Happy Birthday Bob! 66 years young

Well I started on Fri for 4 hrs to trim trees and encroaching vine, I got to Home Depot today at 6 and rented a chain saw for 6o. I had 2 guys and for 6 hours the cut up cut off and hauled branched into the street for pickup tomorrow. My neighbor's gardener quoted him 750. to trim and cut off the top. Brian wanted to go 1/2 on that. In hindsight that would have been the way to go. 40 and 60 and 90 and 70 equal 260 and a threat...not worth it.

The 2 from yesterday did not show today, The two new one's wanted more than 10.00 an hour. I said no. If they didn't want to do the job I would get someone else. So the day ends and I give one 79, and the other says since the work was so difficult he should get 90. I said no and he went on to threaten he knows where I live... He handed me back the 80 I offered as a compromise. I dropped it on the ground closed my door and drove off. I've put locks on the gates and have been gearing up to call 911. Most scary and distressing.

The trees are clear up to 12 ft. trunk only then they continue to be a tree again. The fence now needs replacing. It's been held together with spit and nails for several years now. I didn't want to have to deal with them both now.

I have had a bronchial cough. I sounds like a fog horn. I took some old medicine and I took too much or I took it with a sleeping pill and couldn't walk, weaved to the toilet. Fell asleep on the toilet and slept all day. Then my hacking would wake me. I need some lozenges.
I tried to lift the chain saw to cut some branches on my orange tree. It was too heavy for me, especially over my head. It gave me some perspective on how difficult the gob was. Glad I had a hat and goggles.

trees

My neighbor and asked me to shell out 1/2 of 750. to trim the populars in my yard that are cutting his light and mine too. There are 4 and I said let me just rent a chain saw and cut them all down. They also have a diseased bush in them that has a mildew. I may be very surprised how difficult it is to cut down a 60 ft. evergreen. It's not like you can climb it. It's as big around as 12 or 3 or 4 dads.

I have about 12 in the back and the 4 on the r side. Since both of those neighbors have pools, I'm sure that they hate the mess. I know what it does just on my deck every day in needles. I might be surprised how long it takes too.

I'm trying to limit my grocery bill to 50. for the month. That's more than half what is usually is.

I need to learn to use a scanner. I took documents to be scanned today-6, and it was 6 dollars. It can't be that hard= you scan it into the computer and name the file then copy it onto a c/d. Then I have to upload it to my ed-join profile and attach it to my application.

I'm off to visit my friend Caro on Wed. She seeks me out if I've been out of contact too long. The times 3 that I've gone by her house I was not in the place to stop for a variety of reasons.

One parent of a 7th grade boy's mom called to complain he had not done enough grammar and writing. I started him on a diagnostic test of 30 pages today to see what he knows, and gave 6 pages of grammar h/w and an essay or two one had been assigned but he says he forgot.

In had an interview

That's where they send kids that are on there last chance. I'd need much better classroom control to do that. I got a sub for an hour. I was only gone from 1/2. Classroom discipline, how do you enforce it. how do you maintain it. Many do. The answer here is to build relationships with the kids. empathy not friendship, understanding not giving in, Like parenting without the love. They push your buttons.

I think I'll research it. Obviously I didn't learn it in school.

Ironic to go from there to the lovely quiet Vietnamese kids. They do assignments and they or their parents want them to get ahead.

Well subbing will be nice for next year. There are two jobs as librarians open/posted. One in Palo Alto 80% and another. I have to learn to scan and attach documents. Mail and faxes are a thing of the past they need to be pdf attached.

Tuning out the world

I read 5 books this weekend. I also went to the Farmers Market. Conveniently I left The Sound and The Fury at school.

I'll catch up tonight.

I pulled 2 all nighters..my favorite.


I went to the Farmers market 2x. I like the Friday one downtown. They have nan and Indian food. I took back the roasted eggplant I got from them last week. It tasted like kerosene. After a verbal discussion, she replaced it with spinach. Not my favorite but I didn't think them chicken tika cost the same but it does and that's my favorite.

I roasted 2 more trays of veggies, 3 eggplant,zucchini, 2 red peppers and some carrots. I'll make some whole wheat tortillas and peel the peppers, make the eggplant into "caviar".

My mammogram and ultrasound were normal, although I have a palpable mass about the size of a dime in the r breast. My doctor feels it's a cyst. My 2 previous one's were.

