fossilfreak

 

The 12th I only dug one tulip bulb out. I went to Bernadette's in the morning and picked up some of the mess while she had a dentist appointment. Back at home I changed the kitty litter out, did laundry, and fixed stuffed peppers with a southwestern rice hamburger mix topped with mozzarella.

 

On Friday the 13th I finished season 4 of Chicaco P.D. and discovered one of the season 2 NCIS episodes has gone missing. Maybe I accidentally let it get erased. 

 

It turns out I waited too long to sign up for the Mississippi River cruise next April. Darn it, it looked like fun. 

 

I went out to thrift shops and a bookstore and found 4 Boxcar children books for Joanna.

 

Carol and Frank were leaving just as I was so she didn't get a chance to tell me they had some food for me in their fridge. She called. And so I looked for their key in the plastic bag I keep it in, and it wasn't there! Maybe the cleaners saw it and hung it up, so I took a fistful of keys over, and sure enough, the second one I tried opened the door!  The food was two huge artichokes and a big pack of potato salad.

 

That night I went to see 1776 at the Chatauqua. Bev didn't arrive in time for the first act, and when I saw it was an all female cast I was annoyed, but it was great. Bev was there after intermission so I could stop worrying about her. Meanwhile, my friend Bill with the Pancreatic Cancer, looks great! He's recovered so well they gave him a new knee and they geocached through a lot of states.

 

I liked the first act better, but then I believe that's true every time I've seen it.

 

Saturday I had gotten tickets for us to ride the Sacramento River Train.  Bernadette came by for me and we got down to Old Sacramento early. We stopped at the History Museum to spend some time. I am guessing it's been over 10 years since I've been there and they've surely changed a lot. They had a stretched penny machine so Joanna and Padreic each got one. Then we started walking toward the depot and when Padreic said he would like to get on the train, is when I let them know that's what I planned. We rode in the back coach and got our tickets punched, rode the 3 miles south and then got to watch the engine go down a spur then couple onto our coach. 

 

I was wearing my Wyoming shirt and a guy asked me was I from the state. Turns out he is from Rock Springs and did indeed know the Zs, Joe's family.  

 

I learned two short toots mean "we're starting" and two longs and a short mean "we're coming in." 

It was a fun ride and the kids seemed to like it.  When we got off Gareth asked "have you noticed we haven't had lunch?" so he got a bit of a talk from Mommy about how to tell people you're hungry a bit more politely.  We went to a restaurant and Joanna turned into a whiny thorny monster because nobody else had finished their lunch. She was hanging her head with her shoulders hunched and near tears, so I tried to comfort her. A porcupine would have been easier. Turns out she wanted to "do something exciting."  

 

Then we went over to the Railroad Museum, and she got into her "cling-to-mommy-because-there-are-scary-adults" phase. Mighod. She's got to be the saddest little girl in the world.  It was NOT a good day for her. (Oh, yeah, she'd already informed me she doesn't like ballet and didn't want to see "Cinderella" and I'm pretty sure it's just that she didn't want to go anywhere with me. This despite a good camp. I've made myself feel better because I'll take Bernadette, and she can just stay home and maybe rethink her life.) It was the kind of day that makes me say that while I love her very much, sometimes I don't really like her. (I said that to B., and she agrees.)

 

At that gift shop we got more stretched pennies and I got Padreic his book. He was thrilled. 

 

At home I noticed that after maybe a year, my fridge water filter needed changing. (I've been looking at the light for months, but never saw it go yellow. It was red this time.) I pulled it out to see what it was (but didn't write it down) and went to put it back and jammed it in, couldn't close the filter door. I tried to get the filter out but couldn't, asked for help from my friends, but no, and finally freed it on Sunday by attacking on a different angle. 

 

\I dozed off and woke at 7:47. As it was light outside, I thought I'd overslept through the night, had missed my chance to dig, and would have to hurry for church. It finally dawned on me that it wasn't actually Sunday, but was still Saturday!

 

 

Sunday the 15th, I was distracted in church because of Joanna. Grrr.

 

I ordered tickets for the Kingston Trio (just me), Pinocchio with the kids and Bernadette, and the ballet with Bernadette. These are at Folsom. Last week I got the Mondavi (Davis) catalog for next year and they don't really have anything I want this time.

 

I was making chicken a la king and dropped it as I was putting it back into the microwave for the second part. And it smelled so good, all over the floor. I was amazed at the dog, who just sat looking at it until I told him it was OK for him to eat it. Such a clean floor!! Sigh.

 

 

Monday, I'd thought I'd be done digging by the weekend, but I was overoptimistic. I waited all day for the cleaners. Once they came I called Helena, who is also having a colonoscopy, hers this coming Friday.

 

I went to the Newcomer's dinner, and took my iPad (in its new cover) so I could show  Bill my wounded picture. He wasn't there, but I did talk to Tom.

 

I am in 37 different places in Albion because I accidentally opened the perfumer's workshop instead of keeping it for the artist's studio. 

 

 

July 17 I dug up 14 bulbs, then went to the WPAC breakfast. There were 6 of us. After a nice meal and chat I went to the commissary for a few things. I got home before it got too hot. It's been over 100 the last two weeks.

