There are a lot of things I don't write about here, for various reasons. Some because I don't subscribe to the "emotional vomit" type of ejournaling (or even paper journaling). Some because I don't like to reveal too much about students. And some because of privacy.



Something I haven't posted about this past year is my grandniece (or is it great niece?), Grace. She'll be 1 on Friday. She had a (very) difficult start, but is doing great now. She is such a happy little person. Yesterday was her christening, truly a joyous occasion.

We went to see The Namesake at the Spectrum on Friday. Great movie, worth seeing. We had a delicious meal at My Linh before seeing the movie.

It was a strange night. We were seated in front of a large picture window in the restaurant, and witnessed three young men going through a wallet and tossing it in front of the window. They disappeared for a short time, and returned with a woman's over the shoulder briefcase. They were digging through the contents as they walked by. Bob found our server and told her, and she told the owner, who went out (wearing gloves! How CSI) and picked up the wallet and its contents. She called the police, and we spoke with the cop.

While we were talking to him, a couple came in and asked whether the officer was there because of the car parked nearby. We said "no," and they went away. We finished our dinner, and when we left, we saw the couple again, standing near a car that was parked on the street, still running, with the front passenger's door open. After we chatted, and explained about the stolen wallet and briefcase, they called the police. As we were having dessert at a cafe next to the theatre, the cops came back. I don't know the outcome, but I wonder if the two events were connected, and where the driver was.

85 degrees today!

Finally, a beautiful, sunny day! I even noticed a couple of leaf buds on the lilac bush.

I scanned another image of St. Augustine's. It's a postcard, with an illustration by Ethel Adams. I'm not sure of the year, but it appears to be before the building of the house next door that I grew up in (which I think was 1968 or 1969), where my nephew now lives.

I finished the taxes, and mailed them yesterday. I was actually done figuring on Friday, but I waited until Monday to fill in the forms. Since Monday was Patriot Day in Massachusetts, and that's where my federal taxes are processed, we get until the 17th to file both the federal and NYS forms.

We had a surprise 80th birthday party for my father on Sunday. It was at the height of the nor'easter! Only 12 people canceled, but 5 others came whom we weren't expecting, so we had about 52 people there. There was no electricity, luckily my brother had a generator. Here's the fabulous cake (I wanted to get a better picture but there were too many people crowded around admiring it to make that possible):

The campus shootings at Virginia Tech are so upsetting. Last week, a woman I didn't know who was wearing hospital scrubs came into my classroom, looked around, sat down in the front row nearest the door, and then after a while, got up and left. I nervously joked with the students after she was gone, trying to guess what her intentions may have been. I know the odds of something horrific happening aren't that high, but in 1994 we did have a gunman hold students and a professor in a lecture center hostage. He was eventually overcome by a group of students. One student was shot during the struggle. The case was the subject of this PBS documentary. I've never received any training on what to do in any sort of emergency situation on campus aside from the once per semester fire drill in my building. I'm pretty calm under pressure, but I think some sort of guidance would be a good idea.

The hard drive in my computer on campus was dead when I got there yesterday morning. The computer support guy was able to recover the documents I had saved (I usually use the network to store documents, but for some reason this spring semester I made a folder on my desktop and have been saving there lately). But what a hassle not having a machine! What is there to do in the office with no computer? I had to go to the student lab to check my email, and I also had to ask someone with access to my network drives to print my class rosters. The computers in the lab must have a ton of spyware, they are so slow and the mice are all jerky. I managed to find old handouts from a few semesters ago to adapt for the group exercises I had to assign. The copies were kind of messy, but it worked out OK. I am hoping the hard drive has been replaced by tomorrow, when I am on campus again.

Otherwise, I am good shape as I go into the end of the semester. The changes I made really have evened out the workflow. Today I worked on the taxes, and I'm almost done.

I'm freaked out by the pet food recall. So there is rodenticide (according to NYS) and melamine (according to the Feds) in the wheat gluten. It seems like the plot to a bad science fiction movie. Is someone trying to kill off our pets? It makes me really glad that I feed my animals a homemade diet. I also wonder about the possibility of human grade wheat gluten being tainted too. I think it is totally plausible.

On a brighter note, I finished half the journals for two classes (the rest will be done on Monday) and all the midterms for another. Wednesday will be devoted to the taxes. Right now I'm making apple pies for Easter. (This minute I'm typing, but you know what I mean.) Sophie is driving me crazy, wanting the peels - or preferably, her own apple. Or several apples. Even the entire bag, if possible. (Sam wants apple too, but that's only because he's imitating Sophie.) The pet food manufacturers can shove their products, as far as she is concerned. But bring on the apples!

