Counting down the minutes!

There is a Civil War reenactor doing presentations in the library all day which is good. I remember going over WW 2 in 8th grade. We watched day after day of concentration camp movies.
Here its all they can do to get them to 1914.

The awards program last night lasted until 8:30. I couldn't wait to get home. There are some days I don't even pick up the mail I'm in such a hurry to get in. I took a bath, read, got into bed and that was all they wrote.

I can't wait for the weekend to get here.

I filled up the car yesterday morning at the price was 411. Today 413. Monday 409. It cost me 33.00

I talked to a contractor and he said he pays 5 dollars and his SUV cost over 100 to fill. I can't imaging. I'd take the train and bike it.
The teacher from here that was going to teach math decided not to. I'll have to lug all this books back. I'm glad I didn't take the Algebra too.

STOP BEING HELPFUL!

Disappointments

The SOB wimp that I have as a principal said that I need to be here for the awards night instead of going to the retirement dinner for another librarian. I couldn't care less if the kid that I gave the award to gets one I don't want to be there. I didn't want to come in this morning and this is what I get in response to the email I sent to him last week. It is considered a work night.

Where is it written in my contract that I have to show up?

I want to read the new Jeffery Deaver book.

I walked the last 2 nights.

I need to get gas.

My tire was 174,00 Gas is over 409.

I walked the last 2 nights. I don't want to tonight.

I'm [laying bridge.

Community Service

Did my yard work at the vacant house. One Asian neighbor I asked to help told me the woman dies and it was private property so I shouldn't go cut down anything. The other just helped me lug the stuff I cut to his pile for the yard trimmings to be picked up tomarrow,
I read a book first and went walking after. Somehow I thinkk the shower should have come last not first.

Got squished

The mammogram is done for another year. I forgot to take them my Rosie O'D T-shirt, I got squished.

I stopped at the Farmer's Market and got some basil and scallops, shrimp and some more sole. She threw in a lemon.

The wind shifted so I'm back to walking. The temps are still so much cooler.
I got some tennis shoes and shorts by a new vendor and back they go with my adviso get shoes in the store. At least there was free shipping one way.

AAA took the tire off and put on the spare and I took it in to the Wheel Works store. They'll call me when it's patched again. I have to buy a new tire sonce this hole is in the side wall.??? It won't be ready until Tuesday.

I wonder if one of the little angels at school are helping me along. Makes me want to put a video camera on the car.

I need to go to the market for a few things like cantaloupe. I stopped for water this morning.

There is a house on the cross street that is vacant. This morning. I put a note in the packed mailbox asking is they needed help with the yard. The weeds are 2 feet high. The neighbor told me it was vacant. I said we should get together as a neighborhood and cut the stuff down. All the weed seeds are blowing I'm sure.

My mower is electric and he said that even a conventional mower would no longer get through it now. We need a scythe and clippers and a guy to chop it. Time to take up a collection if no-one wants to do the work. It's an eye sore.

Im reading Patricia Cornwell's The Front.

That damn tire is flat again!

AAA is on its way...so much for a patch! I guess it got me to work for another couple of weeks. Fortunately I'm getting the spare put on now while it's still light instead of tomorrow when I'm rushing to get to the market and my mammogram. I guess I'll have to buy a new one. I was lucky to be home.

I'm glad i noticed it now in the garage. The air is still smoky.

At the end of the day yesterday I had the kids uncovered more new science books. Here I thought we were done!

John may not teach summer school with me after all. If not I'll end up hauling all his math books back to school. I should had left him alone. If he couldn't make the effort to go see the director, I shouldn't have had the kids pack and lug the books out. He doesn't know where he will be teaching next year either. There for the grace of God go I.

I asked Peggy if she knew where Jacob Wesley was born and she didn't. Our grandmother was Bessie. She had 2 sisters Florence, who we knew and Dora. Wonder what Bessie's real name was? I think she died of breast cancer too in NYC. I'm having the kids do a family tree that goes back three generations and I can't do it either.
It asks only for dates born and died and married and locations. I know grandpa John Edward was born in 1898 in this country while his sister Pearl was not. I wrote to Mary Helen too. When were they married? In Washington D.C.? I've even lost the death dates of my parents mom 1/81 dad 8/85? What day? My maternal grandmother also died of breast cancer. She was a Ziegler. I know her dad was on the railroad and was Charles. Such a shame never to know any grans just Francis.