 

 

And at home, Benson asked me to come on safari next year. I really want to! It would be all over Zimbabwe. I asked if I could come early and go geocaching with him around Victoria Falls. It actually sounds like maybe we could do that! So I went to the Road Scholar page and checked it out, and then looked at the Iceland tour.  I called Jean and we firmed up the date. I will sign up at the end of July. 

 

I had found out at the Newcomer's dinner that Gary T. was home again so I called him. He's doing well.

 

And, of course, I forgot it was Tuesday until Vince called.

 

July 18 was the day I gave Gareth his promised trip toThe Tech Museum  in San Jose. I got there by 7:30 so as to get to San Jose by 10, but I didn't account for dire traffic especially on 580. There were times I would have to come to a complete stop, then go a few car lengths and stop again.  It was frustrating, but we finally arrived at the parking garage and got to the Tech a little before 11.  The bathroom was the first stop. Gareth was so excited. I got our tickets (free, with a membership at the Powerhouse) and the guy asked if I'd like to donate. I said "yes, but later" and actually did drop $10 into the box as we left.  

 

We stopped at the exhibit entrance and asked how the TechTags (which were the tickets) work. You scan it at each exhibit and at the end of the day you can put the number in at home and see a summary of your day. This sounds good, but Gareth lost his at the first exhibit. Used mine for awhile, but then when we left for lunch he got a different one, which he mostly used but at the end of the day he was back to using mine, and lost it. At the same exhibit. I'd picked up another one so at home I tried to see what that ticket user had done, and this spoiled the chance for Gareth to use the blue, substitute one, since apparently they only register one each day. Oh, well. If we do this next year we'll do better.

 

I had brought a book and sat nearby while he played. I did, at one point, show him there was another area, since he had pretty well done the whole coding area.  At one point he was encrypting a password and the numbers were flying past and he was covering his ears to help him to focus.  When we went to the different area he was entranced with the earthquake exhibit and with Google Earth.  At 1 I finally suggested we go to lunch, where we spent a whopping 20 minutes.  Back to the area. He discovered the biometrics area, and signed up for a monitor which he wore for about 40 minutes.  (Again, this would be one of the first things if we come back.) Then we went upstairs, where there was my favorite thing of the day, the biochemistry. I helped him put on plastic gloves and a pair of goggles, and then he got a tube of bacteria and a tube of dna, combined them, warmed it, cooled it, spread it in a petri dish, put in the warmer to cook, (after scanning it) picked a cooked one and looked at it for various colors. The whole thing was fascinating.  Another one that he liked was "building bacteria". We turned in his monitor and discovered he's a "confident builder." This is something I really would have liked to have on his tech tag at home. Oh, well. 

 

He stood in line to ride the jet chair in space. Definitely he'd be Major Tom.  There were lots of camp groups, but eventually he got to do everything he wanted to do. He finished on the same exhibit he'd started on, a game of building a network. I was interested to see how he interacted with other kids. 

 

We went to dinner across the street, but didn't stay long enough to avoid major traffic jams on the way home. Gareth said he'd like to go with Joanna and Padreic and I pointed out that they would want to go to some other exhibits when he didn't. Padreic in particular would be bored with a lot of it, though there are areas he would enjoy. I think we would need three adults for the three kids.  I was not the only adult who had brought a book (though I used my iPad more, to report on Facebook) and let the kids do their thing. I had a good time and I know he did, and I may do this again for his birthday next year. However, I believe then I would get a motel room on 1st street by the metro line and ride the train in, and avoid traffic. Rich and I did that when we went to ConJose in 2002. If we did that we might visit, uh, someone who lives here (to quote Gareth, who doesn't remember Aunt Monica's name.)  

 

Anyway, I didn't get home till past 9, but the dog had behaved himself. A nice day!

 

337 recordings of 27 types, 62 old SVU. 25% clear. (and 216 recordings (this morning) in "keep till I remove.")

 

 

Monday (the 2nd) I stopped at the credit union to let them know I was traveling in two weeks, and to check on the status of my loan. Which I'm doing well with... I'm about 40% paid off, and of course as I bring it down, more of the principal and less of the interest are in each payment. 

 

I got the C batteries that were needed for the Cookie Monster toy.  I also found a watch, almost the same as Rich's that broke, but in plastic rather than metal. But it works the same way. 

 

I also bought dog food, but couldn't find Staples for an ink cartridge. The place I pictured in my mind was actually a Fed Ex place. So I went to Amazon. (And mistakenly only ordered color, so I still needed black. On Thursday I looked up the address in the new Yellow Pages. They failed me, and it was  Harbor Freight Tools at the address they posted. This was the second YP failure, the other being the wrong number for the exterminator. So into the recycling it goes.

 

I was working on trip plans and could SEE the New York Merci Boxcar on Google Earth Street View. I am staying... free... in Syracuse with Choice Hotel points.

 

And I waited and waited for Vince to call. But it was Monday!!

