TUESDAY - JUNE 1, 2004

Happy Birthday to Odo! Actor René Auberjonois

12:37a - I have been watching more of "Kill Bill" ... and it has been much more interesting than it started out to be. However, I must go to bed now, so I will have to try to watch the remainder of it tomorrow.

7:29a- I had some amazing dreams last night in which my entire family and other were all involved. We all had varying degrees of Psychic powers and were traveling around the country. People were after us with guns. In one point of the dream, I was practicing creating a psionic shield that would protect several of us. Someone came into the room where I was; a small female, possibly my sister or her youngest daughter. Whoever she was, she was very good with the power. She walked in and without pause snapped at me, "You have weak points: there, there and there!" ... and with that she pulsed an energy resonance at me which seemed to highlight these weak spots. I caught on immediatley, made an "adjustment," and clamped the weak spots closed. However, she had not finished her lesson and had, with seeming ease, puctured several microscopic holes in my shield and maintained them easily with just a small trickle of power. She said something like, "Once your shiled has been breached, the can open holes in it or even pop it like a bubble!" She then proceeded to slowly widen the breach points and I could do nothing to stop her.

This was just scene of a long and complex sequence. My shields were quite good by the time I woke up. I have no idea what prompted this long and intricate dream, but it was really quite fun!

7:42a - The long weekend is over. Time to go back to work!

7:44a - I am not sure when it happened, but my feet are eaten up with mosquito bites!

It was a hectic day. There was a power outage yesterday, and all kinds of "fallout" and repurcussions from it today. LZ was in a mood as soon as I got in since GA had apparently, unwittingly, thown Dr. Picus' weekly report in the garbage, and she had to deal with Dr. Picus who apparently stressed her out. The Help Desk email queue was about 5 pages long; mostly full of "PowerScribe" and "Fax Senior" messages indiating the line was down. I had to restart FaxSr about every 15 minutes and messages were accumulating as fast as I could delete them all day. Of course, BS is still on her cruise in the Carribbean, BC is out and SR will be out much of the week. That leaves us with practically NO support for IDXRad systems. Howeve, I was able to get everyone operation in the new PACSKEY system today. I was also able to get a CDRW to use to try to load Tad's PC afterwork, and learned some new tricks including how to access the CMOS upon bootup so I could change the boot sequence in BIOS. Unfortunately, none of this worked. There is nothing more that I can do with his PC. Frankly, I think he should just invest the money in a new one. He is managing to buy all these houses and redecorate/remodel his house, surely he can come up with a little cash to buy a new PC? ...one would think.

The Wasted People never did pick up the trash this morning! ...and the bin is full! That's going to be a problem. Aslo, I figured out the the slip for a registered letter that I received the other day is for out tickets to Six Flags this Sunday! I have to find a way to get them! That is $85.00!! They never said they would be sent by registered mail or I would have had them sent to the office. How aggravating....

I finally finished watching "Kill Bill" tonight. And fugured out that the English subtitles were turned OFF, and turned them back to ON. I watched about a quarter of the movie in Japanese and had no idea what they were saying (other than a word here and there). Of course, once I got the subtitles on, I had to sit on the edge of the sofa and lean toward the TV squinting to see what they said. Why do they always make the subtitles so SMALL?! Anyway, it was an "interesting" movie. I did not like it at first. It will still never be on my top 10 list, but I would like to see the sequel.

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 2, 2004

Happy 67th Birthday to Liz Dehner! (you could have been a Godess!) Actress Sally Kllerman

Happy Birthday to The Beaver! Actor Jerry Mathers

Happy Birthday to Aggie Nichols! Of Deltona, Florida

Happy 100th Birthday En Memoriam to Johnny Weissmuller! "TARZAN"

Kira kept waking me up last night. She didn't want to go out, she had water, then she kept shaking her head like something was in her ear. I got up and checked her over a couple of times, and think I found the problem. She has fleas! I will have to give her a flea bath this weekend without fail! Then she decided to trim her nail (with loud popping/crunching noises) around 2:00a. Added to my usual onslaught of exhausting dreams, and I (as usual) woke up tired.

7:36a - Skip just called and ask me to get him a clean shirt. Some how he managed to get a dirty shirt with a big food stain on the front to wear to work! I guess I will have to get up earlier and dress him now! lol!

9:40a - I am going to have to take my breakfast of fruit back over to the cafeteria. Its spoiled! Gag!

11:27a - I took my fruit back over and at first they did not want to refund my money for it. They said I had already eaten some of it. I asked them, "you mean you will charge ME for eating rotten food?!" I was about to tell them I would just go to the doctor to be checked out for eating bad food and send them my bill, but they relented and paid me the $4.50 back. That was gross.

11:43a - I think I have the mess straightened out with the tickets for Six Flags.

2:41p - I had Turkey Tettrazini & snap peas for lunch. I also heard that the "boss" over at the cafeteria declared that the fruit that I returned was NOT rancid, sour, spoiled or any such and they left the food out for all to eat!

2:43p - I have an Applix meeting at 3:00p. This is first one in ages!

4:37p - The Applix meeting was very good. I am glad I went. It was good to have DM join me too. I feel very comfortable with her.

4:48p - LZ just called me to let me know that she picked up my certified letter from the post office. She is going to drop it off in my mailbox. I owe her one! What can I do for her as a thank you? I must think of something...

5:38p - Its getting close to time to go home... finally. I am going to try to keep my energy level up so I can get the lawn mowed and the kitchen cleaned up tonight. Both are getting out of hand. I am hoping Skip will have taken the initiative of doing one of these, especially since I think he mentioned going home early.

5:50p - ...and I'm off!

7:30p - Wow! Skip mowed the lawn! The front anyway. That will have to do. I now have to do the kitchen (yuck!). I stopped at Schnuck's on the way home and got some salad fixin's... and some beer. The Six Flag's tickets were in the mailbox as LZ promised; sure glat THAT problem is out of the way!

9:22p - DONE in the kitchen! I am pooped... sweating... my back aches... that was a lot of work. Skip got off easy just mowing the front lawn.

10:10p - I was going to fix a salad tonight, but I am so tired and not all that hungry. I may just skip supper. I don't know. I just finished adding my firefly images to last month jounal page. I thought they made a nice touch to the experience.

11:07p - Well... the food problem is solved. We ordered a pizza. It's here already!

THURSDAY - JUNE 3, 2004

Happy Birthday to Toni Curtis! June 3, 1925

12:03a - I am trying to get organized to go to bed, but I have not eaten yet. Skip is sleeping on the sofa in the living room, so I will eat in my room. The refridgerator door was WIDE open, all the lights were on in the other room, lava lamp on, candles burning... of course those are MY embellishments, so he does not extinguish them... but he could at least shut the 'fridge!

12:05a - So...off to eat pizza in my bed...

7:21a - ...and get heart burn, as expected. It looks like a beautiful day out. I remember noting in my journal last year that it was so cool that I had to wear my jacket to work on June 3rd!

7:23a - I am going to try to get out of here faster this morning so that I can run by Schnucks and pick up a fruit bowl for breakfast there. I don't want to buy it at Olin Hall after yesterday's nauseating experience, and besides, it just may be cheaper. After beer and pizza for supper (instead of the planned salad), I really should NOT have biscuit & gravy!

7:27a - Oh! I finally remembered to get the form back from Skip for his pension deductions. I got my own paperwork to personnel a couple of weeks ago, but the sent it back to me a couple of days ago. I had not clarified which company (VanGuard) that I was choosing to handle my pension. And I accidentally handed Skip the forms back and kept forgetting to get them from him. I have them in hand now. Soon we should both have a proper pension fund building.

