The pace continues and in a discussion with one of the lawyers at work (don’t ask but not about me) the term festinates arose. When I looked it up later and discovered that it was the definition of manic well that could apply to many situations at present.
The new payroll system which has been instituted is….well I’m thinking critical incident is not actually too strong a descriptor. I felt I’d been paid too little salary (don’t we all) based on my usual pay stub and more expense reimbursement than I expected. The difficulty being that with all the computer glitches I was unable to ‘access my pay advice’ which is what looking at your pay stub is now called. This meant looking at my online banking info was the only way to find out if, and what amount, I’d been paid. So, taking a leaf out of the book of that New Zealand couple who due to a ‘bank error’ have run away with millions of dollars, I promptly transferred the expense portion to my screaming visa.
A massage appointment was a good way to start the weekend and I gave myself the evening off as I’ve finished the Norway album – record timing when you consider it’s only 10 months ago. I’ve started reading a book called Polio so you can certainly guess the content. It’s written about the polio epidemics in the 50s and 60s and is the story written by a journalist who lost her mother to the disease. It’s a fascinating look at the post wars years in America as well as the disease itself, iron lungs, polio wards etc. It’s written in the 80s but of course the material stands as it’s firmly set in the boomer years. I remember my mother talking about these times and how lucky we were to have the vaccine. You know that pink dot on the sugar cube in trays served by the Public Health nurses in elementary school.
On Saturday morning I headed back into town; an activity that I’m not big on doing without good reason, but this was to pick up the parcel which the western daughter had mailed for her Dad’s birthday. I was thrilled to discover that I had been thought of too with a large package of Lady Hannah tea (also some Metropolitan tea) so now can sip it without thought of rationing. I stopped at a yard sale, scoring a mug and Tupperware cake holder for 50 cents each with the added drama of witnessing a motor vehicle collision – and no there were no injuries although I had to crawl up out of a deep ditch to check on the occupants of a small car which had the front end demolished as they sat waiting to turn into the garden center. I headed up to Frenchy’s and had good luck finding all top brand name - two pairs of shorts, two shirts (2 for 1 sale), three pairs of new socks, a pair of shoes, sandals and a floral skirt for the summer wedding I’m attending, knapsack and duffel bag for my travels, a tropical shirt for the shore captain, a and a stack of free children’s books for the wannabe teacher daughter. So $34 well spent.
Speaking of birthdays and making me feel positively young at heart was an article about the world’s oldest blogger’s demise:
Web fans mourn death of Spain's "blogging granny"
MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish great-grandmother whose blog attracted tens of thousands of readers from around the world has died aged 97 in the northern Spanish province of La Coruna.
Maria Amelia Lopez charmed readers with a homely mix of memories and chat at http://amis95.blogspot.com/, including stories of a long life that witnessed Spain's Civil War and years of dictatorship under General Francisco Franco.
Lopez, who dictated her entries to her grandson Daniel because she suffered from cataracts, became a nationally loved figure in Spain and met Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
"My grandson gave me this blog when I was 95 on December 23 2006 and my life changed," reads one of her entries. "Since that day I've had 1,570,784 visits from bloggers from 5 continents who have cheered up my old age."
A banner on her site read "Rest in Peace," with nearly 500 messages mourning her death.
Likely the family contact extended, or at least enriched her final days.
I did my community duty by working the floor for bingo last night, something I grit my teeth and do every seven weeks, then stayed to help set up for a benefit supper for a neighbour undergoing treatments. This morning had me baking a loaf of bread and an apple and cherry pie for the event. The hall was the scene of organized chaos when I headed down with my warm offerings so I’m sure the total will be substantial.
The new payroll system which has been instituted is….well I’m thinking critical incident is not actually too strong a descriptor. I felt I’d been paid too little salary (don’t we all) based on my usual pay stub and more expense reimbursement than I expected. The difficulty being that with all the computer glitches I was unable to ‘access my pay advice’ which is what looking at your pay stub is now called. This meant looking at my online banking info was the only way to find out if, and what amount, I’d been paid. So, taking a leaf out of the book of that New Zealand couple who due to a ‘bank error’ have run away with millions of dollars, I promptly transferred the expense portion to my screaming visa.
A massage appointment was a good way to start the weekend and I gave myself the evening off as I’ve finished the Norway album – record timing when you consider it’s only 10 months ago. I’ve started reading a book called Polio so you can certainly guess the content. It’s written about the polio epidemics in the 50s and 60s and is the story written by a journalist who lost her mother to the disease. It’s a fascinating look at the post wars years in America as well as the disease itself, iron lungs, polio wards etc. It’s written in the 80s but of course the material stands as it’s firmly set in the boomer years. I remember my mother talking about these times and how lucky we were to have the vaccine. You know that pink dot on the sugar cube in trays served by the Public Health nurses in elementary school.
On Saturday morning I headed back into town; an activity that I’m not big on doing without good reason, but this was to pick up the parcel which the western daughter had mailed for her Dad’s birthday. I was thrilled to discover that I had been thought of too with a large package of Lady Hannah tea (also some Metropolitan tea) so now can sip it without thought of rationing. I stopped at a yard sale, scoring a mug and Tupperware cake holder for 50 cents each with the added drama of witnessing a motor vehicle collision – and no there were no injuries although I had to crawl up out of a deep ditch to check on the occupants of a small car which had the front end demolished as they sat waiting to turn into the garden center. I headed up to Frenchy’s and had good luck finding all top brand name - two pairs of shorts, two shirts (2 for 1 sale), three pairs of new socks, a pair of shoes, sandals and a floral skirt for the summer wedding I’m attending, knapsack and duffel bag for my travels, a tropical shirt for the shore captain, a and a stack of free children’s books for the wannabe teacher daughter. So $34 well spent.
Speaking of birthdays and making me feel positively young at heart was an article about the world’s oldest blogger’s demise:
Web fans mourn death of Spain's "blogging granny"
MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish great-grandmother whose blog attracted tens of thousands of readers from around the world has died aged 97 in the northern Spanish province of La Coruna.
Maria Amelia Lopez charmed readers with a homely mix of memories and chat at http://amis95.blogspot.com/, including stories of a long life that witnessed Spain's Civil War and years of dictatorship under General Francisco Franco.
Lopez, who dictated her entries to her grandson Daniel because she suffered from cataracts, became a nationally loved figure in Spain and met Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
"My grandson gave me this blog when I was 95 on December 23 2006 and my life changed," reads one of her entries. "Since that day I've had 1,570,784 visits from bloggers from 5 continents who have cheered up my old age."
A banner on her site read "Rest in Peace," with nearly 500 messages mourning her death.
Likely the family contact extended, or at least enriched her final days.
I did my community duty by working the floor for bingo last night, something I grit my teeth and do every seven weeks, then stayed to help set up for a benefit supper for a neighbour undergoing treatments. This morning had me baking a loaf of bread and an apple and cherry pie for the event. The hall was the scene of organized chaos when I headed down with my warm offerings so I’m sure the total will be substantial.
The Swedish daughter sent along think link, saying it made her think of Gary:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#url=http%2525253A//catsinsinks.com
http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#url=http%2525253A//catsinsinks.com
He doesn't sleep in sinks as often now likely as he doesn't fit into them as well. Speaking of him, here's a photo of him hunting this morning which I captured through the kitchen window as he (unsuccessfuly naturally) stalked a robin.
Well off to supper so I must close, good to be fed by friends.
