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7:37a - I have spent most of the morning up until now designing my September diary page. Today I plan on going to the Soulard Market. And now Kira is laying her head on my leg an giving me that, “can we go outside now?” look. She has really been developing her “cute” powers her lately. She gets a lot of practice with people in the elevators. That is, if the people aren’t scared of her. Some people are real scared of dogs, I have learn recently. I never realized how many people are so scared of dogs, but some people won’t even get on the elevator if Kira is on it; and on rare occasions people will actually opt to exit the elevator when we get on!
5:49p - I made it to the Market and got a lot of stuff, including meat, but there were no portabella mushrooms to be found! That’s the main thing I go there for. Darn.
5:50p - I finally took my film to be developed! One roll is exactly one year old. The other may be 6 or 7 years old! I don’t even know what’s on it.
There is a big festival going on down at The Landing... I can open the window and here all the noise. I think its a Blues Festival or some such.
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Happy
Birthday to Alvin Terrell! 1980 - Nephew - Moyock, NC |
8:26a - I made it a point not to drink anything last night and then I took a couple of Tylenol PM and went to be around 9:30p. I got a real solid night’s sleep. I had good dreams for a change. I have been having bad dreams every night for weeks now; it was nice to have pleasant one for a change!
I am supposed to go to the Japanese Festival today. I am to meet Jack and Adam inside the entrance at 1:00p.
The festival was fun. I took a lot of pictures. They have all been published on my web site, including a few that I have “artistically altered.” I arrived at 12:56... Jack was in shock that I was actually on time! We stayed until 5pm, then I caught a bus home. I had to wait about 20 minutes for the bus, but otherwise, the trip home went smoothly. I had never taken that bus before, so I was not familiar with it.
10:12a - I had a talk with Skip on line last night. He may be coming to live here in St. Louis. We will see how this develops.
10:12a - I am so sleepy today. I need to get laundry done, but I am so lazy.
I went to Wal-Mart with Marty today and spent WAY too much, but I got a few things I was really needing, including a decent skillet (T-Fal), and wooden cutting board. I also bought a new compact flashcard for my camera. This one is 16Mb... so now I can take 162 pictures!
Skip emailed me. Looks like he’s going to be coming up here with me. Hope this all works out okay.
7:41a - Back to work today <sigh>. I am not complaining. I love my job.
I took some pork & rice to work for breakfast with some for Gary and Lisa. When I got there I handed the containers over to Lisa. I little while later I asked Gary if he liked it, since Lisa had been commenting on how good it was. He asked, “Where is it?” I looked around and saw one of the containers unopened sitting on the counter and picked it up, but it was empty. I looked around and saw the other container open and nearly empty sitting in front of Lisa.... she had eaten them both! She did not realize one of the was for Gary! She was so embarrassed and we teased her about it half the day. I guess I should be flattered that she liked it so well!! I am sorry to laugh at Lisa’s expense, but it was a very funny mistake. (I think poor Lisa, in her embarrassment, may have bought lunch for Gary).
I made an excellent tomato, potato & peanut soup tonight. Terry came over and I gave him a sample of it. I brought me a CD which I have not listened to yet by Kim Hyun Jung, a Korean female vocalist. I will take it to work with me tomorrow.
| OLD DIARY-1999: “Chuck Welsh stopped by on this way to Daytona where he is meeting with Mark Henderson. I was suppose to join them, but had to stay at home...” ... “Nikki still isn’t speaking to me. I don’t know why.” |
8:03a - I am warming up the soup from last night and making another pot of rice. It sure is good to have rice in the house again, even if its not Jasmine rice. I’ve got to get to the Asian market soon. I am out of all my exotics.
I talked with Calisa on line at work for a few minutes today. She tells me she and come in contact with our cousin, Jim Langford! Jimmy, Debbie and Mike Langford are children of Stan Langford. Stan is the son of Thelma, who is sister to Eula (Wingate) Bernard. Eula is mother to Frank E. Lewis and Jesse M. Wingate. Frank is my father and father to Mable Darlene Norris, Calisa Marlene Selfridge and Leo Augustus Bartlett Lewis. Technically, Frank Lewis would be my step father since I learned late in life that my biological father is actually Alvin Elroy Terrell, but he raised me and these were the familial relationships that I grew up with.