9:56a - I got over to the store with plenty of time to spare. They had a nice sized fruit bowl for about $3.50. More fruit and less cost (and NOT rotten!). I also should still have a couple of microwave meals in the freezer. I think I will fix those for lunch for the next day or two. I will save money, eat healthier, and deny the cafeteria a bit of business. I am offended and disgusted that they would leave that rancid fruit out for people, charge a high price for it, and then effectively call me a liar.

11:14a - LZ is off today and tomorrow, so it will be busy for me. Is busy for me. It seems like most of my calls this morning have been for Barnes related issues on IBM PC's (they have their own Customer Support Center and we

12:17p - LR is out today too and BS is still on vacation. SR is gone too I guess. I don't know who is going to cover me for lunch, but I am getting hungry!

4:53p - I was good at lunch and just ate one little frozen meal. But I was so hungry still. I have continued to munch on junk food all afternoon!

5:47p - This has been a fairly quiet evening. I actually sat here reading my book for about 45 minutes. Time to head home. One more day, then this should be a busy weekend. I hope to make it to Pagan Pride in Tower Grove on Saturday and they we are going to Six Flags on Sunday. I wonder if I can take Monday off...? That would be a good idea.

10:20p - I am having beer again tonight, but I am having salad for supper. I got the salad all made, but haven't stopped to eat yet.

11:34p - I just got Marlene's "box" of goodies; a "care package"... started for her. Skip and I are thinking about starting a practice of setting up boxes to be mailed out to loved ones. This is just one. We can fill them up slowly over time and send them when the get full. I think this is a great idea! I am excited about it. I think I will buy some boxes for this purpose in a couple of weeks and begin this process!

FRIDAY - JUNE 4, 2004

Happy Birthday to Actor Robert Lansing! 1928

Happy Birthday to Singer! "Marky Mark" Mark Wahlberg 1972

12:03a - I am amused that I am making an entry at exactly the same time as 24 hours earlier.

12:04a - Meanwhile, I have not eaten yet.... must go fix my salad and crash!

12:24a - hmmm... the salad was good. I am off to bed now.

7:24a - I was up too late last night. I slept soundly though, but I feel awful this morning. I need to go back to bed! However, LZ will not be at work again today, so I must be there.

11:30a - We just got out of our Coor Comm Meeting. It was a very interesting meeting for a change and even though I am very tired this morning, I did not feel all that sleepy until the very end of the meeting. Voice Mail is waiting now.

1:49p - Just got back from lunch. Had left over salad, but I forgot to put the dressing on it. It was actually pretty good without it though.

2:55p - I have been working much of the afternoon on reducing my mail file size. We are soon going to have a 500Mb Quota. My mail file was 673Mb (less than I expected actually). I have been deleting old emails and have reduced my mail file by 55.6% (that should be around 298Mb).

4:21p - I just answered an email to Blake. He wants to know if we would like to BUY the house we live in! I don't think so, but I will talk with Skip about this.

4:36p - RD just text paged my phone.

4:45p - I have Monday scheduled off. I am planning on going to the Pagan Picnic in Tower Grove park tomorrow, and to Six Flags on Sunday. I figured I would take Monday off. I may need the rest!

4:50p - Just replied to RD's message.

5:27p - Coffee cup (and 2 pots) are all cleaned. I am SO ready to go!

5:46p - Finally... what long week for only four days!

7:44p - Home (again) at last. Kira is fed, our pills are downed, and I set Kira's pills up for her for the next week.

SATURDAY - JUNE 5, 2004

Happy Birthday to Dr. Ruth Westheimer! June 4, 1929

I got up around 7:00a and let Kira out, gave her pills to her, then went back to bed.

10:21a - I slept another 3 hours. That's good! I need the sleep. It was cool, cloudy and threatening to rain earlier. It look partly sunny and much nicer out. I need to fix a bite to eat, and then I am going to the park for the Pagan Pride Picnic. There are always neat stands and interesting things to buy there.

5:31p - We just got home a bit ago. I never DID find the Picnic! Maybe I was too late? I got there around 1:30p. I thought it would still be going on by then. Oh well... we walked around and did some window shopping. Skip picked up a few things at FTA, and I took some pictures. Then we stopped back by Jay International before catching the bus and heading back. We stopped downtown at the Convention Centre and went to Walgreens. All I bought there was some sunscreen for tomorrow. I was a pleasant, if nearly useless/pointless outing.

SUNDAY - JUNE 6, 2004

I got up early this morning and got myself ready for the trip to Six Flags. At the last moment I realized that I could not find my bathing suit. I searched all over for it and finally found it hanging neatly in my closet.

I got down to CWE a little after 9:00a and Marty came by and picked me up. JR was not ready though and I ended up waiting for 3 hours before we finally left. I could have slept in longer if I had known that. We left JR's place about noon, stopped at a McDonald's for a bite to eat and finally got into the park around 1:30p. We spent about three or four hours in the water park and it was a real blast. Except that I discovered that I had walked off without my bathing suite after all! That was not problem for the most part, except in one case, when I was going to go down a water slide and was forbidden to do so due to the type of shorts I was wearing. That was aggravating, since the climb up the steps was so long and I was literally trembling with exhaustion after climbing all those steps... FOR NOTHING!

Later, JR and I went on the BATMAN ride. That was exhilarating! We wandered over to the arcade for a while, and took the park train to the opposite side of the park, then went on "Scooby Doo's Scary Swamp Ride". Our picture was taken during this event and I paid to have one printed. We took the train back around to the other side of the park again and by this time it was about 7:30p. We went to Ponderosa for a buffet dinner and boy did JR pack some food away! I just ate sparingly, but I was so tired. My left thumb was hurting me too. I think I strained it on the BATMAN ride, though it was not hurting immediately after the ride. It started to hurt slowly and built up to a point where I could barely move it without agonizing pain.

From there we stopped and fueled the tank, it was dark already. Then we went by JR's where he picked up a barrel and then headed to Illinois to take me home. It was after 10:00p by the time we got home. JR swapped out the recycling can barrel and then They headed back out. Marty still had to take JR home in St. Louis and then drive to Washington, MO; he did not expect to get home until about midnight!

Kira had gotten into a trash bag that I had sat out on the back porch and had garbage scattered all over the yard, so I was not happy with her. And, of course, I was worried that she ate some foil or plastic or some other such material that would have her sick!

MONDAY - JUNE 7, 2004

I took a vacation day today and spent the day not doing much of anything. I did get the trash set out and I painted the mail box, and the numbers on the side of the house. I walked over to Wal-mart earlier and put the "Water Camera" in with 27 exposures for development. I am getting a CD made with the photos included also. I also picked up another pork roast from Schnucks and some garlic-herb marinade and cooked a delicious smelling roast.

OH! Guess what... I found my bathing suit in my sachel (that I took with me to the park yesterday)!! It was in the small, zippered side pouch. I had forgotten that I put it in there. I feel so stupid... DOH!

Shirley S. sent me some info in the mail which I received today, about liver disease. I will read through this to see if I can learn anything that will be of benefit to Kira. Oh... and I did give Kira a flea bath today, and then treated her with some flea stuff; the stuff you apply down their spine. I got some on me too, but I washed it off right away.

