Happy Valentine's Day !

Hugs and kisses to you all...I gave myself the gift of health and dragged this body to the gym.

A weird thing happened. As Nice gift for me. I swam 20 laps and I lost 14 lbs in one day? Marilyn says it's water.

For Valentine's Day I made Oatmeal with raspberries and strata for lunch and for dinner roasted beets, brown rice mushrooms and scallops. I had fresh pineapple for dessert. Not good for my sugar either beets or pineapple but I splurged.

I made stuffed red and yellow peppers with pork and cube steak with mushrooms and brown rice. I was tempted to get a lobster tail but got 3 scallops instead.

It's been rainy.

If the battery light is flashing do I need to get another or do they plug in? I guess I buy another.... I must have left it on.

There is snow on the hills

My new warm Uggs, ugly and I have the slippers too, my last New Year sale splurge



Me frozen in layers Monterey 12/08


green foothills 1/09

There is snow on the foothills this morning. I need to take a picture. I usually love the mustard in the fields this time of year. Napa has a mustard festival. This year with us at only 50 percent of normal rain and the season almost over, we may be in water rationing soon. No crops, no watering lawns and car washing. There was a seying in 77 something like this We don't flush for number 1 only 2. It was cuter. The restaurants are asked to reduce water too. There have long been signs on the tables saying please ask for water.

Today I go to Brentwood for my job interview. The first one up there 11/2 hrs. away came to naught. They did send me a note saying if I wanted to be in the sub pool let them know and the position was reposted.

At the librarian's meeting there was more pizza, this one much better than Roundtable from Pizza Uno, one with spinach and pine nuts and another vegetarian with tomato slices red onion and olives and spinach. I don't like olives and am not too fond of red onions.

I gave my aides their Valentine's chocolate fix, peanut butter cups,on truffles or a heart of m and m's. They are all going to be hyper not to mention it's right before our 10 days off.

One of my student TA's brought me a long stem red rose. It's beautiful.

I remember the first one I got as a sophomore in high school was delivered in a dozen rose box by a friend of Bruce. He wrote on the card a quotw drom Dorothy Parker: A single rose he sent me since we met.... "I doubt if it's perfect but I thought it appropriate" I brought it in, cut most of the stem off and put it in a bud vase. I didn't know you pay extra for the long stem. I hear roses are up to $100 a dozen this year. Still, I wouldn't mind having some. I did get a Valentine. I sent mine out in Jan. One I gave today to another teacher. Three sang songs, one to the teacher, one for Clare and one for Libby. They can drive their Mom's crazy.

Why are corn chex 10 calories less than 10 rice chex?


I left for my interview a little after 10 later that I wanted, held up by a class, I missed the turnoff and cut over near Oakland and sat on the ramp stopped in traffic for 45 minutes. I called the place and told them, or left a message and arrived none the less, while they were all out to lunch nearly an hour late. I turned around and came back through their quaint little town. It had a historic downtown and I had never been there before. I stopped to take some pictures, but I couldn't. The flash or something was amiss and the lens kept closing.

The drive once I got near Livermore and away from civilization was beautiful, lush, green, cows grazing, snow on Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa Co. and windmills and vineyards and mustard. I may get another chance next week.

I went swimming tonight. It was hard to pull myself out then I forget the 5 towels in the dryer and had to turn around to get them.

The chair

Caro in Monterey



The Book fair

I got a call back from the insurance agency saying the chair was covered. The took all my facts to the principal this morning. He argued the station was not a sitting station. I counterargued, I could not stand for 2 hrs and it was unreasonable to expect that and that all the other middle schools have similar chairs and we have made accomidations to sit by removing a shelf below the desk to accomidate feet. I gave hime the number of the claims person and I am waiting to see. She said that she had never see a school system non accomidate a worker....

I had 2 classes and a literary magazine mtg today. I found one more book fair worker and she got her pizza and am trying to track down another.

Swam 21 laps tonight

Lacey in a Sunbeam keeping me company


Remarkable! I swam an hour tonight and lost 4 lbs. since the last weigh in over the weekend. That's a lost fast. I usually weigh in in the morning and this was at night too before dinner buy after breakfast and lunch and a snack and a nap. I officially smell like chlorine again. You can tell I'm swimming. The spinner to dry swimsuits aye the lining to the crotch of my new swimsuit. I saw threads coming out and stopped it but still!!!!!

It wasn't as crowded tonight. It was rainy out. People stayed home. My crocs we in the car. I wore my Ugg boots in to the pool but once wet didn't. Boy that floor was cold.

The pizza party went well. Kids are empty holes. I don't know where they put it all. I have 2 teaching assistants that can put away a 1/2 pizza between them. One wanted to but a whole medium pizza for himself. I did order it and the total came to 113. and I gave the guy a 20 dollar tip. Glad it;s not my money. I also got grape, apple and cranberry raspberry juice and water to drink and paper products.

I heard from the bookkeeper that my Principal will not pay for the 2nd chair mandated by Workman's comp. and my Dr. I will talk to him tomorrow but I got mad. This one I will fight. Checking things out at the circ. desk is not comfortable anytime but one can only stand for so long and the chair there one is a stool and the other barely a chair with a back. I've brought in cushion's and a pillow for the back which helps but it's not enough. I'd like to sue his ass. Wonder if I could file suit? Ever heard of burning bridges? Was it yesterday I thought I had a nice discussion with him.

It's cold.

Gas was 2.15 when I filled up yesterdat for 15.00 and it went up today 4 cents.

They are talking about water rationing.

I went...

Swimming at night is different. There are a lot of kids, Laps don't start until 8. It is crowded, but, you don't have to rush to work.
What disturbs me is the 7 and 8 year old boys who stare while you change, The sign on the door clearly says 5 and under. I told the mom that there was a family dressing room.

MICHAEL SENT ME THE PROBABILITY OF DIABETES CHART TO FILL OUT AND I'm 90 PERCENT THERE IF NOT ALREADY THERE. I need to exercise every day.
Everything has sugar and white flour and even carrots, broccoli, fruit and potatoes and bread have carbs.

Tonight I gad a stuffed pepper with rice ground beef and tomato sauce with mushrooms,

Last night I made a strata with eggs, bread, Gouda,ham, Cheddar and mushrooms.

Tomorrow is the pizza party for the kids.

The sun is shining the rain has stopped

I awoke at 5:30 and contemplated a trip to swim, but on Monday's at 6:30 the swim team meets at 6:30 and I'd have to get out or meander in the shallows or just shower early and do my hair and get to work early do I stayed in bed till almost 7.

I watched the Grammy's last night. I didn't know any of the bands except two individual people and enjoyed Jennifer Hudson and Paul McCartney. I didn't know he had a new song out. I don't like rap and even with New Orleans in the background and the minstrel jazzy umbrella carrying and jumping and break dancing to Lil Wayne I couldn't understand his lyrics. I thought he put the stereotype back. I saw his interview with Katie Couric and know he had had arrests for week but he has an 8 yr. old daughter. I wish he was more concerned with being a role model for her.

I'm off to the Dr. again. My back has been bothering me. Although the state has ruled my disability claim to be closed and over I am still in pain. I guess I need to lose weight and swim to help the arthritis.

I'll try swimming tonight and see what the traffic is like. I know a lot of people go after work, but from 7-8, maybe not.

My blood pressure is 120/86. That's good. There was an error on my paperwork , a typo that said.08 instead of 80 so the recommended acupuncture was disallowed and the state disallowed the claim and our carrier the same so she is going to resubmit the paperwork and suggests I see a spine Dr. too for a 2nd opinion.

My estimate for the car came back too. For a new multi display screen the cost is $921.50. I was thinking maybe 500.... ouch! I wonder if it would be worth a used one. He said he would give me a 10 percent discount on parts and labor. That was not including tax. So, that knocks off 100 dollars or so. There are reconditione units and I am looking into that. Apparently this year's unit had a lot of problems and there is one guy out there wanting to start a class action law suit. It can range from 4-850 for a unit not new and Toyota. There are over 2000 postings about it. Did you know that a parts person won't look up a part without a VIN? They want to make sure it is the right part for the car! The search continues since I have a navigation system, the cost in more.