Yesterday, we went to Hartford, CT to the Mark Twain house and museum. I've wanted to go there for years. It is about 100 miles from here, and it took under 2 hours to get there. There were two separate tours of the house, one of where the family lived, and the other of the kitchen area where the servants spent their time. It's a lovely brick Victorian house, built in 1874. Mark Twain lived there from 1874 to 1891, and sold it in 1903. He wrote many great books while living there with his family. Most of the furniture was sold off in 1903, but his one daughter who survived him was still alive when the house became a museum in the 1960s and she donated the things she had inherited. There also is a visitor's center on the grounds, with a great museum shop (I spent $146 in it!). I think I may have known more than the guides, although I kept my mouth shut because I hate it when people act like know-it-alls at Cherry Hill. Next door is Harriet Beecher Stowe's house, but we didn't go there.

On the way back, we stopped in Lee, MA and ate dinner at the Salmon Run Fish House. Great place, this was our third time there.

I sponsor a little girl through CFCA. That's a reputable organization if you're interested in becoming a sponsor. The girl lives in the Philippines and will turn 13 on April 15. On Saturday, I got a heartbreaking letter from her; a typhoon struck not far from where she lives and her family lost their house. She included a colorful Easter card that she made and a new picture. So, I sat right down and answered her. This is one of the pictures I sent, from October 2006:

Here’s something that sparked my interest. Certainly the Ladies in White have a clever business idea. I dreamed up this business (although I’d never actually do it), so I understand seeing an opportunity to exploit the way our society handles death. But after reading the article, I am left wondering why this market even exists. Must we subcontract everything in our lives? As I mention in the linked post, I’ve heard from florists that on Mother’s Day, they get a lot of orders that are delivered to cemeteries. These customers don’t actually visit the cemetery. I’m not passing judgment on whether people should visit cemeteries, but why are they bothering to have flowers delivered?

I do know a few people whose ashes have been sprinkled in a wilderness area, scattered into a body of water, thrown out of a plane, or sadly, misplaced (to maybe wind up in a landfill). However, most people I know who choose to be cremated have friends or relatives who either 1) keep the ashes in a decorative container in a bookcase or on a fireplace mantle; 2) bury the ashes in the yard and plant a tree; or 3) buy a cemetery plot for the ashes (actually two cremains will fit in one standard grave) and put up a monument.

As it happens, I do visit cemeteries, including some where no family or friends are buried. I have always loved cemeteries. Many are so beautiful. I’m a trustee for Mt. Pleasant Rural Cemetery, and Mountain View Cemetery is behind my Castleton house and that was Rudy’s favorite place for a walk. My brother lives next door to Bushkill Cemetery, and a little section containing Ashokan Reservoir removals borders his house. As a history buff, I believe the cemetery plus monument route is the best, regardless of whether the grave contains cremains, or remains.

An aside, Ladies in White reminds me of this.

Here I mention the posters that are everywhere on campus. They put up new ones recently. The last ones were shades of electric blue. These are fuscia. They say something like "Did you know 65% of students report that they don't drink until they are impaired*" (at the bottom, it lists that the * means .08 BAC). What are they thinking? Obviously not about the 35% the rest of us are focused on!

Howie knew "speak" and other tricks. Penny never cared to learn any, since she always got a treat when Howie performed. I taught Rudy tricks as well. His favorite was "speak." Sophie would get her reward when Rudy did the requested act, but she too had no patience for formal learning - although she wasn't as nice about it as Penny was. Sophie let us know in no uncertain terms to stop that foolishness. So now we are trying to teach Sam the repertoire. He is still so babyish, even as he gets near to two years old, and so far we haven't had any luck. The other day, as Bob was trying to teach him "speak," Sophie was there, perched on the stairs, waiting for her treat. Finally, when Bob said "speak," she let out a little woof. Both of us were shocked! She learned just from watching Rudy all these years, but would never show us what she knew until now. I guess Sam's resistance has been frustrating, and so she decided it was time to step up. We've tested her several times at this point, and she does it every time. So precious.

I know being 45 and childfree raises suspicion of being a kid hater, so I hesitate to write this! But this is one of those days when I am tempted to open a window and yell. A group of kids often rides downhill in the neighbor's yard after school when it is a nice day, and there is enough snow. The hill behind our houses is perfect for sleigh riding. Whatever dogs I have had, this results in nonstop watching out the window, while barking. Howie, Penny, Rudy, Sophie, Sam: two dogs barking at once, without missing a beat. It drives me insane. What compounds the irritation is that these kids don't even live in one of the houses on our hill. The neighbor does have a grandson, but it isn't him. These kids are much older. I know the kids are having fun; sledding was something I loved to do, also. But Daylight Savings Time means that there is another hour of daylight while there still is snow this year!

The day after we got the car back from the body shop (it came out beautiful), we are clobbered again with snow! But this time the car is safely tucked away in the church parking lot.

