallots, butternut and spagetti squash and strawberries and noticed the mustard is all in bloom.

It makes me so happy to go to the Farmer's Market. I have to take my knives to be sharpened. I like the grocery store too but it's not the same.

Napa will be selling and holding it's mustard festival soon. Scallions are up and 18 varieties of almonds are available.

Remember Dad eating scallions whole? I can't even eat them raw. Kit's of people put them in salad. (Michael you don't have to worry about this1)

I also got brie, fontina swiss and sundried tomato, pesto,cream cheese spread for the meeting. I need to make pita chips.

The fontina I'll use along with cheddar and cream for potatoes.

I'll make 2 souffles one lemon and blueberry and the other, cauliflower and broccoli.

My blood pressure has been high despite the atenolol.

It's such a beautiful day I opened all 3 screen doors and the blinds are all open. My johnny jumpups, yellow and purple and primroses, yellow and purple, pink and white I bought in Oct. are showing their happy faces out front.

Read picked up some dropped fruit, squose my o.j. and a lemon for the siuffle and made the souffle...boy is it lemony...o.k. maybe I did put an extra T but I;m not sure it sure is sweet thpigh and I;m pooped NO STAMANIA
My back brace helps

My feet are sore though.

When you get to be a certain age "the girls" head south. The bigger they are the faster they go. One you take a bra off forget about it....but having a back brace won't let them sink so I have some nightgown cleavage to share with Lacey.

I have to rest between souffles...maybe a day. It was funny I forgot to put on the whisk beater first and had to change it. Even with all these modern conveniences, a mixer, juicer, food processor. I'm tired. Time to put my feet up.

There were a lot of steps, juicing, making a lemon pudding with sugar and cornstarch and zest and the egg whites....:-) Won't do that one again.
My other souffle recipe is tried and true.

I've got a chicken cooking for stock and a butternut squash for soup I forgot to mention that!I also have to saute leeks fir my potato leek soup and spinach for the eggs florenteen.

The girl scouts have arrived selling cookies. I like the lemon sandwich and shortbread. I ordered at school and her dad told me I had a leak on my water valve and my wood was rotting. .... (thought I could just paint it) I knew the bill was 20. more time to call the plumber.

He's the type of neighbor whose jeans ride low and show the crack to all when he bends over. The best thing he's done is marry Michaela and adopt Rosemary, a beautiful bi-racial 3rd grader.

Had my first asparagus of the season. I love thise packages you slit, cook for 5 min in the micro or boil and eat, There are green beansm baby carrotsm baby zuchini and now asparagus.

I also got a bunch of the real asparagus that was on sale.

I made this potato, onion,mushroom dish for dinner with cream and cheese (guerere, fontina and parm.)

Now onto peeling the butternut squash, talking the seeds out and pureeing it for soup.

I like this. It's rich in beta caradine but when we made soup in crockpots at school no one voted for this one. Lentil and split pea went over well though.

Donating

Finally vacation~ A little late but I gor red and pink cyclamin and pink and pinker azala's and a pin lilly today.

I may go in Tues.

Instead of donating my clothes to GoodWill and Career Closet, I've been taking warm clothes to the clothes closet at school and to the church, Sacred Heart, Sacrada Familia, they have a food pantry and stuff on hangers for people to select from like a store.

It makes me sad to see kids at school with no jackets. I have a lot of tennis shoes too.

I worked for 3 hrs. last night on my book list. It's up to 900.00. I have 21 to spend.

Got a new copier at wk. yesterday. I had decided not to buy one at 1,300. but it showed up without me ordering it. It/s convenient to have it in the office and saves time.

Did some shelving with a student one sharp one not boy is he slow.

Cleaned up the upside down books, those out of place, backwards...there were a lot of them.

Made a red stuffed pepper for dinner.

Gonna make a blueberry lemon cobbler today. The recipe is in Feb. Bon Appetite. Just subscribed to Gourmet.I need to squeeze some more oranges.

I'd like Vegetartan Times and Cooking Light, Oprah and

Martha Stewart Living

.

Doing the laundry and time to cook breakfast. Lacey is on my lap with the laptop. When she feels left out she wants to walk across the keys. That's only happened once. today.

She is not too demostrative. For the most part, I have to catch her to cuddle or pet her but she does come to snuggle and recently she's decided she likes to sit on me.

I went to the grocery store to stock up for next week's librarian's meeting. I signed up for treats knowing everything would be 1/2 price. I got kisses, plates, napkins, will make oastmeal rasin cookies, veggies from the farmer's market and dip, pits chips or tortillas and pine nuts with hummus (garpanzo bean and garlic and tahini with a little lemon)another dip, and water.

At the farmer's market they have this marbel rye bread I love. I'm looking forward to a week off. I can cook. I'll do a souffle of either cauliflower or broccoli. Chicken is on sale for .69 so I'll make and chicken stock and some soup. I love potato leek.

