Test

It is a cruel fate that I take an economics test/quiz tonight and won't get the test back before next week's final to see where I need extra work. I don't do tests well. Have finally come to the realization that my boys got their learning issues from me. We can talk a paper to death, we cannot write one. Taking a test? My boys were able to take theirs by having someone read them the questions and then write down the answers for them. They actually graduated with good GPAs.

So here's a picture to make you (and me) smile while I'm stressed.

Cherry Blossom tree on campus.

Modern Times

We had no internet at work today. We had no phones but they figured out how to fix that part. Sometimes I can go a whole weekend day without bothering with internet. Sure, I check my email early in the morning on Saturday, but I can often go until Sunday before I get on again.

However. The state and college, in it's wisdom, decided last year that more things must be paperless, and we must use a central system to access those pesky things like time sheets, forms to be filled out and submitted, purchasing, checking existing contracts, etc. It is extremely difficult to do your job that consists of being on the internet 75% of the time when there is no connection. So then, since I had to do some research, I thought oh, I'll just go home for lunch and use the computer at home. Worked great. Then I though, I'll check my work email and answer what I can so I look more efficient. Yep. Right. You couldn't access your email remotely either. Bummer.

And of course, they couldn't shut down the offices because classes are still in session, finals start in a week. Oh yeah, the classes are encouraged to use the Blackboard system for communication and some classes are actually taught through that, as well as the instructors providing study material. Guess what else didn't work today.


I have two weeks worth of work to do (which I just got assigned yesterday) that MUST be done by Friday. Right. Good thing I'm from the old ages when we only had telephones, selectric typewriters, carbon paper and tha fax machine was a drum deal and you had to stand there and put one piece of paper on the drum at a time, wait for the wire arm to "read" it, and then send the next page. Ah progress!

Fitness Friday

I did poor this week on my exercising. Pollen and my own lazyness were my own worst enemy. I actually though about "calling in sick" to my free personal trainer, but then remembered last week when several of the kid's clients didn't show up and they looked kinda lost. That really isn't fair, is it? You commit to help these kids learn, then don't show? I'd guess maybe one person had a legitmate excuse, but five of them?

So off I went and it wasn't as bad as I feared. He even lied and said I was doing better. HA! But I managed more pushups, not quite a many sit ups, don't know if those are ever going to happen, and he added a few new exercises. I also finish with 10 minutes on the eliptic thing, I'm getting at a better speed and watching the calories burned number helps, except then I started thinking about how long I really needed to be on that to counter the bag of M&Ms I ate for lunch.

Maybe next I should commit to juicing one day a week.

Mr. Fox

We have a fox in the neighborhood. I'm sure I've mentioned it before, in fact I know that I did because the first time I heard it one night it freaked me out until I realized what it was. I thought it would move on in a few days. We live just about a mile from a huge park with a lake and birds, and eagles and hawks and mice, etc. I figured it was just checking out the neighborhood.

Mr. Tinkerpro called me at work last Wednesday to say that when he got home around 3, Mr. Fox was sitting on our back porch looking in the window. He didn't say where kitties were, but I knew they were in the house. Hmmm. Well that was a little startling but I figured what the heck. He said it was a good size and looked healthy.

He was talking to the guy next door about it, who has also seen it and agrees it is healthy looking. Said guy next door has a dog so Mr. Fox doesn't go into his yard often. The kids on the other side of us (kids being a relative term, they are in their late 20s with two small children) said if we shot it, it would be fine with them. I responded that no, that wouldn't do. While my state is very liberal on guns in general, my county has a ban on shooting them off except at an approved range. Unfortunately, my backyard has not yet been declared an approved range.

The lady behind us (who I wish Mr. Fox would eat) got into the conversation and said how it is a menace, dangerous and "they" ought to do something. Yeah. "They" don't really care as long as it isn't attacking anyone and is healthy looking. They are not nocturnal and easily adapt to their environment. After all the park use to be bigger before the neighborhoods went up. I can say that because I remember when the neighborhood I currently live in wasn't here (and my house is over 30 years old) the main road was just 2 lanes and I could ride a horse up it. But that is for another day. Mr. Tinkerpro said when he finished the conversation with all the neighbors he went out front and Mr. Fox was sitting at the end of the driveway and just walked away when he saw Mr. Tinkerpro.

