Sat Feb 08 2003 17:49: Today I did yard work. You can't tell that I did anything, but the green waste bin and the trash can are full, and Gretel and I went to the dump. I haven't been to the dump in years and years, but I was still scared to back up to the trash pile. Especially since the back of my truck was heaped high and I couldn't see where I was going.

Sun Feb 09 2003 17:46: Today I received an email from Pam Pierce, whom I went to high school with. She was a dear, dear friend, and I was thrilled to hear from her and that she is doing well.

Axeman was at our church today. He came to show off his new tiny little grandson and rub it in. Grandson looks like a little hobbit.

Mon Feb 10 2003 17:48: After work and grocery store, I pulled weeds. The weather is turning cold indeed, in fact, rain possible tonight. I have some Siberian iris blooming. The daffodils are finally sprouting up, and one actually has a bud.

I was afraid it was going to rain sooner than nightfall, so Gretel and I went for a walk early. There are several neighbors who have huge beds covered with Victorian looking violets. I wonder where they obtained them? I'd like some.

Tue Feb 11 2003 11:01: Hillary made Weight Watchers' Fudge. It contains reduced fat margarine, a bag of chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Other than the reduced fat margarine (which is IMHO a hoax) what about this fudge makes it eligible for the Weight Watchers program?

On the other hand, the fudge was smooth, creamy, and flavorful, with probably the nicest texture I've ever seen in fudge.

Tue Feb 11 2003 17:45: I was looking on ebay for the Alice and Jerry readers I collect--there are LOTS of them! I thought I was the only person on earth who collects these books--I had NO idea!

Would love to bid on some of these for myself, but it seems silly for a sick person to keep up a collection of stuff.

I remember teaching my children to read using the Alice and Jerry books. They have such beautiful illustrations and great stories.

Thu Feb 13 2003 12:08: David sent Hillary a lovely bouquet of long stemmed red roses. It was so sweet; he is a wonderful guy. I was very happy for her (and sad for me!) Not because I don't have a David, but I don't have anybody.

The plan tomorrow is bring Ernestine Boonstoppel to the Elders Quorum Valentine's dinner dance so she gets out on V-day.

I am happy to help her but sheesh. No romance in this life.

Mon Feb 17 2003 18:39: In today's paper the local opinions editor had a column about her DH buying duct tape. She wrote that her response to the alerts is to be very nice to her Mormon neighbors, because "their church encourages them to be ready for emergencies, they are nice people, and they might share their food storage." tee hee. Many of my friends have said the same thing: "If the world ends, I'm coming over to YOUR house."

Mon Feb 17 2003 18:45: Leonard, Rachel, and Sumana were here this weekend. I made cinnamon rolls for them, and Leonard helped me pull weeds. Today after everyone left I pulled some more and turned over the soil in the vegetable garden. It was fun to have everyone home. Now, we're back to subnormal.

Tue Feb 18 2003 19:23: I've been saving money. Signed up for a year of the newspaper at 25% off--let's hope their billing people process it correctly. My faith in them shows--I typed "bilking" instead of billing.

"There are no accidents." --Sigmund Freud.

Xochitl spilled all of my pills into a huge scrambled pile on the floor. My pillbox organizer doesn't have a latch anymore. The damage would have been less if the lid hadn't come open. Bleah.

Fri Feb 21 2003 18:25: I made a meal for the Mercers and worked in the yard yanking out the "cages" around the flowerbeds. Gretel won't stay out of the dirt anyhow. Gotta figure out some way to make that yard look nice.

When I went over to the Mercers, Larry was gray and thin and sacked out on the living room floor. I felt bad, and I think cancer should be done away with.

Sat Feb 22 2003 09:22: The Franklin Covey catalog sez that only 43% of employees say their organization clearly communicates its goals. I believe this number would shrink considerably if it were to take into account that the goal clearly communicated is often not the real goal. Lurking beneath, the real agenda is not even implied.

I don't think I've ever worked anywhere where the stated goals matched seamlessly with "What Matters Most." For example, the college where I teach has had weeks of breast-and-bush-beating meetings, emails and hysteria over the pending budget cuts. Everybody knows that the administration has already decided what to do--and by law, they have to give us all the shaft by March 15-- but administration wants to pretend that we the people have some input. In reality, they are playing a huge game with employees as pawns.