Joe's sister gave us a bible and I have some of the information there. We don't know for example where in Russia, or Minsk dad's dad was from, now Bella Rus, in Polland. Only that he immigrated during the 1st WW. We would have been in the death camps.

The temps have dropped from 100 to 6o. Ever noticed how much sodium stuff has? Even humus? Crackers? Soup?
Make it at home! It's the only way to eliminate it.

I'm taking the cooler I bought for Bob's visit to the market tomorrow for the fish since I have to go to the hospital afterwards.

I can smell the smoke it's getting closer

The doors of the library are closed today because the smell of smoke from the fire in the Santa Cruz mountains in in the air. It is gusty and it took off at 5:30 yesterday morning and is fed by the fact that there hasn't been a burn in the mountains for 25 years and no rain since Feb. There is a haze over everything near school. I am further south and don't have the scent as much at home. Aftter school I do.

The fog rolling in has to help. Last night during our walk and this morning it was cool. As Mark Twain said "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco." Actually he didn't say it.

The special ed teachers that are leaving, one to another school as a newbie, and the other because she had conflict with this closely knit 6th grade team are going out to lunch to the Falafel drive Inn.
It's this cool place that's been there since 1959.
There are picnic tables and a tiny eat in space. I rarely eat there. I used to stop at the farmers market and add more tomatoes and cucumbers to the falaffel salad and get extra pitas and white sauce and that made 3 pita sandwiches. They have tabbouleh, baba-ghannou, pita chips and all the usual if you must. Funny Bob just recommended it to me tonight!

The last I filled with tabbouleh, avocado, sun dried tomato humus and tomato.

Gas was $409. on the corner

Disaster Drill

One of our librarians is retiring and everyone is getting ready for summer school.

I dropped off math books last night and now that my car is empty again and I have child labor, helps.

I was going to go out to lunch with the two special ed teachers that are leaving but I couldn't get a line out to call in the order. I like the chicken salad and Inna the flaffels and Lilia a mango salad without onion and both with dressing on the side. I sent them off and came back to have my salad.
They came back having stopped at 7-11 and only ran in and one got something. We'll try again tomorrow. When you have only 30 min. it's a challenge. Fortunately we can call in an order and it's ready by the time we get there. The Chinese and Thai restaurant are next to each other.

I forgot I took my balsamic vinegar spray dressing home. I scrounged 3 types Newman's light honey mustard, ranch and another cilantro one. It should be interesting. I need to remember to bring a hard boiled egg along with my fruit. The last two days it was strawberries and now I'm back to cantaloupe. It's one of my favorite summer fruits. I cut it off the rind into pieces and the ants head to the compost bin in bliss and away from my kitchen.
They don't like lemons are citrus and pineapple and artichokes don't go in there.

I'm thinking of buying some more red worms and starting another worm bin for composting. Vermaculturm produces this rich black compost just from newspaper, kitchen scraps and water.
The plastic bin is compact enough to keep off the kitchen. My compost bin is not hot enough to make quick compost. It's supposed to turn over in a year. In the fall I put a layer of it over the garden to decompose over the winter. No roses or grass though. Pine needles seem OK and I have a lot of them.

I've got to learn not to clean the garden in Feb but to wait till April. It turns so beautiful and all the trees are in bloom and the bulbs open.

I have one of my outdoor amaryllis blooming right now.They can be so pretty. They last forever and come up every year. I can split this one soon. They are huge bulbs and cost a lot.

I planted one of the tomatoes that Hannah gave me last night along with basil and peas. I put out cucumbers too. Last year I got 2. All the growing time I thought it was a flower. Now for the beets.
My salad has peas, cauliflower, carrots, cherry tomatoes, zucchini celery, avocado, radishes and romaine.

Last night I made angel hair pasta with shrimp and fresh peas. I also blanched some fresh broccoli and put in a floret.

Went walking too, even to the drug store to get my prescription. I was thinking. No one will know who I am if something happens while I'm out walking. Then I put my prescription in my pocket and felt more secure.

My neighbor Cathy had a stroke. She was in the hospital a month. I saw her in a wheel chair and her left side is paralyzed. She goes to physical therapy 3s a week and is getting some feeling back. I sent her a note after I got a bill from the ambulance company misdelivered. She was riding the bike at the health club! She is a tiny Vietnamese woman who always walked and gardened.