THURSDAY
- September 6, 2001
Happy Birthday Barbara Jones!
7:59a - I have been unsuccessful in uploading my diary for several days. I am keeping it up to date, but it keeps failing to upload. It just halts. I doesn’t lock up or freeze... just “halts.” Most irritating!
It finally uploaded this evening. I think it is a problem on the other end... not my computer.
I had a long discussion with Skip about his impending move up here. There are lots of details he has to iron out before leaving, but I am glad he is trying to get everything done. It looks like he will be leaving on Saturday morning on the 22nd and arriving on Sunday afternoon. That gives me two more weekends of solitude.
7:49a - It has been cooler lately, especially in the mornings. According to AIM, this morning it is 77-F.
7:52a - This has only been a 4 day week, but they usually seem longer than a normal week! This was no exception.
I was going to go out tonight, but I ended up getting some brandy and Theresa (a friend I know through Terry Wells) came over. We were just absolutely silly, and I ended up dressing her up in Klingon gear an took her/our picture! I think we have a new member for jubchuQun! That’s at least five since I got moved up here.... wow.... I am doing better than I thought! I Skip is moving up here. He is jubchuQun also...
Ugh! I’ve had a hangover all day. Did not get ANYTHING accomplished. The apartment is in a mess and I don’t have the energy to clean it. I am just watching a Star Trek marathon.
Marty and I talked on line and it looks like I am going to be joining their dart league. He said he would buy me some darts at Wal-Mart.
Marty came by (I didn’t realize he was going to do that). He actually went to Wal-Mart and bought me the darts! That was so nice of him! I was only able to pay him back less than half of what I owe him for the darts tonight, but we are supposed to go to Mag's for a dart tournament tomorrow. I will pay him the rest then.
I downloaded xReminder Pro (a new version) again today. I think I will pay for it. I used to use that program and I like it. It is only $20....
8:09a - Well... I feel better today. That’s good. I have a lot to do. I need to clean house, bathe Kira, do laundry and the go to the dart tournament tonight. Kira is patiently waiting for me to take her outside now, so I will make this morning entry short...
8:30a - I am back from my walk with Kira and everything seems to have uploaded fine. I was having a problem there for a while, but the upload process seems to be working fine now.
8:31a - I forgot to mention the storm last night. I think that lightening struck our building a couple of times. There were metallic popping sounds that seemed to be coming from the building structure. I was kind of freaky. Kira went off an started barking. I finally turned off the TV and the lights then opened up the curtain so we could sit and watch the storm. Its always an awesome sight. I kept seeing things tumble through the air. I think they were birds caught up in the gale and out of control. I never could see one clearly enough. Maybe it was just newspaper pages. I saw lots of newspaper strewn about the Promenade when I took Kira out this morning.
8:35a - Well, I am going to take a caffeine pill and NOT turn on the TV, OR fix food yet. This should help me get motivated to get my chores done.
11:41a - Well... I am doing good so far! I have got the laundry almost done. Just folding some underwear and then I have to put my bedclothes back on the bed and it will be finished. I gave Kira a bath, she’s already dry. The dishes are almost finished washing and I even put a roast on in the crock pot! I didn’t turn the TV on all morning, but I found out that last night’s storm knocked out the cable anyway!
So, good for me. Besides, I have several hours worth of stuff on tape I recorded this weekend that I have to catch up on. But first, I need to mop the kitchen and the bathroom, shampoo the carpet, and clean my oscillating fan ... I just hope I can keep up this pace and not get lazy!
Oh, I also walked over to the store this morning. I remembered that I put film in to be developed last week; I had nearly forgotten it. So when I get there I learn that the mall doesn’t open until 12 noon! Oh well... my fat ass can use the exercise!
11:46a - Okay.... enough of a break. Back to the laundry. By the time I am finish with that, it should be time for me to go back to the store again to get the pictures. I hope the old roll had good pictures on it! It was at least 6 years old (the expiration date on the film was 1995)!
4:52p - The cable is still out. I watched some of my recordings from yesterday though. I kind of fizzled out on the house work, but I got a lot done. Including cleaning the fan.