TUESDAY - JUNE 8, 2004

I woke up a little after 4:00a and was feeling awful! My stomach was doing flip-flops and I was afflicted with the most extreme case of diarrhea. I had heart burn and was all shakey feeling. I went back to bed and had awful dreams. One dream took place in a park-like area with a bridge which traversed a small, shallow stream. There was a little girl on the edge of the bridge, maybe 4 or 5 years old. She was yelling to her mother to watch her jump into the water. I was below the bridge and realized that the water was only 4-6 inches deep and not good for diving. The bridge was very high. I started screaming at the little girl, "Don't jump!!" over and over, but she jumped anyway. She missed the water entirely and I heard a sickening THUD and she landing in some deep grass, just out of my sight. I felt horrible and knew there was no way she could have survived that fall. Then I woke up, nauseaus, and had to run for the bathroom again. I went back to bed and had more bad dreams which I allowed myself to forget, waking up sporadically. It was finally time for me to get up for work, and I knew I could not handle it. I just felt horrible. I had to call in sick.

Calais contacted me today. She needed help with her puppy's vet bill. I helped out.

6:41p - I slept in until noon today before I felt close enough to normal to get up again. I haven't done a thing all day. I need to get my laundry put away still, but haven't had the energy. I cooked a pot of rice and mixed that with some snap peas and diced pork roast which I ate in a couple of sittings today. Skip took 3 days off from work, so he was home today too. I am feeling close to normal again now. Hopefully, whatever it was, is over, and I will be back to work like normal in the morning.

11:53p - I still don't feel quite right. My stomach is queasy. I am off to bed now though. Hopefully I will sleep well and this will be out of my system in the morning.

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 9, 2004

7:47a - I feel better this morning (I am going to work, at any rate), but I still don't feel quite right. I had more bad dreams all night, and Kira's breathing problem was bad. She got me up twice to go outside. I suspect she just wanted to get some fresh air more than anything. She tried to get me up at least two other times, but I told her to go back to bed; she was starting to abuse her privileges!

7:50a - It's an overcast morning with more promise of rain. I don't remember it raining so much in the past years I have lived her now, which, as of tomorrow, will be exactly four years. How time has flown. So many things have happened. I was 42 and she was 7; now I'm 46 and she's 11.

8:36p - It was a long day. I am pooped. Email is read, pills taken, Kira fed. I am going to make some clam chowder for supper and go to bed early I think.

9:35p - I am watching TV in bed. Going to sleep early.

THURSDAY - JUNE 10, 2004

7:37a - I had a nice solid sleep last night, yet I am SO sleepy this morning. It's what I call a "Tylenol PM hangover."

10:31a - I am still sleepy after a vivarin, and 2 cups of coffee. I slept soundly last night, but just am having trouble pulling OUT of sleep! I have to take a VT terminal on-site sometime today, but I can't figure out where it goes.

I had my fruit bowl from Schnucks again this morning. I have left over seafood chowder planned for lunch. I still have not returned to Olin Hall cafeteria since the day of the rancid fruit.

10:59a - LZ is finally back from somewhere. I will try taking the terminal on site now. Dale made me a map.

11:58a - I just finished getting that terminal set up. The hardest part about the entire affair was LOCATING the "satellite room" in West Pavillion with the terminal was located. It was in the 8200 section which one would think was near 8300 and 8400. But, NooOOOoo... its located way across the complex! Anyway, I found it.

12:24p - My arms feel a little trembly after carrying that monitor all over the place. The old one was a bit small at least, and not quite as heavy. That would great exercise!

1:08p - Time for lunch and I am starving. Linda is covering for me, but she is away getting a snack to tide her over. I think I will sneak an early cracker from my lunch while I wait!

3:08p - We had another ACD meeting. It looks like the new ACD telephone system will not go live until the middle of July now.

4:39p - I forgot my wallet at home this morning! That's a rarity. I was actually thinking of stopping and having some drinks on the way home tonight; another rarity. Then I remembered I don't have my wallet (or cash) with me. Oh well.

5:46p - Just finishing up scanning in the petroglyph images from Skip's book. Then head home.

9:42p - I got home, fed Kira, and we took our pills. This I changed and walked over to Wal-mart and picked up the pictuers from the 'water camera.' I also got a couple more 3-wick candles, 2 big serving spoons, a strainer spoon, some salad tongs and some regular cooking tongs. Then I went to KFC and got some chicken for supper (and to BP for some beearage). I cleaned the new utensils and put them away. Skip hasn't seen them yet.

9:47p - I copied all the pictures from the Wal-mart picture CD, all the pictures from my camera, pictures from our outing to Six Flags on June 10, 2001, plus pictures from PrideFest and more pictures to a CD for Marty. I also set aside one set of photos for him and put the second set in an album for myself.

11:43p - Off to bed now.

FRIDAY - JUNE 11, 2004
Employee Recognition Day

6:50a - I am up early. I woke up about 5:00a and just dozed until about 6:00a. Then I would not go back to sleep, so I just got up. Kira was breathing laboriously again, and then I had a couple of fleas crawl on me and a roach crawl up the wall over my bed. Yesterday Skip had a centipede crawl up on him while watching TV. This place has just TOO MANY BUGS!

6:54a - Skip has been off all week, except Monday, but he is going in today due to the fact that it is "Employee Recognition Day." He is needed for at least a half day.

9:45a - I picked up some cottage cheese and a fruit bowl for breakfast and it is really hitting the spot. Its filling, tasty, healthy and soothing. (I sound like an advertisement!). I finished reading "Harry Potter: The Order of the Phoenix" on the train this morning. (Darn ... now I will have nothing to read on the trip home tonight). 11:10a - LZ is off getting her car checked. I am by myself on the support desk again. I have started using the line "Customer Support" when answering the phone now. It's hard to break the habit of saying "Help Desk" ... but I am good at self modifications of this nature. I don't think LZ has managed to answer the phone with the new spiel once yet!

5:49p - I had lunch with Skip, though he was working at the same time for the "Employee Recognition Day" event. I took some pictures. Tom, from photography took mine and Skip's picture together. A little while later Tom fainted due to the heat! Skip's boss, Greg, was putting ice on him and I took his picture (I hope he appreciates the irony!). 5:51p - Friday at last!! Must rush! Time to go! YAY!! I took these pictures of the new front steps of my office on the way out. The concrete is still wet. This is their second attempt at building these steps. The first attempt did not pass inspection and had to be torn out again!

Scenes from "Employee Recognition Day"

SATURDAY - JUNE 12, 2004

Happy Birthday to Annette Madden!

Today was a lazy day of doing not much. I was going to go to Soulard Market, but I awoke to thunder and rain. Later in the day it had calmed down and I went to Walmart; I bought myself a nosehair trimmer, of all things! Then later I walked back to Q-Mart where I decided I wanted some butter beans for supper. They didn't have any, so I walked over to Schnucks again. I fixed my beans with some left over roast and that was about the extent of my day!

SUNDAY - JUNE 13, 2004

6:10p - This has been another lazy day. I have spent most of the day updating and re-creating my old "diary" entries to conform the my current DreamWeaver oriented "Journal" format. I walked to the store ealier and picked up some stuff for making fruit bowls for my breakfast. It has a massive savings over spending $3.50 for one bowl of fruit!! I also picked up some more things to finish filling up the "care package" I am sending to Aunt Marlene. 10:13p - Skip just came and told me that he heard that Ray Charles has died. How very sad.

10:19p - Earlier I got my fruit (cantaloupe, pineapple, watermelon and banana) prepared for my breakfasts for the next 3 days. I hope that's not too long! I also have some cottage cheese to go with them. That was delicious and filling, healthy and lite, when I had it last Friday morning. I don't know what I am doing for lunch yet tomorrow.

11:28p - I finally got my weekend recipe out. Despite its tardiness, I was pleased with the content for "Frybread" and it indigenous American edification.

