Jabberwocky for 2002 September

I'm finally back among the living-- my computer died and Leonard and Bro. Jackman and I had to practically stand on our heads to get functional again. It's going to be weeks before I'm back to subnormal however. We lost everything on the old hard drive. Drat.

Rachel is officially an adult. What does that mean? It means she's been gone so long that I moved my sewing machine into her bedrooom. I'm making myself some clothes and a pair of pajamas for Jonathan. After that I need to start on Christmas.

Today I got my blood done, taught my class, typed roll sheets and file folder labels, sewed half a pair of pajamas, and sprayed Roundup. It was only 104 degrees out there, and I didn't do as much as I would have otherwise. Now, to walk the dog and retire for the evening.

Yesterday was busy. I got invited to lunch by the Nations and dinner by the Beans. I finished reading Carpe Jugulum, scanned missionary pictures, and Amanda came over to say goodbye.

Dumb me. I KNEW Amanda gets 10% off at Target; should have taken her with me to buy the cover for my down comforter.

Today has been calm-- taught class and now am grading papers until time to go to the doctor.

Gotta go invent something for Susanna's birthday.

I took my students to the Transfer Day displays and talked to a woman from the Culinary Institute of New York. She had a scrapbook from the coursework--fondant sheets draped over cakes, paste flowers, spun sugar bird's nest decorations for desserts. Very impressive, but the question remains-- WHY?

I managed to haul boxes for Susie and Rachel to the post office. Also got my blood drawn for genotyping and pulled a bunch of weeds with Meija Tiersma. We yanked out the grapevine and dug up a few of the stumps because the grapevine has now accomplished its second season of producing nothing. Actually, it made ten grapes. And they have seeds. Who needs it?

I'm searching for tickets to London.

I've been a sewing maniac. It's amazing how much a person can put out when they have a reasonable place to work. I even cleaned and oiled my machines, and knock on wood, nothing has gone wrong yet.

The little kitty is not particularly an asset to this process.

This afternoon I went to see Signs. The men were good to look at, the movie was not as intense and scary as I had heard, and I was extremely unhappy about the deaths of German shepherd dogs as a nasty twist of plot.

Today I spent the day working on Uncle Carl's "dead people." The PAF program printed out a 26 page list of potential problems, and I have to look up each individual and resolve the conflicts. Inconsistencies such as people getting buried before they died and getting married at age 7 and so forth.

I did leave one-- Pocohantas had a christening date "more than ten years after her birth" but I figured that one could be genuine.

Today as I was walking in from the parking lotsome MECHA students gave me a flier for a student-led walkout in commemoration of September 16 and against the administration of this institution. I announced to my class that they would not be penalized if they chose to attend the walkout instead of class. All but three of them left.

Before Ernie Flores left, we had a discussion about the way George Bush is pre-empting congress's right to declare war. Wally Salinas noted that if Bush wants to go to war, let him go, just don't send the rest of us. The thought of Wally Salinas going to fight in Iraq really distresses me.

Lila Stevenson and I had a debate about whether the President of this college is evil or just plain dumb, and, if so [choose one of the above] which one is worse and causes more damage. We concluded that stupidity is worse than evil.

It's officially the end of summer. Today I planted lettuce and cauliflower and a six pack of violas. Also jerryrigged a mend for the garden hose. I wish my yard weren't such a mess.

FINALLY my email at work is working.

Today, 21 years ago, I became the mother of a little girl. This was a really exciting event for me. "Leonard has a sister!" the doctor said. Unfortunately I didn't get to hold her right away because she had to be whisked off to ICU in an incubator (among other unfortunate occurrances in that hospital)but eventually I had a big enough fit and they brought her to me. They also forgot to (a) clean me up and (b) feed me, so when I had Rachel I went to a different hospital.

I planted blue fescue in the pots for centerpieces at the Fall Chili Cookoff. And sewed. And tried to do some work. Missing a dll in the gradebook program.

I booked and purchased plane tickets for Leonard and me to visit London. What an ordeal, involving typing in everything from my mother's maiden name to phone and credit card numbers. I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to get tickets; the plane was getting full. Also I forgot to pick seats for the return trip and can't figure out how to do it now I signed out. Guess we'll sit where they want us to.