Not a good teacher

It's good I am not a parent or teaching a class of 38 like yesterday that throw things at me and swear with impunity. I know I did too but they get me to the point of yelling which is when they and I know Ive lost it and need help keeping it together. I know it's normal for these teenagers to question everything and refuse to do things but it drives me crazy. After the 4th time explaining the assignment that is on the board I want to scream and walk out.
If I could have identifies the creature that called me a fucking bitch he would be out of there. As it is I sent 2 kids to the office. One came back. Security came in 3 times and the principal and I assume the vice principal came in once. Apparently their normal teacher doesn't have any problems. I wouldn't either if I had then [lay for 5 hrs. It's only that I had them reading and writing and doing vocab. that there was a problem. I expected them to do the work. My error. I even gave them a pop quiz.
I'm glad noone called today. Or they called today but only to tell me I had gotten the wrong form and I needed to come in and fill out another. I didn't get any on Tuesday.
Tomorrow I won't go either because I want to go to the farmers market. I'm out of fruit and veggies and I missed the small one trying to babysit the class from hell.

I'd slit my throat or quit before I would subject myself to that every day. At least subbing I can choose.

Estrogen

I need to use some only for a week but I don't want to hear parts are thinning! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW... STOP IT NOW!

Today I'm subbing 10th grade. So far I've been called a fucking bitch. Sent a referral on a girl who said I can't see with all that shit on the board. I am getting hate from the whole class. I have 2 more hours to go. I was hoping I might get a 2nd class, but no same group all day.
I gave them vocabulary. We read a chapter of Lord of the Flies and reread it out loud. I made an outline for kids to do writing in preparation for an essay and they grown about anything.

They say, I already did the vocabulary, I'm not going to do it again, when there are different words.

We did a writing prompt. Now I'm going to have them write an introductory paragraph for a composition.

Teaching anything is a huge fight. The talk.... I finally got them quiet for the last part by calling security. Then they went to brunch, and as they and I both said, THANK GOODNESS!
I don't like their behavior and expect them to work. This time I'll try them in groups since sit and listen and be quiet didn't work. Once I explained what they had to do they kept asking even though it was on the board. These must be kids that flunked. There are a lot of kids that do nothing. Some are really low in reading too.

I've taught 10th grade English before. Once where I had them for 4 hrs. and once when I had 2 classes. One were kids I had before. The other was really hard. Once I let them have some flexibility they did fine. I had some drama students, one smart boy one dancer and a football player who plagerized entire essay's off the internet and then wanted to know how I knew.

ULTRASOUND

As reported I has My mammogram. in the past they just took another film when the density precluded a good view but this time they want an ultrasound too. I must have had one in the past -- xrays for I knew where the place is in the hospital. PRAY FOR BENIGN RESULTS.

Subbed today, a lot of work, as i remembered. Took my book, what a joke, not a spare minute, My feet hurt even in my crocs for standing so much.I had 3 student teachers from Stanford. My question is why go to Stanford for a teaching degree?

Went to swim tonight. Oh am i out of practice I felt it 2 laps, but swam 11.

Too many kids. I need to go early in the morning.

Over the holiday weekend I'll make 3 recipes Michael sent from the Post and S.F Chronicle for tri Asian coleslaw, grilled tacos and roasted tomatoes with feta and pasta. I love all these roasted veggies I've been making. Cherry tomatoes are finally at the farmer's market and eggplant, cherries still and apricots. I'll go tomorrow.

I remember why You don't get a perm in the summer. It's hot and when you sweat it gets funky again like you have been swimming.It holds a curl but is a mess after swimming, it will probably turn Green too.

The birthday club is meeting on Monday for Peggy's birthday.

Just finished Jeffry Deaver's the Blue Nowhere. It was a really good suspense story.

iT'S been in the 90's I've got 3 fans pointed at me. I went into school to get my stuff and classroom ready and was dripping until he finally turned on the air. Being from Vietnam he has a higher tolerance for the heat than I. I just wonder, how did I live in the E for 21 years?

Gas is 1.83

It's hot now

Yesterday and today are boiling. Yesterday, I had the open house in summer school.That was 3 hrs. of cool. I talked to a lot of parents and students to get the to shell out 580. per child to attend classes, 1 hr, 4 days a week and then math too. I had one 8th grader that was taking geometry! She wanted to skip to 9th grade. I had her last yr. as a 6th grader. She's sharp, but 2 yrs. may be too much for her. We'll see.

I have 10 6th graders, 7, 7/8th graders and 2 seniors among the 8, 9-12th graders.
I'm going to push them hard and prep the older ones on the SAT as well. I ordered 1000. of books, 2 for each class from Amazon yesterday and 24 for another teacher. I hate selling them to the kids.
They are going to read Faulkner"s, The Sound and the Fury. I read Light in August in college and they say " It is not a book to read and enjoy." I remember that. vaguely. We'll do a Shakespeare play too. Most have read Romeo and Juliet so I'll have to pick another.

