Back to school

I'm conflicted about not teaching I kinda miss getting lesson plans together and setting up my classroom,,,after watching the kids and the effort it takes to teach, I'm glad to be where I am
on the other hand there is a lot of me to learn where I am as a librarian. So far there have just been orientation days

What I know is:
there is no air conditioning
those books are heavy
I'm using more gas in my 18 mile one way commute.
I can use the car pool lane in my hybrid
the school is old
It still takes too long to get there
there is too much traffic
It starts too early and they want me there at 7:30...not my best or most favorite time...it's not fair,...other teachers don't have to be there that early or stay until 3:30.
Yes, I know, life is not fair.

Armando and I pulled an all nighter roaming the city at 2, ging out to breakfast with the bar crowd and to sleep at 5. He was up at 9 cutting the grass and working for 5 hrs.
I grilled him a steak and made salad. The grilled corn was tough and the eggplant we got at the farmers market was ok. I had about 4 bites of meat and made a baked potatato after he left and a margarita.
I discovered these individually bottled ones. Thought I was drinking frozen dacquiri's last week but they turn out to be wine coolers. Anyway, gained back 5 lbs. so enough of that. He can drink, I can't.

Stunning

I drove all night Thursday leaving at 12:30 to get to Trinidad at 6:30. I DECIDED THIS BRIEF BREAk BEFORE SCHOOL WAS BETTER THAN TRYING TO GO ANYWHERE Over LABOR Day weekend.

Marilyn's her house is spectacular. She can see the ocean out of every window including from her bed, the shower and the toilet.

We had drinks on the deck and watched the sunset grilled our fish and tritip and enjoyed watching the moon reflecting on the ocean. The weather was spectacular.

If you didn't know how bad it could get you could be lulled into thinking it was always spectacular.

On Sat. we went to the farmers market in Arcadia as the students were returning to school. The prices are higher because their growing season is shorter.

This town is a flash back to the 60's and the styles are those never seen elsewhere.

I drove home after that to have some time to myself before starting my new job tomorrow.

I went to another farmers market here today.

Summer School is over

I'm heading up to see my friend in Trinidad. She has moved to a house on the ocean. As much as I dread the 6 hr. drive I appreciate it once I'm there.

The bloom is off the rose

How long does it take to have it fade?

Emiy's 35 on the 5th

I remember living in a 4th floor un air conditioned apartment when Emily was born. I was in summer school from 7-12 then worked from 1-10. You can only do that at 18.
Look at what a beautiful family she has made.

Tonight I convinced Armando we need to eat in more so we are having taco's Americano. Mexicans use tiny corn tortillas and put carne asada and salsa on them and that's it. Americans, even though they hate the meat at Taco bell. put cheese, creama, or sour cream meat lettuce and tomato and maybe avocado if they can fir it in. Armando will probably put salsa on to since i I forgot his jalapenos. I do have some tiny chilis from Vietnamese takeout that are guaranteed to blow his head off though.

Tomorrow pork tenderloin and potatoes and salad.

Comida

I just say I'm getting tired of Mexican food. Last night we went out to eat and my enchilladas had a salsa so hot I could not eat the tortilla but only the rice and chicken. I'm just a wuz, a gringa taste buds not trained on hot chili's.

I've been trying to figure out why this relationship feels so different. In my 20's, 30's and 40's I was more blase and took it for granted. Now at this age I appreciate the attention more and the complements. It's been a long while since I've had them.

I also have to apply for a CLAD credential. Another $55. to the state. There are more hoops to jump through.

I'm going to but Marilyn's refrigerator today. Someone else is picking it up to take it to Trinidad. I'd rather go there where she has a view of the beach from her bed than teach for another 2 weeks.

What a difference a night makes

Dinner out and time together and all is better in my world. It surprises me the difference between my 29's 30's and 40's. Maybe it's because I appreciate him more.?

I got all my papers graded. Now I'm back to reading the book and making quizes. The fact that I've got this week to coast helps. I'm doing a peotry unit.

We are still trying to replace a math teacher.

Gilroy Garlic Festival

Never let it be said that there is not garlic ice cream and wine to go with the scampi. The garlic festival takes 3 days each year and the air for 30 miles is redolent of garlic. The crowds line up to buy a taste of everything garlic. My favorites are the scampi and the mushrooms. have your honey eat plenty too so when you share you don't notice the reek.

