O.K. Then.

Do you ever have days that start out pretty O.K., but the closer they get to the end of the day the crappier they get?  Yeah, me too.

Today was kinda one of those days.  Well, sort of.  

I was up late last night looking for a job.  I was hoping against hope that I might procure a sub job.  Usually on the day back from a break there are not very many jobs that come up.  So, I was not terribly optimistic.  Still, I was up late, just to make sure.  I also got up early this morning with the hope of obtaining the unlikely job.  While I waited, three jobs came up for tomorrow, the sixth.  

I took the first one, but Cora reminded me that I can't take a job for tomorrow because we have a nine o'clock appointment to go in to USCIS to have our finger prints taken for the immigration documents for the adoption.  I could take a job in the afternoon, but the likelihood of one coming up and me actually being able to take it are remote. 

I did a lot today.  I went to town looking for a few items.  I managed to get a few.  I got the oil changed.  I got an item at Target, and then some stuff at Costco.  Between all that I bought a pair of gloves and stopped at the county court house.  Why did I stop at the court house you ask?  

Well, I think I mentioned that I have found mention of a bombing range near Zillah, Washington (A town about fifteen miles distant).  As many of the wrecks I'd like to investigate are MUCH further away, this potential historical treasure has potential for me to investigate at my leisure rather than making plans ahead of time.  

My previous experiences at the court house have been negative.  Of course, much of it comes from my parents paying property taxes and an appearance for a ticket that I had to pay years ago, so who knew that when I walked in and asked about information on something so strange that they would be so helpful?  The first lady (records) helped me boot up a Microfiche reader and find what I needed.  Only, I quickly discovered I did not have enough information to help me find what I was looking for.  She suggested I go down the hall to where they keep the maps (assessor).  The lady I found there was most helpful, until we discovered some of the land is still under Bureau of Land Management and she had no information on it.    Still, I now know how easy it is and how friendly they are, so I won't hesitate to go back...also, I did not have to go through a strip search, that's probably a good thing.

It was at the court house that I saw something I had to share with you...you'll need to scroll down to see it, but first, read on.

I then got Cora a coffee and saw her for a little while.  She always puts a smile on my face.  After I left her I came home and began work on the house, although I made little visible progress.  I remembered I had a dentist appointment.  

And here is where the afternoon went to hell.   I decided I had time to do a water change for the fish tank.  So, I did.  I also cleaned out the filter.  While I was doing that, I found that the florescent light has made the plastic brittle...it broke.  I should be able to fix it, but, for now, we are relying on the little pump inside the tank for water movement.  

I also needed to get the dog licenses.  According to the letter we were late.  That means they assess a 5 dollar charge on the five dollar fee.  For two dogs that is 20 dollars( I did the math for you slow people out there, you probably know who you are, but if you don't, send me an e-mail and I will tell you).  I made out the check and left the checkbook at home.  The clerk said, "that's too much."  Much as I hated to, I told her, "Well, we're late and the late fee is $5, 4X5 is 20, here you go."  She said, they are not charging the late fee.  She can't give me change for the check.  "Do you have any cash?"  No.  Damn it!  I didn't have cash.  And I didn't have time to go back to the house.  With my luck they'll charge me a late fee tomorrow when I walk in with a ten dollar check.  

When I got to the dentist, they invited me in and gave me a shot.  I immediately got very jittery and shaky.  I mentioned that, since that has never happened before.  They said it may be because it had epinephrine in it.  The dentist began his drilling and we all found that the numbing solution had not done its job.  They gave me more.  Now I am having trouble speaking without sounding impaired.

Well, I am O.K., but I will probably be dining on something liquid.  

I was looking our photos over when we got home yesterday and I found that in one of the photos, there was a honey bee on the flower that I had not noticed!  Have a look!  Cool, huh?

As mentioned above, I found something in the court house parking lot that I thought you needed to see.  Below you see a picture of a vehicle with "THE CLUB."  You know, that late night infomercial thing guaranteed to keep people from stealing your car!

Now, you might expect this to be in a very styling vehicle.  Something with panache.  Perhaps a sports car or something expensive and new, maybe a Hummer?  Nope.  What you see equipped with "The Club" is... 

(by my best estimation) a 1983 or 1984 Ford Escort.  Powder BLUE.  Surely that Chrysler PT Cruiser is more deserving of "THE CLUB" than that Escort!  Ah, the irony.  I should also point out that this is IN the employee parking area of the Court House, which is pretty much surrounded by video cameras.  Also, I saw a few on duty officers while I was there, I am sure the place is pretty much crawling with cops.  Why would a thief steal that?  Gotta love it!

Hopefully our appointment with the federal government goes well tomorrow.  Wish us luck!