Today when I looked in the pond I thought I saw Quasi. I haven't seen him for months and months and thought a cat or bird got him. However, the only fantail I saw did not have the dark patch on top of his head. If it is Quasi, then where is Mohawk? Too much carotene in his diet?

At Costco they have two aisles devoted to Christmas stuff. Garbage like skater music boxes, light up reindeer, and revolving snowmen. My primary objection is aesthetic, but it's the middle of September fercryinoutloud! We haven't even had Halloween yet.

- I didn't get a lot today today other than cleaning house. The large packaages of hamburger I bought for Gretel bled all over the inside of the refrigerator (and clotted!) and it took me quite a while to clean that up. Also, I did a lot of laundry and mopped floors.

The missionaries and Joel and Cindy Ellsworth came to dinner. I made meatloaf, made very delicious by the addition of oregano. (Must remember) I had meant to sew but didn't get around to it.

Robert says Sandi has volunteered to come take care of me at the end, so that is a relief.

- Today, hmmm. Sewed. Did yard work. Way behind in my genealogy homework.

- Sentimental goodbyes: Duane Black is moving to Colorado. I'm sorry to see him go because he's been such a good friend, but I'm happy that he is happy.

- Today I went to work, and the students turned in a gazillion papers. It took me until 3 p.m. to grade them all. I was worried the whole time I was gone because Xochitl wasn't around this morning, didn't come when I called her, and I couldn't find her. She was in the dining room when I got home, and I lectured her.

Yeeeech! Gretel just threw up.

I started sewing my new dress. Navy blue with white polka dots.

- My new home teacher, Darron Nilssen, came to visit me. He is going to CSUB to be an archaeologist when he grows up. In another lifetime, I want to do that too!

I finished making my navy blue polka dot dress. Not 100% happy with the way it hangs.

Now I'm going over to the family history library to try to recover some of the genealogy I lost in the Great Hard Drive Wipeout.

- This morning when I got up to go to the bathroom before dawn, I came back and there was a DOG in my BED! She knew she wasn't supposed to be there too, and tried to make herself all small and invisible.

Fat chance.

One thing about this puppy, she is always looking for an opportunity to push against the boundaries.

- Today I was reasonably productive, although I didn't want to be particularly. I mailed stuff, put money in Rachel's account, deposited my disability check, bought groceries, paid bills.

I went down to Hancocks to see about buying a quilting frame and couldn't bring myself to spend the money. I did buy a new red tomato pincushion, the old one having been Gretelized (and now there is sawdust all over the house!)

I've spent the last two days intensively downloading my Ancestral File from Family Search. I think the Church needs to hire better programmers. I'm not saying I could do any better, but what I am saying is that there are those who can do better Out There, and considering the emphasis, it makes sense for the Church to provide the best. Bleah.

- I started to read Tuchman's The Guns of August. I tried to read it once before, years ago, and never made it through. I think I'll be more successful this time, primarily because I am determined, but also because I'm a better reader now than I was way back.

- Today I went to the temple and did work for Helen.

This afternoon, Gretel and I went out to the Kern River Parkway to run and snuffle in squirrel holes. I think she had a really good time, and she is also not as tired as I am. Maybe I'll go to bed early.

- The Guns of August is horridly overwritten. If that's what it takes to win a Pullitzer Price, you may keep it. I'm finding it even more irritating than I did when I started it back in grad school. More disheartening is there is another book after this one-- or is it TWO???

Another depressing aspect of Tuchman's opus is the insight into the minds and power plays of the various leaders of nations. Not to mention any names, but I think we've got Kaiser Wilhelm's evil twin in the White House. Those who don't read history are doomed to repeat it, and the rest of us are just doomed.

- After work today (and after haircut and buying a kitty condo at Petsmart) I worked on fixing up all my old clothes for the yard sale. My closet is bare, bare. Some of the clothes I hate to give up, but they are wayyyy too big.

I also cleaned out the computer room and moved my shoes and laundry to another closet. I felt like a real packrat-- or a crow-- carrying all that stuff around. I believe I have much less "junque" than the average person, and still I have a whole garage full. Atrophy, entrophy, and the clandestine reproduction of coat hangers.