Kennedy Center

Went to the Kennedy Center today – great program – wonderful voices – and a moving story. I like the new Eisenhower Theater – but I also liked the smaller boxes with the high-backed wooden seats! Progress! Need to call them to see about next season – and to change the July program – I don't want to go to DC on the 4^th of July!!

To Tweet or Not To Tweet?

Now that's a question - and I'm thinking that NOT is going to be my answer.  I've set up an account, I've been following some people (and organizations) and even have one follower (the second one doesn't count).  But I truly don't see the appeal. 

I can see how it would work for the classroom and I can even see how it would work for organizations - quick alerts and all that stuff - but personally??  I'm just not that interesting and having one more place to access, read and update just doesn't seem necessary.  Maybe it's an age thing - but I like to think that I'm fairly open to new technologies and that I understand and use many of them but in this case it just baffles me.

SIGH

For now I'll just stay with this blog and Facebook - which I'm not totally sure about but it is somewhat entertaining!

Once a Manager - Never Again!!

Well - my career as a library manager is over.  It was interesting and, I must admit, fun.  There were parts that weren't fun or even enjoyable but for the most part I had a agood time and learned a great deal.  It's a lot harder than it looks!  For 3 1/2 months I feel that I haven't been in the building at all - there were weeks I didn't work my regular schedule at all - and so much of my work was falling by the wayside - but somehow it all got done (at least no one has come asking for something that wasn't done!!). 

In the meantime, we're settling in with our new manager.  Things will be different but I know we'll be fine and do well.  In October we'll be celebrating our 5th anniversary in the "new" building - have to get started on planning our party! 

Done . . . hopefully

Taxes are done and filed - and now my fingers are crossed that the email saying that the IRS has accepted the return will come quickly. 

I don't know why there's such a viseral fear of the IRS - I don't cheat on my taxes - I have made mistakes but nothing major and mostly in their favor!  Anyway - every year is the same - I work on taxes and send them in and hope all goes well.

SIGH

Slow Progress - but progress

Back before I went to the CIL conference at the end of March, I ordered two counter stools (lower than bar stools @ 24") from GoodWood unfinished furniture.  They came in this week and I picked them up today.  I love being able to choose styles and finishes and, although the price was about the same as in a furniture store, I didn't have to drive all over town to look!

The backs are slats (a la craftsman) and the frames are ebony with seats in natural oak (as light as I could get them and just a tad darker than the cabinets).  They look really good with the counters and the floors - there are black flecks in the counter - and best of all they're comfortable!  We were actually able to eat at the counter - no balancing on our laps - of course the TV is behind us but you can't have everything.

VERY gradually things are coming together - have to find some more side tables - brought the old sofa table back but it's serving more as a console table now - with a nice tray for mail (if we can only remember to put it there!) and the lamp that the switch controls.  Need to bring the phone w/answering machine down from the bedroom.  I'm hoping tomorrow to get into the dining room and make it look more like a dining room and less like a junk room after a tornado came through!  (The living room has to wait until we decide what to do with the old 36" TV.) 

*@#% Cat

I didn't really talk about the Cat Drama while I was gone - but it was kind of funny - when not so aggravating! 

The Sunday I was leaving (last Sunday), I was bringing things from the car into the house (so that there would be enough room for everyone's luggage) and, as I was walking in the house, out went the Quincy cat.  He stood for a minute on the porch - looked at me with a definite gleam in his eye and darted down the stairs and into the bushes.  I had no choice but to leave for the conference and leave Don with the daunting task of getting him back into the house.  I honestly thought it would only be a few hours.  HA

Later that night, in the hotel (with the lousy wireless connection!) I found out that Quincy had met up with two neighborhood cats who run "wild' and the three of them were under the house (and could be heard in the area near the pantry).  Monday the story was the same - although that night, after getting home, Don left the front door open hoping Dumb Cat would come in.  And he did - to be met by the Queen:  Cleo who REALLY WANTS TO BE AN ONLY CAT.  She proceeded to charge him hissing and growling whereupon he turned and raced out of the house - AGAIN.  (But not before getting a mouthful of food!)  Don left the door open some more hoping (again) that he'd come back for more food. 

A while later, Don noticed that Cleo wasn't in the family room (where she stakes her claim on the sofa) and went looking for her.  She (who NEVER wants to go outside and become an outdoors cat again) was outside on the front porch staring at the vent opening where Quincy had gone under the house - I guess she was daring him to come back!  Guarding the front door against all enemies - Quincy included!

Finally on Tuesday evening Quincy got hungry enough to come in the house again and Don was able to get the door closed behind him.  I got a text message and a voice mail that the *@#% cat was back in the house and all was well . . . almost!

I got home Wednesday evening and took Thursday off so I was sleeping in!  I woke up and didn't put my glasses on on my way to the kitchen for a glass of water.  I saw some black blob on the railing on the porch (next to the flag) and wondered what it could possibly be.  Then - oh no he's out again but that can't be!  So I looked around (without glasses!).  No Quincy in the living room, kitchen or family room where Cleo looked pleased!  I tapped on the glass next to the door and the blob turned around to look and it was, indeed, Quincy.

Not knowing if he'd run again, I carefully opened the door (no movement); stepped out onto the porch (still no movement); walked over and picked him up.  With a little squeak I had him!  From the corner of my eye I saw the other black cat streak away from the corner of the house.  Once again the STUPID cat was inside!  SiGH.

During the whole under the house ordeal, Don had ventured out into the garage and found the door that we'd taken down between the family room and the main hall and he'd rehung it.  Now I have a way to get into and out of the house safely - as long as I make sure he's securely behind closed doors!!