 

Tuesday morning there was another rat in the kitchen! It dashed for a hole on the other side of the dishwasher, since the one hole was blocked with bricks. So I guess the noises I heard on Sunday were, indeed, vermin, even though my pets didn't react. 

 

I started clearing out some TV shows I like but don't really need to have recorded while I'm gone, like "How the Universe Works" and "What on Earth" (for two really cheerful shows about how we're all gonna diiiiiiiiiie. Also "Love it or List it", which is great fun but it doesn't matter if I miss a few or a hundred.

 

There was a Herman game, so I played Fishdom.  I had a tuna sandwich for lunch and a slow-cooked stuffed pepper (in the tiny slow cooker, the one for nacho cheese) for dinner, and still have some food in the pantry past the sell-by date. 

 

Fiona from Ngoko Safari had sent on the letter from Kathula's grandfather. Besides the letter (thanking me for supporting his nephew!) there was a picture and a tiny necklace and bracelet set. 

 

My arm really hurt. I apparently strained it, possibly by picking up the dog food. 

 

Vince called (about time, right?) and we are agreed that we both miss St. Philomene's Easter Vigil (done right, before the new priest and the different musicians.)

 

 

Wednesday was my day with the kids. At Wee Wednesday, Padreic was very busy putting big soft blocks into the "shack" and was really upset when Arthur went into the shack. I went over to tell him that Arthur could go in the shack too, there's room for two. Then I told Arthur that Padreic was putting the blocks in, and Arthur's mother came over to suggest Arthur could help.  Then we left them alone, and they put all the blocks in, and played in the shack, then threw them all out, and (this was the exciting part) they cooperated on a different project involving lining up the blocks under the shack. No grownups involved!

 

I finished reading The Land of Oz to the kids.  I told them next week it would be short stories so I wouldn't start a long book and leave them hanging (though now it looks like they'll be gone in June so I'll have to really work to read all of Charlotte's Web to them before they leave. Of course, I can read some to them when we go to Gilroy.)  Anyway, Joanna suggested I should FaceTime them and read to them. This was a nice comment, proving that I'm right, they do enjoy it.

 

Apparently I just ordered colored ink, not a double package with black, for the printer, so I decided I had to go to Staples. I finally, on Thursday, ended up at Office Max.

 

Thursday was the rat guy. It was Cody again. He plugged the new outside holes and trimmed back the oleander, and really surrounded the dishwasher with copper wool and black gunk. At first it was really hard to open the dishwasher and I pushed the lid down Very Carefully, but today the lid just falls down. This is worrying, since the plug's wearing out. We put bait up in the attic. Thursday night, though, the rats apparently brought along elephants to protest with them. It was a lot of noise.  The dog keeps checking, but I think they're gone... except Wednesday morning  I pushed at the dishwasher and there were noises back behind the sink. DIE, already!  The heavy heavy rain on Friday should have erased their trails outside so I should be OK for awhile.  

 

Also, the water people came through. They dug a hole in front but then dug underground all the way to the back...I didn't know that for sure until I asked on Tuesday. Then the guy took me in back and showed me where they'll connect up the pipe... in 4 to 6 weeks. Oops. I thought it was immediate so I scheduled the pipe replacement May 14 and 15th. The water guy didn't think it would be a problem, in fact it would be easier to hook up to new pipes. So maybe they'll all arrive together! Guess we'll see.

 

Friday, rain rain rain! I decided to stay home and play games, so I did.

 

Saturday I went to the WPAC breakfast in the morning and then met Bernadette and the kids for "Jack and the Beanstalk." Padreic did enjoy it and also enjoyed meeting the actors afterwards and getting their autographs. Then they came here so Padreic could play with the Cookie Monster toy now that it had new batteries.  They had to leave by 3, though, because Gareth had a play date!

 

Then, instead of going to the shell ceremony with Sacramento Pilgrims, I decided to stay home. I hadn't called John back, though I did some days later and left a message.

 

Sunday I had forgotten it was the second Sunday, so almost didn't help with Communion at the nursing home, but I did go and enjoyed it a lot. I did remember to take the baby bottle full of change that I had filled during Lent. It was Divine Mercy Sunday and Father Martin is really excited about it.

 

I called Helena to find out how her brace was working out, and discovered that the x-rays for the back fracture had uncovered a lump in her lung. It's stage 1 and hasn't spread at all, so next week they're having a treatment conference, her, doctors, and Mark and Diane. (D. via Skype.)

 

The squirrels, or so I believe, dug up one of the peanuts I planted. 

 

I was watching an olde John Wayne movie and there were cartoons and shorts before it. One was clips of historic film, including the funeral of Edward VII with all the royalty of England there. Fascinating!

 

 

Monday the water guys were working across the street. I didn't know they'd finished my yard until the next day, when I asked.  The cleaners came, and I had called ahead to ask them to park in my driveway. I also had neighbors parking in the driveway, too. After they left, I went to the commissary, a small trip but almost $100 because I was getting Alicia some breakfast burritos and found some impulse food for myself.  

 

354 recordings of 34 types, 1 old SVU (I have to keep repeating "no, don't record that"), 70 CPD, 19 LMS. 21% clear.