No ownership of the vision and mission statement around here.

They do have plexiglass framed mission statements nailed to every wall--as if anyone would steal them. flibithtth

Sat Feb 22 2003 12:32: spicegirl posted this to the scrabble club chatterbox. Now it's stuck in my head (the song that will drive you insane)

Sung to the tune of 'She'll be coming down the mountain ....'

If you cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq.

If the markers are a drama, bomb Iraq.

If the terrorists are frisky,

Bomb Iraq

If we have no allies with us , bomb Iraq.

If we think someone has ditched us, bomb Iraq.

So hell with the inspections,

Let's look tough for the elections,

Close your mind and take directions,

Bomb Iraq.

It's 'Pre-emptive non-aggression', bomb Iraq.

Let's prevent this mass destruction, bomb Iraq.

They've got weapons, we can't see,

And that's good enough for me,

Cos it's all the proof I need'

Bomb Iraq.

If you never were elected, bomb Iraq.

If your mood is quite dejected, bomb Iraq.

If you think Saddam's gone mad

With the weapons that he had

(And he tried to kill your dad)

Bomb Iraq.

If your corporate fraud is grown, bomb Iraq.

If your ties to it are showin, bomb Iraq.

If your politics are sleazy,

And hiding it ain't easy,

And your manhood's getting uneasy,

Bomb Iraq.

Fall in line and follow orders, bomb Iraq.

For our might knows not our borders, bomb Iraq.

Disagree? We'll call it treason,

Let's make war, not love, this season,

Even if we have no reason,

Bomb Iraq.

Sat Feb 22 2003 12:37: I am pulling weeds out of the backyard chessboard in preparation for planting the ground cover (Could spring be near? I have daffodils!)

Sat Feb 22 2003 17:51: There is a praying mantis egg case on the apple tree!

I love mantids. They have such cute little faces and big alien looking compound eyes. They can change their coloration. In addition, they appear to be intelligent. When I was a little girl, my father always had me come see when he found one while working in the garden.

Sun Feb 23 2003 18:11: I finished reading From Dawn to Decadence. It is a huge, magnificent book. I think I will have to do something I have done with no other book; that is, start over right away from the beginning. The scholarship is titanic and the book full of names, dates, information, and references to other works I might want to read.

Mon Feb 24 2003 13:40: The principal parts of the verb to be:

be, bewas, bewere, buying, bean.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

Mon Feb 24 2003 18:34: Storm blowing in. It's a hard rain a-gonna fall.

Thu Feb 27 2003 17:01: My employer is on top of things and everything is well under control. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

To: Faculty and Staff From: Linda Quinones-Vaughan

An incident involving the identification of an unknown substance in BC's administration building this morning revealed that the powdery substance found in the women's restroom was toilet paper residue. BC personnel activated the college's emergency response plan and worked hand in hand with emergency management personnel from Bakersfield Fire Department and Kern County Environmental Health. The Bakersfield Fire Department Hazmat team investigated the incident reported originally by a student worker who said that powder fell from a toilet paper dispenser. Testing confirmed there was never any danger to personnel or students.

The safety and well being of students, employees and guests of Bakersfield College is our primary concern. This incident serves as a timely reminder to contact BC's Public Safety Office immediately whenever you have a concern for safety. The Public Safety Office can be reached at extension 4554 (office) and 4555 (emergency).

We extend our thanks to the Bakersfield Fire Department and Kern County Environmental Health professionals who partnered with us to resolve this incident.

Thu Feb 27 2003 18:43: Shannon finally had her baby today. He was 8 pounds 5 ounces and they named him Joel Alan. (I'm not sure if that is the spelling they are using, but it's how the new grandpa spells his name. Thing is, Shaun's father is named Alan too, but I don't know how he spells it.)

Thu Feb 27 2003 18:45: Oh my ribs! The students were talking about when their birthdays were and one of them said he was born on Pi Day, so he always has pie instead of a birthday cake. If I'd only known, I could have put off Rachel for a few more hours and she could have been born on Pi Day too.

Fri Feb 28 2003 11:08: Has anyone seen the new recruiting ads for the Marines? "Pain is weakness leaving your body." Yeah. Right.