MONDAY - JUNE 14, 2004

1:05a - Skip and I (and Kira) walked over to the BP to get some late night beers ... but they were closed! For at least a few minutes. The a-hole running the place could not seem to explain (or provide signage) that they were closed for only 5 to 10 minutes for restocking. He opened the doors at the last moment... I was about to leave and go look up an address to write and complain. I may still do so. That was nasty.

I never did drink the 2 beers I bought. I just put them in the fridge and pulled out the remainder of my KFC chicken, potato wedges and corn on the cob. I had enough beer already... now its time for bed. Work tomorrow... and I've already been up later that I should have!

1:10a - OFF TO BED!

7:20a - I got up a little after 5:00a and let Kira out, then went back to bed. I thought I had only 45 minutes remaining to sleep. I was too sleepy to calculate the clock correctly. It was a surprise when I woke up again at about 6:15a and realized I still had another 45 mintues left in bed!

Then I was beset with another barrage of weird dreams. There was a woman who was supposed to interview me from some Island country; the interview had something to do with speaking Tsalagi. However, the woman was very prenant and I think she went into labor in the middle of out talk. Then I seemed to be a computer/printer Tech in the same building and had to following this woman around to where the printer was being installed. She was a new employee and getting new equipment. We arrived at her office, after going several places and some company was installing anothe printer already. The strange thing was how slick the floors were. I was barely moving my feet the entire time... litterally "skating" everywhere I went.

7:27a - Anyway, I am up, but I am so sleepy!

10:34a - I did not have anything to read on the bus this morning. Very boring.

Skip got his new 256Mb chip in the mail today and installed it. Apparently it is making a phenomal difference and he is all exciting about his increased performance. things that took from 5 to 10 minutes before are now completing in under 1 minute.

Skip also mosed the back yard this evening! That was cool. It was badly overdue. The front yard still need to be mowed. Before mowing, he picked up some debris and found an envelope containing a $400 Cashier's Check made out to, and endorsed by Kyle (our neghbor)! We got it back to Kyle later. He had put it in the mailbox. Something hinky was going on over there. They were robbed or something. Even they are not sure what happened, but apparently the baby sitter and/or the kids were involved. So far the police have not been involved, but it would not bother me if they were. If they had a break-in, I am left feeling very concerned about leaving our place unattended all day long! Fortunately, Kira can be very defensive and territorial and would present a very good deterernt to any would-be burglars.

Went over and worked on Tad's computer again this evening. It did not go well. His CD drives vanished. Then I came home and they got the drives back. I have no clue what's going on with his crazy computer!

11:36p - Going to eat a bite and crash now. I have been working on my new ani-kutani.com site with limited success. I am VERY tired.

TUESDAY - JUNE 15, 2004

7:58a - I am not feeling well this moring. I know its my meds. I am just too tired and did not sleep worth beans again. I had to call in sick. I tried to set up an appointment with Dr. C yesterday... but ... HE MOVED! They tell me he has moved to St. Luke's hospital about two months ago! (Wherever THAT is). I am going to have to speak to DB about the doctor he see's, and Tad mentioned another doctor last night. I have to find someone in walking distance though.

8:03a - I feel really bad about missing today at work since we were having a group picture done. Three of us won't be in the picture, including me (and DB and PS). Oh well... c'est la vive. I've got to go lay back down...

I slept until about noon, got up, fix some food ... and that's about all I've done today. I feel better now (other than depressed), but I dare not go in to work now or I risk more accusations of being "tardy." Better to just inconvenience everyone and waste my own time by taking the entire day off.

2:26p - I just stepped out on the back porch with Kira for a few minutes and that little red cardinal flew down and landed on the tree by me. He was flitting from branch to branch and keeping his eye on me with an occassional chirp. I knew exactly what he was up to... he wanted me to put out more bird seed in the feeder! Little Dotsuwa has become quite bold and demanding! I complied with his wishes and filled the feeder. He was digging in before I could even walk back in the house.

2:31p - I am feeling perfectly fine now. I should be at work! This is so stupid.

11:14p - I got lots more done on my new Ani-Kutani site. Fix MORE food. Took a couple of Tylenol PM's and now I am off to bed.

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 16, 2004

7:20a - I got up at 6:45a and let Kira outside. Skip was still asleep on the sofa. His alarm did not go off. He is still using that little alarm clock that I brought with me from Florida, even though I bought him an alarm clock for Yule about 2 years ago. A "dual" alarm. He never uses it though. Anyway, he is going to be late to work after over a week of vacation! That doesn't look good... oops!

7:23a - I laid back down and got up at 7:10a. Skip was in the shower. Great... now I will run out of hot water in the middle of MY shower. At least I feel MUCH better this morning. I slept soundly and well. Lots of dreams (of course) but they weren't the dark, ominous, or stressful kind of dreams that I often have that leave me feeling worn out the next morning. I can't remember now what the dreams were about, but that's oaky. As long as I got my rest!

7:28a - My computer had spontaneously rebooted itself again during the night. That seems to happen more and more frequently of late. The few types I submitted an error report, it was indicated that I may have some kind of driver conflict, but the report could not be specific, so there is no way for me to identify the problem. I could have done a "point restore" if I had caught the problem early on, but now I would have no idea what date to restore back to or how much choas the restore would wreak on my system.

7:31a - Oh, to add to the fun this morning, it is dark and overcast, drizzling rain, and generally dismal.

I started reading the book that Erline, the bus driver (aka "Big Mama"), wanted me to read. It's called "It" by Dave Pelzer. A true story about himself and his childhood as an abused child. This is the first time I have read a book that was non-fiction and not in the sci-fi/fantasy genre in... I don't know when; years.

12:17p - Wow... what a morning it has been already. LZ was in tears over a personal problem in which she had made a cash payment on her storage unit and the money has "vanished". They have locked her out of her storage until and are preparing to auction off her belongings! What a horrible situation. I loaned her the money to get things straightened out.

Fortunately, LZ did not need the money after all. (Now I have a pocket full of cash I was not expecting to be carrying around).

We went over to #5 Lazarcheff and I took some pictures for Tad

THURSDAY - JUNE 17, 2004

7:29a - I got up a precisely 7:00a this morning. I would like to go right back to bed (as usual).

8:04a - Time to head off to work. I am getting so bored with this monotonous routine...

9:30a - ...and my work day begins. I am having yet another breakfast of fruit & cottage cheese. I still maintain my boycott against the Olin Hall Cafeteria. Lunch will not be so pleasant today, since I scorched the hamberger meat that I made for my supper last night... which is, of course, my lunch for today.

12:51p - LZ has been gone most of the morning... somewhere. It has been typically hectic. Sonya is picking up some food from Sun Rise Chop Suey (some Chinese food place "in the hood" as she says). I am not certain what I will be getting, but I think it is going to be "braised chicken" (... and I am still not sure what that will be). I am so disgusted with mysef! <grrrr!> I created a stack of 20

2:22p - I finished reading, A Child Called "It" at lunch. It was moving, but depressing.

5:50p - Hectic day... another one. Running late... ready to GO HOME though!!

I was trying to decide if I would mow the front lawn or clean the kitchen when I get home tonight. To my surprise, Skip was mowing the front yard when I got home. So... I tacked the kitchen, which has been a disaster area for days. It took me about 3 hours to get it adequate. The floors really need to be mopped.

Skylar called and we are supposed to go out tomorror night. He is bringing along a friend who he says is new to the area and doesn't know any one. Denise, meanwhile, has a job now and is working 40-50 hours per week. That sounds great for her!

Oh... and Marty is finally getting a new computer! I am happy for him. He needs one!

FRIDAY - JUNE 18, 2004

7:37a - I need to hurry since I would like to run by the grocery store and get some cottage cheese for breakfast. I don't have anything to read either.