 

This week went by in a flash... I've been playing Fishdom and reading Nero Wolfe, not writing this journal or keeping up with much of anything else. Sunday through Thursday I was watching Safari Live and hoping to win a safari, but sadly a woman from Seattle won.

 

Monday (the 5th) would have been Rich's 76th birthday. When I changed out the cat box I realized there wasn't enough poop. Later in the week I saw that Pharaoh was sneaking in there WHILE I'M IN THE HOUSE so there's no time I can leave the gate down. He was duly punished but he's apparently too stupid to learn or too obsessed to care. 

 

I watched Marnie.( I'd never seen it before.) I was surprised that it was written by Winston Graham.

 

I can't stand Adam Schiff. He speaks, he lies. I was happy, later in the week, to find out he got pranked by some Ukrainean DJs, and now I think of him as a buffoon. I think he's lost some credibility (I hope) because of that.

 

Tuesday my sleep was all messed up and I didn't make it to breakfast. My weight and blood pressure were both down. I dug in the garden a little bit. Turned off the heat and opened windows much of the next few days. (Then it got cold again.) 

 

Pharaoh got into the rawhide I got out for St. Vincent de Paul. He's *impossible* these days.

 

Wednesday, fun with the kids. At Wee Wednesday Padreic was a little more social, though he was as pushy as Arthur. The hard lesson was "wait your turn."  Then he surprised me by not wanting to go to Wing Ding. (He fell asleep on the way home.)  More of the "Land of Oz" with Gareth and Joanna. Bernadette can't get on Facebook, so I've been writing her, and of course my communications major never communicates.

 

I talked to my friend down at the school and she didn't like Father Heart-Throb at all his second time through, so I wasn't the only one. 

 

Thursday was my doctor visit. I'd thought it might be a full checkup but it was just a review of the A1c test.  In the 6 months I lost 5.2 pounds. My A1c was 5.9, so much better than it's been all along. It's still in pre-diabetic range but the lowest it's been since they started checking it 3 years ago or so.  He wanted to know how hard it was to be good, suggesting Glucophage. I looked it up when I got home and have decided no, especially if I can get the A1c down farther (not this week, though. I celebrated with a pizza Friday through Monday, and also have been enjoying other carbs, hash browns and toast and jelly, that sort of thing. (And gained the weight to prove it. Easy to put on, hard to take off!)) 

 

The doctor also recommended a two-part shingles vaccine with a much higher prevention rate than the one I already had. So I went down to the pharmacy for it... and TriCare doesn't cover it! $200! For the first half! Painful two ways.

 

I worked on the jigsaw, and went out to the WPAC dinner in Citrus Heights. It's the chicken won ton tacos there, quite good. One of the women there had a terrible time on the Hawaii cruise. Makes me think again about the Alaska one in a couple of years. The person airlifted off at Hilo WAS on that ship but not a WPAC person.

 

Friday I had a nosebleed, and decided to skip the morning session, mostly because I wanted to carry a pillow to deal with those terrible seats. I gave the teacher a Time Travel book I'd found. The movie was "Time Bandits." Silly. During the week I watched "Terminator" and I was wrong, I hadn't seen it before. For one thing, it came out before I met GoE, so I wouldn't have. It must have been a sequel that I didn't like. 

 

My neighbor came over to tell me they'll be putting a fence in. Darn. I really like it when the dogs see each other and when I can reach over and pet them, especially Patches, the new one. I miss the old days when I could see the neighbors!  Oh, well.

 

That night I went to the Camino Pilgrim's meeting to see the Le Puy presentation. Not much help about the route from Lourdes.  John was there. He called the next day to see if I was all right, because I left while he was talking to another woman.

 

Saturday morning I went to the WPAC breakfast, which was nice. Marty and Jim were there. She got really sick on the cruise, and he was disappointed at the Arizona Memorial.

 

I took the kids to see "The Secret Garden". And I started looking for maps of Nero Wolfe's house. I settled on Stout's sketch of the office but finally adjusted Baring-Gould's first floor to make the second floor work. (Still can't do the third floor and the orchids, but oh, well.) 

 

Had a nice long talk with John on the telephone. 

 

Sunday it was Mass, Communion at the retirement home, and finishing the Rex Stout Nero Wolfes. 

 

 

352 recordings of 35 types, 1 old SVU, 71 old CPD, 39 LMS, 23% clear.

 

I had to leave the retreat early because I had tickets for "Carnival of the Animals" by Circa in Davis. I left here about1:50 and got caught in the usual Sunday traffic jam near IKEA, but arrived at the theater by 2:30 as planned. Then I waited and waited and waited for Bernadette, who was planning to leave the bowling and pizza party the kids were at at 2:00... I began to think I was going to miss it, $135.00 wasted.

 

Bernadette drove up about 2:50 and got parked and to me by 2:56, so we raced in... to find someone else had our seats. This was a bit confusing (they'd not realized their seats were on the orchestra side) but we were seated and the show started about 10 minutes late or so. Which was our hope, that a kids' show might be a little confused and not that prompt to start.