I tried a Cottage Cheese Double with pineapple. It was horrible. The stuff that was pineapple was not real pineapple. In the future I will continue to buy pinapple eith crushed or chunks and reduced fat cottage cheese and get two servings. One serving of these convenient but icky combo was 130 calories and 5.5 oz. didn't seem like that much.

"Service" - 69 dollars for the privlidge of looking

I finally took my car into the dealer this morning. My morning is 10. They opened at 7. They do regular hrs till 6. 7 days. They will charge 69 dollars or so to look and see if it's just a fuse. Since it lights up initially it is not likely say's me.

I got the c. van home by 12:30 and am looking at a 3-4 hr wait. I was hoping to get to the gym and the library. I forgot my garage door opener so had to go around back and enter through the sliding glass door.
This time I dropped a broom stick in the track. I was going to get pvc pipe cut, Bob says some metal thing but couldn't manage to get myself to the store. This broom/plant stake seems to work. It's been unlocked for almost a year.
I got a call at about 4:30 and back there by 4. I need a whole new display screen. He didn't take any money and can't get any details on the amount of money the thing will cosy since the Toyota place is closed on weekends. He will call me tomorrow.

I unlocked the side garage door when the van came now with it raining its too swollen to shut the dead bolts. The bottoms will have to do.

I think i have some thing living in the garage. When I was banging the door something moved. Finally in the morning it locked.

Lacy jumped off the fence and came in too.

I got to the gym and did my swimming. I tried putting conditioner on under my swim cap. Well. no surprise, it popped off again and again. Finally I washed the conditioner our and tried again

Then I stopped at the market for water and ham for the ham and Gouda strata I plan to make tomorrow.

I'm off to swim

I watched my cooking shows, slept in and couldn't pull myself out at 7 so now I'm off to swim.
I swam 14 laps and went to the store. It amazed me I was 2 hrs. at the gym.

I forgot to take the car in. Fortunately they are open on Sunday. The library is too. It was closed at 6 when I got out of the gym.

Fell off the horse and back in the saddle again. Marilyn, my friend and nutritionist says I need to loose weight (gee, I knew that!) and that I am borderline just above diabetic levels - No white flour no fruit juice. Got to get the glucose numbers down. I am just over the top of the diabetic numbers of 121 and I am 131.
Amazingly I pit on 8.5 lbs. in a month.

I made some stuffed peppers for dinner and a scalloped potato and ham casserole. I was going to make a strata too but I forgot to get the bread where I have it stashed out of the freezer at school.

My oranges are ripe.

The weather was beautiful. I'll have to get the ladder out and pick some. I wish I had gotten the aluminium one. The wooden one had split and it's too heavy and weathered from my leaving it out. Time to replace it.

I hate slap stick comedy. (the Pink Panther is on)

Another theft...this time from my office again for the 2nd time

Back to Safeway This morning before school I stopped I to pick up the paper cups and plates and some carrots for our pizza party next Wed. I forget something each time.

"Teachers teach because they care. Teaching young people is what they do best. It requires long hours, patience and care." --Horace Mann



It's raining today. It rained yesterday .02 percent. This looks a bit more.


I couldn't log. in to my emigrant account because I forgot a maternal grandmothers name. I never new her. I only recently found out that Mom and M.H. and Jack had an aunt that died as an infant.

With the fasting glucose 131 I will retest over the holiday weekend. For teachers it is nice to be off the whole week from the 2/14th-22nd.

Since this is Black History Month I've been putting up posters all over with quotes from Lincoln..."If you think slavery is OK try living as one." to Langston Hughes and Malcom X and Martin Luther King, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Booker T Washington....W.E.B Du Boise.

Daffodil days are coming. I signed up to sponsor it at our school. People sign up for a ten dollar bouquet of daffodils and on that Monday the kids bring them and they are dead by Friday. You can offer one to a friend and or another patient or buy a vase or one for a person in the hospital.

This year I'll get one for me and send one to my niece Emily who needs a liver transplant. She is going to do the cancer 3 day walk in Chicago and is looking for sponsors. If you would be interested in donating to her walk or to daffodil days or have a liver with AB blood let me know. She has 3 young children and will need the transplant within 10 years. It only takes a piece or yours and regenerates.

I had some (4) bright wholesome volunteers come from Bellarmine a prep school and try to help my lowest TA's learn shelving et al they didn't relate well to shadowing. I was able to have then do some excel forms for me though. What a difference in students and intelligence!!

Around lunch time the four dollars in fines got stolen from my desk top. I have had it there for 3 days and covered by Post it notes thought it ok. WRONG. I knew better but was busy.

Previously, One of my TA's returned a note to me with another 6 or 7 dollars with a note saying they were sorry that another TA had stolen the money and given some to them and they felt too guilty so they were returning it. I asked them a=each if they had written me a note none of them squealed and I showed the note to the principal. Today, I turned it in to the principal for the higher authority to handle it.
TGIF

Went to the grocery store this morning

I wanted to make some potato cheese soup so I stopped at Safeway this morning. For some reason the commute was light. Then I realized I forgot to get juice and water for our party Wednesday. I stopped by the yogurt place and dropped off a letter and showed my id and gave her a business card and got a $5 dollar gift card.

I was there yesterday but she wanted to see id so I went back today. Yesterday I got frozen chocolate yogurt and some poppyseed blueberry bread. Today I got two loaves of the cinnamon bread she carries from a bakery down the street. One for me and one for the secretary in the office. ( She bought it from me)

I picked up the water and juice for our party and stopped the pizza place to drop off a letter and get a menu and see if they deliver. They do.

Now to turn in my receipts. I forgot the cups and plates. and carrots
Today my 6th period TA's came in starved and I cut my sandwich into 4th's then they ate my celery and carrots and broccoli and wanted more. Boy's are empty chasms.

I turned in my 20 pages of application, resume, transcripts and credentials.

I had my TB test read. negative. in HI it was pos I had them so often.

I stropped in a dinner place that gives you meals for a month all prepared. You go and get them and pay 19. for 3 servings per meal. Interesting concept. The risotto chicken interested me.


I went to the p.o. for an express mail envelope to deliver my application to West Valley/Mission Community College. I need to copy my transcripts and add a resume. When did resumes start to get taylored for every job? I guess they should always have been. That's why I sent out so many with so little response. maybe?

I need to get my tb check tested too on the way.

applications take forever

First you need to copy a pdf file to word then since its now a text file clean it up. a pain it takes hours

Now I'm ready to do the supplemental resume but they don't want a cover letter,
A Community college application is 10 pages plus licences and transcripts and resume. It can't be faxed. I'll deliver it tomorrow since it's due.

I have an interview next Fri. the 13th. at a h.s. an hour away. How good is that?

I can play the tape but the car goes in on the weekend to see why the total display screen is blank.

Free Grand Slam at Denny's

Go to Denny's between 6 and 2 for a free Grand Slam.

I went AT 6:30 AND AT 10 and both times lines were out the door. I didn't hAVe time to wait.

I did go to see the Dr. have a TB test, get blood draws for 3 tests and get 4 perscriptions.

We took in 3300 dollars in the book fair and it gt picked up this morning.

So much for the PTA help.

I want to throw a pizza party for the TA's and CREW members.

This year I'm only taking 450 dollars in books. The rest I want in cash.

I got a call for a job in Brentwood to interview.

I saw the opening to the Superbowl then napped till the last 5 minutes.

I put in my resignation on Friday effective 6/30

I canceled the long term disability application.