7:43a - It is a beautiful sunny morning out (probably hot & muggy too). Kira is outside running up and down the fence line looking energetic. She probably saw a squirell (which made HER day)! I love that dog so much it hurts.

8:00a - It doesn't look like I will have time to run by Schnucks after all. I will have to walk over to the Barnes Cafeteria and find some greasy stuff for breakfast. Oh... I have my Aunt Marlene's "care package" ready to go this morning. I will ship it out to her today if I can.

8:14a - Arrived at the bus stop a bit early. The bus doesn't usually run until 8:22a ... I think I can make it to the store and get breakfast.

Picked up some fruit and cottage cheese...

8:19a - I see the bus! I am almost back to the bus stop. I run, waving at the bus to stop. He does not see me.... STOP! He continues on, oblivious to my existence. Me, the paying customer who rides his bus every morning. Me, who stands and waits an extra 5 or 10 minutes for him when he is late, in the freezing cold or blistering sun. So aggravating.

8:34a - This is only the 3rd time I have missed the bus since moving here. I am back at the house now (dripping sweat!).

8:37a - Oh well... I had left Marlene's package sitting in the house anyway. Now I will have a second chance to take it with me. I am eating my (hard earned!) fruit breakfast now...

9:16a - I have just arrived back at the bus stop for the second time today.

9:22a - The bus was due at 9:18... I just now see it coming around the corner. If it had been this late an hour ago, I would not have missed it! Uh oh... I don't have my bus pass! I will have to pay $2 and get a transfer (I've never done this before!).

I restarted the book "Timeline" this morning. I have the hard cover which I started reading back in Deltona just before moving out to St. Louis, but I never did finish reading it. Now, four years later, the movie based on the book has been produced and is out in the video stores. I am going to read this book and then go rent the movie and compare the two.

11:56a - The first email I read when I got to the office this morning was my dear friend Liz U. in Orlando who wrote with the tragic news that her son, Gary, was killed last night when his truck hit a pole. He was only 42. Very sad news. So young.

11:58a - I brought Marlene's package with me and have it taped up, labeled and ready to go. However, LZ had to go get her stuff out of the storage unit, so I am the only one manning the phones again. I will have to take the package to the post on my lunch.

12:04p - Speaking of lunch, I don't know what I am going to do for lunch. I suppose I will walk over to the Barnes Cafeteria after stopping by the post office.

12:06p - Earlier I was able to get the pictures printed of Dave Pelzer (the famous "abused child case" from the book I just finished reading). I cut them out and laminated them to give to Erline, the bus driver who loaned me the book. We discussed the story at great length yesterday on the way home.

12:12p - Calisa's Avon shipment just arrived at my desk and I opened it just now. YAY! Pictures!!.... 12:32p - Great pictures! 5:27p - This has been BUSY afternoon. I talked to Skylar earlier. He is not going to be able to get off until 11pm, but he is coming straight over from work and will shower and get ready there. 5:51p - Time to go. Friday at last. I hate wishing my life away by living for the weekends, but.... <sigh> 5:58p - I am having a terrible time with the stupid vending machine to by a ticket home. I couldn't figure out which buttons to push and people are waiting in line behind me.

Then it spit one of my bills back out and I had to uncrinkle it and retry a couple of times. I finally thought I pushed all the right buttons and put in more then enough money but it just sat there and never gave me any tickets, so I pressed CANCEL. The train will be here ANY moment! It spat out my two bills and I tried again, but this time it said I had chosen two tickets and wanted more money <grrrr!> I am starting to panick. I CANCELLED again and started over. FINALLY its working.

6:02p - ...and none too late! Here is the train! I am running down the steps and hoping the train does not pull out before I get to it. Oh no... for the third day in a row there is a ball game! The doors are crowded with people... I have to run to the next one... too full...next one... nope... next one... here's an opening! I jump in and the doors swish shut behind me. Whew! If I had remembered that I had forgotten my bus pass and had known there was a game tonighte, I would have taken Skylar up on his offer to give me a ride home tonight! What a pain!

8:31p - I need to straighten up the house a bit before Skylar and his friend get here.

SATURDAY - JUNE 19, 2004

6:08a - We just got home. I sure spent a lot. Skylar is going to pay me back... that's okay. I don't mind really. I had a nice time out. It would have been nice if it were just the two of us tho... <sigh> ... silly me. I should refrain from such improper thoughts... 6:10a - Meanwhile... I am going to bed now! whoa... it's DAY light!! I got up about 11:00a and fixed some Menudo. Skip and I watched "Master and Commander." about a British ship chasing a French ship around the seas and battling. Took place in the year 1805. I am so tired after last night, but Skylar wants to go out again tonight. Don't know if I will have the wherewithall to go it again! 3:34p - It is such a beatiful day out. I am so tired though. What a waste. I think I will go take a nap. I tried to nap for 2-3 hours to no avail. The next door neighbor was mowing. And mowing, and mowing, and mowing! They couldn't have had that much grass!

I dozed off a couple of times, but didn't really sleep.

I finally got up and took a shower. Then a bit later, Skip and I walked over to Wal-Mart. I most spent money on vitamins. From there, we went to Schnucks and I picked up a few items with the intention of making a meat loaf.

I made the meatloaf with a whole can of sliced black olives, and a whold jar of pimientos. I added crushed potato chips and Ritz crackers, a couple of eggs and miscellaneous seasonings. It came out pretty good. I made some mashed potatoes & gravy on the side.

Marty and JR came by and picked up the cans tonight. I gave Marty the CD with the Six Flags pictures and the hard copy pictures. For JR I had about 3 or 4 bags of frozen goods from the freezer. He made out like a bandit and I got some more room in the freezer!

SUNDAY - JUNE 20, 2004

9:43a - I got up around 8:00a and let Kira out ... she' still out. It's anothe beautiful day. I fixed a bite of left over meatloaf and a couple of over-easy eggs for breakfast. Now I am sleepy again. I was going to go to the EASL meeting today, but I am so sleepy and tired and it is such a long trip by bus/train/bus to get there. It's just too much hassle.

11:37a - I am still sitting in front of this computer. Still sleepy. Kira is still outside. I need to get motivated!

5:45p - What a wasted day. I've been napping or eating all day. I did get 3 weeks worth of pills sorted into dispensers. I still need to mop the kitchen. I just have no energy.

I finally walked to the store around 7:30p. I decided to go by Block Buster and get a movie first. Then I went to Schnucks. I got a cantalope and quarter of a watermelon, plus a small container of strawberries. I got some pork and cabbage for supper and lunch tomorrow. I got all the fruit chopped and ready for breakfast for the week. Cooked supper and watched the movie, "The Vampire Effect." It was in Taiwanese and I was a quarter of the way through it before I discovered I could set it for an English translation! DOH! It was not a bad moive... yes it was, but I enjoyed it.

MONDAY - JUNE 21, 2004

12:28a - I am almost glad to go back to work in the morning. I have been bored all weekend. Friday night out with Skylar was fun, but then I was so tired Saturday the day was ruined. And I stayed up late on Saturday and felt mostly *blah* all do today. I didn't really accomplish anything.

12:30a - I am off to bed now. I should have gone to bed earlier, but I always seem to wake up at night. I think I must be part Vampyre too! lol...

7:24a - Yikes! I've over slept! I meant to hit the snooze button when the alarm went off, and turned it off by mistake.

7:37a - Rushing. Kira and I have taken our pills. Now I need to zip through some email and run to the shower. I've already shaved. I mustn't forget my breadfasts and lunch in the fridge...