Since he was banned from the wedding I don't think I'm supposed to be so attached but I feel addicted. I've grown spoiled and accustomed to his presence. When he wants some time off I want him here. I'm angry. Yes, I do need the time to grade my papers and he said he was coming over last night and didn't. If he told me earlier I would have made other plans. I am/was ticked. I understand he was working very hard and I wasn't but do I have to be rational about the way I feel?

When I wanted to read he insisted on coming over for dinner and then stayed to be near me while I read...well what's the difference?

He also told me the other night that he didn't like left overs well duh...some are really good.

Up late

We went out were up till 2 and I slept in this morning.

I got up, cleaned the kitchen and found more ants even with the traps!:-(

I got these huge scallops and prawns at the farmers market along with picked crab. Yum. I don't think Armando wver had a scallop before.

I love it when the restaurants are open till one. My neighborhood is much quieter than his. I have neighbors but we zip into the garage and at his house it seems like everyone is watching everything, even at one a.m.

I finished correcting one set of papers last night before I saw him.

I cut up cantaloupe, nectarine and have my last apricot, some strawberries, rasberries and blueberries for breakfast.

So glad it's Friday

I needed to read my book The Numa Files but Armando insisted on not waiting but coming over with dinner. It's a good thing he did. I didn't finish the book till 4:30. Then it took another 1/2 to fall asleep. I read two other books that weren't due before that one was. an error...but Harry Potter was calling.

I'm showing Schlinder's List to my seniors. Since they had so little effect to Night I thought they needed some visual stimulus.
By Monday they should all get their books. I got Mr. Holand's Opus for my other class.

Hopefully I'll get their papers graded this weekend.

I'm meeting Caro at the Farmer's market to dissect the spices in the Indian chicken curry. Armando brought chicken mole verde. I need to make some. His is too hot and it has bones. I use only chicken breast and take the skin off. In the store they use thighs and leave the skin on.

Went to the Santa Clara District Office and signed my contract but I need a media credential and a few more papers. Hope I can get it or I'm back to teaching. Well I called the Office of Ed. and they say it should be no problem. A few more hoops to jump through and more money.

I went to get a new ss card and almost had to strip to get through the metal detector.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival and the Grand Prix is going on downtown. Time to stay home and maybe go to a concert in the park on Sun.

A night off

I was getting used to his company but tonight we both have other things to take care of.


I have an appointment at the District office to check in tomorrow.

Then I have to be fingerpinted again.

Tomarrow is vocabulary test day again and I haven't graded their papers from last week.

I have been putting off grading papers and I was behind in lesson preparation especially for my 11/12th graders.

We started a unit on poetry and yesterday and today on Poe. We read the Raven and Fall of the house of Usher then on to the Romanic poets after that. They have their research paper and I want to give each of them a new book. TheOutsiders, Nothing but the Truthand The Night is a lonely hunter. Now I have to read them too and make quizes.

Finished the latest Stephanie Plum novel. Have a Stuart Woods once waiting. This is all playing havoc on my reading!

Two of my classses have been working on business letters.

Horocruises

Finished Harry Potter at 3 a.m. Some of my students beat me to it. Now at least they can get their papers graded again.

Armando made dinner for me at his place.

At least 2 grocery stores I know have the service where they clean a fish and deep fry it. He got one for each of us. All that was left on his was the head. I left a bit more but tried to get it all. He had to show me. Then he had mole, a type of guacamole,avocado, tomatoes and cheese.

At least he made me get my "key" out of the car. I have been lazy and since my car is key less have been leaving the key in my bag while I go into the store and not setting the alarm. I set it last night. I still leave it in the car in my garage. When I got home I finished reading.

Harry Potter

I'm only about 350 pages into it but one battle had taken place. 400 pages to go. I finally have some time to read.

I haven't corrected a single paper this weekend.

Wesley has red hair too.

The carnitas are better the 2nd day and the sauce not so picante. Armando took me out to dinner. I hade sope and he chicken enchilladas. He had them play a song for me Los ojitos verdes (The green eyes). The place was crowded and louder than I'm use. to.

It's a Boy!