Michael Jackson at 50 dies too

I can't get to sleep so I've been taking sleeping pills nightly for nearly 2 weeks and on rare occasions I take 30 not 15 mg. Last night I couldn't get to sleep till 5 so I took another one for the first time. Granted the expire in June but gee....

Last night I made these great scallops with garlic and w. wine w/ sauteed garlic and mushrooms, yum. I got the 4 lg. scallops at the farmers market on Wed.

Tonight I'm making roasted eggplant, eggplant, zucchini. yellow crookneck squash and roasted red and green peppers.The veggies look real good and caramelized. It brings the sweetness out. I was hard pressed to find a paper bag to put the peppers in to steam so I could take the skin off. I'm trying to go bag less at the market and bring my own canvas bags.

Have you heard about the garbage pile of plastic which doesn't degrade out in the Pacific the size of Rhode island. Don't use Styrofoam either.

I also made a meatloaf w/ potatoes and carrots. I've got food coming out of my ears.

I bought ground beef on sale in the economy tube and froze half, made a meatloaf of the other. Since I had no room in my freezer I took it to school to freeze. Had to bring it home on tues.made tacos and froze the other part till tonight.

Part of that 2nd meat loaf grew moldy, should have fed it to Diablo before that.

I tossed all the bread U had in the freezer and made a little space. Bread only freezes well for a couple weeks not 6 mo. or a year. I mist have had 6 partial loaves, pita, artichoke bread as so on.

I left a loaf of whole wheat in the freezer at school. What you buy in the store can't compete with the purity of stone grown fresh bread without and preservatives. It also only lasts a week so I need to stash some in the freezer for it is tough for me to get through a loaf a week.

I rescanned my channels and now I have CBS but lost ABC sorta. Found another PBS though. I may have to get an antenna booster of cable. I'll talk to radio shack.

I'm reading J Deaver's L. Rhymes novel The Blue Nowhere.I went to the farmers market downtown and finally got some nan and chicken curry that is good. Since this is the last week for blueberries I got a pint too. I saw shallots too.

I came home and made chicken w. breadcrumbs with shallots, garlic, lemon and mushrooms with white wine. I finally finished the bottle opened 2 mo. ago.

I ran by the library and school to fax a letter for a job and run off some course outlines for summer school. I mush be crazy applying for an English teacher position at the office of ed. for special day classes. I never used to accept those subbing.

Tomorrow is the open house. So far I have 10 6th graders, 4th 7,8,9 and 4 10-11th. He hopes to get more tomorrow.

He has a scanner so I hope to learn how to scan it onto a disk and load it on my applications.

Watched Skumdog Millionaire. Yikes, the slums are horrible and the people that maim kids in return for food and shelter and put them to work begging is horrible. I'll bet it happens in Mexico and other poor countries. I've seen it coming back to the US from Mexico.

Farrah Fawcett dies, unmarried to Ryan O'Neil

The big C, live long enough, someone told me, it gets you if heart failure doesn't.

I remember FL , the house but we found it it Pompano Beach across from the inter coastal and the beach. We were told it had barracudas and not to swim there. Joe and I never found the lighthouse that I thought I remembered across the street. Mom said it was totally somewhere else. Bob liked a Cuban girl down the street.

Detroit was on Woodbine Ave.

Washington was Gainsville St. in SE Washington D.c. right near the MD line. Michael used to work at Howard Johnson's. Once I walked there. I was in 5th grade and I rode my bike all over the city for miles. My best friend was Ilona.


In Alex., VA we lived on Southland Ave.

Then Fairfax on Gallows Rd.

college, marriage in Bethesda and on to FL in Orlando, CT in E. Windsor,cute town, and moved to Groton, CT then Vallejo, CA, HI in Aiea and here in San Jose.

Grandpa lived at 1614 22nd St. I addressed a letter to him John E. Grandpa. I have a great picture on my mantle of him on the beach eating a hot dog, with mom and dad in chairs under an umbrella and me, cute and blonde about two,

Memories don't work much before 6. Yet we learn the fundamentals during that time.

On rare occasion I get a scoop of potato salad at the deli add more celery at home. Last night I made some from a left over potato from my breakfast burrito prep. and made easily twice the amount for about .25.

All it takes is time.

I thought there was a cent symbol on the keyboard but I don't see it.

My friend Caro always cooks from scratch, rarely using anything packaged.

I'm hoping to make my grocery bill drop by 1/2. I have too much food. Goodness knows I don't need it. I need to clean the frig instead of tossing stuff and eat from the freezer too. It's jammed packed.