I went to Walgreens and got my pictures. The old film had a couple of pictures of Barnabus (Skip’s cat), a picture of Kira (when she was 2 or 3 years old), a picture of Putter painting his bathroom (that was my neighbor in Deltona), and a few shots taken when I went to visit Chuck in Tampa. The Tampa shots also showed pictures of my car, so it wasn’t the last trip I took; because I rented a car. It had to be at least about 1996.
OLD DIARY-1995: “Received check from VCC for $1,600! Don’t even teach the class until next Sat. (9-16)”
5:05p - I am bleaching my hair. First time in ages... first time since I lived here too.
Marty and JR came over. Marty is making a jubchuQun of JR too. We “Klingonized” him and now we need to get him a name.
My dart playing went a *little* better than usual tonight. My first game was against “Kitty” (one of the top players). I lost, but I was not *slaughtered*. I don’t know the name of my second competitor, but I beat him at 301; then he beat me at Cricket. We had to play a tiebreaker game of 301 and he won that one.
I cam home and finally ate some of the roast I’ve been cooking all day.
8:00a - I sure would like to stay in bed. Except I was having depressing dreams. I had a dream about Doug. I can remember much, except there was something about what we were going to have for supper. I had purchased something, but it was not right for some reason. He said something about have plenty of money, that it was okay... he would just go get us something else. But I was not going to be consoled. I was depressed and seemed to want to stay that way. Of course, when I woke up and remembered that he is dead, I figured that must be why I was staying depressed.
Wow... I just checked the temperature. It’s 57! I better wear long sleeves when I take Kira out.
8:36a - It didn’t seem all that cool outside this morning; it was quite nice actually. Except for when I got on the elevator. There was a woman who was terrified of dogs and said, “Please keep her away from me! Please...” She tried to explain to me that she had been attacked by a dog before. I told her so had I, but I still took Kira in and twice I saved her life. And I feel I would be dead today if I didn’t have Kira, so.... one must conquer such fears. They are detrimental. I was nearly killed in a car crash... but I still get in cars. I have been attacked many times by human; even had a gun stuck in my face, but I am not terrified of all people. (And people can be much more dangerous than dogs!!).
8:41a - My hair does not want to cooperate this morning. :(
7:14a - Kira forced me out of bed this morning. As one can tell, I am making this entry a bit earlier than usual. I guess she wants to go outside a little more urgently than usual, so I suspect I should oblige her. I am SOooo sleepy though!
7:18a - Lisa won’t be at work today. It will just be me and Gary (until he leaves at 2:30).
ATTACK ON AMERICA!
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This day was one of horror and mayhem! I got to work before I even knew anything was happening. Laura told Becky to bring me up to date; at which point Becky, who was trembling, began telling me of planes being hijacked; of both the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan being leveled; that the Pentagon had been “taken out” ; that there were more hijack planes in the air, etc. I just stood there grinning, like it was a big joke. Then I started to realize the enormity of what was happening and I to started to feel shaky! At first it was fear. A fear that my world was crumbling around me. Then I started to get angry! How could ANYone for ANY reason do such terrible things?! It is generally believed that this was the act of some anti-American middle East group, or government; and we all know how their religion is such a driving force. What I find ironic is that they say that we in the West are “Devils” or “the Devil incarnate” or “Demons” .... or something to that effect. |
| They believe (from what I have heard) that they will go to heaven if the give their life for their cause (as is “suicide bombers”). Yet THEY are the ones bring death and destruction in acts of in conceivable horror to innocent people. They are the one’s whose actions are leaving grieving families and orphaned children! They are the ones who have turned a normal city street and turned it into a scene from hell itself with flames, rubble and even human bodies and body parts! How could any sane being believe they would go to heaven for creating such horror? This is worse than anything one could even believe possible of a true Satanist! It would make more sense to me if they were Satanists, but they think they are acting under the grace of God.... its really just too much to comprehend. |  |
WEDNESDAY
- September 12, 2001
Attack on America - Day 2
7:50a - The crisis continues this morning. I got a decent night’s sleep (surprisingly) and I am up now with the TV on. I think from what little I have heard that, that much of America is feeling like me... ANGRY! Whoever is responsible for this hideous act of death and destruction had better hope that we NEVER find out who they are! Otherwise, as we say in American, “Their ass is grass!”