This morning, as I often do, I let the cats out when the sun came up around 6ish, they roam the yard checking for nighttime visitors and usually come back in before I leave for work. They also know that I will let them back out at lunchtime if the weather is good. I was in the bathroom putting my face on for the day and heard - not sure if it was the fox, the cat or both. But it didn't sound good. So I grabbed my bathrobe, thinking that the neighbors would go blind if I went out in just my underwear, and as I ran out the door grabbed TinkerSon#2's golf club that for some reason was in the kitchen. Yeah, there's something that is gonna scare a fox huh?

Jack was plastered against the back door and came in as I was going out. Mr. Fox was in the middle of the yard. I couldn't see Stanley. But I didn't see any fur laying around either so that was a good sign. Mr. Fox just looked at me, and yes, he is healthy looking, clear eyes, shiny coat, not hungry looking at all. Then he casually walked over to the fence where it is broken down and hopped into the neighbor's yard (the one I wish he would eat). I went out front thinking Stanley was in the front, called, looked, nope. So I went into the back again and called him.

Stupid cat had crawled under the shed. Mr. Fox could easily fit under the shed too. And if Mr. Fox is really Ms. Fox and has built her den under the shed and now has babies that would make Stanley a REALLY stupid cat. I had hoped that the cats, if confronted by by Mr. Fox would climb a tree. In Stanley's case, he likes to sit on the roof, so I assumed he would climb up there.

Apparently not.

Peanuts

I got this peanut jar from my mom years ago. It is old, she hesitated because the kids were still kinda young. And she knows that if I want something, I tend to want to use it. And she was afraid. Things tend to get broken at my house.

First I kept pretzels in it. I had to put a piece of felt on the lid because everyone tended to clank thelid down. I try not to purposfully break things.

Then it had dish towels in it for a few years because the kids grew up and moved out and I don't need a pretzel jar anymore.

Then Jack figured out how to get into the dry food, so guess what's in it now.

Fitness Friday

I have been keeping up with the Couch to 5K program, except I keep repeating each week. Just don't feel like moving on as quick I guess. And I discovered this week that running outside is easier than on the treadmill for this. Except Thursday when the pollen was really bad and I was re-thinking the whole breating outside bit. So, guess I'll keep it inside for a few more weeks, or carry saline with me and just wash my nose out every 50 feet.

And I had my third week with my personal trainer trainee today. He is a hard taskmaster, but he is becoming more confident, I'm whining less, and he is insistant. That is good. Still can't do sit ups but I can do the other stuff relatively well. I need to keep track on the calendar what and when I do these things so that I remember and improve. There are only three weeks left of this semester then I will be on my own so better get crackin.

Haven't done any of the balance games on the wii for a few weeks, I wonder how I'll do? Think I'll try those tomorrow, and run inside since we're expecting buckets of rain.

Charlotte Airport

Here I sit, 45 minutes until my flight is suppose to leave (on time). Had a wonderful visit with my mom, not counting the driving from airport to her place, which wasn't a bad drive, just a wasted 3.5 hours. We got three closets cleaned out, I convinced her to give away - and in some cases throw away - clothes she hasn't worn in at least 15 years. Some she had even forgotten about. Some didn't fit when she moved them to the new place 5 years ago. And I made her try on all her shoes. I don't fuss about shoes because I wouldn't want anyone to police my closet, but I told her if they hurt her feet or the heels were now too hight, to release them and go buy more.

Today after lunch is when she decided I needed to make phone calls for her. Important phone calls like to the prescription place, her cardiologist and the new hearing aid people. I only had 2 hours. Some of the offices were closed for lunch . . . Why didn't she decide on those things yesterday? Yesterday the important errand was to buy wine. Enough so she didn't need to get any more for awhile. We'll not discuss how many bottles.

