Interview Madness

I've been on several interviews over the past few weeks.  You know, when you wonder what can go wrong?  It turns out quite a bit.....

Let's see what all has gone off the rails this week.  Remember, all of these interviews were panel interviews.

"Here's a computer.  You've got ten minutes to create and Excel spread sheet with all of these parameters."
 Here's the rub:  My computer screen is broadcast up onto the wall in the front of the room, and the computer I've been given is a state of the art Windows 10 machine.  The computer that I use at home and at work are both Windows XP machines.  I'm used to a much older version of Excel, and you could see it in my very clumsy attempts to figure out how to work the damn software and make the spread sheets as pretty as they wanted them to be.

"Given this bag of Legos, come up with 3 programs that you could do with a group of kindergarten children.  You have ten minutes."
Okay, so the bag had 20 Lego's, only one set of wheels, and 3 hinged pieces.  I asked if I had to have this EXACT bag of Lego's.  The answer was yes.  Yeah, I came up with 3 programs, my lessons were decent, but I usually have more than 10 minutes, and a library full of books at my fingertips in order to pull together a program.

As I was following the head of HR down the hallway, I brushed up against a table and the entire table - and everything on it - fell down.

"Tell me about your experiences working with electronic resource acquisitions."
As I worked my way through what I thought were my qualifications, the interviewer looks at me and says "So, no real qualifications, then."  As I stammered and attempted to expound upon what I had been doing, she rolled her eyes "That's not really what acquisitions is all about."  Funny, that's what I've been doing for the last couple of years, and my interviewer has never worked in any library. 

And finally, this weird - very weird - encounter from one interview.  I walked into the room, shook hands with the interviewer, and sat down.  She then proceeded to tell me about how hot her last office was - the average temperature in winter, and in summer.  And how she had to wear t-shirts and flip flops even in winter because it was so hot.  She then spoke at length about her current living arrangements, and then stood up, shook my hand, and escorted me back out the door.  No idea what the heck that was all about, but it was definitely right up there with the strangest interviews I have ever had.

I really don't enjoy interviewing for jobs.  I really hate getting out there and having to prove myself over and over again, but not really ever getting a job.  Searching for new jobs is difficult.  Very, very difficult.  It's time to move on to new challenges, but I really don't enjoy the interview process. 

I'd appreciate some positive thoughts sent my way during this very frustrating job search, if you can spare them!

Several Comedies of Error

This post originally appeared in my now defunct "Mom's View" blog. It originally appeared on May 24, 2012.  Oh, the woes of a substitute teacher!  Those were the days!

  
I've been subbing a lot the past few weeks.  Jobs have been plentiful... and the motivation that says "You won't get a paycheck for June, July, or August" has kept me moving pretty quickly on taking up the jobs.  Today is a rare day off, so I thought I would share my comedy of errors over the last few weeks.

I normally only substitute in K-3rd grade, because that is my area of certification, and it is the age group I am best at teaching.  Unfortunately, several of the jobs I took over the past couple of weeks were "supplementary", which is the grab bag of the substitute world.  I didn't know what I was getting into until I walked in the door of the building that morning.  Surprise!!

I spent one particularly memorable afternoon in 5th grade.  The teacher had left us with a DVD to watch, and had trained the kids how to turn it on and get it to go.  Her final words to me before she left "You don't touch anything.  Only she does." (pointing to a child in the class)  Okie Dokie!  We finished up the lessons she had left, and then we attempted to start the movie.  Nothing happened.  The girl tried again, and nothing happened.  The kids became very, very helpful.  (overly helpful) Yet still, nothing happened.  I called down to the main office, and they sent an Assistant Principal down to "show us" how to fix it.  He ended up calling the media specialist, who then ended up calling the technology guy from the county who was in the building working on the network. So, while all of the great minds were working on getting the DVD to run, what were the kids doing?  We started playing "Simon Says".  Twenty minutes later, the crew of four adults looked at me and said "It's not working."  (Insert evil teacher/mom glare here.)  I asked, "so what do I do?"  "Oh, said the AP, you follow the plans she left you."  I handed him the plans that said in clear letters: "Watch movie.  The kids know how to turn it on.  Dismissal begins at 3:15".  Thank heavens, the teacher next door poked her head around the corner at that moment and said "We're just getting ready to start the movie.  Why don't you bring them in here?" 

I spent one day with an assistant teacher who couldn't remember my last name.  She kept calling me Mrs. Jones, no matter how many times I corrected her.  Finally, I gave up and let her call me Mrs. Jones for the rest of the day.  I found out yesterday that she calls every sub in her room Mrs. Jones. 