I heard yesterday that the death toll may be higher in this attack than all of World War II... I don’t know about that, but its an awful concept. This makes the attack on Pearl Harbor seem small in comparison. At least the Japanese were honorable. They did not try to hide... they attacked an we knew it. But already it is fairly certain that more people died in this attack than in Pearl Harbor. And I am sure a large percentage of those killed in Pearl Harbor were (at least) military personnel on board Naval ships. The people killed yesterday were civilians and they were in the World Trade Center, so there were people from many different countries... not just Americans.
12:49a - This is so terrible. I feel SOOoo bad for all the children who must deal with this awful event!! SOoo sad....
7:58a - Now I feel SOOoo bad for myself! I was helping Terry install his DSL last night and he fixed me a couple of rum & cokes. I think he only made two... I am not sure. I got smashed... on a week night. Ick... did not mean to have THAT much to drink! This is going to be a long day.
...and Lisa Z is out for the rest of the week in a training class. This means our new team leader, Dennis, is getting a lot of ‘trial by fire’ type experience on the help desk.
8:04a - We heard yesterday that the plane that hit the Pentagon was actually intended to hit the White House. I don’t know what went wrong. And in a conversation with Nikki, I learned that John P. has an office across the street from the Pentagon (I can’t remember his last name, but we used to all work together in Orlando City Hall)
I was so tired tonight. I just fixed some supper and went to bed early.
7:46a - I had a good night’s sleep. Hope that makes my day better. I have to work tomorrow too. I am also planning on going on an evening river cruise on Saturday night.
This was a hard day. I was manning the Help Desk alone, except for Debie’s help. We had some major system wide problems which had the phone going crazy. Fortunately I had some food with me, because I just had to eat at my desk and not take lunch.
I tried to get to bed early tonight, but it was hard to change my schedule. I fed Kira immediately upon arriving home this evening to try to adjust her schedule. Oh! ... and I left my damn key at the office again! I thought I was going to have to go get it because I will need it to get into the building tomorrow morning. But, I called Protective Services and they said they could let me in. So I just borrowed a key from the front desk for my apartment and I should be fine for now.
I was so hard to get up this morning, but I did it. Kira ‘performed’ well this morning, so I didn’t have to worry about her all day. I got to work about 10 minutes late due to the train schedule. I forgot they don’t run as often on Saturdays.
The day went smooth. No major problems. I used the computer next to me at work to tune into the news and listened to the ongoing news of the “war” and the disaster. Jerry Falwell was finger pointing and telling us all we brought this all on ourselves. What an ass. People like him are the price we Americans have to pay for freedom of speech. Sometimes I wonder if the price is too high! Then I heard Sadam Hussein’s speech (I missed it the night before). I knew it would be a winner, and of course it was. Going on about all the terrible things the US has done and the millions of people we have killed... etc. No country is perfect, as no person is perfect, but why doesn’t America ever get credit for all the help we give? When there are floods, earthquakes, or other disasters, we Americans are always there donating food, time, money and anything and everything we can to help. How many countries ever send aid to America when we need it? How many countries have we loaned money to, only to have them not pay their debts back?
I almost did not go on the river cruise tonight. I was tired for one thing. And I didn’t know where I was supposed to go. But I decided to go for it anyway. I found everything ok and ended up having a pretty good time. It was kind of boring being by myself, but I met some people and chatted with them. I also got pretty drunk!
I came home and went over to Terry’s. He got his carpet cleaned today and rearranged his furniture (again).
I felt horrible this morning! Uggh... I hate hangovers! I didn’t get up to take Kira out until after 9am. I finally got enough energy up to cook some soup. When it was done, I ladled myself a bowl. Then Jack called and asked if I wanted to join him for brunch. I pour the soup back in the pot and went down to Central West End where we had a nice lunch outside. The day is just BEA-ooo-ti-ful!
After eating, Jack and I walked back to his place and I picked up my Dreamweaver books... and my dominoes. I didn’t know I had left my set of dominoes there. On the walk over to his place, I took pictures of flags... they are everywhere. In windows, on cars, people are carrying them, there’s one in the elevator here too.