Now that I got a battery for the key fob, the whole display system is not working on the car. It says external system not connected sounds like an electrical problem.
no map
no music
mo heat
no display....
the radio works

Gas is 2.02
The temp is 74

My candy binge showed up on my fasting glucose it was 131 up 20 points. not good,,,I was borderline before

I'm reading The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly.

Can't start the car

For several mornings I couldn't start the car for many minutes. When I push the button it says no key, jet somewhere in the car is the key fob.

Starting in Dec. or longer the remote wouldn't beep to lock and unlock. Today I got a new battery and now it all works again.

Senior discoint at IHOP

To celebrate the end of the book fair I went to IHOP for dinner. Thet have a senior menu which I now qualify. A short stack is about a dollar cheaper.

On Mon. I'm looking for some PTA members to come in and help me back up.

I just finished the Book of names. the prize winner I borrowed over the weekend from the book fair.

Last vestige of my back

I pulled crumpled dollar bills out of sweaty hands for 7 hours today at our book fair to raise 909. dollars. It goes uo every day.

Today, the counselors came in to protest my mandate that the kids take off their jackets and backets before coming into the faire. I replied that we certainly could close the fair if they prefered. They went out and made an announcement to inform the teachers that complained, that no backbacks or jackets could be worn in the book faire.

We have a lot of thieves.

Book Fair

The Book Fair is here again. The PTA was to help me this year. Again, That has not happened.

The kids love it.

I'm not such a fan.

It's a lot of extra work.

Everyone was watching

The first hour of our meeting during the in service was decicated to watching the innaguration. 50 or more teachers watched. We were all moved and glad it was 70 mot 30 here.

There was a moment when the flag pin on Obama's label made a star hit by the sun...and I thought there's a new sherrif in town.

Shoot Out

On Friday, there was an attempted car jacking up on the corner from my house. The road was blocked from 9 till 4. I saw the signs on the Hy. when I came home and talked the police into letting me turn left down my street. Everyone else was turned around. When I got home I saw what was happening on the news.

The fellow jumped out the car and ran into the gas station. The clerks fled and finally the cops shot him and stormed the place.

Today I'm meeting my SJPL friends for my birthday breakfast.

Obama

Amazing in 200 years then 40 years ago MLK and B Kennedy said there would be a black president and here we are. I thought we'd have a woman first. Who knew that would be a harder concept to take.

Caro's birthday dinner

Dad once sent me roses for my birthday.


I played around with a friend's laptop and put my photo chip into her computer and got the photos to come on on the screen and thought I got them to post into my blog but it's still a work in progress.

I'm meeting with the disability guy again today to see if I can get the long term care insurance for a whopping 286. a month.

Caro's mom was put into a nursing home yesterday. I knew when her sister took her she couldn't keep up the quality of care Caro provided, unfortunately, she just wanted the social security money without realizing what went into the bathing, changing, maintenance and cooking et al. Caro once before put her in a home for just a few days and took her back out when she saw the level of car and rapid deterioration.


I'm looking forward to this 3 day weekend. On Monday I meet with my librarian friends from SJPL to celebrate my birthday over breakfast.

Inventory

Over Christmas break, I discarded a lot of old t.v's and a scanner and an old printer. Now the principal is coming around to ask about the serial numbers of our equipment. I must say that I did write the serial number's down on the work forms but did not keep a record on the computer. The district is looking for the equipment so I am looking for the numbers. Maybe it will take a trip to the AV graveyard./storage area.

Today I assigned the kids a section of the fiction shelves that it was their responsibility to keep up. Every day they are responsible for shelf reading and making it neat. One of my smart ass TA's said, "as long as it's neat no one will ever know if it's in order." I said " I will know." "If we need to find a book and the author is a COO and it's in the S section we won't find it."

Another beautiful day in CA.

I'm taking inventory. May I say this has never been done before and a lot of things are missing...or misfiled.

That's why in other schools and the public library it's done each year.

Something to think about...

met with the long term disability insurance guy today and he gave me a rate of 286. per month and it was 25 percent more because of my weight. If I drop it I drop the rate 25%.
Not to pressure me or anything but if I do it today or tomorrow it will go in at 54 and be 10 dollars a month less than in tomorrow. The policy is with John Hancock thru NEA. National Educational Assn. It pays 70 percent home care, skilled nursing or assisted care. There is more involved questionnaire to come and a 30 min. phone conversation with the company and then they contact my doctor.

They figure I'll be paying for 20 or 30 years and then it will be much more expensive. Not something to take on now and have to drop it when times are tough.

It takes 90 days for the underwriting to go into effect.

Marilyn called last night. She would like to have disability insurance. The social security money she gets is used up in insurance and drug payments.

I remember trying to move Kim's mom from a chair to a bench and it was hard with someone. Usually she only had a tiny Filipino woman. You have to figure the kind of people that generally take these home health care positions are resident aliens and are low skilled. Yet, we entrust them with our well being and care. AN assisted living facility but the state may have 7 people in them. They can run 75,000. a year. How many years could you afford that? Could you afford to stay in your house?

If Mom and Dad hadn't died I was envisioning their care taking. Dad at 350 would have been very difficult to move. I would have needed help if I could have kept him at home. There would have been a person to care take while I was at work and to help shower him and so forth depending on the level of impairment after his stroke.

Mom too as much weight as she lost would have needed help bathing getting in and out of the tub or shower. It would probably need to be the shower because even with help we couldn't lift her out of the tub.

Caro who took care of her Mom used to do this every day. She also gave all the injections for her diabetes.

a white outcrop

It's another sunny beautiful day in CA in the 70's We worry though since we usually get rain between Thanksgiving and Feb. what is going to happen the summer. We still are on water rationing.

I like Wednesday and Thursday's when kids are gone by 1:30 and I have the after noon to get things done.

Things I wish for:
for my neck and back not to hurt
for my friends to get together more
for my family to be closer...

I will get up in the morning to go swimming. It felt so good to sleep in this morning.

I applied for a job today in Brentwood at a high school there. Brentwood is 22 percent Hispanic and 70 some percent white. It is a affluent enclave in the Bay Area. Again over an hour away, near Concord or at least they have the same area code.

Michael called to tell me that I couldn't just put a C/D/ in the drug store kiosk. He told me and I think I knew I needed something else. My assistant, Ramses says I need a cord that I have to plug into the computer. I have the cord because I borrowed one for a project and misplaced it and found it again after I cleaned out my car. I had already bought him a new one so now if I can find it again and it works, I'm set.

We've got a mini race war going on in Oakland over the killing of a black man by a BART policeman when he was on the ground. The policeman resigned but there are fires in the streets and vandalism going on. The protest in S.F. was not as bad, but the ones in Oakland were so stupid. The protesters broke windows, looted, started fires, rocked police cards, broke windows and into cars. It reminded me of the MLK downtown Washington D.C. There were a lot of section totally burned down.

It looked like Hamas.

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours.
Cesar Chavez (1927-1993) activist, founder national farm workers association

If you had only one phone call to make and knew you were going to die soon, who would you call and Why? What are you waiting for?

It is so beautiful out again today. We're breaking records for the last 125 years.

I was up at 6 and thought about going to swim but...didn't.

I made stuffed mushrooms to go with our dinner with beet tops, sauteed and button mushrooms then a tad of Colby and Jack cheese topped with a bid of Parmesan. I had one to test it last night.

Yum...Beet tops are really good for you but I have a hard time just sauteing them.
I made the beets too but took a muscle relaxer and fell asleep and they boiled. I cut the peel away. They were small to begin with and there is not much left but I like beets.

I even get them in a can on rare occasions. Fresh is better. I but too much and sometimes they get cooked but go bad before I can eat them. I am trying to perfect the art of buying and cooking for one.

Certainly my grocery bill is less I am buying much less. I think. Everyone else seems to be too.

The kids at school are trying to earn money for a field trip so I supplies from recipe's for muffin quiche, oatmeal raisin muffins and cookies and a breakfast pie.

I thought zucchini muffin too ambicious for them.

