Jabberwocky for 2002 July

Leonard and I dropped Gretel off at the vet's for a bath, and then we went to Mount Vernon florist to buy "flowers" for the funeral tomorrow. We bought plants-- a big spathephyllium for Kathy, and a basket garden for Rosalie, and signed both cards "from Roy's family." The florist has sold all his clocks. He said, I don't know what happened-- I sold every one of them! *I* know what happened. People asked me where I got my wonderful clocks and I told them, "Mt. Vernon Florist" and they went and bought him out. I'll have to stop sending people there now.

Next, Leonard and I have a lot of errands to do-- Grocery shopping for his birthday, wedding gift shopping, girls camp shopping.

I have GOT to pay bills!!!!

We are thinking of going to visit Rachel in London over Thanksgiving.

Yesterday. Larry's funeral. What can I say.

Had a nice visit with Linda Leary and two of my ex-sisters-in-law. I do think it indicative of a sweet natured man when all his exwives can come to his funeral and cry just as hard as his wife.

Leonard and I went out to the ranch afterwards and ate funeral meats, catered by the original Jacalito's in Lamont, (muy sabroso) and saw Brian and Tina's new baby, little Sam. We left earlyish, not having much to contribute to the conversation, which centered around the farming of stone fruit.

I grilled chicken legs for our dinner so I could see how long and how much [etc] for when I grill them for Leonard's birthday party. I immediately lost my dinner, barely making it to the kitchen sink, and most embarassing of all, the Thiessens called while I was throwing up to see how their cat is doing. Leonard answered the phone and told them she is fine. Actually, I believe she is lonely for her mom and dad.

Late afternoon, received a visit from Cindy Ellsworth and Jonell Amundsen.

I hardly slept at all last night, due to the ambient temperature (despite air conditioning). I spent a lot of the night reading British poetry, William Wordsworth through T.S. Eliot, and enjoyed and understood it a lot more than I did in college.

Visitng with Leonard and Sumana, doing yard and house work, getting ready for Leonard's big blow out on Monday and then to leave for Girls Camp on Tuesday. I can hardly get near the computer and still need to do my syllabi! Always tomorrow I guess.

We went to take care of Raji yesterday and she had (fallen?) out of the kitchen window. Poor thing didn't know what to do, but she came when I called her. I don't think she's ever been outside before. After the Raji trip we noticed neighbor Lurine was out, and asked if the tortoise could come out to play. We lugged him out to Lurine's front lawn and I went in to get him a rose, which he devoured. Then I got him a bunch of squash and squash blossoms. He was in tortoise heaven. I can't WAIT to show him to Atticus!

I'm back from the campout, exhausted and wayyyy behind schedule. Have to get a Costco card tomorrow and make dog food, mail packages, and mail a map to Alyson. Also type something for contractor. Busy day ahead.

Damn I'm good. Chris Pullen coming over on a pretext for me to type something. (There are things a lady won't do for money). I'm going to make him stake my tree. Gary Davis hitting by email. All I wanted was ten bags of ice for the second ward fruit booth, but since he was offering I put in my order for a million bucks and a red convertible.

Won a Scrabble game. Ate a t-bone. Took a nap. Solved the world's problems. The big problem I have now is my syllabi and lack thereof.

Hold yer hat against yer chest. Dillydilly was dead in the water this morning. He was fine yesterday. How does one know when a fish is fine, anyhow? One does not, but he swam okay.

On to the syllabi.

I finished redoing my ACDV 68 worksheets, took a worm sample to the vet, visited the Creative Memories lady, ran around for Rachel's eurail pass, went to grocery store to buy nasty things to make food for Jellybean. Bought ranch dip and dramamine for Rachel. Whew.

for supper I made a smoothie out of fresh peach and banana, frozen raspberry and vanilla soymilk. Wish the day were over, but I have liver and fish cooking for Jellyfood. Also the spectre of ACDV 50 hanging over my head.

Tomorrow, I am determined to finish syllabi and get that rotten box off to Rachel.

Vet has not called back.

Ideal places to read books: The Obras Completas of Jorge Luis Borges when holed up on an upper floor of an ancient British hotel in downtown Buenos Aires.

Especially the stories. The stories are haunting and Buenos Aires is haunted.

Don't Cry for Me Argentina.

I got to work today and someone I am TRYING VERY HARD to have a good attitude about had STOLEN my desk. And my computer had disappeared. Ask me about how happy I am regarding that gambit.

I was up until midnight working on the ACDV 50 class worksheet packet and semester calendar, then up much earlier than I wanted to be today taking it to the copy shop. Bleah. However, I have the same teaching assignment for spring, so should be a snap from here on out.

I think I need a nap.

I took Rachel's package to the post office and there was nobody in line. All postal workers were twiddling. (I betcha thought that is what they do anyhow!) As soon as I plunked my box on the counter, the lobby inexplicably filled up.

I DO need a nap.

Yay Hooray! Shannon is having a BABY in February!!!!! It's about time we got some good news around here.

So, I'm doing the Venetian Plaster on my fireplace frantically, trying to get it done so Jonathan and I can build the mantle when I go to Utah this week. The instruction booklet has a nicely manicured lady just smoooooothing the stuff onto the wall. Guess what? IT's A LIE! Gaaaah. Plus Jon sez he misread his Promised Valley performance schedule and has to be on stage every night this week-- very little time for woodworking. Frances's rules of remodeling: It costs twice as much, takes twice as long, and is twice as hard as you think it will.

We are having a nice visit with the Matkins, but Atticus is certainly a busy little boy. Jellybean is terrified! Alyson and I are frantically doing her wedding scrapbook and we are leaving for Utah at dawn in the morning. Kevin Smith is going with us. I have to do the Venetian Plaster topcoat before we go.

Alyson, Atticus, Kevin Smith and I drove to Utah without incident, except for the pouring rain that greeted us as we entered Utah Valley. I spent the night at Susanna's apartment and then off to Salt Lake City in the morning, where we went to the family history library. I located a book of Oregon Trail gravesites, hoping to find some insight into the parentage of Cora May Fee (one of Uncle Carl's ancestors, who was found as an orphaned toddler on the trail.) No luck. The book was really sad.

We went to some JD Call reunion activities, including seeing the house at 1902 South Fourth East that great grandpa Call acquired as partial payment of a legal fee.

At the potluck David Oman entertained us with some WAC Bryan history and then I told the story of Maranda Cazier Bryan and her cat, which set off a rash of cat stories, so then I told the one about how Aunt Margaret saved Char.

Jonathan and I went to Home Depot and bought mouldings for my fireplace mantel. Hooray! It's going to be just beautiful.

I'm staying at Susie's. I went to church with her. It was a nice meeting. I am reading King Leopold's Ghost. I'm wading through it, much like Stanley wading up the cataracts of the Congo.

I am back from Utah, having made the arduous two day trip with Brianne Moses in charge of tunes. We stayed the night at the Casablanca resort and won $30 on #26 in Keno, which Brianne then spent in the arcade while I lost half my nickels at Frog Prince. I didn't even get to pick a lily pad, no not once.

Arrived home to find all the betta fish dead. Gretel was very, very glad to see her momma, as was Jellybean, but they both kept me up way too much in the night. I was going to dig in on the yard today but think I'll rest instead. I also need to unload the car and so forth.

and finish the Venetian Plaster so I can get some one to help me carry the fireplace mantel in.