I was reading a book aloud to a group of students, sitting in the rocking chair when *CRASH* the entire rocking chair broke apart underneath me!  There I was, one shocked woman, sitting amidst the remains of a rocking chair!  (Once I finally caught my breath and figured out how I ended up on the floor, we called the story finished and went outside for a quick extra recess.)

On my way out of the building yesterday, I was accosted by a teacher that I subbed for last week.
"Did you hear the news?"  she asked.  "No, what?"  I replied.
"Seven kids in my class have lice.  They found them the day after you subbed for me.  You need to get checked before you leave today."

What a wonderful, wonderful couple of weeks it's been!

C. Burr Artz Library

This gorgeous library is located in Historic Frederick, Maryland. Less than a block off Main Street, and backing to the stream/canal that roams through Frederick, this library has a fantastic central location right in the heart of the city. 

The view of the front of the library from the street. 

The children's area of the library!  Look at the Lego tables!

My favorite quote from Harry Potter!

A view of the children's section. This is a huge room - but this was the only picture I could get without people's faces. It was really crowded!

Gorgeous spiral staircase from the first floor up to the second. I love the vaulted ceiling that goes up three floors. 

Second floor - high vaulted ceilings catch a lot of light!  I really like the information commons down the middle - and the stacks of books off to the sides, under the lower ceiling, giving the stacks a very cozy feel!

The view from the second floor down to the first. The ceiling here vaults up one more floor and is surrounded by windows. It makes the entire building feel bright & airy!

Keeping Track of Crap

I have a lot of those store loyalty cards.  I tried to get rid of them, but I have a handful of those, Metro Fare Cards, and other misc. items that I myself occasionally using.  I needed to keep track of them, but if I leave them loose in my purse, I find myself digging around while people are waiting in line behind me, muttering under their breath.

A genius idea struck me when I was out the other day.  I found a little photo album for less than $1.  I took it home and snazzed it up with some paper I had laying around the house, and put the loyalty cards I use the most inside.  Hey presto!  Look!  I have a quick and easy way to keep those annoying little cards organized, and it fits nicely into my purse! 

My Mom and I just bought her one of these little albums, and we spent yesterday filling it with her "have to have" medical information.  On the first page, we have the names, phone numbers, and specialties of every doctor she sees.

Inside, we've taken the prescription information from every prescription that she has and put each one in each page.  She's only on 2 medications.  We used the big brochure that comes with each prescription - it has the doctor's information as well as her own on the brochure, in addition to the name of the medication and the dosage.  We put in information about her major medical procedures - when they were done, what hospital, and who the doctor was.  If she had any known allergies, those would be on the front cover of her album.  Pretty clever idea, and it's all in an easy to carry around book!  She's got it in her purse now so that she can access it as needed, and if there's ever an emergency, so can the EMT's.  She wrote "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY READ THIS FIRST" on the front cover.  There's a note under that that tells first responders to check her cell phone - my sister and I are listed under "ICE #1 and ICE #2" in her contacts.  (ICE= In Case of Emergency.) Did you know that?  I didn't.  

As Martha Stewart would say "It's a Good Thing".

The Dinosaur Hunter's Handbook

Note: This post contains Affiliate Links.

image: Amazon

The perfect book for the dinosaur enthusiast!  The Dinosaur Hunter's Handbook reads much like a field guide for birds!  50 dinosaurs are highlighted in this book.  Each entry contains a full color illustration of the dinosaur, location where they lived, a pronunciation guide, their habitat, their preferred food - and a timeline of when they lived!

I found this book recently at the public library and I was enchanted.  Filled with facts that reflect the most current research about dinosaurs, and full colored pictures that capture the might and majesty of these ancient animals, the imagination of everyone who picks up the book will be grabbed!  I had visions of taking this book and any resident children in my life to my closest museum so that we could look up information about the dinosaurs while we were looking at the models and skeletons in the museum.  Too bad I don't have any resident little people in my family!

This book is recommended for students in grades 2 and up, but I could honestly see a younger child devouring this book while sitting in Mom or Dad's lap as they read the book aloud.

The introduction to the book includes detailed information about dinosaurs and their times, as well as what our earth looked like at that time. 

Monday Musings

Tiger enjoying some catnip!

This past week was our 26th wedding anniversary.  Thursday was our actual anniversary, but we didn't actually get to spend any time together except for a very groggy five minutes before husband left for work.  I had meetings in the morning, work in the afternoon, daughter had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon (husband took her), work after that, and middle child needed to be picked up from camp.  (Husband picked him up.)  Husband dropped daughter off at work before he left to get middle child, and I picked her up after she got off of work to get her home.  Keep in mind, I closed, and so did she.  I had one hour to make the journey between our two places of employment - a trip that frequently takes an hour or more during rush hour.  Thank goodness it was night, and that I took the "other" way home.  I found out Friday morning that the road I usually take home had been shut down just minutes before I got out of work due to an emergency.  Husband and I saw each other - and our kids - again late Thursday night - after 11:30.  Romance with kids, am I right?