Disc

The results of my 2nd MRI show that I have a bulge in a disc and a fragment in the spinal canal which is causing the pain. I can have surgery but a core conditioning class is needed in addition to my swimming.

Acupuncture is recommended but no chiropractor or twisting or jumping and no lifting over 10 lbs. I go back in a month. My back is killing me every time I bend over and reach for something.

I mailed my package off to Gwen today. Did you know that you can't mail in a beer box...tried in a Corona box and they said I had to cover up all the Corona and beer on the box so traded it for another and threw the Corona one inside. Too bad... it was just the right size. I guess it was lucky I have a whole book room of boxes I save to pick from. It's like using a card as a mailing label, you have to pay postage on the card too.

Remember when there was airmail and stamps were 11 cents?

Twas a pain and 2x to the p.o.

2 weeks till my book fair is here.

I have a date with Caro to have dinner for her birthday.

It is the most spectacular beautiful day out with the sun shining and the temp
77..my favorite weather.

I got out of work by 4. I need to stay and do some of my own work tomorrow.

I came home and took some pictures of flowering jade my orange trees, snapdragon and geraniums on the patio in bloom.

I understand you can take the memony chip out of the camera and transfer pictures on a disc then I can put it in my computer...we'll see.

Zumba

I went to my zumba class this morning at 7:30 then swam. I love that class. A lady that I swim with found my dropped face medicine held it and returned it today then she blew dry my hair! amazing! I got out near 10 because I reached the 300,000 fitness level and won a T shirt.

I hit the farmers market, grocery store and library next. Gas is up to 1.97.

I made short ribs and mashed potatoes and veggies for Caro's birthday dinner. While O re watched sex in the city the movie I made a meatloaf. Then I cooked up some carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.

It was 72 degrees today going higher tomorrow. I took some pictures of the green hills and Lacey sleeping in a sunbeam in the living room while I watched the movie. then she jumped up on the window still to watch the street out front.

I'm going to watch the Golden Globe's tonight.

It will be 75 tomorrow.

Back in the saddle again

I got up at 5 and went to swim at 7, swam 15 crawl laps and one back then did an hour of aqua aerobics. burr! Getting out I had my pareo and 2 towels and flip flops. Couldn't wait to get under that warm shower. I need 4 towels and a pareo because?It's a lot to carry. I smell the chlorine again...boo! it gets in your skin.
I need to find my lock.

Do those car fobs you press need new batteries? Mine won't beep anymore. Fortunately it had a little key but one you click and everything is a button and smart system we get spoiled and it's hard to go back.

I deep conditioned my hair worried about the pool and recent chemicals. I need to get a cap like the swimmers use and put conditioner on and use ear plugs. I still think it's too light. I blew it a bit need rollers and everything...goop for heat and gel and then to aid insult to injury rollers and heat.

Afterwards I hit the grocery store for a calendar for the library batteries and some veggies. Cereal was on sale I think for 4.50 a box. I hate the auto checkouts. Reduce my bill if I do your work.

Then I drove to Sunnyvale about 20 miles N to have brunch with a teacher from school. I've been concerned about her. She's out on disability with a brain aneurysm and is scheduled for surgery. She's been out since October on full pay covered with disability and catastrophic illness.

We had a nice breakfast. I don't know her very well but I like her very much.

I went to the drug store to get another calendar for my office and turn in a prescription.

I pulled the poncho mom made for me and took out the aqua knit suit she knit and a sweater, I bought in Italy for Gwen at 3, now to pass on to Clare; packed them up to mail to Gwen. I found a nice skirt, twin sweater set too I wanted to pass on. I'm reluctant. When she was here at 18 I offered her some and she wasn't interested. Maybe it's time for some grown up clothes now though she's 32.

I got into my boots and got them zipped and unzipped by myself today. If I sit in the drivers set and put a boot up I can reach the zipper and eventually pull them on and it up.

I want to see the movie

Slum Dog Millionaire

. Gwen would like it's set in Delhai or Bombay, India where she was.

Fell asleep on the computer!

I napped after the evening news till 10:30 and was up on the computer till I fell asleep trying to download Suzie Orman's 09 book from Oprah..never did, but it's free to download all this week so go get your financial plan copy and worksheets now. I woke up at 5 and slept till 6:30 coming in for a faculty council meeting at 7:30. My assistant was late again so I opened the library at 8.

I'm actually taking a lunch today to hit the post office, library and get a donation for the book fair. I've only been there 4 times! Think they don't want to or what?

It's near 60 today. I had to crack the windows and out the sunshade on again! This weekend they are predicting 70.

I'll have to get to the gym and swim some and do my water aerobics class.

The kids had to zip me into my boots again. Fortunately, they don't mind and I have a rotating array.

I stayed till after 5 and managed to fax my application to Santa Cruz.

When I got my hair cut I also got my eye brows waxed but there is another process. It involves string and they grab the hair between the string and yank. I had her try that first. Give it to me all at once. That is too much like plucking.

Insomnia

Up at 4 again, can't turn the brain off. Lacey and I slept hard from 12-4. Now the body is buzzing and the mind races. I try doing mind meditation, visualizing the inside of the nose and the area behind the eyes and down the throat...says O mag.

Now3 that I have both Ugg slippers and boots my feet at warm. Today I am going to wear my boots for the first time. They may be too warm,,what a change,,,warm feet. It's 50. My feet are warm but I couldn't zip them alone. Fortunately, they kids here helped me!

I'm having a favorite book contest at school and the book fair at the end of Jan. We're also taking inventory. I need to clear out some books published before 1990.

Finished my book and am not reading Robert's Pagan Stone then on to Steel's

A Good Woman

and Oprah's

Big Book of Happiness

which is really cool filled with articles from her mag, on insomnia mental illness, bipolar disorder....

It was such a long drive to Concord yesterday. Some was carpool lane but, I's have to be there and get a roommate here. It's only 80 percent too.It's part public library since Baypoint is unincorporated and so my thoughts of sleeping there went out the window. bad idea anyway...I'd have to rent a room or something. But poor Lacey would miss me. Commuting would get old fast.

I made a sandwich today f avocado on my punpernicle swirl bread with turkey, cheese mayo and humus with red pepper on the other side. I made it during a literary magazine and the girls all wanted some! I didn't know what an avocado or humus was then!

I ate up all that wonderful casserole of scalloped potatoes and ham. I NEED to make a new one. Not with heavy cream this time as lovely as that was. I want to make some ass kicking mac and cheese too with 3 kinds of cheese,rue, milk, condensed milk...mac, and toasted homemade bread crumbs on top. Yummy! Comfort food,

I need to make my butternut squash in to soup or risotto or something soon too.
Made some stuffed red peppers now for some mushrooms too.

Boy, a lot gets done wen I'm manic and Lacey just watches amazed and puzzled as I rush from one thing to another. She stays and sleeps.

Things I realized...

Times with family for me are few and far between I need to go to all screw the cost..time dwindles down to a precious few, as the song and dad said,days together. Just go! The next time, la proxima vez...said that about Gwen too...still haven't seen any of her wedding pictures or video.

At least with Nancy I got a picture and Bob too.

It's 10:30 and I need a nap and I'm ready for lunch. Due to my meeting I actually got one.

---------------------a Christmas list of questions.......................

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. hot chocolate

Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree? Presents are always wrapped.

Colored lights on tree or white? When we had a tree, I liked the colours. Had some snowballs and bubble lights and still do but now the ones I find are white. We also put decorations around the door an wreaths on the double doors which are now red so the evergreen wreaths and red ribbons look good.

When do you put your decorations up? There are decorations?? Er, not very often these days. Last year I did a tree this year not... I hate taking it down.

What is your favourite holiday dish? ham and scalloped potatoes

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Having time to read endlessly, balloons on the tree

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes after midnight mass

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I have collected for 30 years from around the world and from my mother. Unfortunately my brothers Zorro one was broken in the hand over. He still has the plastic ones but he put them all in a paper bag together instead of wrapping things separately and with two little kids it was hard for him. These days, unless I have Christmas here, I don't bother. It is so liberating!