On campus, recently there have been very attractive posters put up here and there. My reaction has been the same as many of the students quoted in this article. The one that says "Did you know 88% of students have never been involved in an alcohol-related fight" is prominent in my building. I couldn't help but think of the 12% who reported that they had!

When I wrote the post before this one, I copied and pasted it from a word processor. I usually type right in the blogger interface, but lately - either because of the blogger upgrade or because of some other change I have made recently in my computer (and there have been many), when I write a long post, all too often the machine crashes or freezes and everything is lost. I suppose one thing I've learned (but haven't consistently done) from blogging during the past five years is that it's safer to copy/paste. However, the line breaks are irritating. I fixed some of them, but I probably won't bother to spend the time correcting them all, even if it looks crummy, and my detail-ish-ness is peeved over it.

I'm so irritated that daylight savings time has been extended this year. Why did they do this? Who benefits? Certainly not me. I am just going to let the time be wrong on my computers. It isn't worth trying to patch.

I've been meaning to write something related to this topic, but when I started yesterday, I got interrupted. Then today I had to write a midterm for one of my classes (and for some reason it was an agonizing experience this semester). After that I had papers to grade from my other class. It seems lately I mean to write about things here, but never get to it.

Actually, what I want to write was sparked by the linked topic, but really has nothing to do with it. The story reminded me of an incident when I was a doctoral student.

I was taking a required class one semester. As I recall, the class was rather large for the doctoral program (maybe 20 students?). I never had the professor before (or again), but he was nearing retirement, and although very nice, he was not very inspiring. One day he was reading out loud from a text - it was something on
organizational theory (or it may have been Weber), and he used a fake German accent. I was surprised; I thought it was a silly, tacky thing to do (and I also thought reading the text verbatim was a boring method) but what happened next was way worse.

Perhaps encouraged by the ridiculous reading, a student in the class raised his hand and made some disparaging remarks about southern Europeans, and people of southern European descent. It had something to do with how they don't care about educating their children. At a prior class, he had made some negative remarks about women. I'm sorry that it has been so many years that I can't remember exactly what he said.

This guy was always the fastest hand in the west, constantly participating. Today, as an instructor, I know how much that is appreciated, how you'd do anything to cause a ripple in the sea of blank faces, but my recollection as a student is that students who are loud mouths tend to stifle other, less glib students. That was the impact this guy had on the class atmosphere. I remember looking around at the few classmates I knew well (this was when I worked full-time and took one class per semester, so I was something of an outsider) and if they cared, or were even listening, it wasn't apparent. Now, or even then under the right circumstances, I would have taken him on, but having had this guy in several other classes I didn't want to mix it up with him. I believe I and maybe one other woman spoke up when he made the derogatory remarks
about women, but I think I let the southern European descent ones slide. Regardless, our protest was meaningless - he became very animated, angry and even louder when challenged.

I do remember suffering through the first three or four classes of the semester with
him always having something obnoxious to say, the professor allowing him to dominate, and leaving class when it ended, feeling offended. I also recall that I knew a woman who was not in the class, but was in another required class with him that semester (that I had already taken), and that we commiserated about how awful he was behaving. As I mentioned, I'd already been in a few classes with him before, and he always had something to say in those classes too, but if it was particularly offensive or inflammatory, I didn't notice.

After several classes, I concluded that the weekly aggravation wasn't worth it. My job was very demanding, and I was at a very low point in my interest in the doctoral program. I went to my advisor, and informed him that I intended to drop the class. During the conversation that followed, he tried to convince me not to do it and I explained that I just couldn't take sitting through the excruciating comments for the
rest of the semester. But he asked me to give it another chance, and so finally I agreed. (I now know how much risk there is when PhD students take a break...they may not come back.) And the offending student never made another remark like that again. I assume my advisor spoke with the instructor, who then counseled the student. Or maybe my advisor spoke directly with the student, but that wouldn't be the usual academic protocol. Regardless, I have always been grateful to my advisor for saving me from running out the door.

I wrote "more later" on my last post but then didn't bother writing anything more. What I was intending to do was write up some thoughts on five years of blogging. I guess I didn't find that inspiring enough.

The alumni event was great! It wasn't in Oneonta, it was at the Parker Inn and Proctor's in Schenectady. At the Parker Inn, we had a private room with appetizers and drinks, then we saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Proctor's. It was a package deal, $50 for the whole thing and it even included wine. The seats were great and so was the show. It was way more enjoyable than our trip to NYC all around. Cheaper for one thing, and the show didn't leave us feeling depressed. Our seats were so much better, Bob had legroom, and the audience is more polite at Proctor's. In NYC, someone's cell phone went off for a long time during the performance and there were about 30 high school students sitting near us who were text messaging each other, fidgeting, and complaining how boring it was. Spoiled.