We did get out this weekend!  We had dinner out, went to see the new Star Trek movie, and ran errands.  It is hideously hot out this weekend, so no hiking, no long romantic walks, but we did hit up the farmer's market together and had a sweet little breakfast at the new crepe place in town.  I've got a birthday coming up later this week, so the celebrations will continue through next weekend.  (I'm celebrating my 15th annual 36th birthday!  Who-Hoo!)

Hands down, my favorite line from the new Star Trek movie:
If a woman breaks up with you and says "It's not you, it's me"....It's you.

I also want to send a quick shout out to Karl Urban who does a FANTASTIC job of portraying Dr. McCoy.  If you are a fan of the original series, you have to love the job Karl does of holding true to the character as originally played by DeForest Kelley.  

Do you want to know what my romantic husband gave me for our anniversary?  He fixed the toilet.  Yep, now we no longer have to lift the lid & manually hold down the float until the tank fills with enough water to flush everything down.  Now THAT'S romance for you!

This past week has been the week of meetings, and this coming week will be also.  My meetings this week will take me all over the state.  I'll try and take some photos as I go and share them!  I tried to do that last week, but I never actually connected the dots.  I was more worried about getting to the meetings and making sure I had all necessary documents than I was about taking pictures.  Hopefully I'll do a better job this coming week!  I shouldn't be in as much of a hurry, so I should be able to roam around a little after each meeting is over!

Tiger was gifted some catnip by a young lady from church.  She had grown a lot of catnip from seed, and she gave us a pot to give with Tiger.  Luna won't touch the stuff - she's above catnip - but Tiger loves catnip, as you can see from the picture! 

The weather in the Mid-Atlantic this week is hot, hot, and more hot.  If you live in the area, be careful out in the heat of the day!  Make sure you stay hydrated.  I've been keeping the a/c set higher than usual in order to keep from straining the system, and we have the ceiling fans running full time to keep the air in the house moving.  It was hitting me yesterday that we really need to install a couple more in the house - but I am grateful for the ones we have!  They make a huge difference, help to keep the house cool, and keep our electricity bills down!

Enjoy your week!  Stay cool!

Frederick, Maryland

I was in beautiful downtown Frederick, Maryland earlier this week, and when I roamed down by the stream, I had to take some pictures and share them!  This lovely little stream runs through much of Frederick.  Through downtown, it is a beautiful river walk, with offices and stores in the buildings on either side.  Outside of the downtown area, the river is surrounded by parks and playing fields for much of it's length, making this little gem a true civic treasure to the city.  The downtown is full of wonderful things, with many wonderful places to visit and explore.  It is after all, a historic city.  But, this river walk is something special that makes Frederick more than "just another city" in Maryland! 

A view under one of the bridges.

And a look upstream...

The view upstream.

Well hey, there's a library right there next to the stream!

Do you see that waterfall?  Absolutely gorgeous!

Book Review The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins

Have you ever heard of Waterhouse Hawkins?  150 years ago, he was "the man".  Waterhouse Hawkins was an artist who specialized in animals.  Not only did he draw and paint them, but he was a master sculptor, and his work was highly sought after.



During the 1850's, the first giant bones of what came to be known as dinosaurs were being reconstructed into models.  Waterhouse Hawkins had been hired by Richard Owen to construct the first ever models of these fantastic creatures.  Working together, the two scientists used existing animals to determine what the dinosaurs looked like, how the bones fit together, and what the overlying muscles and skin looked like.  Waterhouse then constructed models - scale models at first, and finally life size models - of their dinosaurs.  This was the first time, ever, that people had seen these gigantic creatures!

With gorgeous illustrations by Brian Selznick, the author Barbara  Kerley bring to life the story of the first dinosaur models, and how they came to be known by the general public.   They follow the tale of Waterhouse Hawkins from his triumph in London to the horrifying situation in New York City and on to his stops at the Smithsonian Institution and Princeton University.

The tale is true - Selznick and Kerley painstakingly researched this story using primary sources ranging from Hawkins' own journal to the Illustrated London News, the London Quarterly Review, and the New York Times.  Enjoy this fascinating tale of the man who was the first to bring dinosaurs to life! 

Note - this is a picture book, illustrated by one of the best illustrators currently working - Brian Selznick.  This is a Caldecott Honor Book - honored for the quality of its illustrations.  While the book is intended for elementary school age children, it is worth venturing out to the children's section of your library or book store to read.  Fascinating story!