Snow! Love it or Dread it? I loved it, because we didn't ever have much, & it seemed special, & was soon gone.

Can you ice skate? Yep! Used to in Mi on the sidewalk and my brother and me on the Rouge River in MI...he fell in! When Joe was at USNA we skated a lot on the indoor rink. They have outdoor holiday rinks here and in S.F. and although I still have the skates from age 16, I haven't used them since then. Like the sled I left behind with Mickey when we moved to HI and CA gone.

Do you remember your favorite gift? A huge doll when I was 6, as big as me! Always books.

What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family get together, midnight mass, friends over for brunch, New Years dinner with friends.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

What is your favorite tradition? balloons on the Christmas tree, Christmas in the Adobes in Monterey, La posada, Shopping in S.F., looking at the Christmas windows in D.C..

Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving? I enjoy both, but I do love to give something, even if it is only an ear to listen.

What is your favorite Christmas Song? White Christmas, Whose Child is this

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum a little

Ever recycled a Christmas present? Honestly? yep I re gift

*********
I stole this from one of the Sunday paper magazines, because it appealed to me.

What would you like for Christmas....

If you were feeling greedy?
A trip to the spa, progressive supper in Charleston with carriage rides between courses
If you weren't feeling greedy?
time with my family
If you were being practical?
a clean house and yard work, clean the garage
If you had to share your present?
A first class trip for two around the world.
If you had a present for one day only, (then had to give it back)?
A chance to give the homeless 2 great meals for Christmas Day, with a bed for the night, in comfort & luxury. Well, one day is 24 hours right?

Try it if you like, I found it quite hard to think of things that were not flippant or ridiculous... after all it is just a fantasy...

I have Christmases when company alone is priceless.

Up at 5

At work by 6:30, couldn't see to find my key, the janitor had to come and turn off the alarm. I was the first one on campus. I figured since I was up after reading until 1:30 last night or this morning I'd come in and get some work done while it's quiet. I never get the time during the day. This keyboard is easier to type on than my laptop too. I was going to do this yesterday but the Internet went down.

Those Ugg slippers are so warm filled with sheep shin and the boots too. You don't wear socks with them who knew...

I also got these orthotics to put in my SAS shoes I bought last Fri. Hopefully with my new socks I can stand a little longer. Loosing 100 lbs would help too but in the interim....

I'm working on resumes for a part time community college librarian/faculty slot, technical services manager in Santa Cruz and as a Manager to the library in Santa CLara.

Well the interview went well but its only 80 percent there is money for this year but who knows how stable it is with budgets for next...? It was over 2 hrs up and back too bar for each day. Glad I had a sub.

Another busy day. Came home read, scalded my hand on hot scalloped potatoe lava" and took a nap till Bob called.

Got my hair done

cut and colored and highlighted...not sure I like it.

They are called highlights and low lights or as one of my TA's said, "did you die your hair?"

I spoke to my principal today....

I have an MRI scheduled for tomorrow at 9 then at 11 I leave to drive to Concord for my interview, It's about an hr. I think. Then an hour back and I don't know if I'll get back. I may get a sub. It's a short day. School is out at 1:30.

We have so much to do I hate to leave Ramses alone. He's overwhelmed. I'm putting a lot on his shoulders.


I woke at 2:30 last night after 4 hrs of sleep and took a sleeping pill till 7. Yesterday I was so tired.

It feels like bugs are under my skin it buzzes and the mind races.

I spilled some tamarind on my comforter cover and it's in the wash. Fortunately, Duvets protect the down comforter, and my comforter was not leaked on.

I got another 400. dollar reimbursement check today. That's about it.

I'm watching "The biggest looser...I need to go on there." Back to the pool. Time to christen my new bathing suit and towel

I went back and got the Ugg boots and some slippers along with 3 more pair of socks.

It was up to 50 today. What a nice change from Mon. It was so cold and in the library 55 degrees just like home.

Couldn't be under the down comforter though.

Tess of the Durberville's

I watched Masterpiece Theater again last night and

Tess

by Thackeray U think, again. Last week I saw

Great Expectations

by Dickens which U never saw before though I have the book. It was much different than I thought.

I slept from 11 ish to 3:30 and after tossing for an hour trying meditation and visualization, I hot up and packed my lunch, put the tamales in the frig and did dishes. I read some and the question was to swim or not. Blogging,resumes and a to do list won I also did a Dec. accomplishment list for my principal. I decided not to take a sleeping pill cuz it was so close to 7.
Time to make so,e oatmeal with raspberries. I made cranberry bread last week. I'm ready to do some yeast baking /pancakes.

I've got to get back in the water and to walking or on the treadmill if not outside.

Yesterday it was lovely. I pulled some weeds. The first paperwhite came up. Thank you Bob.


I applied for this job


Technical Customer Support Specialist
Work for a Dynamic Start-up in Silicon Valley!

Our client is seeking a Technical Customer Support Specialist. Duties of this challenging and never boring position include: Respond to and resolve incoming Customer Support requests from end-users, customers, librarians, technical staff and partners. Document, escalate and resolve second level Customer Support requests. Contribute to documentation including knowledge bases and internal Wiki. Technical Support Specialist to provide world class support for our web-based library products. You will be a key member of the Customer Support team, providing direct support to customers worldwide. Although IT/Desktop Support/Developer/QA roles may be applicable, this is not a pure IT or Engineering role. Please send a resume that highlights your technical skills from the requirements below, as well as specific examples of how you solved problems for internal or external clients. We are a small company - every hire we make is extremely critical.
Required Experience
• An MLS!
• Staff experience with an academic/public/special library
• Knowledge of library ILS, OPAC, CMS and proxy server systems
• MARC cataloging experience
• Experience with web application programming and servers (ASP/.NET on IIS, Perl, PHP, JSP/Java or Apache/Tomcat etc.)
• Database experience (SQL, Oracle, FileMaker)
• GUI scripting (VB, AppleScript)
• UNIX skills
• Experience using salesforce.com for CRM
• Understanding of quality and feedback processes and measurement
• Spanish fluency (both written and spoken)
• Experience with electronic information databases and library systems
• At least 3 years of level I/II support or supervisory role, preferably in an internet-based call center and/or email environment
• Get-It-Done attitude!
• Ability to work well with different levels of internet customers, from novice end-users to arrogant experts
• Experience with technical aspects of websites, browsers and the Internet protocols (TCP/IP, HTML, HTTP)
• Proficiency with the major web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari), desktop applications (Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat) and their quirks
• Whole system holistic problem solving skills
• Strong verbal/written communication skills
• Practical desktop support experience (Windows and Macintosh)
• Self-motivated multi-tasking with well developed personal organization, proven detail oriented problem solving and follow through to completion
Required Skills
• Database

Probably over my head and I will be vested for retirement in June but interesting. I'm also looking at a community college part time, and at a technical services manager at Santa Cruz Public library where I used to work. I'd like to live there. Like the commute to Monterey, the mountain at 2k in the winter can be a bitch of a commute.


I doubled my extra heavy down comforter I got in Copenhagen and Lacey and I are snug. I love the flannel sheets and comforter duvet.

Wisdom

------------------------------


The Journey to Greatness by Noah Ben-Shia
Words of wisdom for life…
The journey of life is not a rehearsal and the lessons you learn

Don’t live life in the past lane.
Personal liberation is also to others

If you want to give God a good laugh tell him your plans
We have all the time we need until we don’t
We get dragged screaming to a better place
You are in control of how you react to what life delivers to your door.
Honesty,love and faith are the 3 magic doors in your life.
Self transformation requires self witnessing.
Tell yourself the truth
What isn’t said between people is also heard.
If you can’t be honest to can’t get to love.
To find a friend be one.
Forgive others forgive yourself

Faith
letting go or letting God
life is a gift, prayer is a thank you note

Humility
something greater than yourself
out your faith not your fear in front
a sheep lead by a lion can defeat a lion lead by a sheep

It's not what job I'm going to but who I am going to that job.

