New Job

Back from Trinidad

I miss the cool sea air

I don't know how I's do living in a small town.

Traffic here is unreal.

I got a job offer for the next school year to be a librarian.

I like that better than teaching.

Summer school starts on 7/9-8/16.

I'm glad I took a break.

I may go down to Big Sur, take my car in and see about getting a new oven to complete my kitchen. Then the countertops and lighting need doing.

How exciting to have Gwen be about ready to give birth

Trinidad Fish and Jazz Festival

Grilled halibut, fish tacos, petrale sole sandwiches, clam chowder and everything in between was offered along with live jazz on the village green.

The grocery was offering grilled BBQ chicken and tritip and corn.
Yum!
Fun in the sun and cool ocean breezes, Fantastic!

In the afternoon if Marilyn can make it we try and walk over to the cafe so she can lie on the couch, read the paper and get out.

Today we took her 1st trip in 2 yrs to the azalea grove with a view of the ocean wildflowers as far as the eye could see, elk and a big growth redwood forest complete with a tinkling brook. Awesome.

Arcata Oyster Festival

Sat. was the bivalve festival and farmers market. There were every kind of grilled oyster you can imagine: tequila and lime, vodka and cranberry, watsabi and soy, BBQ, blackberry,jalapeno on and on. Marilyn eats them. I stand in tine. There is philly cheese steak, fish tacos and grilled chicken and limpia.

Then, after rocking out with the family friendly crowd a flash back to the 60's and all the kids from Humboldt State I dashed to the coop for organic everything; loaded Marilyn on her mattress in the back of her station wagon for the trip home.

Trinidad

6 hours later at 9 p.m. I watch the sunset over the Pacific as I drive by the ocean on Clam Beach and pull in exhausted, to Trinidad. This tiny coastal fishing village perches above a lovely cove and lighthouse with two rock formations, little and big head and a beach. It is exquisite. The morning is cool and the days have a breeze and temps. are perfect around 70.

San Francisco

I keep forgetting what a great city this is. Going through and across the Golden Gate Bridge I was blown away by the views. It is so beautiful. Marin is cool as is the city and green not golden. It was such a pleasure to drop into the 60's from 91 when I left San Jose to drive N at 1:30.

The last day of school was a joy only 3 8th graders called me a bitch and threw things at me.....I took their diplomas to the office.

When did we have cops on campus and 8th grade diplomas? I don't even remember a trip to King's Dominion.

Things they are a changing.

Too darn hot Heading N to Trinidad

Another day of scorching temps. I'll risk it and drive up to see friends on the ocean in Trinidad.

Even when it's warm here the ocean and the fog help a lot. I watered, planted a few black eye Susan's and some more sunflowers then went into school.

I can't believe how much prep 6 weeks of 6 classes is. I was always amazed before when a teacher came with all his handouts done for Algebra, Now I'm not done but after 2 days, I've got a close handle on the material. My books are ordered,

The dictionary order went in today.
I was going to rent a truck and drive a refrigerator up to her but for a 6 hr. drive on windy roads thru the redwoods I think I'll pass.

I'll be back on Thurs. in time for a teachers luncheon.

Summer is here

IT WAS 95 TWO DAYS SO FAR THIS WEEK. AS GWEN TOLD ME WHEN SHE WAS VISITING THE HILLS ARE BROWN NOT GOLDEN. I MISS THE GREEN. With a lot of water my garden is growing.

One the other hand the farmers market is open cherries, apricots and strawberries are in season. Jicima and Japanese and globe eggplant is out and Green Beans are ripe.

The kindergartners are practicing their graduation songs. Funny and cute. Their choreography is the best.

Today I was in 8th grade history and they were tired of movies while all their classmates went off to Great America so we did trust walks where I blink folded one and assigned a partner and had them walk around and see what it would be like with a disability then answer questions and write a paragraph.

Surprisingly for the last week of school I've gotten 3 calls.

I'm glad I don't have to do the end of the year checkout!

Then I had them list important events 2000-2007 and make a collage.

My feet are aching after standing making copies to prepare for my summer school classes.

Summer School

I am teaching 6,7,8,9,10th and 11th grade English this summer.
I have ordered my books and am now doing the lesson plans so that the 80 kids will have their syllabus and stuff mapped out against standards.

Taught 6th grade on Fri. 1st today and Kinder tomarrow. Last week I had a pre k sdc class and a 3 y.o. who ran away screamed and said no all afternoon. Magnify that by 5. (for me, without my aide) We went in from recess early had they lie down on the rug, seperate and put on soft music for time out. They are in diapers and all have special needs. There are some non verbal and some almost normal. yikes!
Today I had a first grader who said no then preceeded to empty his desk, ponds his feet against the desk and cry while sucking his thumb. We tried to ignore him until I took away his recess gave him time out and ignored his tantrum. School is out on Friday.