Monday Musings

Last week was a quiet week.  We had middle child home for a day!  He's enjoying his summer at camp.  He's saying that this will most likely be his last summer as a camp staffer, so he's enjoying it as much as he possibly can!

Oldest child is off doing field research for two weeks.  We know where he is, but he's out of cell phone range!  We're looking forward to hearing from him when he gets back!  I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the tales!

A storm moves in on highway 81 in Virginia.

Daughter is taking a class online this summer.  It's a full one semester class "squished" into four fun filled weeks.  She has assignments due almost daily, in addition to online discussion board postings.  She is looking forward into getting back into a face to face class!  (And a full semester to complete her work!)  We've had some fascinating discussions about Women's Health, sexually transmitted diseases, birth control....  It's a wide ranging list, and I'm thankful that she feels she can talk to me openly about these things.

Tiger makes that nap look good!

Daughter and I went down to Virginia this past week to go check out a college that she's interested in transferring to next year.  It's going to be our first ever road trip for just the two of us!  I'm very excited, because we're headed very close to where I went to college - so even though she doesn't want to go to my alma mater, I'm going to make her spend a few hours down there with me while I roam around and reminisce.

I stopped by the public library last week.  On my way into the library, I was stopped by someone coming out who said "Hey!  I found what I was looking for!  It was right where you said it was!"  Then she looked at me, and realized I wasn't who she thought I was and started laughing.  "That's great!  I'm glad you found it!"


Hey, while you're out and about this summer, remember to keep one eye out for what's going on around you.  The military calls this "situational awareness".  When I was growing up, I remember my Dad always pointing out exits when we entered a theater, insisting that he sit with his back to the wall in a restaurant so he could keep an eye on the situation in the room around him.  We never were big crowd people.  Dad would keep us away from the crowd, finding ways to skirt around big groups of people and avoiding being in the middle of things.  Even in the mall, we rarely ate at a Food Court.  We'd pick up our food and eat at the far edges of the food court, or take our food outside and eat away from the entrance.  We never went on big shopping days, and he was always pointing out emergency exits, regular exits, and pointing out anything or anyone he saw as "suspicious".  I thought Dad was a bit of a nut.  He was a Vietnam Vet, and I always chalked this behavior up to some sort of PTSD.  Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn't.  His habits instilled themselves on me over time, and I found myself doing many of the same things he used to.  Finding exits as soon as I enter a room.  Keeping my back to the wall in a restaurant.  Staying away from crowds.   Now, looking at the world around us and how quickly things are changing, I think keeping an eye on situational awareness is a very good thing.  I'm not saying terrible things are going to happen, but I am saying it's always a good idea to keep an eye out on what's going on around you, and to stay out of big crowds, and to know where the exits are.

101 Books Recommended for College Bound Students

So, I found the link to this list on Book Riot.  It's a list of 101 Books for College Bound Students.  You can find the list here: http://www.uhlibrary.net/pdf/college_board_recommended_books.pdf.  As near as I can tell, this list comes from the Hollywood Senior High School Library in Los Angeles, CA.

I've read 51 of these books... So, half?  There are several books on here that have been on my list for quite some time, but I haven't gotten to them yet.  I need to read at least one of these books this year.  (I've put an x next to the books I've read.)

How many of these books have you read?