I got vegetarian potstickers. yum

Did you know no to store potato and onions in the same basket? I wonder if in the same pantry is o.k.

I got my prescription filled at Safeway last time and this time at Safemart. It look 45 minutrs. I couldn't believe this woman. She wasn't going t o fill it because she was missing a number. I gave her my social security number she got the nymber and volia. She didn't know what she needed from me though only that she was missing a number. This chick got through pharmacy school. I was ticked. I popped a stronger hydrocodone on the way out of the store and that helped my back.

Bob and Pat and Michael are attending an Elder Hostel program on St. Simeon's Island and Savannah. Wish I was going. I really like Savannah and my time in each spot was too short. I love the hanging moss. It's been in the 90's this week there that's a bit hot for me.

Here it's in the 70's that's perfect with a bit of sun. The hills are there winter bright green and golden is far away from the ming. They are so beautiful. Soon the mustartd will bloom its yellow flowers. Fortunately all these trees and flowers in bloom doens't make me sneeze.

Happy Valentines Day!

I need some flowers and a Valentine. Armando is freezing and working in Indianapolis till March.

The trees are snowing pink blossoms and the kids are making Valentines with the flowers I scored yesterday. I have 4 colors or 5 and I made mini boquets for a teacher I like, the bookkeeper, who I try to not tick off, the attendance clerk, my Assistant, and for the kids I gave them school "bucks".

The kids got chocolate brownies. I only had 5 kids for making Valentine's and only 2 for the literary magazine. I was there an extra hr. I'll give the Burger King gift certificate to one who made one for his mom who works 3 jobs and whose uncle killed himself 2 days ago.

I go to the chiropractor today. I have been working my tail off on the computer so my neck and shoulders ache. I got referred to a new Dr. too.

I sent off my Christmas/New Years photos as well. I made a Valentines posstcard too on snapfish.

I had some chocolate and a nap and now I feel like I can function some more.

I found out we print 50 copies of the magazine and borrow the money from an acct. and repay it after the sales.

Asparagus is on sale.


I made scallops with sherry, mushrooms, lemon and risotto for dinner.

With break starting Monday and my need to get my list done to purchase over break and get all my book fair books cataloged and the literary magazine ready to be sent to the printer I need twice the time. The regular stuff gets done too.

I figured I would haul my stuff home over break and work on my book order over break. I'll borrow a workbook from a seminar I missed to help. The English dept. head went but I didn't see the notice. It also was 700. and I felt guilty goin, didn't know the other librarian's were going or that the district would fund it.

Ya gotta know the questions to ask No-One offers anything!!! (I knew that)

I just got the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the Caldicott winner and need to go to the library to pick it up.

Just finished one by Iris Johanson called

Pandora's Daughter

. and am starting the latest Spenser novel. I also need to read Body Surfing because my LIBRARY ASSIsTANT challenged me on the content.

Armando called me last night and we spoke for an hour or three. He almost talked me to sleep in Spanish. He's working hard in Indianapolis 12 hr. days.

He says there are a lot of black people there, not too many whites or Mexicans. I laughed. I told him the white people were there but they moved to the suburbs just like in D.C.

Free for all

4x a year the school district opens up trailors to all its teacgers to grav stff.. You never know what is there and today I got KLEENEX, POST IT's, scrap paper, c/d;s floppies, pendaflex, manala folders, flowers, handing folders, a desk chair, a plastic thing to cover the desk organizers, book cases, file cabinets, t.v.s. copy paper, a plastic thing for under the desk, or a high chair,and mailing folders. You grab it , fill the box u bought or 2, and put on the card u brought and load it up. The first time they gave all new teachers a 30 min lead. I was in and out in 15 or 20 min.

There was also an English department meeting.

The Spenser novel, jesse Stone novel is

Stranger in Paradise

I didn't even stop for lunch I was so busy cataloging and everything else. More books came today too. It was an early release day so I got to eat my salad during my meeing. I wore my back brace all day. That and my pillow on my chair helped.

Then I went to the dentist for a new crown.

I decided to hold a Valentine's contest. I got paper, glue, flowers, and gifts. We'll see if anyone comes.

My red Starbuck's thermos was leaking so I got fed up and return it again and this time changed the model...stay tuned.

If I know IHOP was giving away free pancakes I would have gone, I thought Gwen was just having some in Columbia!!

I could do without

pictures of poop in the potty. I'm glad there is progress for Clare. My friend's son just goes on the floor because she does not diaper him on the weekend to force/encourage him to use the potty.

Glad I'm not attached to this.

There was a nice Dora the Explorer book at the Book fair for $29.99 but after hearing about Gwen's garage sale finds for .99 I didn't spend the money. She is the bargain and remake princess.