I'd like to carve out a week to go to Trinidad and see a friend before the marathon starts. First 30k maintenance.
I was sad to read Honda will discontinue hybrid production. I think I would have liked it better.

Come on people global warming remember!?

In the meantime, I had a huge cavity filled for $200. and hope it will not become a root canal. Ouch. It was hurting and sitting on a nerve. Get out the dental floss!

I'm reading a great mystery by John Sandford called Invisible Prey.

Memorial Day

I remember going to my brother Michael at age 26 or so and assuming I had learned all I needed to know. wrong.................

and he told me so
my epiphany wasn't all.

Since then, there have been many lessons by life and trial and error.
1. Of course we know, you can choose your friends but not your family
2. life holds dissapointments
3. happiness is illusive and fleeting
4. friends provide love and support
5. women tend to support each another despite relationships and everything else
6. I am blessed to have 4 or 5 very good friends I can always count on
7. I lost my parents too young
9. I wish I had known them better
10. We can only control ourselves and our expectations of others. How we react to their actions is our choice.

Jersey Boys

I want to see the play Jersey Boys in S.F.

My pictures are bad its a good thing there was a photographer. Mine stunk

I think I have I.B.S.

I'm still walking.

Geometry

Boy am I in over my head. I could write the problem down and copy it off the page but design a 3 dimmensional structure that incorporates at least 3 plane figures, 2 soilds and is no bigger than 5" tall and 5" wide. Then write a paragraph to explain the design. Yeah right.

I'm back in 5th grade....the same class.

This morning I walked 4 laps while the kids ran getting ready for their mile run. At least I could go the times tables to their warm up exercises.

The good thing is that I'm back eating oatmeal with raisins for breakfast. That beats English muffins or granola bars. I love raspberries and I need to get some more bannannas. They are so convenient to grab and go. I've started on canned peacheds in Splenda. A can is 90 calories, easy to grab and go and comes with a pull top opener.
This weekend we made a veggie frittata with green pepper, onion, zuchini, potatoes and mushrooms with some parmesean cheese on top. Sounded better than it was. I'm back to the bed and breakfast book. So much for low fat alternatives. I'll keep trying. I finally got it in my head that 8 0z of o.j. is too much and have cut that back.

Tomorrow I go to 1st grade not today.

Earthquake

We had an earthquake today around 4. We were reading the paper and napping. I know it's above 4 when the closet glass doors rattle or the lampshade. They barely moved.

Yesterday my housekeeper and I spent 8 hrs cleaning the bathrooms and digging out my bedroom. The piles of paper filled a whole recycle bin.
I'm off to 1st grade tom arrow. I need to collect papers to send to Abby and Ethan from k and 1st. There are some fun worksheets.

Hopefully our whales in the Sacramento River will find their way back out to the ocean under the Golden Gate Bridge. The mama needs to feed and their are few fish for her in the delta.

I got another 5 books on the Holocaust and Kristallnicht to finish Richard's paper. He lost the 1st one. Now it's overdue.
We went to see the play The Cruicible by Arthur Miller.

I'm really angry about this postage hike.

Basketball

I'm learning to coach basketball. I really remembered very little from h.s. and rarely watch on t.v. The one h.s game I went to in IN with Michey's friend was in 72.
The kids are teaching me and I remember a few things about centers, guards and fouls, traveling. Now I know there are 5 on each side and I remembered about tip offs.

I walked with the kids, we did warm up exercises and I coached basketball.

Horror! I discovered the choc. milk I was getting at school is 180 cal per 8 oz container. I'd been blidely drinking 2 without realizing 360 calories just slithered down my throat. On a 1000 calorie a day diet that is lunch.

I'm going to take my car in for service tomarrow for it's 30K service. Then on Sun., my housekeeper comes back. Since she left early last Sat. this time I hope she'll get to the bathroom and my room. I did the bathtub. It is a grand involved process with 2 tubs of water bleach and a rince tub with the whirlpool running for 20 min. on each.
I planted some roma tomatoes and white marigolds this morning.

My horoscoppe says "a relationship problem may need to be rehashed or mended"...no kidding. Well the new one overshadowed the old one in my mind and journal.

Gas is $3.33 a gallon here. In Carmel near Monterey, an hour south it's $5.00! I was meaning about gas on my trip. Now I hear that South Carolina has the cheapest gas around. Sometimes I found it at $265. Those back roads v. interstates were funky through. I was sometimes not aware with the signs even with directions that I was on the right road and then it was one lane. At night with no lights it felt really strange. The only place to stop and ask we at convenience stores which were few and far between. Even loaded with maps and tour books along with mapquest directions it was not always clear. I'm glad to be home as all the hoards get ready to hit the roads and beaches. I don't like crowds.