Disaster Drill

Well the scenario was a 7.5 earthquake just hit the S.f. bay area. The shaking is so strong a person cannot stand. buildings, roads and overpasses have heavy damage. Parts of the school has collapsed from walkways and falling debris. There are fallen power lines, trees and collapsed overhangs. Some of the injuries are very severe. The electricity is not working.
City and County services are not available due to the widespread magnitude of the disaster. A number of the roads to the school are impassible. School cannot count on any outside help. Parents and relatives will be arriving to retrieve their children.
We duck and cover and hold for 90 sec. once we heard the sound of an earthquake. We were observed. We made our way to the track stadium and expected to be there with our red emergency bags for an hour. I didn't have any students 3rd period. Good because my aide was out and I didn't have any students. Bad because I had to haul that heavy bag and water myself.

I came prepared with my water bottle, hat and sunglasses. I didn't need the water but forgot my jacket and it was cool and windy. I didn't hear the rumble or the command to duck and cover so until the people came to clear the building and found me I was still there. They asked me if I was injured. I said no. I have let my 2nd period student go and didn't know my first period student was supposed to find me.

My sweet therapist Hannah is leaving. she brought biscotti ( I hate hard crunchy things) but it was in a cute bag tied with a ribbon with a note and she gave me 4 heirloom tomato plants.

They should have renewed her contract for next year. Her supervisor thought she was getting too close to the kids. well...that's what they need.

I cataloged.

I got in more of my books today and my assistant was out again,

I didn't get a lunch but that's alright. I ate my salad in the staff meeting and on the drive home.

Kids took out math books from John's classes this summer and started packing up my English ones. I dropped them off on the way home. Now I can start on the English ones. They pack them, count them, seal the boxes, load them in the car and on the other end they unload them for me.
I appreciate this service.

Mamogram

It's that time again and fortunately I could schedule time to get squished this Sunday. I hate to take off work. I never knew they had weekend hours.

The fog rolled in and the temps cooled off as the breeze came in.

Glad to have Labor Day this weekend. Santa Cruz and concerts at the beach call. Every Friday night next to the boardwalk they have concerts at 6 and 8....so take a blanket with your baby....
I like to go early and get out of there. The music in all mellow 60's, the Tempations, Drifters,Marvalettes and so on.

It's cool and watching ther sunset over the Pacific while the monorail, but it's open, passes nearby is neat. The beach is big enough so you don't have to be on top of one another and you can move far enough away so that the noise won't feafen you. I like that. My friend want's to be right up close. Not my thing. I don't like crowds or it too loud.

That's a true indication that I am old. I remember at 13 going to church dances in mini sjirts/dresses and standing nect to the bans speakers. Das used to cover his ears as he scoped the place out.

I'm still walking 3 for 4.

I started to pack up my books for summer school. I have the car filled with pre algebra books for my friend John. Then, tomorrow, I;ll get the rest and start on my English ones. I'll still have a lot of prep, but having books for lit. and grammar should save me a lot of copying.

I have a lot of kids "helping" to pay off their fines.

Tomorrow there is a disaster drill scheduled...prepare for trees, people, stuff....

Hormigas!

I have ants again in the kitchen. There is no food out and the kitchen is clean but they are trying to find water and get out of the heat. I need to get some more ant traps. This morning I cut a cantaloupe and put the rind and seeds in the compost bin. The ants attacked. Fine, as long as its outside. Last year I put out traps and once before I think.

In TX there are these huge ant colonies that have taken over a large part of the state. No one can get rid of them. Seems like they were brought in on a ship.

When we lived in Vallejo, the mice would come in. We got traps and one night I heard one snap after it was baited with peanut butter. I woke Joe to go unmouse it. He wasn't happy.
In this house I had a house or two. My cats, Kitty Whiskers used to play with them. He would hold it down and bat it. I'd get it away before he brought it to me as a gift. Once my Maxie brought me a rat. I picked it up and put it in the garbage. Maxie was not happy his gift disappeared even if he did get praised. Once there was a bird on the back yard mat. I'm glad they don't eat them. Now I have some feral cats that visit. They eat everything. I put out ham, chicken, turkey,shrimp, chicken salad once I'm cleaning out the frig and it's gone.

My Lacy won't touch anything not dry or canned except an occasional bit of sliced thin turkey. She won't go out back too long because the big boys BRUTUS and co. want to attack her. I have to go out and rescue the lady while she hides in the leaves.

It's cooled down a bit. I went out to pick some lavender this morning and had to put a beach towel around my shoulders. Caro and I are going to make soap.