A Glibness I Don't Feel

Ah, Friday!  Glad to see it come around again.  I hold a small celebration every week on this day.  It means another week is over and some free time is about to begin.  Of course, the weekend zips by and is gone again in about 8 seconds.

That picture was taken at Christmas.  we are both smiling in it.

I feel like reading 19th Century literature.  That should be easy as we have a couple volumes of that from our college days.  I suppose it is because those writers often had a better grasp of the language and a feel for the words that many of us lack today.  I am not sure if I'd rather read Poe or Dickinson.  Either way seems just as macabre and solemn as I feel today.

There are a million things to do and a million things I want to do and only three or four will ever actually see themselves completed.  I have good news.  We got pictures of our boy in Africa but can't publish them.  We also got a letter from the agency that raised troubling questions.  I hate that.  We sent the questions yesterday. We are awaiting their response.

The weather has been beautiful lately and I have sold many coloring books.  Yesterday, someone made a most generous donation for one coloring book!  Last weekend, someone made a similar donation.  It is the generosity and good will of the people around us that has kept us going these many difficult months.  Perhaps that and the sunlight will show us a way through this irritating and damnable fog that has set in.

Tuesdays Are Better

I have never been a great friend of Monday, but yesterday, I really hated Monday.  There was a time, during my morning coffee, when I had no real opinion on the day.  It was shortly before I left for work that the day began its turn for the worse. 

I needed to print out a shipping label, but for some reason neither computer could communicate with the printer.  Try as I might I could not figure out how to make the darned things work.  I had to cancel the on-line shipping and then go ship via the post office.  This and my inattention to details like lunch and other things made me a little late to work.

It got worse.  I could not locate my plans for the day.  I CAN shoot from the hip, but life is easier if I have a plan...I finally located a plan a few minutes before the bell rang.  To top it off, i was told my class could be a hand full. The last sub had had a very bad day indeed.  I endeavor NOT to be that kind sub.  So, there was another stress.

As it turned out, the class WAS a bit of a hand full.  By the end of the day I had sent one kid to the principal, and had two more in time-out, they missed PE.  There were other things that proved to me that Monday sucked, but I need not bore you with the sordid details.  Suffice it to say, Monday sucked.

Today is better, though.  I feel it.  It helps that i have a fairly self guided class that does not see three students at my arm every minute to ask how to do something.  They are comparatively well behaved, too.  I had great sub plans and an easy day is lined up ahead of me...this is going to be a good day.

I still have a dentist appointment at the end of the day, but since I think it is a cleaning, it can't be too bad.  This day is SOOOOO much better than yesterday!

Oh, and lunch is nearing!  I love this day!

Of course, it COULD change suddenly, like a hungry lion could burst into the classroom and devour two or three students before I make it to the door.  However, since there doesn't seem to be a huge chance of that, I will continue to hold out hope that this will indeed prove to be a good day.     

It Expired WHEN?!

We have been trying to save money by not going out as much and keeping down grocery bills and cutting out some other things we do.  We have been doing pretty good.  Tonight, after a month of eating in  (and not counting this weekend when we were in the tri-cities), we decided to splurge and have pizza.  We went with the take and bake option.

While there, I decided to bring some beer home to go with the pizza.  I walked in.  I chose an appropriate selection.  I walked to the counter.  I pulled out my card.  I was about to swipe my card.  The evil lady behind the counter asked to see my ID.  I opened up my wallet and showed her.  She said fine.  I began to put it away.  She said, "May I see it again?"  Getting mildly annoyed I said yes and showed her again.  She said, "It's expired."  I summoned a word from my best, most intelligent sounding vocabulary list and said, "What?"  I happened to know for a fact it won't expire until my birthday!  HA!

I glanced at my license.  I glanced again.  And it was then that I saw the place where she was pointing.  It said 2009.  I stared blankly and then it dawned on me.  this year is...(drum roll please) ...(hey, my thought processes are kinda slow, ok?)...2010!  SHIT!  It's 2010!  This thing says it expired in 2009!  Hey!  That's like last year!

The lady behind the counter would not let me enjoy this startling realization, let alone share it.  She simply looked at me disappointedly.  Actually, now that I consider it, she might have been looking at me accusingly.  She took the beer and put it behind the counter.  "I can't sell this to you."

Normally, I might have put up a fight.  At that moment, I was...taken by surprise.  I fled the store.  OK, not so much fled, but it may have been taken as such.  Actually, I was lost in the idea that I could have been using an expired ID for almost a year.  I have been to the liquor store numerous times.  I even had my license copied for a couple jobs.  I had to show it to the state for my background check.  What I am saying is I've had it looked at MANY times.  NOT JUST ME!  Lots of people have seen it.  NO ONE.  NADA!  ZIP!  ZILCH!  NOT ONE PERSON noticed.  I was sure it wasn't due to expire until this year.

Yeah...this is gonna be a good year.