8:04a - All dressed, showered shaved and ready! Even my food is in my satchel ready to go. And Kira's "goodies" are even laid out for the week (I place them on the TV every Monday for the remainder of the week).8:18a - I am at the bus stop. I hope the bus was not a fraction early this morning, since it is suppose to be running at this moment!

10:12a - I am feeling alert and efficient this morning. (...and I haven't even had a cup of coffee!).

The 'alert & efficent' feeling did not last long. By noon I was about to fall asleep!

2:02p - I had to eat my lunch at my desk. There was no where to eat back where I normally sit. All the tables were taken. I ended up doing about as much work while eating as when I was not eating. I am still not going to Olin Cafeteria either. It become a matter of pride to me now. (Their loss! I am still eating well!).

4:42p - Gary and Lisa have both been gone since about 3pm ... so of course, it has been a hectic afternoon. This place would not be so stressful if people were here, or I knew where they were (at least), and/or I had someone to help.

I called Dr. Park's office and got an appointment for July 2 @ 2:30p.

5:47p - Time to go!

6:55p - I am at the hardward store. Skip called me and asked that I pick up a saw. He wants to prune some of the trees and shrubs around the yard.

9:11p - I chatted with Tammy (of Virginia) tonight. It looks like we are going to be roomies in Atlanta for Dragoncon! Cool. We have been chatting on-line for about 4 years... now we are going to finally meet. How wild!!

9:12p - Oh... Marty got his new Dell PC in today! YAY MARTY!

10:30p - Supper is cooked (as well as the morrow's lunch). Chicken stirfry and rice.

I ordered another batch of meds online tonight and transferred funds from savings to cover them.

11:10p - Time to go eat then off to bed!

11:31p - I've eaten supper... now off to bed.

TUESDAY - JUNE 22, 2004

7:26a - Last night was another night of wild bizarre dreams. They are fading from memory already and I don't even want to try to remember them. Too mentally strenous! 9:38a - DM is back at work today. That's good for us, but I bet she is hating it!

10:54a - I am too sleepy today.

11:49a - This place is a madhouse...

3:58p - Jason B. came over from Surgery and to help me fix our problem with accessing graphics icons in Applix and ODBC connectivity to the Applix SQL based database. We were not successful. (yet).

5:14p - Someone replaced the Equipment request form (that I worked on and have maintained for several years) with an ancient form from 3 years ago. This has left me in an irritable mood all afternoon. I was able to find the new form and overwrite it. If someone wanted the old form to be used again, they have discussed it with me (or someone). Somehow I should have been in the loop.

9:24p - I am so tired this evening. I fed Kira, and watched some TV, the fixed supper and am watching what I can of the DVD I rented the other day, the second "Laura Croft: Tomb Raider" movie. (Don't laugh... I am just hoping for some amusing special effects...)

11:33p - I will finish watching the movie later. Maybe. I've been dawdling in email some, but I am off to bed early tonight.

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 23, 2004

7:40a - It is unseasonably chilly out this morning! The sun is shining, but I am debating if I should wear my jacket... and it's almost July! How odd...

2:06p - Getting ready to go out with Gary to install a printer stand.

5:48p - I didn't make many comments in my journal notes today. Been pleasantly busy.

7:26p - I just noticed in my entry on this date last year that this was the day that Ken discussed getting a marker for Mom's grave. I haven't heard anything more about it.

11:43p - I ended up walking back over to Schnuck's for some onions tonight. I called Marlene and got an up date on Uncle Sheno's condition... (not good). Nico has another child on the way (#2). Deana met me at Schnucks and offered me a ride, so I ended up spending about $65 on a rush shopping spree! Came home and cooked some macaroni alfredo stuff. Had a few beers (which I was not going to do). Got some laundry done... and now I am off to bed. Boy... am I tired! Oh... I also got Steve R's picture trimmed and framed for his retirement on Friday...

THURSDAY - JUNE 24, 2004

2:40a - I was having strange dreams about being trapped in a "segment" or "bubble" of reality when I awoke. Kira needs to go outside. I am wondering (in my dazed brain) if I can make it to the back door or if I will encounter the edge of reality? Well, I made it to the door of course. Kira is back in and I am back to bed....

4:20a - Kira woke me gain. She is panting and pacing. Ho ve! She is out of water! I said "water" to her and she started prancing. Yep... she's thirsty. Poor thing. Papa Lee has been negligent. Fi al min!

7:10a - Got up. Yuck. Need more sleep! Had to cut chunks of Braunsweiger up for Kira's pills. Skimmed through email. Catching up journal.

7:46a - Now must rush! Turn on dryer to de-wrinkle clothes (all my trousers are in there). Already shaved. Need to shower & dress ... all in about 15-20 minutes!

8:07a - Done! ... and I'm off to work now...

8:25a - The bus is again stopped at the RR tracks on Mildred. I am continuing to read Crichton's "Timeline." It is getting very good now. It will be interesting to watch the movie once I finish the book.

9:13a - I stopped and picked up my monthly transit pass on the way in this morning. The price has gone up from $45 to $50 per month.

10:37a - Damn... what a hectic morning at work!

11:32a - I am so sleepy. I need more sleep. But I don't think I will be getting it this weekend. Pridefest is taking place... and a picnic in the park.

5:39p - Not much has happened out of the usual routing today. I had my macaroni dish for lunch. The Citrix SQL server is having problems this evening.

9:37p - I stopped by #5 Lazarcheff on the way home tonight. It is really coming along fine. I am fairly sure that we are going to move in to it. I am sorry for BA being stuck with this place, but it needs too much work. He is raising the rent but we have so many problems. I had the plumbing problem fixed recently and that cost me personally over $200 in lost time and such which I did not charge to him. Now I have come to realize that our place has been completely unsecure for all this time! The front windows do not lock! I thought they did, but I was wrong. You can just open the damn things with no effort. That sucks. And so many other problems. I have addressed them to BA and nothing has happened. He seems to think that I should take the initiative. I did in those cases that I could (like rebuilding the fence... which was supposed to be done before I moved in), but I don't own this property and I don't have the same initiative. I will respect the property and do my best to take care of it within reasonable expectations, but fixing windows, cleaning the A/C unit, providing maintenance to the heating system, and dealing with all these horrible swarms of roaches is just getting beyond my ability to deal with!

9:46p - Anyway... they have the new A/C unit installed and much more. It is looking good. I am impressed!

11:03p - Skip is just now leaving to the store to pick up some more beerl. He has tomorrow off. I asked him to get more for me, but I will probably not drink it.

11:39p - I am going to go eat and crash. I am getting trashed just going through my never-ending email!

FRIDAY - JUNE 25, 2004

7:10a - Up after my customary one push of the snooze button. As I was getting up, so did Kira. She started doing a little dance and her hind leg was jerking... I thought she was having a stroke or seizure or something! I realize after a moment that she was probably suffering a flea bite and was trying to scratch it. She had me worried there for a moment!

7:33a - Money went in the bank last night. My monthly bus pass must hae been deducted from this check since my pay check was noticeably lower. I transferred funds to savings, but I am still lower than I was last payday at this time. Of course Skip has rent to pay, Skylar owes me some money and so does Calais. I splurged and loaned a lot this past month

7:37a - Luck Skip... he took a vacation day today. I have to be at work today for sure since it is Steve's last day. After 25 years, he is retiring. Darn... I should be retiring. I was going to retire from the City of Orlando in 2003 with 20 years or in 2008 with 25 years. Instead I was fired with 15 years in 1998. I am still a bit bitter about that, but life goes on. Starting over at the age of 42 sucks, but at least I am alive to do so. 8:11a - As I am was leaving the house this morning, I noticed that the Gladiolas under the front window are starting to bloom. I whipped out my trusty camera and took a couple of pictures of them.