The greatest opportunity in life is daring to be who we might yet become

the only one with a clear conscience is one with a bad memory

insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results
We inherit from both parents
nothing lives heavier on children is the unlived life of their parents
we are all vulnerable
the past is infectious of the future
struggle is a necessary dignity of life...the butterfly had to struggle to get out of the cocoon for a reason
People don't do things to you they do things for them
Wisdom is more than laughing at our self
when you die you will be asked why you were not all you could be the path ahead is always under construction
play the part not the result
Laugh at yourself
everyone gets rained on but they can also be God blowing us kisses
We are alone but all alone together
Put your faith not your fear in charge
Peace and Blessings
----------------------------------
I'm reading Hand of Evil by Jance

I'm in a manic phase and have reversed my sleep cycle. In an effort to reverse it for the work week to come I tried to sleep. I was tempted to make a list of monthly accomplishments, a to do list for work and a grocery list on the computer but didn't.
I finally took a sleeping will near 4 when I couldn't turn the brain off after and hour or 2.
I got up at 8 and then 11 and went to the farmers market and to the supermarket to get some things i forgot yesterday and still forgot the mushrooms and to take back my Jif peanut butter for the creamy with honey variety. It had been so long I forgot I liked the new kind, the other one went rancid. I used 1/2 the jar. Why don't they sell the smaller jar the way they used to?

The same with olive oil. How can it be 5.00 for a small bottle of the regular stuff? How can people taste the stuff and vinegar? Blah! I don't like olive oil much anyway.

I was going to treat myself to cranberry raspberry juice I passed when I saw it was 5. a bottle for a litter.

Yet at the farmers market I spent 12. on 3 baskets of blueberries and one of raspberries. peas sprouts are here. You stir fry them.

Time to get the oatmeal out and use those frozen raspberries.

I watched the movie Indiana Jones Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I liked it.

Went to get gas and to the library and to get the dangeling plastic thing pulled off from under my car.

I made cube steak last night for this week. Cream of mushroom soup can't compete with heavy cream. The 50's cooking used it a lot. Mom made tuna, potato chips and c o m soup casserole we loved for comfort food. Wonder why she didn't do mac and cheese/ We got pizza but no Chinese or Mexican till I was a teenager and no spaghetti. I remember roast on sunday meatloaf and chipped beef, mashed potatoes and peas burried under,

At 3 a.m. I put a computer box in the garage filled the bottom with 2 bags of plastic bags them an old blanket and a cat pillow and put it outside for the stray black cat that lives in my yard. Today he got the ham scraps. I think he may be the kitten I fostered. Now he's a bit feral again I can't touch him and he growls at me. I call him Diablo. He doesn't mess with Lacey on the rare times she goes out.
The other one, Brutus, does and he attacked me but i can touch him.

Pj sent me a blue dolphin towel for Christmas and my new bathing suit is blue.

I'm glad it finally arrived. Since my other disappeared from the car, I was wearing an old one and had almost popped a boob so I started wearing a bra under it and a t shirt on top.

Missed Michael's call. He said the Bar Mitzvah was great and I was missed during the luncheon.
Wish I was there, I should have gone.

I made scalloped potatoes and ham today. I made the rue and add heavy cream and 1/2 and 1/2 and jack and cheddar cheese much better than my Christmas one. Outrageous.

This is the Thai from last night:

Thai long beans
Ingredients
• 2-4 cups regular green beans OR 1 bundle of Chinese "long beans"
• 3 Tbsp. very small dried shrimp (available at Asian Markets, either by weight or in packets), OR add 1 extra tsp. shrimp paste to the stir-fry sauce
• 1/4 cup hot water (only if using dried shrimp)
STIR-FRY SAUCE:
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size galangal OR ginger, sliced
• 2 shallots OR 2 slices cooking onion
• 1 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1-2 red chilies, OR 1-2 tsp. red chili sauce (to taste)
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
First, measure out 3 Tbsp. dried shrimp (if using). Place it in a cup or small bowl. Note: This kind of dried shrimp can be purchased by weight at Asian spice and herb stores, or in packages at Asian food stores.

Tamarind fish

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
• SERVES 2
• 2-3 fillets of talapia, or other white-fleshed fish (cod, sole, snapper, etc...)
• generous handful fresh coriander
• 3 spring (green) onions, sliced
• TAMARIND SAUCE:
• 1 Tbsp. tamarind paste (available by the jar at Chinese, Asian, or Indian food stores)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar (or substitute 1 1/2 Tbsp. white sugar) - adjust to taste
• 3/4 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/3 loose cup chopped fresh coriander (include both stems and leaves)
• 2 tsp. Nam Prik Pao (or substitute other red chili sauce)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger, grated or cut thinly into strips
Preparation:
1. Rinse and pat dry fish. Place fillets in a flat baking dish (preferably one with a tight-fitting cover - or you can use tin foil to cover it).
2. Place all "Tamarind Sauce" ingredients together in a sauce pan. Gently warm over low to medium heat until you get a uniform consistency.
Tip: The amount of sugar in the recipe may seem like too much, but it's needed to balance out the extreme sourness of the tamarind - unless you're one of those people who prefers very sour flavors. The Thai way is to always keep a balance of the 4 big "tastes": sweet, sour, spicy, and salty.
3. Taste-test the sauce, adding more sugar if too sour, or more fish sauce if not salty enough. Also add more chili sauce if you prefer it spicier - again, looking for that special Thai balance of flavors.
4. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce over the fish fillets. Cover the rest and keep warm over minimum heat for later.
5. Turn the fillets over several times in the sauce/marinade, then cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked. Fish is done perfectly when the flesh flakes easily and is no longer translucent. Note that thick fillets may need 20-25 minutes.
6. When fish is cooked, remove it from the oven. Lift fillets out of the baking dish and place on a serving plate or individual plates. Pour reserved tamarind sauce over, then top with spring onion and fresh coriander.



• Yellow Curry
Sauce Ingredients:
• 1-2 red chilies (or substitute green), depending on desired spice level (you can also leave out the chili for an extra mild curry)
• 2 shallots (or 1 small cooking onion)
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal (see Glossary) OR ginger, sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg (or substitute cinnamon)
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce (available at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 1 tsp. dried turmeric OR 1 thumb-size piece fresh turmeric, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, snipped into small pieces with scissors (discard central stem)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (or juice from 1/2 lime)
• 1 Tbsp. ketchup OR 1 Tbsp. tomato paste + 1 tsp. sugar
• Other ingredients:
• ½ chicken chopped into pieces
• 1 stalk lemon grass (for more information, see below)
• 2 potatoes, chopped into wedges or small chunks
• 1 green and/or red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced
• 1-2 additional kaffir lime leaves, left whole
• approx. 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 loose cup fresh coriander OR fresh basil to finish the dish

First, make the curry sauce by placing all sauce ingredients together in your food processor or blender. OR, you can also mince the ingredients by hand, or pound dry ingredients together with a pestle & mortar.

Ingredients: Thai coconut soup•

1 onion, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 can chickpeas (optional)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 2 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• juice from 3 limes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil or cilantro
Preparation:
Saute the onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil in a large pot until onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, except for the basil and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook over low heat for one hour.
Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the pot. Add basil or cilantro and enjoy your coconut soup

last day waste of time

I went to get my MRI and the traffic was horrible and accidents galore; then I waited for 2 hrs until they finally told me they had no record of my appointment. I went out for a sandwich and found the honey baked store closed and since it was 3 they next 5 places closed too finally I stopped at Safeway and got a horrible sandwich and some groceries and returned to see that they could squeeze me in at 8. so I went home.

what a waste of my last day off.
Then I went to get some shoes and socks.