Literature

Beowulf                                                     x
Things Fall Apart                 (Achebe)    
A Death in the Family          (Agee)
Pride and Prejudice               (Austen)     x
Go Tell it on the Mountain    (Baldwin)
Waiting for Godot                  (Becket)
The Adventures of Augie March (Bellow)
Jane Eyre                               (Bronte)
Wuthering Heights                (Bronte)
The Stranger                          (Camus)
Death Comes for the Archbishop (Cather)
The Canterbury Tales            (Chaucer)       x
The Cherry Orchard             (Chekhov)
The Awakening                     (Chopin)
Heart of Darkness                 (Conrad)
The Last of the Mohicans      (Cooper)
The Red Badge of Courage    (Crane)         x
Inferno                                    (Dante)
Don Quixote                          (Cervantes)    x
Robinson Curusoe                 (DeFoe)          x
A Tale of Two Cities             (Dickens)        x
Crime and Punishment          (Dumas)         x
The Mill on the Floss            (Eliot)
Invisible Man                        (Ellison)
Selected Essays                    (Emerson)
As I Lay Dying                    (Faulkner)
The Great Gatsby                 (Fitzgerald)      x
Madam Bovary                     (Flaubert)        x
The Good Soldier                (Ford)
Faust                                    (Goethe)
Lord of the Flies                 (Golding)
Tess of the d'Ubervilles      (Hardy)              x
The Scarlet Letter              (Hawthorne)       x
Catch 22                              (Heller)
A Farewell to Arms             (Hemingway)   x
The Iliad                              (Homer)            x
The Odyssey                         (Homer)           x
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Hugo)
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Hurston)
Brave New World                    (Huxley)      x
A Doll's House                         (Ibsen)
The Portrait of a Lady              (James)
The Turn of the Screw             (James)
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Joyce)
The Metamorphosis                 (Kafka)           x
The Call of the Wild                (London)         x
The Magic Mountain               (Mann)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Marquez)
Bartleby the Scrivener            (Melville)
Moby Dick                              (Melville)         x
The Crucible                            (Miller)            x
Beloved                                    (Morrison)       x
A Good Man is Hard to Find   (O'Connor)
Long Day's Journey Into Night (O'Neill)
Animal Farm                            (Orwell)           x
Doctor Zhivago                        (Pasternack)
The Bell Jar                              (Plath)
Selected Tales                            (Poe)               x
Swann's Way                             (Proust)
The Crying of Lot 49                (Pynchon)
All Quiet on the Western Front (Remarque)      x
Cyrano de Bergerac                   (Rostand)
Call it Sleep                               (Roth)
The Catcher in the Rye              (Salinger)          x
Hamlet                                       (Shakespeare)    x
Macbeth                                     (Shakespeare)    x
A Midsummer Night's Dream    (Shakespeare)   x
Romeo and Juliet                       (Shakespeare)    x
Pygmalion                                 (Shaw)
Frankenstein                             (Shelley)              x
Ceremony                                 (Silko)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Solzhenitsyn)     x
Antigone                                  (Sophocles)           x
Oedipus Rex                            (Sophocles)
The Grapes of Wrath               (Steinbeck)            x
Treasure Island                        (Stevenson)           x
Uncle Tom's Cabinet               (Stowe)                  x
Gulliver's Travels                    (Swift)                    x
Vanity Fair                               (Thackeray)           x
Walden                                     (Thoreau)              x
War and Peace                         (Tolstoy)                x
Fathers and Sons                     (Turgenev)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Twain)       x
Candide                                   (Voltaire)
Slaughterhouse Five               (Vonnegut)             x
The Color Purple                    (Walker)                x
The House of Mirth                (Wharton)
Collected Stories                    (Welty)
Leaves of Grass                      (Whitman)                x
The Picture of Dorian Gray    (Wilde)
The Glass Menagerie              (Williams)                x
To the Lighthouse                  (Woolf)
Native Son                             (Wright)

Classic and Historic Texts

The Arabian Nights                                                       x
Profiles in Courage                      (Kennedy)                 x
The bible                                                                       x
A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Education of Henry Adams  (Adams)
Le Morte D'Arthur                       (Malory)
Aesops Fables                                                                x
The Prince                                    (Machiavelli)
Andersen's Fairy Tales                                                   x
The Communist Manifesto           (Marx)
Nicomachean Ethics                     (Aristotle)
Common Sense                             (Paine)                      x
The Souls of Black Folk               (DuBois)
The Republic                                (Plato)
Autobiography                              (Benjamin Franklin)
Democracy in America                 (Tocqueville)
Mythology                                     (Hamilton)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X (X, Malcolm with Alex Haley)     x
The Federalist Papers                    (Hamilton)

Kitchen Woes

I ended up having to call in a plumber to fix the plumbing work my husband had done under the sink.  In spite of the hours he had spent working on sealing the plumbing, water continued to pour out through every single join in the pipes every time we ran the water.  He had pans set up underneath of the cabinet, and told me "he'd get back to it" if we ever decided to sell the house.  The plumber came yesterday, and in just a little under 2 hours, he refitted all the plumbing under the sink.  Not only had husband used the wrong size pipes under the sink, he had attached all of the plumbing above the air vent. No matter what - because all of the water was draining out above the vent, we were going to have a leak under the sink.  I believe this is what caused the original leak.  My father in law did the plumbing under the sink 12 years ago when they still owned the house and remodeled the kitchen.  He was trying to save a few bucks by doing the plumbing himself. 



Note to self: Just call a plumber.  Saves time and money in the long run.

Look at all that pretty new plumbing!  See that pipe that goes back into the wall?  That's the vent.

We still have some work to do.  The laminate back splash on the counter will never again look "right".  We didn't remove it before we lifted the counter top in order to slide the cabinet underneath.  I've got some thoughts about what I want to do with that in the long run.  But for now, it's just leaning against the wall.  I have thoughts of a tile back splash.  I have thoughts of taking down a couple of kitchen cabinets in order to make the kitchen into an "open concept" space. But for now, my thoughts are going to wait.