 

It was fun, and the kids liked it. Gareth laughed right away, and eventually Joanna started to smile. (The last time we were at the Mondavi she didn't much like the show at all, but that was 3 years ago.)

 

Bernadette was behind me getting out of the parking lot, but I was a bit surprised when she also followed me on the Reno exit. When she got off at IKEA, I figured it out.

 

When we went to bed, suddenly Pharaoh upchucked everything he'd had to eat the last 3 days. This was on the tile floor, so while it was an enormous paper towel job, it wasn't too bad. But then he upchucked a small amount on his bed, so I had to rinse that off and then find a quilt for him to sleep on. The next day I properly cleaned his bed and it was dry by bedtime. I guess the dog was anxious about missing me, but next time I bring his own food.

 

Monday was the cleaners. This time I was ready.

 

I had two nosebleeds this day!

 

After the cleaners, I drove out to Citrus Heights, where the other BevMo! is, to the Skechers outlet and I found two nice pair of shoes that DO fit!

 

 

Tuesday I didn't feel like going out to breakfast, and in fact I mostly spent the day playing Fishdom!

I also finished the scratch-off map and framed it (though I didn't take the pliofilm off the front of the glass, so will have to do that when (if) I ever scratch off anything else. 17 countries! I also did more on the jigsaw puzzle.

 

 

 

In the afternoon I went to get vitamins, milk, and gas.

 

My Apple charging card finally broke, after years of abuse. I taped the insulation back on so I can use it till the new one comes. (Which happened Thursday.)

 

Wednesday was great. The Wee Wednesday program was about the senses and Padreic contributed. The first time was quiet and not really on topic, Miss Jill had said she liked to touch her cat and P. said he had a cat... and Nana has a dog. I was the only person to hear this. Later, though, he answered a question Miss Jill asked him, and to the point. They "planted a garden" and he loved that. Then the exhibit Wing Dings was back, and Padreic didn't want to leave it.

 

I read the beginning of "The Land of Oz" to the kids, leaving them at a cliffhanger place. Heh.

 

Then yesterday I went to Mass at the Retreat House. I talked to a fairly new widow and found out her daughter and granddaughter don't talk to her. Just awful. I also saw another woman and we talked, but I cannot remember her name... she knows mine.

 

At home I finally noticed John had called. Since he called on Wednesday and I didn't call back, he was worried he was bothering me. No, I enjoy talking to him.

 

I actually opened the windows in the house and aired it out. I noted there was mud on the outside of one, so I took it out of the frame and washed it! (This is a first, and this is one of the old ones!)

 

371 recordings of 36 types. 6 old SVU, 36 old CPD. 24% clear.

 

 

Friday (December 1) was the last day of Renaissance. I decided to skip the morning class and take the bag of kids' books in after the movie, when I can move the car closer to the drop-off place.  I did find a parking place near the class, and took my seat cushion in, left it and my coat, and went to find some lunch. I had my tuna bahn mi and tea, as usual, took it back, and settled in comfort to watch the movie.  It was Predestination. It's an expansion of a Heinlein short story. I was thinking the original, All You Zombies, story could be applied to the Holy Trinity. It almost makes God easier to understand.

 

I had weird dreams Thursday night, involving online friends I don't know and haven't met, Digital Donna and Rhianna Lewis (well, I did meet her, 5 years ago).

 

I have gained at least $3K on the stock market. I hope this lasts, since I've come to realize I have more money than time and must do the things I'd like to do more quickly than I was thinking earlier.

 

Saturday I went out to the WPAC breakfast. Then I had about an hour before I had to go to Elk Grove to fetch the kids, and the gardeners came during that time. I was a bit early for the kids so sat and read for a while, and then took them to see "Christmas with the Little Women."  Too many words, not enough action. Joanna has given up on autographs, apparently. 

 

To my house where they painted little boxes. In a couple of weeks we'll trim them up. 

 

After I got home again, my DVD of Doc Martin season 8 came!  This took up my time till I was done with all 8 episodes and the bonus disc. I'm eager to go through the whole series now.  And there's one more year to go.

 

10 years ago I was 25 pounds heavier with high BP.  Currently I'm nearly back to where I was after the Camino, which would make my doctor happy if only she was still my doctor.

 

Sunday I woke early, and couldn't get back to sleep. Every time I'd get close I'd think "this is it!" and of course woke myself up.

 

So I got up and put the tree up, risking electrocution with the semi-broken outlet. Half the lights on the trees are out. At first I thought I'd have to go buy more bulbs, because I couldn't remember where the spares were. They were attached to the tree. I tried replacing a bulb or two, but it seems one of the strings is out, so I guess it's the fuse... but where does the fuse go? I tried one funny shaped bulb socket, but it wasn't it. Argh.