I'll try and only get fresh fruits and vegetables and staples.
My cleaning lady once cleaned out the frig and filled my outdoor trash can plus!
I have a hard time tossing things like pickles and mayo and salad dressing after their due dates.
I even eat yogurt and use milk if it doesn't smell off.

If so the outside stray cat Diablo get's first crack. If he doesn't eat it, it gets tossed.

Mom was always frugal fighting dad who was not.

He'd take me to Lord and Taylor's to get summer short PJ's and when I found one he's say but two.

He used to take me to get a dress while mom was working or to the High's store where a lady put my hair in rollers since the girls could wear them to school since their confirmation was that night and mom was in the hospital.

He took we around in a whirwind of planning my wedding. We could have improved a bit on that. The florist forgot Emily's flowers. All in all it was o.k. Everyone was busy so I ended going to check on things at the church before hand and discovered that. Called but couldn't get any.

Mom didn't even know who got what flowers. Oh well.... She was working.

Ah summer

Usually I don't like summer because of the high temps, but along with it comes fresh basil and tomato and corn for a salad.

Michael might even like the quiche I made with fresh spinach, mushrooms, onion and broccoli. Honestly Mickey, you can't taste the veggies and I put in sausage too.

I went to the farmers market again just because I could. I was out of cherries and since this is the last week in the market I got 2 baskets rather than hand pick them. Soon I'll have to get them in the store. Safeway has them on sale. I got some corm for 25 cents each.

I had lots of apricots and a nectarine for breakfast and the quiche for lunch. I had so much filling I had to made a tiny one too in a creme brule dish. Just the size they sell in the farmers market or did last year. I'm also making some broccoli salad with raisins, red onion and mayo.

The peaches are not quite ready yet and apples loose there appeal with bananas during the summer despite their potassium.

I'm sure all this sugar isn't helping my blood sugar count. It was 117 down a bit but it needs to go lower.

My legs tingle. Some times in the mirror I see what's really there. Mostly it's in photographs and I'm appalled.

Clearly I'm an emotional eater. When I'm upset I seek comfort in food and books. Now I need to channel that into walking and swimming instead. It worked in Feb.

I'm going to the big farmers market downtown on Friday. Hopefully I'll get some chicken curry and nan. The last stuff I fed to the outside stray cat.

I can't remember the name of the street we lived on in D.C. in 1963. Kaiser needs it to log me in with my password. D.C. alludes me. I remember the house and my 2 dogs and my friend Ilona...but....southland ave in Alex., gallows rd in Fairfax.(not)
Wonder what I put down. south Dakota ave? help! not?)ah yes gainsville st.!

I watched the movie Serendipity.

grilling

stages of life

or as Shakespeare said:

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."

Source: As You Like It (II, VII, 139-166)

I think I'll grill some veggies and some chicken. Doesn't grilled eggplant and peppers, summer squash and zucchini and corn sound good? I may just roast them, getting the drill out seems like too much work when it's hot.

Went for my mammogram today.

I need to take them the Rosie t shirt that says I got squished.

Watched the Movie Twilight. The book is always was better.

Stopped at the library to get some things to look at for s.s., King Lear, Midsummer night's dream, Huck Finn, The Republic by Plato, Merchant of Venice and The Sound and the fury by Faulkner.

What to choose...there is so much.

OMG a train wreck in D.C

I Found a lump in my r breast and saw the Dr. today to confirm it. Tomorrow I go for a mammogram, then another and if warranted to the surgeon.

He also told me I needed a tad of estrogen...it's a bitch getting older. But the alternative, not getting older ain't good either. Sometimes I wish I could give my life to Emily so she could be assured of seeing her kids grow up and just move on.

When I told my Dr. that she put me on medication. It makes me shake like Parkinson's.

We did a fasting glucose test too.

I'm not positive but I think I went up 26 lbs since Feb.!

Couldn't take it any more with my straight fine hair. I got it permed again but not cut. It looks bad but I came home and rolled it like I used to do in high school so the verdict is still out. When I curled it before for the last 4 yrs. it would be straight in 20 min.

stay tuned.

Today I'm gonna make some broccoli salad with raisins and red onion and some curried chicken salad.

I got called to sub on 6/30. 4 hrs., every little bit helps.

stay tuned

I got a book on trust and estate planning. I need to update my living will too. I have one and I need to do one through Kaiser.

I got a nolo press guide to workers comp claims.

I even found the Romeo and Juliet dvd I'll use for my class at the library. Such great places.

Fathers' Day

One more week for cherries.

Apricots have a while to go and then nectarines and peaches are coming into flavor.

I like the farmers market.

I need to go over to another one and get some nan and chicken curry.

