June First

I know that last year was nowhere near as warm as this. As I recall, it was downright chilly...and I was REALLY missing California. This year, though, I am quite happy with the temperatures. I like going out in the yard wearing a minimum of clothing at all hours of the day...what can I say, I feel better the fewer clothes I have on...as long as it's warm. When the temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you are damned sure going to find me with gloves and a coat on, but when it's warm enough, I like to take advantage of my exothermic properties.

Today, I subbed for a fifth grade teacher. His class was remarkably well behaved. His plans called for me to simply be present and breathing. It was a nice change from the norm. The younger the kids the more the work it seems.

Apparently I was the lucky one, since I ran into a fellow sub late in the day and she was looking a bit frazzled. She said she had gotten there and found NO PLANS. I think I had been requested for that one this morning and was somewhat thankful I had taken this job a month ago. I offered her some coloring sheets, but she said she had some Bill Nye videos to show. "Well, then, you've got it covered!" I then hurried back to my sheltered classroom and closed the door.

One of the kids came up to the desk to ask for help on a SUDOKU puzzle he does for an accelerated class he has. I helped him a few times and then realized that perhaps he was just not taking enough time on it. I told him to go back to his seat and work it out for himself. He sniffled. I told him, "Don't cry." He said he had allergies. I said, "No, you're crying. I made you cry." I then told him and the kids near the desk that I make it a point to make at least one kid cry each day. They looked at me unbelieving, then it dawned on them that I was pulling their legs. The kid said, "No, I have allergies." I reiterated, "No, you're definitely crying. HAH! You made my day!" He laughed and went back to his desk, his classmates having a chuckle with him.

I came home early because they spend the last hour in PE, and I finished everything that was necessary. I took some clothes off the line and relaxed waiting for Cora to come home. Now it is a relaxing evening. Of course, the Air Conditioner is STILL on...love it!

Long Hot Day

I knew it was going to be hot today when I wanted to turn the air conditioner down further at 5:30AM. We began with our traditional break. Then we broke to work. I and the other sub needed to bring three pallets of surplus books from the elementary. But first, we needed to empty the food service van, which my associate had thoughtfully filled with siurplus computers but had not emptied. I found that yesterday, and I was not happy. So, we emptied the van, ten got the books. It was hard, heavy, and hot. All that "fun" was compounded by the fact that my cohort is, while well intentioned, not the candle with the longest wick.

I've noticed, lately, that he removes the keys from every vehicle he drives. That is something that is a bit of a pain if you work for a school district. There are all sorts of occasions where you need to get through to something, but someone else's vehicle is in the way. If they leave the keys in you can move it and go on with your day. (also, he does not even have pockets, so you can't rely on him to open gates or doors without handing him your own set...and THAT is annoying, because he does not remember to give them back)

After lunch, he went to the elementary to finish the "small" mowing. There is a mower at that school. I took the big mower over to the other elementary and mowed. As I was finishing up, I lifted the front deck and the front guide wheel just fell off! The linch pin that holds it in place had disappeared, as had a few spacers. I rescued it and began my trek back to the shop to fix it, but the maintenance man for that school told me the other sub had run out of gas and then had to leave for home. I said fine. I would fix that and then fix the Big Mower. The heat caused the breeze to be tepid across my face while I drove back on the mower. I got to the shop and parked the mower. I went to the van, which the other sub had left out front, with the main garage door to the shop wide open (when there is no one specifically at the shop, we close the doors...keeps tools from walking off). Amazingly, he had left the keys in the van, so I did not have to go back in and get them from the breakroom. I filled up a can of gas and left. Here is a picture of me in the van on my way to the elementary to rescue the mower, note I am happy at this time. I did not take pictures of me after I discovered the predicament Tootsie Roll had left me in.

I got to the other school and there was the little mower...about 2/3 finished with the mowing. I looked at my watch and decided I could finish it in time to go home. I filled the mower with gas and then flipped the seat back. I was about to get on it, when I noticed that the keys were missing. I thought, "how appropriate." I walked back to the van, figuring Mighty Mouse had left the key in the van. No such luck. I called the other maintenance man (let me just come out, it's my Father-in-Law) and asked if he knew where Twinky had left the key. He did not answer. I stomped back to the mower and continued to marvel at Muscle Brain's logic. Tae the keys out of the mower that was out of gas and would not go anymore, but leave the keys in a decent school van, next to a shop with its door wide open and no one around to say, "Stop stealing those tools!" Just brilliant.

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I walked inside the school and found the custodian and asked if Meadow Muffin had left the key with him...NOPE. I finally had to push the damned mower around and into the building...that was no easy feat. I was sweating heavily...and irritated. I finally got back to the shop and walked in and put away the keys. I glanced at the table with the intention of leaving note for the maintenance guy who comes in first on Monday about the mower behind his Polaris. It was then that I saw the mower key. I was moved to cursing. I saw the words on the piece of paper under it. "Keys to mower at TH." Instead of yelling out loud, which would have startled Oprah the shop cat, I left these words below his: "How useful to have them here!"

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I shut down the lights and left. What a wonderful day. I went to the bank and cashed in $126 of coins.