4:38p - I am back home now. Finally ate some of the soup I made this morning. Now I am trying to get motivated to study more Dreamweaver. But I am getting sleepy.
Finished off the pot of soup. Answered a bunch of email. Went down to Terry’s and ate some popcorn & watched “Sixth Sense.” (Not the old series, but the one with Bruce Willis).
8:38a - I got up a half hour late! Very behind schedule, but I do have rice cooking, bath running and Kira is walked. I normally leave the house at 9am... I better hurry!
- I made it to work in time, but just barely.
- Lisa was back to day, I was glad of that!
- I received my registration for xReminder Pro and “Activated”
it.
I read an article Jack sent me about Afghanistan today. It was written by an Afghanistani-American who has lived in the USA for 35 years. It gave me such a different perspective of what the situation is over there. I no longer want to see that country bombed. Its already bombed. I think we take some of the money we have here in the US and put massive bounties out on the people we need removed. Let assassins or other countries take care of it for us. Otherwise, the only real answer is to put troops in on the ground. Bombing will be pointless. It will just kill innocent people who are in large part widows, orphans and cripples left from when the Soviet Union bombed them. Those are the people who will be let behind when the Taliban flees before the bombs hit. No.... bombing is not the answer. We must think about it ... this is not going to be warfare according to historic practices. Its time for America to display its ingenuity again. We’ve done it in the past.... we’re being called upon to do it again.
8:10a - I am running behind schedule again this morning. Not quite as bad, but I must hurry. The kitchen is a disaster area. Having worked last Saturday has messed up my schedule. I need to focus on catching up tonight if I have the energy. I need to do laundry and clean the kitchen at a minimal.
I took Kira for her morning walk and got ANOTHER complain from the people in the offices down on the promenade. This time they complained that they could not go to the bathroom, and that my leash was too long. I spent most of the day writing a long letter to the management in a counter-complaint. I am not breaking any rules. I am being a responsible pet owner, a responsible citizen and I try to be considerate to all people. This is my home... I do not need such attacks HERE! I deal with enough in the business world every day! We will see how this develops.
My DSL was not working this morning and I could not post my diary. Later I learned there was a world wide virus attack that was causing this.
My DSL was working again this evening, but I had to reboot. I did not get much done in the way of house work, but I did get the kitchen cleaned up again. It had gotten bad.
WEDNESDAY - September 19, 2001
8:28a - There was no complaint from the G&G offices this morning. But I tried taking Kira over to the further side of the promenade by Mansion House. Also, there window shades were closed and I didn’t seen any lights on in their offices.
7:03p - I had a response from Gentry’s today and it was in favor of the people who complained. I was dismayed. Apparently states in the pet rider to my lease that no dogs are to be on the promenade level AT ALL! Even outside! This mean I have to take Kira twice as far through the dark garage, with cars flying through it to the back of the building where she has to do her business in front of all the passing traffic of a busy street. I just went through this routine for the first time with her a few minutes ago and was not just worried about HER getting hit by a car, but just as worried for myself! This was BEFORE I got to the garage gates which are not designed for pedestrian traffic. Then, on the way back in, there was the same guy with the big Akita, or Husky, which he could just barely restrain. I was worried it was going to get loose and attack both Kira and me. I wish I had know about this before moving in. I probably would still have moved in, but having these changes rudely forced upon me unexpectedly has been very depressing. I feel the cold corporate grip on this building that I want to call “home.” I understand that much of this building is untenanted at present. This type of treatment is fine for hotels and motels with temporary guests. They seem to be treating us like temporary “guests” here... not residents. These are our homes here. Kira is my family. This is most offensive.
7:16p - I guess I will just get over it. But I will be keeping my eye out for another place to live during this next year. I living in a high-rise on the 23rd floor, downtown, next to the Arch, is nice enough... but not worth not having a “home” to relax in.
7:18p - I am still reading and studying up on Dreamweaver 3. I hope to convert all my web sites by the first of the year. But its not easy. Powerful, but not easy!
7:19p - The Nimda virus/worm has been causing problems yesterday and today.
7:29a - I went down to Terry’s last night and he made me a couple of rum & cokes while I was there. I should not have had them on top of the beer I had alerady had. I do not feel very snappy this morning. Ick.
