Plotting the Summer

Plotting the Summer and other plans falling into place

I've called the Alisal about working for them one more summer. I won't be teaching in July and August, which takes my pay here down to less than half of what I can make there in that amount of time. Plus business will be slow. I don't really want to work there too badly...there's been a lot of upheaval since the change in management, but it's a sure thing. They'll provide housing and I'm already trained. Hopefully my change in haircolor will allow me to go somewhat incognito with the guests. I got so tired of being chased around about the singing thing. And Wendy will be thrilled if I come down.

I'm ready for the school year to be over. I like teaching, but the triple split shifting has to end. I can't eat, and I run around like a maniac all week. If they want me next year, I want to teach first thing in the morning, have a break, and then come in at 12:30-5:30 at the shop like I used to do. The split in the middle is killing me.

In other news I got my taxes done. I've been doing my own taxes with the EZ form since high school. This year, since I had moving expenses to write off I had to go with the long form. I wasn't aware that you can take the standard dedution ther. Moving is an additional deduction, as is student loan interest, so you can move to the long form without actually havng to itemize. That was lovely. And my accountant waived off his fee as "we're family." Which isn't true. His ex-wife was my grandfather's second wife. That's hardly blood kin. Ah well. I couldn't afford to pay him and buy groceries in the same month, so it worked out well. Once the tax return comes in I can pay off more of my car.

Last night I watched Kill Bill 2. It was very artistic. There wasn't nearly the slaughter of the first movie, and a lot more plot. And a great soundtrack.

Now I have to go find something to teach for today. 1st and 2nd grades. Ta.

AAAAAAAAHHH!

THAT WAS THE WORST CALLED GAME IN THE HISTORY OF WORST CALLED GAMES!!!!

Bible Study @ Inklings Bookshop

Bible Study at Inklings Bookshop

Since I'm on a roll all of a sudden with the technology, here's the regular crew for our Saturday morning read through. We average about 10 chapters a week here, outloud, and we're almost through Numbers. Thank Goodness. There's a lot to glean, and we feel very well informed about sacrifices and heave offerings and grain offerings, and we've started tying in New Testament applications (Like Paul's reference in Philippians to a drink offering, or Romans' Christ as the firstfruits), but we're ready to get back to the adventure. The Pentateuch is rather repetative. Moses wasn't much of a writer. The Jackson's Sports Bar leg of the study should finish out the last five chapters so we're ready for Deuteronomy next week at Inklings.

Oh, and that's Denise, Johanna, and me. Sometimes we have Nathaniel and Julie too.

Drunkard's Path

Drunkard's Path

So, using the scraps from the Grandmother's Flower Garden, and bits from my Yo-yo quilt (in progress) I've started a new quilt. Since one must have several craft projects going at once, so one can trade out when one gets bored. That's a lot of ones.

Getting Reaquainted

Getting Reacquainted

Last night, after I got off work, I got a phone call. It was Steve! We talked for about an hour. Lots of "what have you been up to since 1988" and then comparing our favorite books. He's trying to get a paper published on an analysis of a Robert Frost poem, and how it homages the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. He's also writing a one act play.

It was great to talk to him. Afterwards, I went to the folks house for a craft night, which didn't happen. Instead we all sat on the floor and sorted through our old photo collection, trying to find pictures from preschool and kindergarten. No luck -- they're all on slides. But Allie found my class picture from then, which I've posted below. Weren't we adorable?

Courtesy of the Tooth Fairy

Courtesy of the Tooth Fairy

My Real Smile

I have very few photos with my "real smile."

Other Cute Pictures of Me

I loved to wear dresses so I could twirl

Steven and Rachel

Steven Pedersen and Me, Kindergarten class photo

The Ups and Downs of a Rollercoaster

The Ups, Downs and Sudden Shocks of a Wooden Rollercoaster

Yesterday was quite the day. Nothing very formidable happened on the surface. Prayer Breakfast. They sang the song I loathe with an all consuming passion. (Walking and talking with my MIIIIIIND...SEEEEEETTTT on Jesus) No Amazing Grace to the tune of the Gilligan's Island Themesong. That borders on sacriligious.

I tried to get my oil changed, but Goodyear was backed up until Tuesday at 3:00. I'll drop my car off on the way back from St. Pauls and walk back to the Lighthouse. I can walk back after I close the shop. It's utterly convenient to live within a mile of all three major jobs, several favorite restaurants, church, and a used bookstore. Once the weather warms up again, I'll start walking more places.

I worked a full day, no teaching to break things up. Tessa and I priced the latest load at the front counter where it's warm. I put myself close enough to the heater to smell warm clothing particles all afternoon. Tessa is amazing. She is so smart, reads all the time, had all sorts of scholarships to colleges, graduated at 16, and was published several times as a teenager. Then a couple of bad decisions left her on welfare years later. She's about my age. We talked about what she'd do if she could do anything, and money and current situations weren't an object. She wants to go back to school for an English degree. She wants to go abroad for a while. I took my lunch break far later than usual to stay and talk.

I got two emails in a row, one with some bad news, and one with good. I am still grinning over Steve Pedersen showing back up after twenty years. That balanced out the other.

After work I had band practice for Sunday, and then went to Borders to buy a new Cloud and Townsend book that I've been coveting for a couple of weeks now. I'm not a big fan of the "Self-Help" genre, but my counselor in college recommended their "Boundaries" book. It took me a year and another recommendation to actually read it, but it was very good. The new one is good too.

And I'm back to work.