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I took the camera to work today. I stopped a coulple times to take pictures. These are about the only things from the day that made me happy. I took some pictures of pears nearing ripeness and apples, sorry they are a bit blurry: I forgot to go to macro. I also took a few pictures of hops.

I also took a picture of the painting I put on the bathroom wall in the breakroom. What do you think?

Scorcher

It was a warm day yesterday. I took the tractor and cleaned up the last rocks from the dirt. I hope never to have to touch rocks again...or dirt. Of course, I don't think that will happen, so I would be pleased so long as it is that particular dirt or those particular rocks that I don't touch.

I mowed after that. It was so warm out that you could have thought you were in bed under cover...then the fact that I had just had lunch and the warmth cut in and I began to get the nods. I would get down off the mower and walk around to wake up...it was a long day...or course, it may not have been just that, since the tiredness seemed to follow me home. Once again, I had difficulty staying awake all night. I am going to make a doctor's appointment to get some hepititas vaccinations and I think I will ask him there about why I get so damned tired. He'll probably say that at my age I need to take naps during the day...

I got on the mower to leave the elementary school and the mower began driving strange...I had a slow...or fast, depends on how you look at it...leak on one of the tires...so I stopped at the shop that is here in town and had them fix it...took 45 minutes, but at least I made it back.

Today will likely go the same. Although, I hope to attend the first airsow in 6 years at McChord AFB on Saturday or Sunday. Cora's family are coming from out of town to visit over on that side of the mountains, too, so maybe I can drop her off. I hope we don't fight over who gets the camera...which is more important? Planes or family? Well, I think, given the name of this blog, that should be obvious...sorry Grandma! I REALLY want to see an F-22 Raptor up close. Also, I have yet to set foot near a C-17...they fly over all the time, but I have never been close to one...cue tears...

I note no one has offered donations for my drop tank collection...or have you mistakenly been giving to to Cora for her "baby" fund? Best make the checks out to me...I may open a museum and my biggest contributors will be able to see the exhibits before the general public...yeah, that's it! Send in that money, Cora loves airplanes and airplane parts just hanging about.

Baby, It's Hot! Baby!

I have SO much to post about, but I don't have the pictures. So, I will post about something completely different, instead.

Today's yardsale was a flop. We might have made 30 bucks...oh, well. It was HOT! 102. Just a while ago the temp lowered...99. At the end of it Cora and I came in and sat for a minute. I looked over at her and she was RED! Apparently she got a little more heat than necessary, I had her go take a short cool shower and get cooled down. She felt better after awhile.

I spent the hours waiting for customers by making a sarcophagus. I bought a box a few months back. I used plaster of paris to build up the likeness of a pharoah. I think the kids will like it when I finish it. I need to paint it. I have some gold paint and some crackle finish. I think you will like it when I get a few pics of the sarcophagus posted tonight (hopefully).

Other than that I work tomorrow and I will fix the float I broke on Friday. We have a LOT to do before we become parents...the house is still a mess. Even after the yardsale. I DID get the Freezer moved to the other room! I worked on that last night after the yardsale. I don't know why I felt such an urgency to get it done...but it is done. Now we need to sell some of Cora's blankets to make more room.

Hard Sale

So…Cora decided that 430AM was a good time to wake up. I am not so sure. We got up, had our coffee, checked our emails and then dressed to make a yard sale. We were successful. I tied a rope to the light pole and the house and we hung clothes from that. I borrowed tables from the school and we used those. I placed the signs and all was ready.

I had a Honda lawnmower that has not worked since last spring. I have long since given up on it. It was something wrong with the carburetor, but my Father-in-Law and I were not able to figure it out. I probably could have taken it somewhere, but the mower we bought last month was probably cheaper than fixing it. One gentleman was interested in it when told I’d sell it for 5 dollars. He was…persnickety. He wanted the grass catcher. I think I have it, but it is probably in the back of the shed…and I may have taken it to the dump since it was rotten. Anyway, he would not buy the $400.00 lawnmower with a minor problem (for someone with a bit of know-how) for $5 without the fricking grass catcher. He said I should go look for it and he would be back for it. A few minutes later another guy showed up and asked about it. I told him I’d take ten dollars and offered to call him if I found the grass catcher. He gave me ten and came back with vehicle that it would fit in. The other (Rude) gentleman came back and was apparently irritated that I had sold it before he could buy it. I did not feel bad as he was such a grump.

Our neighbor girls came over and looked at our wares. The youngest came first. Her name is Cora, too. I took her around to each table trying to sell all kinds of things to her. I think we ended up netting 94 cents from her…and part of that was coming down in price about four dollars…I was not in it for the money, and I have a soft spot for girls named Cora. Her older sisters eventually followed. Then the rest of the family eventually made it. They are a great family and I enjoy visiting with them. The two older girls (fifth grade and ninth grade) came back a while later and stayed. I think just to visit. I think they would have stayed all day if we had not gone off to gather our signs! I was not the only one giving things to these girls. Cora gave them a DVD and who knows what else. Still, I prefer to have neighbors like that to others.

Now? We are resting out of the heat, which is 98.8 degrees out. At least it isn’t a humid heat, more of a searing heat. I hope all of you are having a happy June. I hope that anyone who reads this blog will drop a comment with a little info on your summer so far. Hot? Not Hot? Too humid? Or, maybe, just say, “Hi!”