7:30a - I put some peanuts on the stove last night and let them simmer slowly all night. It smells good in here this morning.
7:59a - I just got through walking Kira. Thank the Gods I left earlier than usual! I thought I left by the same route that I took yesterday, but if so, then they moved all the damn ramps and exits over night! I was wandering around for the longest time, trying to keep both Kira and myself from being run over by the morning rush hour traffic exiting and entering the garage. I finally found a “you are here sign” and it looked as though I had gone deep underground! Eventually I made my way up to the surface and found the exit I used yesterday. (Then Kira did really want to do anything except pee in the middle of a drive way). So... now I should be able to find my way back in right? One would think so, but no. I went back to where I thought the entrance was and there was no entrance! I finally found I had to walk back down the garage, take a flight of steps down and then, at long last, found my way back into the building. This day IS NOT getting off to a good start!
I had a luncheon with Tracy and Brenda today. Brenda announced that she learned she is having a boy and will name him Noah. Tracy had to spend nearly 2 hours to join us for lunch, but it was nice to see her again. Also in attendance were Gary, Debie, Lisa Z. and Robin. We went to Einstein’s (Bagels). I didn’t want a bagle, so I ordered a Reubin sandwich on pumpernickel. I didn’t know they were going to make it out of pumpernikel BAGEL! Oh well. It was okay.
My walk throught the garage with Kira was a litte less traumatic this evening. I think I am learning my way through the maze now. I hope. But the old man with the big dog was out side and his dog went bonkers again. Its really irritating. That dog looks like it could do some damage if it got loose, and he doesn’t look like he is going to be successful in holding it every time.
FRIDAY
- September 21, 2001
Happy Mabon!
7:35a - Lisa Z is out today, so hopefully this will be a fairly light day. Fridays are usually not quite as bad, but here lately its been difficult to tell the difference.
8:00a - My trip out with Kira wasn’t as bad this morning. The cars flying through the garage are still a problem, but I got out and in muc quicker.
8:54p - My trips with Kira are getting smoother. That’s good. It’s still inconvenient, but I can deal with it. I still think it was handled badly by the management here. Notices were posted (as a result of my letter) telling residents that if they take their dogs onto the promenade level they will lose pet privileges and be subject to possible eviction! I think that was over kill. I simple sign in the promenade foyer saying “No Pets on the Promenade Level” would have been a sufficient ‘first step’.
8:58p - I have been trying to reach Skip much of the day. I sent an email and left voice mail and have made several other calls. I haven’t been able to reach anyone. I am not sure if he is still coming or not. I have scheduled 3 days off next week... I don’t want to take them off if he is not coming.
9:02p - Today is Mabon. It is sad how the old ways have been so trodden upon by the Christians. They have only been around a couple of thousand years and think it is a long time. I had a conversation with a Christian girl the other day and tried to tell her some about the old ways. She would hear nothing of it and felt I was “bad.” Christians have the same basic beliefs, but it has just been embellished by too much mythology and mysticism.
9:35p - Terry was supposed to go home over the weekend, but he is at home sick. It sounds like he has conjuctivitis.
SATURDAY
- September 22, 2001
Happy Birthday Mitch Selfridge (the big FOUR-OH!)
I spent too much money today. First I went to Soulard Market with $60 and spent it all. I got lots of groceries though. Later I went to Walgreens and spent another $55 ... and still forgot to buy soda. So I also made a quick trip down to the convenience store where I spent anther $15. I spent my time between these trips cleaning house and managed to shampoo the carpet and get part of the meat I bought at Soulard seasoned and put away. Then I decided to go out for the evening and took out another $30 before the evening was over. That’s about $160 dollars in one day! ouch!
SUNDAY
- September 23, 2001
Skip arrives!
Spent the day finishing up the house work (finally getting caught up from last weekend when I had to work!). Got the laundry done (I was down to bare minimum).
2:05p - Skip called. He says his bus has been delayed by about 40 minutes.
4:12p - Left to go get Skip. I’ve never been to the bus station here, but it doesn’t look that far on the map. Its partly cloudy and windy out side. It feels good though.
4:24p - It only took me 12 minutes to walk from 4th street to 13th street. I figure this is about the half way point. So (check my time) I should reach the bus station at 4:36 if I continue the same pace.