I investigated librarian jobs in Myrtle Beach. They don't consider it to be a professional position although the graduate program in Columbia is in place. I think the pay difference between CA and SC may be $15. an hour or more. That surprised me, Maybe the cost of living is lower.

The house I found that I liked in Beaufort would be the same at $659o,ooo. but it did have a guest apartment above the garage and a club house with a pool, liquor cabinet that you could lock and bar. I guess these are dry parts or Jim Crow laws?

The weather has been spectacular. Next week though I hear we go from perfect in the 70's to the 90's. Too hot for me.

Meanie

I made a kindergirl tear up today. I asked her to copy the word root from the board to her paper as we pointed to it.
She had not been to school for many days due to lice and other things so so had little practice developing those motor skills to print her letters or write on a line. Finally, I printed the words on her paper and she could copy it. Success.

I have a lot to learn about skills for 5 and 6 yr. olds. Some in the richer school districts have kids more advanced. Today I tried to do math and the concept one plus one was OK until you put it on paper.

After school I faxed in all my papers, resume, credential, transcripts, cbest, letters of reference and cover letter to teach summer school in the place I taught last year. Tomorrow after the same 6th grade I had on Mon., I am interviewing for an adult ed. teaching job. I used to do that in HI.

I went walking again today.

Richard came over again today. He lost his research paper. I have it on the computer. His last assignment is due typed tomorrow, He is supposed to do all his work with no accommodation and only having his aide read it to him. I understand grades have to be in but what are they going to do for the rest of the year?

Bummer

I went walking again today.

At least I reconfirmed I can do most of 4th grade math. Those acute angles et al still throw me, Fortunately some girls in class and the teachers answer book helped.

Tomorrow I go back to kinderworld.

I tried to do something nice and got myself caught up in the midst of a family feud. Hopefully I can fix things and get everything back to the way it was.

I think Jason would be ideal for this internship at San Jose Mercury News for 6 mo.
It would get him paid and to CA.

Today is Mikie's 29th birthday. Along with her graduation and wedding do you think she had enough to keep her busy this month when you add in a honeymoon and batmitzpha in NY?

I tutored Richard again tonight out of the goodness of my heart and I am about to stroke out. You can't yell because he wouldn't understand my frustration. Getting angry is useless. He is trying but needs more help. He is here to help teach me patience. Tonight we did a time time and poster of the 60's. I drug out my old Beatles album for him to copy. Boy, is he an excellent copier. He tries so hard.

I am a Pizza

Can't seem to get that song out of my head. Today I am back in the land of kinder.
I like the hours 8:30-3. I'm getting good at all these songs. Since the kids are going to a farm we did a lot of work on animals. Snack time is all important.
I finished my salad. I didcovered the salad dressing spritzers, one cal. a spray. Cool, even at 10mspras it's good. I like the balsamic vinegar one and the rasberry, poppyseed.
I prepped 42 purple folders, cut as many green papers and colored a nursery rhyme cover and laminated it for Clare. Now all I have to do is get the inners between now and Sept. or maybe July when the new baby arrives.
I am not an artist and was hard pressed to draw a horse or a chicken to introduce the letter h. I was told I didn't write on the right line. My handwriting is not great either. My Valentine was better as was my apple tree and egg.

Tomorrow moves me to 4th grade.

I interviewed for a summer school h.s. English teaching job today too. I like when my commute is a mile.

I went walking tonight with my neighbor for an hour ...yeah! That meant I put Richards tutoring off till tomorrow.

Island of the Blue Dolphin

Today finds me in 5th grade. I actually got some exercise leading warmups and free shots.

All weekend I was singing kindegarden sings..."I am a pizza...with extra cheese." scary.

Today I looked in the paper for marketing jobs for Jason, Walter's stepson. I also looked online at the LA times. He wants to go there.

In my area, there are a couple things. a 6 mo. temp. job in marketing with my at the newspaper, S.J. Mercury News. That would be good to get him some experience and give him the caance to be working in CA and look further. He could start with me and find a room or an apartment to rent from there. He's need his car, so he'd need to drive out. There are also some things in commercial sales another way in. One for Comcast and another for AT+T. check careers at attcareers.com

I took the extension cord back and found they did not have one with out a notch so I came home and cut it off with my butcher knife and then discovered that the old cord was to flayed and ended up borrowing one from my neighbor until I go back tomarrow and get another cord.

Having mowed the lawn, as tiny as it is, I remember why I have a gardner. I don't like to wow..you get all grassy.

Happy Mother's Day

to all you mother's out there. Congratulations on all your good, hard work.

As a non mom I got up put the ham and cheese strata in the oven to bake and went out into the garden.