8:18a - I arrived at the bus stop, turned around, and lo, there comes the bus. Precisely on time.

8:25a - We crossing the RR tracks this morning. No train impeding our way this time!

8:36a - We are pulling into the train depot early this morning. I barely sat down on the bench to continue reading "Timeline" ... when the train pulled in.

9:04a - I am just stepping off the elevator. I am way early this morning!

9:32a - We are all getting ready for Steve retirement functions...

10:35a - Apparently his little retirement party is not until this afternoon.

12:26p - I am about to fall asleep... I hate this. Its a SLOW day...

12:45p - I took a caffein pill, but I am still sleepy... and now I am hungry too. I just want to go home (and sleep).

12:54p - The bus pass was still only $45, but now I know why my check was lower. They began deducting my pension money. My check was $51.44 less than usual; however, my employer adds 8.5% matching funds, so my first balance in my pention fund is $110.26. At that rate, I should have $5,733.32 accumulated in a year. That is not counting what I might get for a raise in August (and I have worked hard to try to warrant a decent raise this year!). That will increase the percentages. I should have started this right after I started working here. I was STUPID not to do so. I have wasted all that time in which I could be saving money for pension.

1:56p - I just finished lunch and went to wash out my dishes. LZ was in the kitchen. She had the sink full of hot water and was trying to thaw out a ring of ice in a bunt pan that had strawberries and limes in it. She asked me to take over, though for the life of me I had no clue what the purpose of this was for. However, helpful as I could be, I began thaw the fruit out of the ice ring and melting all the ice. Then LZ and LW came running back to the kitchen yelling, "No, Brad NO!" ... it turns out the fruit-filled ice ring was intended as a floating frozen decoration to chill the punch! (oops!!)

2:00p - Anyway... time to go back and participate in the festivities...

3:33p - I am back from Steve's retirement function. It went well. I sure do envy him getting to retire!

5:16p - Its getting close to time to go home. I call Skylar earlier to see if he wants to go to PrideFest 2004 tomorrow. Left voice mail. My coffee cup is washed. I am about ready to GO!

5:46p - Time to start shutting down...

8:49p - Oh crap. The electric bill is nearly $200.00 this month! Apparently BA did not send me last months bill and there was a past due balance! Ouch... this hurts!

SATURDAY - JUNE 26, 2004

2:03a - I am off to bed soon...

7:30a - Got up and let Kira out. Took my pills and went back to bed. Kira is still outside.

11:10a - Got up for real. Kira is still outside. I went and let her in and she seems very excited (I don't think she like be left out that long). She had a piece of paper with tape on it stuck to her foot. I reminded me of the scene from Arnold Schwarznegger's movie "Junior" in which is was dancing the Tango with a girl who had toilet paper stuck to her shoe. She kept trying to shake it off and he kept trying to match her "dance moves" ... too funny!

I got the towels folded that had been sitting in the living room for 2 days.

I had 3 old bananas that were turning black (okay... not "turning" .. but already quite black!). I decided to make some banana nut bread with them. I had all of the ingredients. So, I got my bread machine down and (after more than a year of collecting dust) I made some banana nut bread. Unfortunately, I missed this "chirp" from the machine that indicated I should dump the nuts (walnuts pieces and pecan halves) in to the machine, so it became just "banana bread" (with no nuts). The dry ingredients did not mix quite as they should have, but it came out "okay." I should have made a double quantity of it though.

Pridefest is in progress today in Tower Grove Park. I never miss this event since moving to the mid-west. I may not make it this year though.

I did not have any supper last night since my macaroni scorched on the stove while I waited at BP to get in. I was starving this morning, but could not make up my mind on anything to eat. Eventually, I fixed a clump of hamburger meat in a patty. I then cooked an onion and potato, slice, in a brown gravy sauce with a liberal dose of Chablis. It came out EXCELLENT! Very simple, yet elegant.

Around 3pm, Skip and I decided to walk to the store and get some fresh air. We stopped by #5 Lazarcheff, I probably new home. Richie was (as usual) working away at it. It's looking good, but there are some things I don't like. Especially the very small size of the "office" .. and Skip's room will be much smaller. My room, however, will be much bigger. I will miss the covered back porch. We will REQUIRE a fence on the West side of the house. Since I have Kira, I MUST have an enclosed yard. The carport may become a garage. I will push for this since the smaller room space means we will need storage space. The gutters (in front) were all cleaned today (that had to be a chore!). The ugly "bush" things in front of the house were cut down and the tree in the front yard pruned. The new A/C unit is working away and doing a good job. I don't like that the front windows do not open, but I can live with that. I do like that the bathroom has a window over the shower and that the kitchen will have a gas stove. I don't like that there is no covered patio like we have here, but I do like that we will be around the corner from the Q-Mart and across the street from the bus stop. Richie mention the possibility of putting in a gate in the backyard fence; that will be handy. We can go right over to the Q-Mart with no problem!

We left our inspection of our possible new home and walked over to Captain D's. Skip had some greasy fried fish meal and I had an over priced, but much healthier "broiled fish lunch plate" with steamed riche, veggies and broiled Whitefish.

We left Captain D's and went to Wal-Mart. We browsed around for a while (this is Cahokia style entertainment). I picked up another flat of Hazelnut Cream candles, a dental hygiene thingy for Kira, some vitamins, a box of salt, garlic powder, and some other items. Skip just got a thing to grow "cat grass" ... which might be interesting. Our check out person was the ancient old woman who I have dealt with before. She was so totally confused! It was a pathetic scene and I literally had to turn my back to her as I attempted to suppressed laughter at her senile antics. It took her forever to ring Skip's items since she had the previous patron's items still in the register. He bought his 'cat grass' for about $2.97 and she rang it up for more that $11.00!! Finally, she got his purchased correct at $3.19 and he handed her $4. Then she started trying to figure out his change by hand on a piece of paper. After a moment of calculating she asked him, "how much did you give me?" ... Skip just turn the register display around to face her. It showed .81 cents (his change). She says, "Eighty-one cents?! You gave me more than that!" I thought Skip was going to lose it at that point, but he maintained. We finally managed to convey to this sad & senile old woman that the machine was providing her with the appropriate amount of change to be returned. She still seemed to not trust it and mumbled comments about how this machine had been acting up all day! (lol... poor customers!!). We must have spent 20 to 30 minutes trying to check out our goods. It was funny in a way, but sadly ridiculous in others...

We left Wal-Mart and went next door to Schnucks. I just sat down on the bench outside while Skip went in and got some cash from the ATM.

Then we wandered on over to the Dollar Store. Skip bought some Tums and I bought a sofa cover (for $10).

From there we went to Block Buster video. Fortunately, Skip had remember to bring my videos along, including the "Laura Croft - Tomb Raider" movie. I never did finish watching it.

We left the Dollar Store and walked over to my current Nemesis.. the BP STATION! I did not really want to go, but Skip was going and I did not want to walk further over to the Q-Mart... oh... what ever... I am not happy ...

9:55p - 61°F - So... last night (or early this morning) I walked over to BP to make a purchase (and to give Kira a nice walk). That rude obnoxious fellow was on duty again and had his tacky little sign saying "CLOSED" (in felt marker) in the window. I got so angry at having to wait that I tried to write a complaint to British Petroleum, but their site would not work right and I could not send it. This made me more angry and I ended up sending the email to practically everyone in my address book. (I did not really mean to do that!). Here is the letter I wrote...