I also tried on UGg's. I finally got them on after much struggle and they were comfortable and warm. I determined minimum use, difficulty putting them on even the low ones, and they were still 133 even on sale. I was tempted to get some nice slippers though. I did get Thrlo socks. I love them at 13.50. I keep loosing them though. today though I wish I got them. It's cold.

I got some in Williamsburg but held off earlier waiting for the Jan sale.

I needed a 1/2 size up and a w. At the beginning of the day a 7/5 is fine but by noon I need the wide. For my aerobics class I need the smaller size to hold my foot firmer.

Gas is 1.81 again.

I ran errands for 4 hrs.

Everyone else in my family is in Charlotte. Wish I was too. Too expensive for me this year. If I had notice no problem.

I had frequent flier miles for a flight but by the time I got the invitation it was not 20k but 50k miles. I went from going to Charleston for this great progressive supper, Savannah again and St Augustine and St. Simeon's to the MRI fiasco,

I feel guilty I didn;t go. As time said, time is precious... as they song says it dwindles down to a precious few....

Hope Steven had and has a great Bar Mitzvah. I stopped at the p.o. to get stamps so I could mail your check and card.

Even today I was looking for a flight.

My fried PJ called from OR. He's a design engineer. We email but I talk to him once a year. We exchange Christmas gifts. We had a good chat. I met him at Doe Bay on Orcas Island in the San Juan islands off Seattle. Or weather and economy is even more depressed. His health is not good.

Karen's husband won 25k at the slots!

Made some spinach fettuccine with basil sun dried tomatoes sauce which you don't heat...hum

Next year I'll have to make some with my fresh basil. Last night it was butternut squash from the farmers market and Alfredo. I need to make some butternut squash risotto or angel hair pasta.

This morning i made these souffle pancakes. whip 3 eggs and 1/2 c milk in blender then add 2 T flour and cook a bit at a time in butter rolls up and serve with jam and powdered sugar... rolls up and serve with jam and powdered sugar...hum like Martha Stewart's silver dollar pancakes better or cranberry apple phylo tart.

I went to the store and spent 100. on groceries. It seems like everything is so expensive.

I got some Thai coconut soup, tamarind fish and green log beans. I need to make it.

I'm cooking cube steak.

It's 33 degrees burrrrrrrrrrrr. Although it's always 55 in my house the heat has been kicking on.

I'm think of selling my Waterford on eBay and my gold for cash.

I've lost 45 percent or 125k on stocks and more in the ira et al. poor us....

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons bring
the best to you and yours!


_____________________________Happy Bar Mitzvah Steven.==========

Happy 2009

May the New Year's bring us all more health, wealth and happiness,

I have an appointment for my MRI on Friday. 2008 was the worst year for everyone not over 70 -- holy smokes.

Happy Birthday to Mary Helen. She was born in 1929. I guess she has seen but may not remember worse.

Gas went back up.

With all the forclosures I think all the fireworks and muncipicial parties and parades should be canceled.

I need to fax some documents back to Mt. Diablo and figure out how far Concord is, abour an hour I think.

I read Scarpetta by P Cornwelland Artic Drift this holiday.

Merry Christmas

Merry to all

Off to midnight mass at the Mission at Santa Clara to enjoy the music and come out blessed ro the misty morn and appreciate the silent night and the lights...a spiritual momentthen I have an invitation to Caro's for dinner.

I'm making scallaped potatoes, macarroni and cheese and ham with pineapple in brown sugar and butter; along with yeast rolls. YUM!

Twas the night before Christmas

I need a lanyard for my glasses and the remote control.

Monterey

Caro and I drove down to Monterey about an hour 's drive s. It was clear and a nice day. It sure was dark by 5 though. Dinner was nothing spectacular.
Iy was a beautiful clear night.

We stopped in at Goodwill. It depressed me. Caro found some bargins including a platter from Italy.

For dinner Caro had lamb with fingerling potatoes. I had scallops and risotto. She had a gran manier souffle for dessert and I had creme brulee. She started with crab cakes and I got something....

What I remember is the great Cosmopolitan. Thank you Michael and Bob.

We walked afterwards on the pier. They couldn't five away their clab chowder the place was dead.

I am so glad I am not traveling in the snow and weather. I wanted to be there but given the delays this is not a good week.

I got my retirement papers. On my birthday I hit the magic number. In June I will be vested. It's nice to know you get a certain amount per month for life.

Baking

At the potluck no one ate my cake. Maybe it was the persimmons vs. carrots. I didn't want to make it. There was not the same type of good this time as around Halloween. Every one's too busy and too tired. Too many sweets.

Someone gives a gift and you feel obligated to bake something for them. Why? I appreciate getting the chocolate camel bark with nuts from Ann but I don't want to bake for her and the secretaries and so forth....

I think the kuds stole the candy when they cleaned out my car along with some money.
Do they want that sugar? There is cranberry bread....but cranberries are out of season. i made 2 more more for me on New Year/s morning.


I thought to make lemon bars, a recipe from a blog I follow from Spain..the problem is the measurements need to be converted.
Tomorrow I'm at a conference all day.

My aide played hooky on his 6th day of work and called in sick on a day when he had a meeting to do training to work on his school assignments. I think.

I'm off tomorrow to the DRC to work on the District library plan. I have a sub.

I'm on it off I go to bake...again.

I got a refund today

Not all of my Teen Read Week Books have been refunded, but over 6-700.00 which is a start.

I still haven't turned the heat on and I didn't last year either but it's been so cold that it kicks on at 55. I'm wrapped under a king size down comforter from the moment I come home and wear a fleece jacket over my nightgown. I've got bed sock's and slippers.

Tomorrow is a potluck at school. I think I'm making something with permissons or pomigranetes. or this salad I like a lot with Romaine, blue cheese crutons, pine nuts, and cranberries dried on top.

Happy Birthday to me

The kids are out cleaning out my car which means I will have everything in boxes and never know where anything is. But at least they wanted to do something or get out of being my TA for a period.
Yesterday was too rainy to drive all the way to Monterey for dinner so we put it off for another day and today I'm feeling left out and put off. Mary Helen sent me a card as she always does and Marilyn sent me a scarf and hat she either knit or crocheted. I can't tell the difference.

I decided I'm doing to pack up a poncho Mom knit, a suit and send them to Gwen. I'm not sure they will fit her but they did me for awhile when I was size 8. I wish I still had her knitting bag, There were counters and patterns and needles galore. I used to want her to knit me Navy blue sweaters and she did royal blue and gold and a navy ear cover and mittens. Little did I appreciate how difficult it is to see the little stuff at 55! I used to laugh when she wanted me to thread a needle. I also have a sweater I bought for Gwen in Italy to send on to Clare. That's my playing it forward.

A good thing happened this morning even though I left the raspberries and blueberries on the counter, I found my glasses. I heard a clunk around 6:30 before Lacey and I unsnuggled. I figured it was my glasses that were on the pillow. I couldn't find them this morning once I started looking so I started going through glass cases and found my lost glasses hanging out in a case. I don't remember putting them there. Good news. The old prescription wasn't doing it for me.

I think I'll stop by Il Fornaio tonight on the way home to pick up some risotto. It's cold and rainy out.

What was happenening in 1953...
Eisenhower was President
GE promised to fire all Communist employees!
Here to Eternity was the best film
Audrey Hepburn won Best Actress for Roman Holiday
a gallon of milk was .94 not 3.83!
a gallon of gas was.22 I remember .29! and now is 1.70
A new auto $1,850.00 not 23,225 or more...
a new house was 17,400.00 now it's 500,00.00 and falling
lets not talk about the dow jones....

Cold here means 40's....but dropping this week. My blood has thinned.

so cold

I had a hat and gloves on at the farmer's market. I must get the down too.. fleese isn't enought today. With the rain moisture in the it it penetrates. Burrrrrrr!!