The weather the last 4 days has been in the 70's.

There were strawberries at the Farmers market for 4.00 a basket and blueberries in the store for 1.99. The market had bread, cookies,fish, cauliflower, broccoli, apples, oranges, flowers, lemons, carrots, leeks. potato, onion and a few other things. I got oatmeal raisin cookies and carrots.

I think I'll make either a cauliflower or broccoli souffle.

I love going to the Farmers Market!

Went to the chiropractor today. There was less to "crack".

Doing my book order this week, during break too for the year. Know any YA titles?

Working hard

Trying to get all the book fair books cataloged, a spread sheet made, new TA's trained,some less able than others,and everything else I do, the literary magazine is about to put it over the top.

Fortunately, the volunteers are actually showing up and I have some library groopies that help me after school. In addition, I tell the kids that have fines they have to pay or work it off.

I'm making the sirlon mushroom recipe in balsamic vinegat marinade from the Post.

Picked my own oranges today

Nice to save some cash growing your own. I have 2 trees so a lot of fruit. Not so many lemons.

I forced myself up at 10.

Read a book today, Bungalow 2, and cooked risotto with mushrooms, potatoes with heavy cream and cheese and carmelized onions and cube steak. I

need to do some watering outside.
My sweetpeas are drying out,roses are in bloom.

I think I have a leak in the float of the master br toliet. Armando kinda fixed it but I did too and I still think that is why my water bill was 20. higher.

Now its's 1 a.m. night....

Had to pick someone up at 10, got gas, got the dexk and tard cleaned up and roses trimmed. Then he mpced a heavy box of decorations back nto the garage.

Got my shopping done. I also got dome brake fluid but when I went to put it in all looked fine so I';; take it back.

It's been awhile since I checjed transportation prices. WOW. air, train or bis are all about the same.

All the fruit trees are in bloom

Well my literary magaine might actually get off the ground at school. No-one has been showing up. Finally, I called a mandatory lunch meeting. 2 showed. I may have 3 more. We have to type, compile and print by the end of the month. I have no idea how many to print that we might sell....60, 100,150? The school population is 900 or so.
I've got to talk to some of the teachers who have done it in the past.
No-one else volunteered. It is a non extra pay job. I didn't know how busy I'd be this time of year.
we sell them to students and parents on back to school night in april.

Took a nap when I got home. Actually, I was on the computer reading the NY Post Page 6 and fell asleep.

For my birthday I got this great hot chocolate mix from Serendipity 3 in NYC from my Soft Surroundings catalog along with a lavender neck roll to heat booties and an eye cover. I finally got around to making the hot chocolate. I rarely have milk in the frig. Its suposted to be frozen 1 c milk, 3 c ice but it's cold out so i used a bit of 1/2 and 1/2 and 4 c of fat milk and heated it, Considering it is nonfat milk in the choc. mix it was really good.


Don't know where they money comes from either? maybe they print them for free?

I'm playing bridge on-line, it's almos 4 a.m. I need to sleep.

R and R

I took 3 hrs off this morning and slept in. It was great. I felt better.

I had stayed up till 5 reading T is for Trespass , which was good, then I couldn't get to sleep thinking and worring about how I spent the 2100. proceeds from the book fair and my assistant.

I nap when I come home.

My back feels better. I took a pillow in for my chair and that helps too.

It was so beautiful here today I only needed a sweater.

My friend Inna, a special ed. teacher was not invited to return next year.

Tax time. I need to get all my papers together. I kinda do.

I couldn't get to sleep after 2 hrs of trying to align my chakras and stop my mind from racing so I took a sleeping pill at 3 and woke like a slug at 7.

The Dr. said the MRI showd a 3 mm bulge and protrusion on my c5-6 disk and a 1mm disc protrusion on T8-9 So basicly I have less pain, I got my meds on hydrocordozone uped and I am limited to lifting 15 lbs. and sitting standing for 2 hrs. I also got another referral to a Dr. for this new super sharp stabbing pain that hits me when I walk. It makes me want to sink down ont the spot. Fortunately, it only lasts a moment but for that moment it has you thinking I can't even get to the phone. What do I do now. Then, it's gone.

TGIF

The spring bulbs are blooming

Armando is in Indianna freezing and we are pushing 60.

The book fair is finally over and I'm working on the financials. We took in 3900. then you have to subtract the sales tax and get x for all these hoops we jumped through. The bottom line is I get 125. of free under the table books. and can take another $2100.00 in books from the sale for our library. It is a hard way to make money. I did not rest my back.

Yesterday the chiropractor said I looked exhausted and I had slept 11 hrs the night before. I need a day off maybe a long weekend...I'll take Friday as mental health.

We have a week from the 17th to the 24th off too. I'll get my car and taxes done.