Time to make long beans with soy, rice vinegar and sesame oil. I had the first of the corn last night. Yum!

I went walking again last night. 2 for 2!

I got my first cantaloupe too...so sweet.

I finished my course outline and syllabus for summer school which doesn't start until 7/7.

Good. I'll need a break!

Think green

Robert f Kennedy was on Letterman and he said Israel and Denmark will be completely green soon, Iceland too while we continue to use BIG vehicles not hybrid or electric and don't recycle or use the light bulbs. We have the capability to do it too. I replaced 5 IN MY HOUSE, 4 THIS YEAR. It IS THE MANDATE IN San Jose. I also compost and recycle all paper, plastic, and glass. at home and school. We need to DO MORE! We are too wasteful as a country.

Heard about he plastic bag state on the ocean the size of Rhode ISLAND. don't LITTER. stop USING PLASTIC. use CLOTH BAGS.

I walked last night with my neighbor. It was beautiful and breezy cool out at 9.

I went to the Farmers market and got sole, radishes, broccoli, carrots, beets, mushrooms, humus with red peppers, tabbouleh with mint, spinach bread, swirl rye bread, white Indian pacouli sauce, peas. celery, avocados, garlic and to the market for cantaloupe, shrimp, basil, corn, chicken salad, coleslaw, seafood salad, yogurt, and cheese. I need to keep away from carbs. I need some chicken curry.

Well it's a good time of year to do that. I love veggies and fruit and live on them most of the summer. Not too much meat. I made some hard boiled eggs last night. The yokes are good for my Vita. d.

Talked to Michael for a long time last night. We've got to get moving or we'll stroke out.

My lab tests show that my cholesterol is fine but my HDL is slightly low:38 not 45. I can take meds to get this good one up.The glucose too is too high:107 when I need 97 and my triglycerides are 212 not 199.

Almost blew it

I went to get my fasting blood draw x2 this a.m. and took a small sip of tea with mint and lemon and they were going to send me away. I would have drunk water if I knew. I couldn't believe how crowded the pharmacy was.
I whipped into the lab but the pharmacy wait was about 15-20 min in line. Then I asked my question got my d and some aveeno moisturizing lotion and left.
Wish there was a phone there or a computer. I may have been able to save the line.
I looked at my labs online so I'll check to see of i can see the prescriptions too.

Checked on the mg I need of D. She wrote a script for 50,000mg. WOW. I bought 400 mg and took one today since the other is being mailed. I also got my 5 min of unprotected suntime outside today. Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. I need to eat more tuna. I've been avoiding the sun for 26 yrs.

Went to the Farmers market near the hospital and saved a trip to the supermarket. I got my first apricots, cherries, romaine, cauliflower, strawberries, raspberries, a scone of cranberries and tomatoes. I like big cherries the best and there they pick them the same morning.

I planted dill and sunflowers and some other flowers. I also dead headed my roses, picked a few and did my neighbor Kathy's too. I transplanted some sweet peas from a pot in the back to the front urn.

We had 2 spare the air days. Good that my lawn mower is now electric. I only used 10 dollars of electricity.

I filled up last weekend on fumes and put 20,00 in and I'm not even at 1/2 a tank. That was up 5 dollars from the usual but the light was flashing. The price has also gone up.

My back was so sore all last night I could barely get out of bed for my frequent trips to the loo. I had to get a rolling start and then push on my knees to straighten up. ouch.

My sheets felt great.

melting

Yesterday was only 101 today is projected to be 102. Even the air conditioning in the car never gets it totally cool by the time I get home. I stopped to get lab tests done after my meeting at 5 and there was little waiting for my 6 tests. I have one more but I needed to fast first. I'll go back in the a.m.

When it's this hot, no-one feels like eating. I feel nauseous all the time.

I drank a gallon of tea with lemon and mint and made a ton more to chill while I'm at work and sun tea to brew too. I have lemon and mint tea ice cubes too.

While watering last night I found 5 lemons still on the tree. I may be able to put off buying more for awhile then look for the lemon juice I froze too.

I've started preparing my summer school handouts. I checked out 6,7,8,9,10,11,12th gr texts. If i can get 6,7,8th grade class sets it would help. I may sneak them out.

The Gardiner cut the lawn. The house keeper did the kitchen and i got LACY Some flea MEDS And CHANGED THE FLANNEL SHEETS TO MY 300 THREAD COUNT Cotton and did the wash and vacuumed. I had the car washed too.