Time to make my carrot birthday cake.

The Christmas party

At 4 or so I drove over to Eric's house and as he prepped the outside fire pit I talked with 2 of the English teachers. One just got married. It turns out they are all related sorta. Carl married Jill's sister. Susan just married someones brother in law...too close. The all work in the sa,e school and live close to one another.
They were amazed I was here with all my family ON the East coast.

With staff dues we paid for 2 guys to cook and prepare tacos. Now these are authentic. grilled carne asada, pork and chicken. then grilled chicken and onions, tiny grilled tortillas and add lime, cilantro, onion, salsa or salsa verde... too hot for me, and radishes. There was rice and beans too. Yum. There were lots of left overs since I helped clean up, and I got to take some home which fed me today..along with sour svream and avocado. There were tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole, veggies and dip. Afterwards, there were 2 trays of cookies. 400 dollars

No potluck yeah!

The white elephant was fun. There was a color printer and a foot soaker and I got a girls gone wild t shirt. There was this huge coconut size fruit prickly that smells and tastes terrible. Like last year I was no. 1.

I stayed about 4 hrs.

It was cold. The doors were open. Outside there was a firepit. There were 34-40 people there.

U got home by 9 or so and slept in till 1

The heater kicked on no more 20 dollar gas bills. One that came today was 19. gas and 12 electric. Mt heat doesn't go on till it drops to 55 inside. I've been under a down comforter with Lacey on top of me all day. I finished my book and napped.

Lacey on my lap is a new behavior for her.

Holiday party

It was warm 40 -69 today...

This afternoon, starting at 4 our Christmas party starts. I forgot the candle and the food for the food barrel and am stopping at Safeway to get a live crab and will shread newspaper and put it in a cardboard box. I almost forgot the whole thing like I did bowling night.

The kids are flocking in to get books and I am really glad because I need those circulation numbers up. Next year I'll write a grant so the teachers can read the books over summer vacation. Teen read week can then be held before Thanksgiving.

Things I'm Thankful for:

I got my new library assistant Ramses on Wed.
Teen Read Week is over and the kids are coming in to get books and are excited.
My circ. statistics are up.
I have a parent volunteer! She is great! They both are Spanish speakers.
I'm defrosting the refrigerator in the library.
I made butternut squash ravoli with Alfredo sauce last nice and shrimp scampi.
Lacey snuggles
Carolina
Marilyn
Kim

I can see my breath in the morning

Not that I've ever burned anything but a gas log in 30 years but...The Bay Area Air District has issued a Winter Spare the Air Alert for Wednesday, December 10, which bans wood burning both indoors and outdoors through noon tomorrow.

Air quality in the Bay Area is forecast to be unhealthy. It is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to burn wood in fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts, pellet stoves, and outdoor fire-pits. This wood-burning ban will be in effect for Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southern Sonoma and southwestern Solano Counties.

Winter air pollution is mainly caused by small particle pollution or particulate matter (PM) from wood smoke. Smoke from wood-burning fires is linked to illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and lung disease, and is especially harmful for children and the elderly.

For more information about the wood burning rule, or to check before you burn, visit www.sparetheair.org or call 1-877-4-NO-BURN. Any one else experiencing this in their area?

It's 39 in the morning and 60 in the afternoon. I hear VA is in the &)'s today. What crazy weather. This weekend it's suposted to be rainy and cold. My least favorite type of weather.

I'm on my way to the district give away and then at 7 a PTA meeting...my first to ask for help on my book sale in Jan.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

I sendt off my musical Christmas cards to Clare with Dora saying Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas and Sesame Street Elmo for Wesley talking and giggling enough to make Gwen and Mario cringe. I even bought a few Christmas stamps but that's the end of Christmas puerchasing and mailing. Fa La La La LA LA la la LA.

Mary Helen send me this parable:

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession :

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.


My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,


Ben Stein


=

Today I went to the back docror

The leaves are falling...it's shirt and sweater weather. The mornings are cool.

She ordered another MRI and suggested perhaps I have a lower disc problem.

It was a more laid back day, Last week was so busy.

I took my Bar Mitzvah outfit back to the store. The mall didn't seem too crowded.

I want to stay out of it. No more shopping for me. It's a meager year.

I need to scan some documents into the computer this week. It requires me going over to the tech center and getting some help. Let me put it under thinhs I need to do cut don't want to....another one.

I made stuffed peppers. The red peppers were sweet. I can see why people take the skin off but I can't be bothered and it doesn't make that much difference to me.

Caro and I are going to see Christmas in the park and driving down to Monterey on Sunday for dinner to Fresh Cream. see freshcream.com

Pearl Harbor Day

I remember taking a launch out to the Pearl Harbor Memorial. You couldn't help but be moved. There was still oil seeping out...eerie... Now its 55 years later.

Living in HI Christmas trees and groceries were expensive. For the past 2 years I had a tiny one. This year I don't think so. I had the little ones in my room and 2 times I cut a limb off my blue spruce in the front yard and had my designer version.

Sift surroundings sends me a 20 dollar birthday coupon that needs to be used by 12/31 so I bought another pair of tencel pants...black this time. I just can't find my other pair of jeans and they were a major part of my wardrobe. They also have these bed socks I love. I do well with this company. I did send back a sweater and a pair of white silk pants. You can see through then. The black I have are fine.

I have 2 wreaths up and 2 baskets out, but that's it.

I got the Patricia Cornwell book

Scarpetta

.

I filled up for 11.00 today.

I go to the back dr. tomorrow.

Cat snuggle

Lacey, my cat snuggles up next to me for warmth but doesn't like to be picked ip pr held and takes off of she see's you coming. I wanted to pick her up when she decided to walk on my laptop keyboard. Like covers, she dug her keys in and popped the u and i key off the keyboard. i found them this morning.
I managed to put the i key back on. Now to repeat when I find the u key again.
I only type on my stomach in my bed. So it's got to be nearby.

I got up at 9 and made breakfast, then came back to bed to bed and read napping until 4.

My bills are doe for all the presents i bought for me. While shipping was still free I got a nightgown from Land's end. I also got some pants, olive tencel and a cream warm snugly sweater from soft surroundings.com. I got 2 blouses from them too one rose and one green tencel and another blue and a denim skirt from coldwatercreek.com.

I need to return the skirt and top I bought for the Jan Bar mitzvah in Charlotte. I can't afford to go. The flights cost 50k miles and i only have 32.

I really wanted to go to the progressive supper in Charleston on the 23rd too. In all the old inn's there were appetizers then a carriage ride to the inn for a 3 course dinner and another ride for dessert and tea. I love these old buildings like in Alexandria in candlelight.

I went to Christmas in the Adobes here in Monterey. It was foggy which added to the ambiance of the old inn's and the decents in period costumes. Thank goodness there was hor cider and hot chocolate.
One year I WENT TO ALL THE BED AND BREAKFAST Victorians. I like PACIFIC Grove.

On my almost birthday, my friend Caro are going for dinner to a place there called sweet cream. yum.................

oops... I forgot Lacey's shots. oh well next week........she won't mind.

It's been a hard week.

Books are still arriving. Ir's been hard to do it all without an assistant,

Now I'm missing 2 keys on my laptop.

I'm glad gas is below 190.

I paid my property tax...1500.

I hung wreaths on the doors tonight.

Teen Read Week in progress

I am so tired. I got everyone scheduled and have given so many book talks I am dead on my feet.

The mayor, other librarians, superintendent, city librarian and the real author of Vampire High, a guy I worked with at biblioteca came.

He was super. He usually charges 3400. a visit.

Kids are checking out books. If they don't go up, I go.

It doesn't help that the books came late.

Make a birthday cake for one of my TA's last night.

I went for an eye exam today. My prescription hasn't changed since last year. I can't find my latest pair of 450 dollar glasses and new frames don't get covered until Oct.

I could get contacts.

I don't have the patience.