I won 2 gift certificates of Barnes and Noble from the library. I have to go pick up the Harry Potter book.

Gwen gave birth to Wesley Michael Pacella at 9 lb boy at 9:36 last night at home. Congratulations Gwen and Mario.

The pork roast was really good. I put in cayenne, paprika, chili powder apple cider vinegar, cumin, ketchup, vinegar, mustard and chipolte peppers and adobe sauce and 2 onions. It was very hot. I tasted the peppers and they just seemed smoky. I'm sure the cayenne added to the heat too. Armando liked it. It was too hot for me for the most part but a tiny but and lots of water helped. After 4 hrs of cooking it was delicious.

Cranberry pills

They are expensive for 100 regular is 12 dollars and for urinary 15. then there is stuff from concentrate.
I took my watch into Sears but they didn't have the belt for my vacuum. Went to Safeway go the apple cider vinegar but forgot the tortillas. Armando and I went to The Tropicana for tortillas, avocado, jalapeno peppers and beer for him and my pork roast marinade. The fajitas got a squuze of lime but the weren't as good the 22nd day.

Went to the farmers market got a cantaloupe some red and yellow sweet 100 cherry tomatoes and some Indian chicken curry, naan, eggplant and mixed veggies. I hadn't eaten all day so at 5 after my nap I had some Indian foos then ate again with Armando at 8:30.

Hopefully I scored some circus tickets for Richard. I wrote an email yesterday and that got a 5 dollar off coupon I was going to sent a letter to the hq in Vienna, VA and ask if we could have tickets for him gratis but the guy at the radio booth said he's send me some. It's all Richard can talk about.

I got a Harry Potter poster for him too and for my class and bookmarks from the library.

Slept in till some credit card co. offered me 6 percent to lower my interest rates. I don't have a balance but it's better to have that than 12 or 21 percent.

School is wearing me out

I don't know how normal people do it work a full time job then come home to deal with a family and them selves. I'm exhausted and I slept unassisted from 1:30 to 9:30. So glad today is my last day this week. I'm also glad that their essays are coming in Mon. not today. I deserve a weekend too. If I manage to gets their tests graded I'm good till Mon.

Spending 4 hrs a night with Armando is wearing me out and I can sleep in. I can't imagine how he's doing it getting up at 5. I slept from 2-9. Tonight we're taking a break. I finally get some time to read.

I thought about going to see Harry Potter but I'm too tired.

I'm making shrimp fajitas for dinner. Had 1. I'm cooking rice because I didn't have the energy to go to grocery store and the library to pick up my 2 books on hold but not to the g store to get tortillas or Sears to drop off my watch. I had 3 tortillas left over.

Armando wants me to meet his family Sunday. hummmm......carne asada?

Feeling Better

Things seem to be a bit better. Amazing how little it takes once u get on the program but apparently u can't eat yogurt or take calcium when taking the dose.
( I read the prescribing instructions.)

Armando came over for dinner impromptu at 8 last night so I got a chance to clean out the frig. and dig some in the freezer. He says he eats fruits and veggies but I haven't seen evidence of it yet.

I'm gonna cook soon but I've been lazy and frankly there have been other things to do.

He liked the tamales but I didn't have any hot salsa and he didn't want any part of the mild form. I offered Chinese hot chili oil and Indian hot chili but not close. What is hot to me isn't to him. I picked some up today.

It's muggy. Slept from 2-9. It's nice not to need a sleeping pill. The cranberry juice is almost gone. 63 oz and I got a new bottle just in case.

Breakfast is an apricot, nectarine, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

I made a test on Night for the kids on their reading. A lot failed their final on the book and we are going to talk about it today. A never heard quieter group of students. They were shocked at their grades and didn't seem to remember any of the book or understand it although we had been over it time and again.
Tomorrow they have spelling tests and on Mon. turn in their essays to me. The older classes have a term paper to research then.
Although I have some work left we are in the end the at 2nd week with 4 to go and I am running out of prepared material. I guarantee I am putting more work into their classes than they are.