For a Girl

For the most part I like my boss. I understand him because I've been working with men like him all my life. The '80s was a tough decade to work in. He's a little bit of a pompus ass, but fair and reasonable. You come to work on time every day, do your job, maybe a little extra, be nice to your co-workers, get the job done and leave at the end of the day. Everything is hunky dory. If you go that little extra step, it is noticed. Not always commented on, but noticed. The more you prove you can do, the more work he gives you. And he gives you the freedom to do the job. No micro managing. No suggestions unless you ask for help. No interfering. If he wants something done a specific way, then he tells you up front and you either do it his way or have excellent justification of why your way would be better. He will listen. Sometimes he will agree, sometimes he won't. I know how to read guys like him. I'm willing to make some concessions for him because for the most part he IS a nice guy. Sometimes he can't help being male. I can respect him, and at the same time laugh at him.

So, now that I've pissed some of you off because I chose to "play the game". I am actually amused by it after all these years, with age comes the knowledge that you can't take everything too serious and you have got to have fun. So now I'm gonna really torque you.

Because I am who I am, and he is who he is, and for the most part we can read each other very well. We can have a professional yet, fun working relationship, and we banter, almost like we've been married for a long time and still actually like each other. Boss and I were discussing an event tomorrow that is a big deal. And we found out today that one of the key players (who has a part in the dog and pony show) won't be there so boss is going to have to improvise and cover. He posed a question about how to do something, and was concerned about a possible screw up. I provided a perfectly logical answer to his delemma. He paused, looked at me and said . . .

You know, sometimes you're really smart. For a girl.

Dear Carol. .

This weekend I didn't do anything nearly as wonderful as making a chocolate cream pie. I did think about making chocolate pudding, but that was about as far as I got in the cooking/baking department. However I did:

- Get my nails done (always a wonderfun few hours)
- Caught up on laundry
- Spent a few hours with friends celebrating the birthday of a 3 year old
- Bought some bamboo to spin in with some alpaca waiting to be cleaned
- Got homework done (almost)
- Started my sleeves . . . again
- And enjoyed the sunshine

Sore

I have successfully don the Couch 2 5K program for two weeks in a row. Of course I repeated week 1 but that's okay. I did it and will start week 2 on Monday. I am sore from my butt to my knees, so I obviously need to stretch more.

Yesterday I had my first free session with a personal trainer trainee. The school I work at offers classes in personal training and they are forever looking for volunteer clients. I figured I had nothing to lose (except weight/inches - pun intended) and signed up.

The young man is obviously a little nervous, and young, but being old I don't care about too much anymore and just can't take life to seriously so it was good, I hope I made him feel a little better, and he seemed to get a grove towards the end of the hour. He measured and weighed. Oh. I am hanging my inches on the refrigerator and may never eat again. The weight wasn't so bad, about what I expected, a little more than I would like, but not a shocker. Those inches. So when he asked what I wanted out of this program, of course I said make the inches go away.

Cardio. Double ugh. I told him I'm working on the couch 2 5k program so I wasn't intereted in running any. No problem. Free weights, and plain, old fashion exercise. I was hoping for some more training on the weight machines, but I think I've got enough I can do that on my own.

I did, unfortunately, laugh out loud at him when he told me to do 12 sit ups. I manged them, not well or gracefully, and I came up less and less the last 4, but by gum I did it!

Today I ache. And while I was thinking a massage would be a good idea today I remembered I've got a nail appointment - so I'm off for pampering of fingers and toes and I may spend some extra time in that lovely lovely massage chair.

Friday - by Stanley

Mom's had one of "those weeks" she says. She didn't get much done according to her, but she did manage to get me fed three times a day, opened the door to let me in or out, and made sure my spot on the bed was not covered in her junk. I wish she'd learn that the closet is for her clothes, not the end of the bed where I sleep.

It has been raining all week, which is better than the snow that they were predicting. And mom says we can get snow in April. I think not. I heard her say she'd be in thekitchen this weekend trying out some new book. She needs to sit in her chair and knit so I can have a warm, comfy place to sleep. What does she think some times?

And to make matters worse, she went away last weekend and left us. And this is what was outside her window every morning and night. She said they were cute. I say they could have been dinner.

I'll think about pouting later.