 

By 0730 I was at the Hilton to be on a mock jury. There were 22 jurors, and we signed a confidentiality agreement. So I can't tell anything about the case. We heard synopses of both the plaintiff's and defendent's arguments and saw some slides to give background, then split into two juries in two different rooms (all by random, as was the choice of foreman, so no time was wasted.) We deliberated (with a camera working) for about an hour and came up with a verdict. Apparently this law firm does a lot of these (there were three sessions about this one in Sacramento) and usually all the mock juries tend to come up pretty much the same. They present these to the lawyers, sometimes leading to settlements or a bit of a change in the arguments. I got $125 for this, as did the 60 or so other mock jurors, and add in the cost of the rooms at the Hilton and the equipment, all paid for by one of the parties.  Wow. It was fun, and they'll never ask me again (or anyone else. One and done.) In fact, they didn't actually ask me this time, it was a letter from a law firm for Richard, so of course I opened it. Decided it might be interesting and filled out the form and was accepted.

 

In the afternoon I went back out to the wilds of Citrus Heights to see "Holmes for the Holidays." It was a nice job and I sat with a nice lady in a better seat than my last one. I will continue to come out here next year. Free wine with the show!

 

367 recordings of 28 types. 29 old CPD, 4 old SVU. 24% clear.

 

Wednesday I finished Pinocchio with the kids. Not only were they reading along, which is fine, but Gareth was reading ahead of my voice which I found immensely distracting.

 

I ordered Doc Martin season 8!  Also, my African nativity set was supposed to arrive and it wasn't until Sunday that I questioned it. 

 

Thursday I finally heard from a gastroenterologist about making my appointment. I thought I would hear in July, and when I didn't, I tried calling the number on the card my doctor gave me, with no luck. Because my doctor had left me, I finally figured I'd get the colonoscopy next year.  But now, I guess I'll just call them and make an appointment (AFTER Thanksgiving!)

 

I stopped at the SPCA booksale. I had a really good day there, with 2 Trollopes (Anthony, not Joanna) and 4 Cornwells (Bernard, not Patricia) that I didn't have. Yay! I also got a book of Grimm Fairy Tales. It's slanted to grownups, with commentary about the sexual fantasies, etc, but the stories themselves are good. (I was hoping for Rainbow Fairy books, no luck there.)

 

And I finally had the last day of the dinosaur candle and then had to carve away the rest of the wax.  This should have worked better but I had to keep carving down the egg so the flame wouldn't drown. Oh, well. At the end it cracked the glaze, but the dinosaur is cute anyway.

 

Friday the computer was very slow and I spent a lot of time on Facebook. I finally, about 11, got out the door to go to Rancho Cordova and geocache.  I had ten in mind, on a bike trail that makes a loop so I wouldn't be too far away from the car when I finished.  The first two were DNFs, and I was beginning to be dubious, but then I found one.  The fourth I tried was down a really steep hill, and I was a bit scared to try it by myself, but I went down and looked, but couldn't find it, and then somehow managed to get back up the hill, cussing myself out for being stupid. I also couldn't find the next one, then had to try to get to the other side of the loop. I was paralleling it for awhile, but then found access and again couldn't find one. Then I found #7, and was on my way to #8, but by that time the skies opened and I was half a mile away from the car. I had left my raincoat at Bernadette's on Wednesday and forgot I had a decent rain jacket that I had taken to Spain. Hence, I had a light jacket, which didn't protect me very much. I was soaked by the time I got back to the car. I was too wet to stop at a fast food place so came on home, arriving about 1:30.

 

In the evening, the Chatauqua show was "Frankenstein." I was glad to see my friend Bill, who is still looking good despite the Pancreatic cancer. His tumor hasn't shrunk but is less dense, and after Thanksgiving he starts a round of radiation.  I'm impressed with his upbeat attitude. Anyway, it was great to see him (and his wife, of course.) 

 

I had no idea how they would present "Frankenstein" but it was just terrific. It was Mary Shelley telling the story and the other characters showing her story. I was very impressed with it.

 

368 recordings of 29 types, 16 old SVU, 22% clear.

 

I waited around for the gardeners so I could ask them to please put the leaves into the leaf bin, then I took off for Elk Grove. This meant I got there a lot earlier than I actually meant to, time to have a little chat with Joan. She thinks the parents are too hard on Joanna, that she should be allowed to do her little Magic Schoolbus kits even if she's being punished. But what can get her attention? There has to be something that she wants badly enough to try to behave for it! Then it was time to leave. "Gareth, get on this side, Joanna, go around. Gareth, where are you going?" Oh, says Joan, you shouldn't make statements with more than one instruction, because the last one is the only one they remember. She knows this because she was a teacher. (This is likely why she says everything twice, though I notice that habit a bit less these days.) Grrrrr.

I brought her the last of the pomegranates, the squirrels can have the rest. What a year!

 

Because I was still early, I could stop at my house to put the gate up if the dog had stayed out of the kitty litter. Of course he hadn't, so I put him outside for the rest of the afternoon. Then we went to see "Cinderella." Still too early so we started walking, and ended up in the nature area for a few minutes.

Waiting for the play, Joanna was bugging Gareth, and I threatened to sit between them. She just can't help herself. Watching me, she "just happened" to poke him... so I sat between them. Joanna was less interested this time than I would have thought, though she did yell out what color Cinderella's dress was supposed to be. She wasn't interested in autographs at the end. (It later developed that she was in a hurry to see Grandma, having forgotten that wasn't going to happen until the party, or as it happened, not till she got home after the party.)