4:36p - Am I good or what?! I arrive at the bus station at PRECISELY 4:36! Skip was waiting outside. We took a cab back.
After Skip got settled in, and Kira had gone for her walk, I took Skip down to Union Station where we had some beer & wings, then we stopped by Casa G. and said “Hi” to Bradon (who was the only one working that I knew). We then continued our journey to Talayna’s (Josh was working), and then we walked down to Jack’s, but (as expected) nobody was home. We went to Nik’s, but I forget they were closed! Wasted walk there!. So ... we walked back to Talayna’s, had “one for the rail” and head home.
I fixed us some supper and Skip tried to hook up his Nintendo.
9:09a - This will be Skip’s first full day in St. Louis. I plan on getting him a bus pass, a one-week one. I am on vacation today through Wednesday.
The bus pass thing fell through. I learned that my quarterly passes are being discontinued as well! They normally DO have weekly & monthly passes, but they did not have them today. They may have some in a few days. Oh, well.
From the transportation office (which had moved by the way... we had to search it down), we went over to Jack’s. We chitchatted a while, and Skip & I agree to have supper at Sun Flour, the little restaurant down stairs from Jack’s apartment. He works there on Mondays and Tuesdays.
From Jack’s, I took Skip over to Clayton where we had lunch at a Taco Bell and then walked down to Border’s Bookstore.... which, like the transportation office, had moved! We ended up just catching the bus back to Forest Park and then the train on to the house.
Skip got his Nintendo to work on my console TV (which I am not using).
We both took a brief nap and around 7:30p head off for supper at Sun Flour. I did not see Jack when we got there, so I pulled out my phone to call him.... and noticed that I had forgotten to turn the damn thing on! When turned it on, there were 2 messages waiting (an ominous sign). It turned out that Jack had not been scheduled to work that night, and he had been trying to contact me. We did not eat at Sun Flour as a result. Instead we met with Jack and the 3 of us hopped the train back down to Union Station and ate at Route 66 Micro Brewery. Neither Jack nor I had ever eaten there so it was new for all of us.
8:06a - I have no idea what we’re going to do today. Skip has gone down to the store for coffee. I hope he took my keys!
He didn’t, but we got him a key today. I got the one from the front desk and ordered an extra.
We did not do much today. We walked down to the Landing where we found a souvenir/book store and a small food court. I just had a bowl of hot & sour soup, but it was not “normal” h&s soup. I think they just took their egg drop soup and added some hot sour and/or vinegar.
I checked my e-mail at work and learned that Lisa Z. was out sick today. I am really worried about the status of the office!
We went over to Walgreens at the St. Louis Center Mall twice. The first time was mainly to get some Pepsies; the second time to get a coffee maker. I have been able to live without coffee for a while, but Skip was not keen on the idea. I was planning on getting a coffee maker eventually anyway, so I just went ahead and bought one. I started to get the one for $9.95, but it had only a four-cup decanter. I decided it would be better to pay another $5 and get the 10-cup coffee maker.
I set Skip up with Mavis Beacon typing tutor on the computer this evening. That will be something for him to begin developing some better typing skills. He said he could not stop himself from looking at the keys, so I used an old trick from my typing class and taped a piece of paper over the keyboard for him to keep his hands under.
Skip met Terry and Theresa tonight. I actually left him down there and came back to the apt to go to bed.
WEDNESDAY - September 26, 2001
10:06a - We got up later that we should have this morning. But I’m starting off the day with a cup of coffee for the first time in a while. I don’t know if that is good or bad, but ...
I need to go to the Unemployment office with Skip today. I showed him where it was yesterday. I also need to get down to Jay International and buy some rice! I’ve been out for a long time.
Friday is not only payday, but also the annual picnic. Skip is supposed to go with me. I need to get the rice so I can make a good rice dish to contribute.
I need to get busy cleaning up around here. I forgot how much Skip can clutter a place. I am going to have to ride his case about it I guess.
We got down to Employment Office, but it turns out that they are under construction. We picked up some paperwork and directions to a more useful site.