I made some breakfast burritos and a strawberry pie.

The bbq of ribs and tritip smelled so good.

We evem had a beautiful day in the 70's.

S Jobs went to TN for a liver transplant because the wait list is shorter.

We need to let Emily on it.

Summer School

I went to a meeting today of all the teachers. So far there are only 16 kids signed up, so unless we get a lot more I can't see him justifying 8 teachers and 3 aides.

I stayed up all night and finished New Moon,the 4th and last book in the Twilight series. It was really good.

Then, unfortunately I couldn't get to sleep. My meeting was at 12, so I got 2 hrs sleep, so come 5 I conked out till my brother called.

Then I ran out to the store. I like that it cools off here in the evening. I can only stand the E in the spring and fall.

Gas is 2.95.

After 2 weeks of no home access from my isp I got a new one just in time. The other one never responded to my emails. This one has a tech line till 12 est.

My difital conversion didn't go too well. I have no channel 2, 4 or 5 - cbs. I need to call someone. The helpline was mo help.

Happy father's day.

Lunch out

I am taking my volunteer out for lunch today. We went to a Japanese restaurant. We had tempula and CA roll. She's a vegetarian and 79. She's been good. It's the first time I've been out since last year.

With Ramses leaving at 11:30, not too many places are open for lunch where I can get in and out in 30 min. I gave him a $10.00 gift card for a place near by

I didn't want to come in today but the money I want. Somehow, they won't pay me just because.

The froze all library funds about 4k. due to economic times, that is library money!

Me gan

The replacement librarian came in today it felt horrible. I tried to tell her as much as possible.
I felt andry at her. Then angry at Kyle when I saw her back in his office afterwards with Ramses luking nearby. Time to go.

A couple of teachers came by to say goodby and one said she didn't think I'd gotten a fair shake. I agree, It's whispered like shame.

It felt horrible on Friday and I didn't go the the bbq and today I didn't want to come in. I needed the money at the rate of pay though so I did.

To complicate matters, my computer at home hasn't connected for the last 2 weeks. I need to get a new internet ISP.

the last minute

I deleted all remaining fines for the kids and only have them on a list if they lost the book. One of my assistants is homeless and has been all year. I deleted last years book but he has one more. He can be nice but mostly he has been surly. I passed him but he has one more book one. 8th graders cannot graduate without a clear from us.

We turned in over 800.00 dollars in lost book fines and fines. We went through one receipt book last week alone. One more days of kids and a lot to do. Fortunately there is next Monday and Tues. without kids to work. I've got all these kids coming in with books out and when I ask where they are they say in my room or locker. I make them go get them if they are at school. I can't figure out what they think will happen.

Fortunately it's still cool in the 70's during the day. At night it drops to the 50's-60's when the fog rolls in. It clears about 10.

Do you-all have it's it? they are oatmeal cookies with vanilla ice cream in the center. round. They are a San Francisco treat. I had my 1st dove bar at VA Beach.

Notice of Adjudication

I got notice yesterday that a notice of application for a adjudication of my claim by the workers comp board of CA on 6/6. Took her long enough. We will get to that board exam soon but with other doctors that won't announce automatically that everything is status quo and not allow for drugs surgery etc.

This year has been o.k. I've only bee really in pain 2x. This a.m. I am a bit. I took a muscle relaxer and Motrin 800 and it seems better. I took 2 15 mg sleeping pills last night and slept. It was hard to get up at 7. As Bob says I must be a zombie.

There is to be an end of school bbq in the park on Fri at 12. when the kids are out. Last year I was burried and didn't go.

My internet at home is still not up. It's been 11 days and 3 emails now.

Going on a week

Read

Wicked Prey

by John Sandford.

Last night I went to the retirement 3-5 reception. I got announced among the other 5 and got a gift of a crystal bowl and potpourri. That was nice.

There were tacquitos, flautas, quesadias, veggies, fruit and drinks. The lagoon had ducks swimming and it was a nice day. I actually got to sit with some people I knew. That helped.

I got home to see that Lacey had thrown up her new kibble. I thought the problem was fixed. I may have have to get a blood test for her.

The yearbooks are here and the kids are all excited. I wish all my literary magazines would sell. I'd be happy just to cover expenses.

The school district froze all my sip money for fines and lost books. If I was going to be here I'd care. Should have spent more of it.

At least this year it's in the 70's not in the 90's. That helps a lot. We've been very busy and I hardly know the morning has passed until my aide has left at 11:30 and I am trying to eat my oatmeal for lunch. Today it has rasberries and blueberries in it.

Love that farmer's market.

I read another crime/detective book set in MN by