 

We ran a couple of errands for me. I left them in the car while I picked up a couple of tickets for a movie on Thursday. Then we went to Papa Murphy's where I got a jack-o-lantern pizza. The guy didn't hear me say "yes" to the family size so I said it louder, and I suppose I was rude. Anyway, he apologized for me being rude, so I feel terrible.

 

Back at the house I had a Hallowe'en Lego set out and some seasonal stickers. This kept them pretty well occupied, as well as Gareth reading the science books. Joanna couldn't be bothered, but the stickers were a hit and she made a jack-o'lantern with the Lego. We tried to make spidery chocolate chip cookies, but it didn't work. The last hour or so they were wild, and Joanna decided "fart" was the funniest word in the world. I finally said that if she said it one more time, she'd have to spend time sitting on my bed.

 

She really canNOT help herself. It may have taken 30 seconds. She started to argue, realized it wasn't working, and went into the bedroom. I only made her stay there about a minute, and she was slightly subdued when she got back. I made the pizza.

 

I read some more of Pinocchio to them (only two chapters left!) and then Bernadette came with their costumes. We got changed and were ready to go across the street to the party.

(I really am not hanging from the ceiling!)

Which was fun as usual. Gareth had too much sugar, I suspect, and began to feel wonky, so we went home a bit early, leaving Joanna and Bernadette to go through the haunted house. (Which is in the neighbor's back yard!) Very clever costumes! I especially liked the KFC family... Colonel Sanders, two chickens, and two buckets. We found Waldo. Oscar and Cookie Monster were there.

 

Instead of a scythe, I had a pizza cutter. It's a shame I didn't think to remark I COULD MURDER A PIZZA until two days later. I did mutter, under my breath as I was trying to peel the lid off a container of salad dressing, that "you would think Death would have a better grip" and sent someone into hysterics.

 

On the whole, a nice day!

 Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 547
154.7 miles
mild

372 recordings of 50 types, 71 old SVU. 17% clear.

Saturday the 9th was a busy busy day. After I did my morning watering I walked down to Leslie's house to help her set up her garage sale. I worked there until it was time for the sale, and got a decent wheeled ice chest and a great National Geographic atlas for my trouble.  (Well, I paid for them, but it was nice stuff. I needed a new ice chest... I had taken one from the neighbor's discards and they told me the handle was broken, but in actuality this lasted about 3 years before completely falling apart when we went to Micke Grove Park last April.)

I had planned to go to the WPAC second Saturday breakfast but decided there simply wasn't time. I headed back to the garage sale about 9:15 to chat and wait, and my friend Eileen came about 9:30 to take me and Alisa to Oroville for Jeo's memorial. I was wearing an orange Hawai'ian shirt that Rich bought about 10 years ago. (That was a great surprise. He always wore very conservative shirts, till we were in Hawai'i and he got a shirt for the luau (at my insistence.) This was on sale at the Lathrop gas station for $10 and he bought it.) It is far too big, and I couldn't wear my waist pouch on the outside and didn't want to wear it underneath since it made me look 10 months pregnant.  So I pocketed my camera and ID and money and keys, and made do without the kitchen sink I normally carry. (And I remembered when we picked up Alisa who is attached to her phone that I didn't take mine.)

It was a nice ride and I got some answers about why Jeo and his wife were no longer together. I thought she had washed her hands of him when he got sick, which I don't really approve of, but it was the other way around. Jeo told her to get out of his life (I have to believe it was the disease talking, as Jeo was usually a very sweet guy).  So at the memorial it was easy to hug her and tell her how sorry I was. At the memorial (which was at Jeo's sister's house) I learned some other friends are now divorced. Sigh.  There were about 35 geocachers there (all in Hawai'ian shirts, plus the family. The three children, and Cinde and her parents, Jeo's sisters and brother, and his mother. (Woe. Eileen says she's somewhat out of it, what a blessing.) Plenty of food  (although the cookies I brought were unpacked at the end.) I picked up a geocoin to remember him by. It's a California one, not recognized by Groundspeak, but that's OK.) I wrote a memory of Jeo in the book. (Rich and I had just started geocaching, and found a big travel bug hotel in Elk Grove, and we were engrossed in checking the contents when this voice boomed out "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??" and scared us to death.) Jeo's son spoke. It was nice to see so many old friends.

I got home about 5.

Eric Bolling's son died.  The hits just keep coming.

Sunday was also a busy day. At church, Gerrie returned my books and gave me some candy (how the heck am I supposed to get my A1C down this way?).  I hadn't planned to go back to the house before the late afternoon, but had to get the candy bar out of the car.  Thence down to help with Communion... there's s guy from church there recouperating from a fall, in his 90s and sharp as a tack, knew my name and Brenda's.  He has an easy name to remember, Charles Schulz!

Hence to Elk Grove. I thought I would drop in on the 9/11 event and see some of the people who weren't in Oroville the day before, but I couldn't find the group. Oh, well. I stopped at Jack-in-the-box for lunch, then got to Bernarob's house. When it was his truck left in the driveway, I thought maybe they'd changed their plans, but no, he was still taking the big kids to see their Mom in the play. My job was to babysit Padreic.