I got a call from the dr. about my lab tests. i'm low in vitamin d. i am 7 abd nornal is 30-100.

Too Damn Hot!

Yesterday it was 96. Today about 104. I have a fan in the office and yesterday I opened the windows in the bedroom about 12 and it was cool. Today all the lights are off in the library. Remember those days? Before air conditioning in schools. Well we are a throwback.

I closed all the blinds in the house too. This morning all the windows were closed and I'm thinking I need triple insulated windows. I could really save on electricity if I had solar panels on the roof. I'd end up selling it back to the power company since I'm always below baseline anyway. It helps that I have no air and use no heat.

I have a librarian's meeting after school until 5 and then I thought I'd go by Kaiser and have the blood and lab tests I was supposed to have in Dec.

I got my haircut on sat with highlights and low lights and cut and blow dried and I can't do it the same way. Last night I washed it and put goop in , blew it out and ended up putting rollers in the crown to sleep. It poofef but still needs work. For $150. You would think it would be enough but I don't like to fuss. I don't like products in and hair spray. The teacher here that refer ed me does her hair well but she washes it in the shower every morning. I don't do anything in the morning that doesn't involve dressing, brushing my teeth and gathering a few things to get out the door.

Today is the Micky D's free chicken sandwich day.
I got my med. o.j. and a chicken biscuit.
I drank the juice, ate the chicken and the biscuit I don't need.

I went on a decaffeinated tea making spree last night. This morning I filled my thermos, grabbed two bottles and two more to make more at school made ice cubes of tea and mint here. I stopped by Safeway this morning to get lemons and mint. I also got a pink Starbucks mug. Its shiny, iridescent. So far I've gone through the o.j., the tea in the bottles and am making more. Got to keep hydrated.

The problem with having the lights off in my office is I can't see the keys. I almost touch type but not enough.

The Union is picketing ...again

Teachers are all in arms about the cuts in education money. Last night they lines El Camino Real with signs to protest. On Wed there was a meeting that was tense. The high school teachers are more erudite. They came armed with facts. The middle school teachers complained that they were not listened to and given the facts and the elementary teachers sang a song " Where has all the money gone" It was embarrassing. Today everyone is wearing their $2 T shits to support no cuts.

I have one on that says Cuts hurt with a picture of a 6 y.o. boy.

I actually got out and watered my poor deck plants a little. I've left them for 3 weeks and most are so dry they gave up the ghost.

I didn't do all of them.

I need to cut my grass too. The gardener is coming.

Tomorrow Micky D's is giving away a chicken sandwich with the purchase of a med. drink Go get yours for Breakfast or lunch.
I found cherries in the store.

On the weekend I stay up and read sometimes until 8 in the morning then sleep until 1. I found out this week that the market closes at 1 so I showed up at 12:55 and got nothing. The farmers market has spring peas. I ended up getting some water, a few things like a sandwich of turkey with cranberry for lunch/breakfast and one of ham and swiss for dinner and a baguette from Le Boulengarie.

Apricots are coming out soon too. I love them.

This is the nice time in CA

I just need some rain. Ever read Rachael Carson's

Silent Spring

.?

Water rationing went into effect in the north bay since we have the lowest levels in 20 years. Those were the day when the signs said don't flush if it's liquid and restaurants didn't bring water unless you asked. Families are limited to 100 gal. a day. Since a toilet flush is 2-4 gal, a wash 10-30, a shower for 10 min 30 gal and dishes in the dishwasher 40. It will be a challenge. No washing off driveways, washing cars without a cut off valve....

free lunch

Today we were treated to a belated cinco de mayo luch of burritos, salad, chips and water. There was a cake too saying thank you staff.

Flat tire

Well it's been awhile but I had a flat. I was driving on Sat in a parking lot when someone rat up to me to tell me it was low. Turns out a flat was caused with a nail. I wonder if it happened at school.

I was glad to make it home. Then I waited until the next day to call AAA to put on the temp, check all the tires for pressure and took the tire to Wheel Works for a free fix and picked it up today so I'm back to square 1.

Today we got pictures of the entire school faculty in a frame that says we're a team.
Happy teacher's day.

My back is still hurting me and every day regardless of the patches or exercise or drugs it hurts. I just popped a 800 mg Motrin for lunch.

Lastnight I took a muscle relaxer and a 5/325mg Oxycontin. I have the 10 but think that may be too high for me. I fly and feel like I'm going to puke.