I made Caro's enchelasagna tonight. You make a base sauce with tomatillos, garlic, onion, jack and chicken, corn tortillas and layer it like a lasagna. It was a lot of work. I also marinated chicken for the BBQ and will start on the marinade for the pork butt when Armando brings me a 12 oz can of beer. Then there is apple cider vinegar, mustard, catchup, adobo, and a few other things while its baked then you pull it apart. It looks good the recipe was on Yahoo. I figure he should have to do something besides help me clean up the kitchen. The enchelasagne was good,he put hot salsa on top. I din/t add a serano or jalepeno pepper.

We're gonna paint the garage and the front door.

I got ant traps and the creatures are disappearing...I hope...we'll see.

Weight Loss

I lost 16 lbs! Yeah! lots more to go but its a start. I knew I was eating lite but didn't expect those results.

The doctor confirmed a UTI and prescribed Cipro 2x for 3 days. I must have run out of class 10 times in 3 hrs today. It's so frustrating when there is almost nothing there then pain! I also had a stat urinalysis there to see if I need an antibiotic.

The kids are finishing their first books now and although I have a lot prepped, I am hustling to keep up. They are writing essays too due Mon. I sure want some time over the weekend. I spend a phenomenal amount of time grading and preparing papers.

Next week till the end of school they have a research paper 7-10 pgs. w/ bib. to do for me.

No wd. from the dr. so, so far so good.

Cranberry juice

I have a UTI and it hurts. I need to drink lots of water and cranberry juice and I'm going to see the Dr. tomorrow. I made a run to the store last night at 10:0 for the cranberry juice and couldn't find the capsules. I guess I'll have to look in the health food store. I hate to drink the juice because of all the sugar and calories. I sure don't have any appetite. I need to get the yogurt down though. It really hurts and the frequency is unbelievable and there is nothing to yield. crazy. I made it through my classes going 3x, drinking nothing. You have to run there is no control. miserable.

I found out the kids are paying 500. each for their two classes for 6 weeks.

I had all my papers graded and gave 3 more quizzes.

My friend Gloria came over and we are trying to win her a car entering all the numbers for the supermarket sweepstakes. I told her she would have to pay taxes on it though. Burst her bubble.

I've got to make up more quizes. I handed out this weeks essay and vocab. Next week they start their research papers.

nap time.

Beautiful Day

It's so pretty out today. The weather is in the 70's.

I was up till after 4 and slept in till 9:30 or so. I was thinking for the last hour and thought anout popping a pill but let Morpheus take me under naturally.
I made breakfast burritos for breakfast and almost forgot to put the eggs in. oops

I think my Cuisinart may have died. I hope it's just the spring. Daddy bought it for me. I've got tons of ants back in the kitchen and outside too.

I planted impatients on the deck and watered everything and Armando has been cutting trees and bushes and moving carts of leaves to the compost bin and filling pots with soil for me to transplant tomatoes. Everything is coming up. I picked my first 2 tomatoes today. None of the things I planted from seeds is vey big yet except for the sunflowers. I'm surprised how long these things take to get big. Lacey's kitty grass is tall enough for her to snack on but I thing she is used to the spider plants. I'm not sure how to introduce her to the other. I need some catnip too.He trimmed the roses, cut the grass and cut the fruit tree branches overhanging the deck off and carted it all to the street for pickup.

We're gonna paint the mailbox too.

I'm doing the laundry, grading papers and making lit. quizes. I spent 8 hrs. yesterday making them up on three books. I finished the third book and quizes today.
I bought tamales for lunch but we weren't hungry. I ate 3 later but I like the meat inside not the masa.I need to make them. The ones you buy just don't have enough inside. That leaves 3 for Armando. I send him home with a doggy bag of breakfast burritos and tamales. He likes hot salsa and unless I pick it up for him I don't have it.

I took a mini nap and bath. I started reading the book by Jeffery Deaver called The Sleeping Doll.I went to buy another pair of loppers and clippers. I sprung the other or rather my student did by forcing them. I want to trim the bushes in front too.

I did the laundry, changed the sheets, cut some agapanthas and
sprayed for ants and got rid of the 2nd wave today. I need to get some bait traps.

The flowers were so heavy the fell over in the vase so I put weights in the vase and we wiped up the water from my beautiful floor and dining room table. While getting his bag out of the fridge the bag of my clam chowder fell and blueberries were falling so I yelled for help and more hands. The I attacked a 3rd wave of ants and splashed water all over my face and front. Irritating when that happens! Good thing I had a short nap.

I like having the company.