To date, here are our expenses:

Plumber: $278

Kitchen Sink:               $316.94
Home Depot Run #1:      $20.90
Home Depot Run #2:      $15.78

New Base Cabinet for Under the Sink: $198
Home Depot Run:                                   $198
(Knob for front door, mold approved face masks, tarp, etc.)

Total Expenses to Date: $1027.62

As you may recall, our original budget to fix this was  $1500.

Since we had to call in a professional to handle the plumbing, I'm so very glad that we had some extra cash in the budget to handle the plumbing!

We still have $472.38 to fix the back splash.

I think we're going to take a break on kitchen remodeling for a few weeks before we hit up the back splash.  I want to enjoy using my kitchen for cooking before we have to shut it down for more work!

 Other Posts in This Series:

We Have Running Water in the Kitchen!
Progress!
Progress of One Kind and Another
 It Only Looks Like We're Not Making Progress
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Monday Musings

Last week was an interesting week.  I picked up a wicked case of food poisoning.  I spent a good 48 hours suffering from that before the symptoms began to dissipate.  Today is the first day I really feel like my stomach is back and running at "normal".  It's nice to actually be hungry again!  On a side note, I lost 10 pounds in 48 hours.  I've gained 5 of those pounds back, but it would be really nice to keep that extra 5 pounds off!  (I've got to look for the silver lining here.)

Tiger has found a new favorite place to hang out in this heat - under the bushes in front of the house.  Just look at him coming out from under that bush!  Doesn't he make that stretch look good?

Daughter and I put together another succulent terrarium this week.  We've got two - we're searching for a third that would play well with these two.  I love succulents!  They thrive off of neglect.  I typically remember to water plants once every couple of weeks - which is just about how much water these guys need.  It's a match made in heaven!

My view out of the window onto the rooftop garden at the Miller Library.

I've been working on a project lately that has required a lot of library time.  I've been going every afternoon I'm off of work - either to the library or Starbucks.  Friday was an energy savings day.  (You know, one of those days where you save money if you use less electricity than usual?)  So, I was camped out at my usual table on the second floor along with more people than I've ever seen in the library before, all waiting for the energy savings day to be over.  I had to practically wade through the kids to get to the second floor.

I saw this poor car in the parking lot.  It looks like he's getting ready to transform into something else, doesn't it?  #transformers

#Life

I was going to write a trite little post today about weekend deals - my no so subtle attempt to raise a little extra cash for necessary home repairs.  Somehow, in light of events of the past few days, that doesn't seem appropriate.  Words can't describe my utter horror and sadness over the event of the past few days - from the shooting of a black man in Baton Rouge, another in Minneapolis/ St. Paul, and the shootings of the 12 officers in Dallas and another in St. Louis and another in Valdosta, Georgia.

I try very hard not to take political stances on my blog - or to express my own personal opinions too much.  I try to keep this blog light-hearted.  Something you won't mind stopping by to read.  Something on the web that isn't full of anger or vitriol.  Something that will, hopefully, make your day a little bit brighter.

After much prayer and thought, I decided that I needed to have some kind of voice.  I couldn't let this week pass without saying something, and I couldn't just post a shameless set of promotional "please buy something to support my blog" crap.

I am disturbed by the level of violence and division that I am seeing in this country.  I am terrified for all of our children - white, black, brown, Muslim, Christian, and Atheist alike, there are great divisions among us, and I feel that outside influences are fanning the flames of anger and division.  By dividing a people, it is easier to conquer and control a people.  I don't know who is attempting to divide us, but it is succeeding.  We are all sharing this one journey together - life.  We all want to survive life and live it to the fullest.

But are we all able to live life to the fullest?  Is it easier for some of us than others?  I don't know.  I am a white woman, and I do not know nor do I understand what it means to be brown in the United States in 2016.

Our pastor posted this letter today.  It was from the Bishop of my church - The Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.  If you are inclined, take time to read through his words.  There is much I don't understand, but I think that Bishop Matthews has done an excellent job of attempting to answer some of the deeper questions around the issues raised this week, and placing other, deeper questions in their place.