He was busy busy.  There was plenty for him to do in the living room, but at one point he climbed over the gate into Mommy and Daddy's room (forbidden, and I'd locked both kids' bedrooms.) I got him out and then told him to pick up the little bells he'd been carrying. "No." He said "No" a couple of times, and finally I gave him a pop on the backside. Then held him while he cried it out, and we started playing finger games.

Rob and the kids enjoyed the play. He said it was better than the other Gilbert&Sullivan's Bernadette has been in.

Monday the 11th of September I had the flags out all over the yard. It was the day for  the cleaners. They sat in the driveway in their car and had lunch, and here I was all ready to let them in and disappear into the bedroom. I could have finished my TV show!

While I was in the bedroom, I straightened up some more for the window people, and called my classmate Rich who was in town for the weekend. Too hot to leave the house again, though.

I had cloudy urine. But it's been coming and going, mostly clear, so I don't know what's going on.

My neighbor Carol brought over ice cream bars to keep in my freezer for the party the next day.

Tuesday I went to breakfast with the ladies. We only had 4 this time.

I found and rescued a tiny alligator lizard in the house. I thought at first maybe Pharoah had hurt it, but it moved from the zinnia bed where I put it, so it's probably OK. So beautiful!

Carol had a farewell party for Leslie. I will be sad to have her (and Zeus) go. We met the new homeowners, James and Yolanda. They're into wine and across the street Sloan and Christy (who were new to me) brew beer! Hey, I live on a party street! I also met Luann, and then chatted with the neighbors I know, as well.

I got home just before Vince's call. Eric will be going to the Bahamas next year. Gabe and A.J. are doing well in soccer.  And I forgot to tell him about Jeo's memorial and about the alligator lizard... so I started a list for the next time!

Wednesday I went down to Elk Grove as usual, and Bernadette wasn't there. I thought maybe she had decided to take Padreic in to the doctor, since he's been crying over a hurt leg since Monday. Sure enough, it's broken!  He had a splint on it and it will be cast on Friday. He was apparently really good with the doctor, and the X-rays.  It was a trampoline accident. I said, when Joan gave them that, it was dangerous for such small children. Monica argued that it was good exercise and I said it would lead to broken bones. She said "at least they won't be overweight."  So of course, when I posted about the broken leg, I said "told you so, Monica!"

The big kids were in trouble about this. They just stood on the trampoline watching while Padreic cried. No one went in to tell Mommy.  Also, while B. was trying to clean up, Gareth just went to his room and Joanna wouldn't go fetch something "there's a branch in the way."  She got popped on the bottom for her pains, too.  Daddy had a long lecture for them. 

I fetched them and we talked about the broken leg on the way home. Nobody knows what exactly happened. I read them more of Pinocchio. I decided I need to bring over a marionette so they really know what it is.

Thursday, I got my new windows!!!!!! I just love it! The annoying thing is I will have to make sure all the smoke alarms have batteries (I really only keep the hall one and my bedroom charged up, the others are old and beep even with new batteries, too much trouble) before I call the county inspector to come out. It took the guys 4 hours to get all the windows in, and I spied one defective screen so called about it at the end of the day.

I went to the WPAC Appleby's dinner. I ordered the chicken tacos which were filling enough, and to my surprise, between the half price Happy Hour and the 10% discount, I only owed a little over 4 dollars! 

Friday was Renaissance. The morning documentary was "And Still I Fly" about Maya Angelou. When it was dealing with her early life, there was a cameo with Hillary Clinton, who said it was like her mother's early life. All I could think about was "was that before or after she named you for Sir Edmund Hillary?" The bitter old woman (mighod, this book tour!) always has to make it all about herself! The documentary, however, was really good. There was this time she lectured Tupac Shakur about his language.  I'd read all the autobiographies and really enjoyed this documentary.

The time travel movie was Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. I enjoyed it more this time than when I saw it first. Silly but fun. I was tempted to go to the forum but really wanted to come home.

Before I left I saw Leslie walking Zeus for the last time here, so dashed out for a hug from her and a total slobber from him.

The windows will go on November's bill! Hooray, it's nice to spread the misery out!

They warned me there might still be pieces of glass, but I forgot, and sure enough, barefoot in my bedroom. Ow.

Saturday I was pretty well crippled up with a terrible backache, but because I'd promised, I saw Bernadette's play, Patience. It's cute and funny. I'd never heard of it before though there's one song in it I've heard somewhere (an ad, maybe?)

Sunday I stayed in to heal up. My back still hurt but not as badly as it did the day before. I've been leaving the windows open night and day, except when the gardeners were here.   I trimmed the roses in the rose garden Rich made for me. Most of them are dead, thanks to the drought.

I made a salad of dragonfruit, pineapple, (I wanted pomegranates, but they aren't quite ready yet. There are so many I think I can have some despite the squirrels), romaine, one small bell pepper chopped up with a blueberry balsalmic vinaigrette. Yum.

I actually READ "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" for the first time. Disney did a great job following the descriptions! Irving's prose is great!