I attempted to submit the following letter of complaint to British Petroleum (BP). After going though all the hoops (as described below) and then spending an hour or so trying to express my complaints to the main office, I met a barrier of dead ends! I am, therefore, passing this on to any and all who may make use of BP as a service. I do not ask you to discontinue making use of their service; I merely ask that you take note of my experience and make your own decisions! Here is my letter... Dear Sirs, On more than one occasion a member of my household has gone to the BP located in Cahokia, IL, USA, Hwy 157 at Lazarcheff, and we have been treated most rudely. The attendant at that time closes the (supposedly 24-hour facility) with a crude hand-written sign which states only "CLOSED" ... apparently he must re-stock at some hour around midnight. I can find no sign or posting clarifying this. We have (on multiple occasions) stood out side while he had made strange and incomprehensible gestures to us. Tonight he told me (on yet another of these aggravating excursions) that he opened the store just for me (that he was normally closed from 12am to 1am). Please note that I observed at least 5 to 7 potential customers come and go with no service during that time and spoke with 2 or 3 of them. When I asked where this information was might be posted he waved vaguely toward the front door (seeming to feign ignorance of English... though I am fairly fluent in 4 dialects of Spanish, the language he professes to speak as a native tongue), and am vaguely familiar with several other languages; including Farci (Persian), Arabic, French, Pakistani, and even a smidgen of Turkish. However, I could find no information explaining this closure (which may well be legitimate), nor any signage that would otherwise explain this situation. For all intents and purposes, the store was open with a crude sign in the door saying "CLOSED" ... quite confusing. I would be happy to make, at my own expense, professionally designed and printed/laminated signed to post in the doors stating any temporary closing time... but I am (so far) completely unclear as to what hours or times may be applicable. (This, by the way, caused my supper to be burned and ruined in this particular case!). Is this a standard practice of BP to have their employees place a hand written sign in the door saying "CLOSED"? ... to treat customers rudely? If so, I will be more than happy to use my verbal abilities, and artistic web design skills to express myself on our feelings about this in several languages on the world-wide-web. Unfortunately, I plan to live in this community for some time yet to come. I would like to see it approximate some form of civilization as I know it.... Bradford L. Lewis PS: My attempts at posting this message have met with failure. I will therefore be broadcasting this message to my various friends and acquaintances to pass on....

10:02p - What can I say? I got a bit miffed!

11:01p - I am trying to make it over to Q-Mart before they close... my phone is ringing. Is it Skip? Nope... it was Scott Robbins! That was unexpected! He needed Ken's number. How strange...

11:15p - I had to go to the damn BP again ... just got home. The Q-Mart was closed. That irritating person was on duty again. I spoke Spanish to him and he says "I no speak..." ... huh? He told me he spoke Spanish, but I think he is just afraid to suggested that he is of some Middle Eastern ancestry. (Understandable in today's world!). I was speaking away to him in Spanish, but I don't think he understood a word of it. I should try speaking to him in Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, or Hebrew... to see how he responds...

11:28p - Skip just informed me that he may be going to another training seminar in Chicago this September...

11:58p - I have just chopped up a potato and an onion. I am making another meal like I made this afternoon of potato, onion and beef. I am changing the sequence and process this time to see if I can enhance it some...

SUNDAY - JUNE 27, 2004

12:04a - I am still fixing my supper. Kira is outside. I am trying to get her to use her "toothbrush" ... but she has no interest in the so-called "beef flavoured" toothpaste. I am on the verge of being embarrassed by a dog...

12:21a - 59°F - I have "weatherbug" runnin on my system now, so I will be showing the current temperature on my entries now. I am amazed that it is almost July and the temperature is in the 50's!!!

12:42a - 58°F - I have food cooked and am about to eat. It's quite surprising that the temperature has dropped so low!

12:58a - 59°F - So... I am off to bed now...

8:05a - 63°F - It is chilly again this morning. I got up about an hour ago and it was 59°F. This is unseasonably cool for June (almost July)! ... but rather nice.

I went to PrideFest in Tower Grove Park. More on this later.

MONDAY - JUNE 28, 2004

11:23p - I had to call in sick this morning. Its has been a depressing boring day.

11:25p - I am off to let Kira out ... the going to bed.

TUESDAY - JUNE 29, 2004

Skip was sick and called in today. I feel a lot better personally.

8:18a - Arrived at the bus stop precisely on time.

9:14a - Stepping off the elevator at work.

This morning started off on a sour note as got a "verbal reprimand" for excessive illnesses. Great. I have to get a note from my doctor ... and I am in the middle of changing doctors! I have to do something. I am just too tired all the time, and I know the meds have a good deal to do with it. I am making great efforts toward taking care of my health issues. I have a doctors appointment with the new doctor already set for this Friday. I take my vitamins, try to get plenty of rest, I have reduced my beer intake drastically (which actually makes it so I don't sleep as deeply). I will have to talk to Dr. P about this when we meet on Friday.

5:08p - It's only Tuesday, I didn't work yesterday, yet it already seems like a long week. I look forward to my time off next week. Calisa called me this morning from Darlene's place in Minco, and again about an hour ago from "under" OKC. They met with Uncle Jesse, she said he is looking good at 80 years old! Colleen & Joe are going to meet them soon.

5:45p - Finally time to go. This place is too depressing today. I finished my book, "Timeline" at lunch today, so I will have nothing to read on the bus ride home. Boring.

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 30, 2004

7:42a - I slept well last night until the beer wore off around 4:00a. Then I woke up. Kira was scratching due to fleas... poor thing. I have her a flea collar now, but am waiting to give her a flea bath before I put it on. I got up and let her out and she must have seen a rabbit. I had a hard time convincing her to come back in. It was 4:34a and I was still awake. I tink I got to sleep sometime after 5:00a and then the drams started again...and 2 "hallucinations." The first was that Kira was barking. I sat up to see what the problem was, but she was laying there asleep. Then I dreamed/hallucinated that I set my clock forward 10 minutes... (I had to get up and check my clock to see if I had really done this... very confusing).

7:46a - I have to hurry or I am going to be late this morning.

8:19a - Just got to the bus stop. Thought I was going to miss it. I noticed Kira and Barnabas' water was bone dry just before leaving the house and had to take another precious minute to partially fill it. The both ran for a drink immediately. Especially Barnabas. Kira had water in the bedroom all night... I don't know about him.

8:25a - We had to stop at Mildred for the train again, but only about 10 cars went by and it was past.

8:40a - We arrived at 5th & Mo. What a boring ride with no book.

9:14a - Stepped off the elevator with Dr. Narra.

2:59p - IDXRad had just gone down when I arrived this morning; then I have multiple users with Lotus Notes problems. LZ went to an ERC meeting, so I was left here to deal with it alone. It was chaotic. I am glad LW was here to catch a few of the calls.

3:00p - Still feeling depressed.

4:44p - It has quieted down. Nearly everyone has gone home.

5:28p - My stomach is still doing rude things. It seems like everything I eat here lately is converted to its gaseous state!

5:50p - I just found Dale Jones listed in ClassMates ... I may have to see if I can get back in touch with him! Also a "Terry Cook" ... that name is familiar...

8:46p - Calisa called from Minco. Two motor mounts busted on their vehicle, but the parts which would cost over $200 in California are under $40 in Oklahoma! Their visit with Uncle Jesse and the Wingates was nice. I wish I could have been there. I was supposed to be on a train traveling to San Antonio at this point in time. Oh, well...

9:06p - I stopped by the "new house" again tonight. It is coming along nicely. I dread moving, but I guess we are going to do it. Carpet is being laid and a hardwood floor is being put in the kitchen. I would rather have simple tile in the kitchen and nicer carpet in the rest of the house... but ... whatever...

10:55p - I've nearly got supper cooked. Making a Chinese style chicken dish... to go over rice.