July 8, 2016

Friends:
I have a confession to make: I hesitated to write this letter to you. In light of the shootings this week in Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas, words began to feel insufficient. The tragedy, the anger, and the loss seemed to loom too large.
But then a sign appeared outside of Mt. Zion UMC in Highland, near the episcopal residence. It says, “Love overcomes hate.”
I know in my heart that this is true. I know Christ calls us to be bold witnesses to this love, even in the midst of darkest despair. And I became re-convicted that words like “hope” have power.
And so, in a spirit of lament, I call on all the churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference to make time and space for people to grieve, protest, and give voice to the emotions that surround this week’s shooting deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Philando Castile near St. Paul, and five police officers in Dallas.
In a spirit of possibility, I call on United Methodists to start and encourage conversations that explore the relationships between law enforcement and communities of color. In a spirit of faith, I urge us all to examine how we can make a difference in a growing gun culture, and a society, and a church, still too divided by race.
The images from the videos of the shootings this week were vivid and shocking. I urge you to consider what images we might create of people of faith addressing the violence, suffering, and hatred that surrounds the 123 police shootings of African-Americans this year. What images might we live out of United Methodists honoring our public servants who risk their lives seeking to serve and protect? What are the images of our faith?
As my time as bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference grows short, I reflect back on other letters like this one that I’ve written to you: after the death of 20 six- and seven-year-olds at the hands of a gunman in Sandy Hook; following the shooting of the Rev. Clementa Pinkney and his eight Bible study class members at Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina; and this week — we’ve been called together for profound times of prayer.
It is my hope you will all pray together today, and this Sunday, as we gather for worship across the conference. It is my simple prayer that you will also be called to action — to make a difference — and to honor and serve God in ways that begin to unite people, disarm hate, and bind us all together in justice and peace.
In Christ, we are more than conquerors. May love triumph and justice prevail.
Grace and Peace,
Bishop Marcus Matthews
Baltimore-Washington Conference
United Methodist Church

They're made to absorb...

Daughter worked the register for a full shift on Saturday. I met her in the parking lot with one of those wonderful cold drinks from Starbucks when she finished. A Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher.  She's always so thirsty when she gets off work, I knew it would be appreciated. 

While I was waiting for her to finish, I had been shopping for various necessities, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, Kotex pads. 

On our way home, daughter was reluctant to drink anything for fear that she'd spill, and the bright red liquid on my tan car seats would make a huge mess. 

"Don't worry, we're stopped at a light", was my rather stupid response. 

She drank a quick sip, went to put the cup back in the cup holder when tragedy struck! The lid popped off and the bright red liquid went everywhere. Undeterred, she started grabbing receipts to sop up liquid while I looked for a safe place to pull over. 

I pulled into a parking lot, and daughter was out of her seat before I had the car completely stopped. She reached into the bag in the back, pulled out the package of Kotex, unwrapped a single pad, pulled the sticky strip off the back and attached it to the palm of her hand. 

That was a genius move!  All of the liquid was quickly absorbed into the pad. You can't even tell there was a spill of bright red on upholstery!

I tell you, from now on I'm carrying a few extra pads in the glove compartment for the next time I spill something. I know it's going to happen. They really are designed to absorb!  (Quick thinking young lady!)

Making Jelly

I previously posted this on my "Mom's View Blog" on June 23, 2011.  As soon as my kitchen sink is up and running, I will be making a big batch of jelly!  I've been waiting to do this since strawberry season began!  Enjoy this memory (and hopefully some jelly!)

Note - This post contains Affiliate Links.

I spent yesterday making several batches of jelly. I love making jelly. There is nothing that compares to the taste of a home-made batch of jelly. And when you open one of those jars up over the winter, oh the taste of that jelly beats anything you can buy at the store by a mile.

I've been making jelly for several years now. I thought it was overwhelming when I first heard about it, but it's actually one of the easiest preservation methods out there. You don't have to pressure can, and if you have a deep enough pot (or short enough jars) you can do this at home. I bought a canning rack at Wal-Mart for a few bucks a couple of years back, and I put this into my deep soup pot. It's a flat metal disc that sits on the bottom of the pan and keeps the jars from sitting directly on the heat.

You do need fresh fruit. Nothing moldy, or even questionable.  Think of it as a beauty contest!  Only the finest looking fruits go in!  I like to go pick our own at one of the pick-your own farms in our area. You need 4-5 cups of berries per batch, and it's more cost effective to pick it yourself and pay the bulk price. You'll also need a box of pectin. I use Sure-Jell- it's what our grocery store carries. The key to remember with jelly is to follow the directions in your pectin to the letter. I can not stress that enough! You must follow the directions to the letter! Jelly making and canning food for long term storage is not the time to experiment with a recipe! The recipes have been developed to inhibit the growth of molds and other frightening organisms that live in preserved food. Changing up the recipe could also endanger the lives of those you love. (Now, isn't that a cheery thought?)

Having said that, let's move on to the fun part!

Assemble the jars.  I use any jelly jar I have in the house!  The lids have to be new every year.  You can not re-use the lids!  (The lids are in the boxes)  You CAN reuse the bands- the hollow circular lid parts.

The directions say to crush the berries by hand with a potato masher.  I used to do that, but I've found that the blender does just as good a job.  It still leaves me with fruit chunks, but they are smaller and more evenly sliced.