Yesterday, I went to Orchard Supply for their non tax day and rather than give the state their 8.75% tax bought an eclectic mower and bag. It's a mulcher..is that the same as a mower? I have a tiny yard but the gas one was such a pain I've had a gardener come regularly.
I got the mover home dragged it's heavy box out of the car and tried to assemble the upper and lower handles. I think I only have one toggle bold and screw though. I can do it but I'd like a house husband or a rental, maybe a honey do.

Also, it's heavy I may have to turn the box over to get it out.

Then I realized I didn't know where in the garage my yellow and orange extension cords were so I pushed everything in the garage and came inside. It was 6 after all and I'll continue the search today.

We went out for Vietnamese BBQ of shrimp and marinated pork on rice with salad of dikon and carrot a tiny green onions.

In the garden in back I planted 2 kinds of cherry tomatoes, sweet william, impatients, violas, pansies, gerber daisies, sunflowers, hollyhocks, knee high sunflowers, gerabaldi, and in the front bed one other type of cherry tomato. I've got 4 more kinds of sunflowers to put out.

Then, the strata was ready and I cut a piece, placed it on my grandmother's china and poured a glass of freshly squeezed o.j. and mint tea with lemon from my tree and crawled back into bed with the paper and a book for breakfast in bed.
The strata made of 4 oz breadcrumbs, 5 eggs, 2.5 c milk. 3/4 c. cheese and minced ham was good...not great in addition to salt and pepper and onion powder I'll try dill. The nice thing is that you put it together the night before. Layer the crumbs, some cgeese , milk and eggs and rest of cheese and refrigerate, Then the next morning we added the ham and baked.

Next, I'll tackle the garage for the extension cord and maybe find the skateboard I know is in there for Richard.

Well we got it out of the box and the handles on. The I went to buy another 50 ft. extension corn. Found one. The issue is that the place to plug it in on the handle and the extension cord don't fit.
I'll take the 100 ft. cord I got just in case back and look at it one more time. Today it took 3 sales people to figure out the handle.

Why is it that any project needs so many trips to the hardware store?

I also got some kitty grass, cucumber, radish, plum tomato, green beans, zuchini, yellow squash,snow peas, assulum, catnip, marigold, and more sunflowers and sweet peas to plant.

I changed the sheets again after Lacey threw up...is that like a kid?

Planting

I planted my Williamsburg historical seeds today and got out anf watered my lavendar and peutinas that came back or wintered over alone with my roses and spidar plants and geraniums. The seeds were of snapdragons,larkspur, mint,tomatoe,and I will put in some small other plants.
Snapdragons here are already over a foot or 2 tall.

My housekeeper is here and she had spent 4 hrs so far just in the kitchen!

I was out picking up freefall lemons, doing my 3rd load of laundry...Lacey threw up on my just changed sheets when I went from flannel to cotton earlier this week.

I made this great scrambled egg and cheese recipe with mushrooms and green inions, milk and breadcrumbs from the bed and breakfast guide to the low country. Tomarrow a ham and cheese strata. Lots of eggs tonight I'm making a veggie fritata with 2 eggs, 4 whites, zuchini, green pepper, onion, mushrooms...we'll see I haven't been too successful in the past with my fritatas. It's the almost setting them stove stop them in the oven at 375 for 5 minutes.

The Rain Forrest

I did a play today with my 1st grade class on the Rain Forrest. This is the third day they performed. They did well all the little toucans, anteaters, sloth, macaw, monkeys, snakes, butterflies, bees, mice, frogs, porqupines, and rain forrest singers. They were so cute. A visiting school came to view.

We made flower pots that we painted and covered a pen with florest tape added some moss to the pot and stuck the pen inside. I like this better than the magnet picture frame. I would have liked the hot holder and will give this pot to RIchard for Gloria. One year we planted the pots with marigolds and pansies, another just the seeds like we planted in the egg shells for Easter.

The play last night by Francisco Lorca, Blood Wedding was good. Richard needed to go for drama. It was in Spanish with English translation. I needed Victor to explain the finner points. The story was about a bride who married then ran away with her married ex-boyfriend. Spanish scandal or one anywhere. Nothing was consumated and she returned to her other in law to overcome shame and hatred and offer comfort. The groom and boyfriend end up dead. I need to read the play.

When I first started at Biblioteca LatinAmerica 8 years ago I was weeding the collection and didn't know any of the Spanish or Latin authors.
I still don't know many. I would have discarded 1/2 of the non fiction collection because it hadn't circed. To overgeneralize, the Hispanic population are not big readers. They rent a lot of videos as does everyone else.

This weekend the cleaning lady come and we tackle cleaning the refrigerator, bathroom and my bedroon, office and garage.

I need to weed and get all the freen fall fruit picked up. The put the tops of strawberries out yesterday and somethong ate them. I think it was a possum. I saw a lot of those as road kill in the south.