We then went to Pho Grand for lunch. That’s where Jack took me right after my arrival here. I had the #17.02 and Skip had the #18.01 (I may have those numbers wrong). Mine was a rice crepe filled with ground pork and topped with bean sprouts, grilled pork, and fresh cillantro. I had never tried it before and it was delicious! I believe Skip’s was called “Bo Luc Lac” and was a beef dish.
Then we went down to Jay International; actually, Skip went on down to a record store and met me at Jay. I finally got my Jasmine rice again, but I wanted crop 2000 rice and they were out. They only had crop 2001. The 2001 will cook up a little softer than I prefer.
Y’aatg’ adm’ aache Wilosisdi uutaitne. Evyeivr’ aitn’ iih’ aaz’ inbe re, iih’ aaz’ aatg’ unkdre. Y’aav’ uut’ og’ uut’ erkwe uutamore aanj’ aache 4:00a iith’ aitsle erw’ ilst’ annye. Iih’ aazw’ astp’ aoche yenge, thw’ ey’ olb’ aavy’ uudfe ny’ izh’ aaple. Che edm’ iim’ adme!
Back to work tomorrow <sigh>. I hope its not too much of a mess!
8:08a - It will actually be good to get back to work today. But I feel like crap. I did not get nearly enough sleep last night.
This was a long day. They were glad I was back, but I was glad to go home too. I was so tired. Then when I got home, I had to figure out what I was going to make for the picnic tomorrow. I knew it would be a rice dish, but wasn’t sure exactly what it would be. I think my final results were not too bad. The rice (which I also had for supper) has a wonderful consistency... I hope it does not become to soggy by tomorrow as it sits in the pan.
My walks with Kira through the garage have become fairly routine now. I have found a nice place to take her. She likes it because she has seen squirrels there and she LOVES to chase squirrels.
Wilosisdi idench’ est’ apy’ etl’ uutaitne. Aanje y’aatg’ uut’ edbe orm’ uunse.
FRIDAY
- September 28, 2001
Annual Staff Picnic
7:53a - Skip is up before me! YAY! Coffee is ready. I got a good night’s sleep. I think it will be a good day. This is also payday (that’s a good thing!)...
Sonya Walker had me slicing veggies up this morning. I made a big tray full of onion, tomato and lettuce to be used for the hamburgers.
Skip brought my rice dish down around 12:00, and joined me for an early lunch. He left and came back around 2:45, then at about 3pm Lisa, Skip and I headed out for Tilles Park where the picnic was to be held. The traffic was very heavy and we were beginning to think we were going the wrong way. We were not finding the road we were looking for and after having failed to make it to last year’s picnic. We finally found it and arrived; the picnic was not bad. About half the people in attendance were “Dr.” somebody, but you would have know by looking!
Today was also payday. I received my first raise on this check (retroactive to August).
Skip and I took the Broadway/Telegraph bus way out to the Southern end of its route to a Wal-Mart (I didn’t know it was out there!). He was trying to refund his ring, but the wouldn’t refund it because they said it was dirty. That is understandable, but then they said it had been resized! It was supposed to be a size 7 and the counter girl said she was “a perfect 7” and when she tried it on it did not fit... so she accuse Skip of having it resized. That was wrong.
While there I picked up a little scare crow which hold a sign over its head with “Share the Harvest.” I’ve hung it up on my front door. I also picked up a collapsible cart which I can load my groceries and such on when I go to the store.
We stopped at Soulard Market on the way home and I used my cart to carry everything. Skip ha a great idea and got one of the peach boxes from a vendor to put on the bottom of the cart. It worked out well.
I went with Lisa Z. to a party at her friend
Tad’s house. It was a beautiful home and I wish Doug could have
been there to see it. It was very much like what we wanted to do. I was
a nice party; they had Jell-O shots, and served “banana 99”
and, Apple Puckers. (I was getting trashed!). Many of the people there
were also employees of “Boxers & Briefs” ... a local bar
with male dancers. So I met some of the staff of this place. I will have
to go there sometime now that I have met the manager! There was also Kareoke,
and chicken from the grill .... done especially well by Chef Blake!
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Alvin Terrell Barbara Jones José Feliciano Fay Ray Arnold Palmer Charles Kureault Mitch Selfridge Robin Pashia Greg W. Richards |