Cooking the jelly.  Nothing compares to the taste of cooked jelly!  This is where I used to make my big mistakes when I first started jelly making.  I'd dump all of the sugar and pectin in and then bring it to a boil.  It would never jell, and would remain runny.  THIS is where you have to read the directions!  A portion of the sugar, and the box of pectin is added at the start.  The rest of the sugar is added once the jelly comes to a full boil.  Then, you bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil again.  Stir constantly! Once you can no longer stir down the boil, boil the mixture for exactly one minute, and then remove from the heat.  (Again, check your pectin and follow the manufacturer's instructions on the length of boiling time.)  I always use Sure-Jell, and that is the boil time for that particular brand.

The jelly has been put into jars.  I wipe the jelly off the rims, put the lids on, and then screw on the bands.  Since that big jar on the left isn't completely full, that one isn't going to be canned.  I'm going to put that in the refrigerator for us to eat tonight!

Everybody into the hot tub! This is called the "Water Bath Canning Method".   Once the jars go in, one inch of water must cover the tops of the jars in order to ensure a good seal.  The jars hang out in the water for a while.  Again, check the directions for the length of time they stay in the hot tub.  Times vary according to the fruit you are using.

Finished jelly!  About an hour from start to finish..  After the jars have cooled, check the seals on the lids.  Press down on the center of the lid.  If the lid bounces back, or pops, the seal is not complete.  You will have to refrigerate those jars and eat them first.  Make sure you label your jars with the item and the date.  I always write on the lids- it's a visual cue to myself to let me know that I've already used the lids and can't use them for canning again.  I store leftovers in mason jars in the fridge, and put an old (clean) lid on the top.  I feel better putting leftovers into a mason jar than into a plastic container.

And THAT is how I make jelly!  If you're looking for more canning recipes, I recommend the Ball Blue Book of Canning. 

We Have Running Water in the Kitchen!

As we join the continuing story of Ye Olde Broken Down House, we recall that our heroes had found a massive water link under the kitchen sink. Not only did they shut off the water to the kitchen, they also tarped off that side of the house so that mold removal & remediation could be done without endangering the residents of the house. 

Our heroes were able to replace the cabinet under the kitchen sink last weekend. This weekend, the challenge was to bring running water to the kitchen. 

Now, let us join the saga already in progress:

We found a sink that covered the existing hole in the counter. It looks funny when its not in the cabinet, doesn't it?

The sink was carefully lowered into place, and properly sealed to prevent water damage to the cabinet. 

Look at that back splash. Seriously, we really need to do something with it. It doesn't look good.  I also need to paint that windowsill.

The pretty new sink with the pretty new faucet!  You turn on the faucet, and water comes out & doesn't leak!

You know there's a catch here, right?  There's a leak in one of the new pipes. Husband is diligently tracking down the source of the leak. While I've kind of enjoyed the experiment, he really wants to be able to use the sink in the kitchen again!  (Picky, picky, picky)

I'm now eyeing that back splash. We really need to do something about that.  It did not weather the counter top lifting well. I also REALLY need to paint the windowsill.  I didn't realize how bad it was until I started looking at the pictures.

Hey, Property Brothers, we still have a massive problem in the form of our hallway bathroom that needs to be dealt with!  Seriously, that project has been a thorn in our sides for 8 years.  I'd love to have somebody who knows what they're doing step in to help us fix that!

Our budget for this home repair was $1500.

Here's what we've spent so far:

Kitchen Sink:  $316.94  (faucet was included with the sink)

Home Depot Run #1: $20.90

Home Depot Run #2: $15.78

Total This Week:  $353.62

Total Last Week:  $396.

Total to Date: $749.62

Other Posts in This Series:

Progress!

Progress of One Kind and Another

It Only Looks Like We're Not Making Progress
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Book Review: Fossils Tell Stories

Years ago, I served on the Great Picture Books Committee for the State of Maryland.  We looked at every picture book that had been published in the previous year, and we made a decision as to which books we thought were the most exemplary.   Consider it kind of like a Caldecott book award, but without the big distinction of winning a Caldecott Award.   Just recognition from the children's librarians in the State of Maryland that these books were among the best published that year.

Since that time, I have always kept an eye on the picture books in my library.  There are some that are so-so, but then, there are the amazing ones that basically leap off the shelves at you.  The art work is so extraordinary that it leaves you breathless.

I found one of those books at my local library last week.  Fossils Tell Stories, written by Yu-ri Kim and Illustrated by Hyeon-joo Lee.

The story of fossils - how they are formed, and why they are important is told in simple words and bright multi-media collage illustrations.

The art work is dynamic and will draw you in to look at the details.

Photographs of real fossils are super-imposed over top of the collage to illustrate types of fossils and how to identify them.

The book ends with a short time line about the formation of fossils as well as a hands on experiment.