Anyway, about the Proctor's show, I read the part of Genesis that it is based on, and it actually follows it pretty close. Amazing they can do that and made it modern at the same time. It is one of those shows from the '60s/'70s, like Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, kind of hippyish, a collaboration of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. I think Donny Osmond played Joseph when it was on Broadway, at least it is him singing on the CD I bought. The seats alone would have been more than $50 I think. An alumni was in the cast - he played Jacob, Joseph's father. He came to the reception and after the show, he came out and signed our programs. I think there were only a few alumni besides us though, the majority were Oneonta faculty and staff. All very nice people, we had met many of them at other events. But there were only 2 other men there besides Bob!

There are never any alumni who graduated with us. I guess most people don't care to go to alumni functions. Or it could be that only donors feel comfortable! (We have moved up from the lowest level "Red Dragon" club to the next one, the "Centennial Club.") Two professors from the speech/theatre department came to see the show too. One of them has recently retired, and he was there when we were students. Neither of us had him, but many of our friends did. I chatted with his wife for a while, very nice woman who reminded me a bit of Aunt Ital. They still live in Oneonta and mourn the loss of Bresee's. She says they now have to go to Albany to shop because even though there are more stores on Southside, there is nothing to compare to Bresee's. Bob ran into the weatherman on our CBS channel and talked to him. He was sitting right behind us, but he wasn't part of the alumni group.

This is the fifth anniversary of Gully Brook Press. More later.

Staying on the historical theme, here is something Mimmie wrote.

The Old Hinkley House on Whispell Road

The cottage in the vail, as Elwyn called it. When we moved in this house the window glass was all broken. Some of the window frames were missing. The cellar wall was down completely on one side. Porch on back was falling down, the flooring on porch was gone completely. Some boards was missing on front porch. The windows that where missing where covered with roofing paper. Plaster was off walls in many places upstairs and down. Wallpaper was falling off in living room and bedroom. All room where full of old newspapers and magazines and other junk. There was 2 ton of lime in the kitchen and some other farm implement which was very large. In the living room was a large broken piano and an old organ. For one whole day we burned newspapers and magazines. The first week we managed to remove the lime, old piano, organ and othe things. The door knobs where all gone and some of the doors where off. It wasn't possible to get any water from the well as the pump was off and some parts missing. No outhouse or toilet of any kind. After the first rain the roof leaked and the cellar filled with water all most to the floor. The first summer we fixed the cellar wall, porches, pump and built the outhouse. Tarred the roof and papered all the rooms downstairs. After we fixed the plaster, the walls that where on when we came all had to be washed several times as they where covered with many coats of kalsomine to which paper will not stick. In the fall we fixed one room upstairs. The following year we fixed the second room upstairs.

Buddy put on a new roof and put a new porch on front by the kitchen. Next he put the water inside. Finally we had it wired. The next thing Buddy did was put hot water in and a toilet. One of the improvements was a cellar drain which kept the water from coming up to the living room floor when it rains. The rooms have been painted and papered many times to make the place look livable. Buddy also fixed the walk to the kitchen as there was an old porch there when we came on which the flooring was so broken that it was dangerous to walk on.

The old place became very dear to us and I was very grieved to move out after Elwyn died. I moved November 28, 1977.

I decided to see what Elwyn said in his diary on some of the years, and in a strange coincidence, this was his birthday.

1926 February 23 Tuesday - Clear, cold, moderate northerly wind. Clear & crisp tonight. Run the mill sawing mostly oak logs, sawed _____. Sent 640 ft bridge plank to Cold Brook bridge by Ed. Hudlers team. This is my 36th birthday. Aunt Cornelia made my usual soft chocolate birthday cake.

1932 February 23 Tuesday - Blustery, squally, pretty raw day. fair, glorious clear moonlight and cold. Thermometer 7 above late evng. My 42nd birthday and Aunt Cornelia made my usual soft chocolate cake. Started cutting ice at Hesley’s. The thickness runs from 7 to 8 inches. Lauren Hesley has rigged up a power ice saw on a frame with a Chevrolet engine on one end and a saw mandrel with circle rip saw on the cutting end. It sawed but was hard to steer straight. Due to its cutting so deep, a cake of ice broke loose and I got a wetting in the pond PM.

1933 February 23, Thursday — MY 43rd BIRTHDAY. Light rain early this AM – but broke away. Strong westerly wind, inclined to be a bit rain squally. Mild and clear tonight. Got the sawing outfit set up and sawed Aunt Cornelia’s wood, Pa & I, Charley Hesley, Boney VanDemark and Harold Constable. Mrs. Moore and Genevieve spent the evening with us also Aunt Cornelia for a little birthday celebration. Aunt Cornelia made me my annual soft chocolate birthday cake. Funeral of little Jean Coffey held at Phoenicia Baptist church, burial in Binghamton.

1934 February 23 Friday — My 44th birthday. Blustery, colder, more or less snow squally. Near zero tonight. We sent a home eats box to Mariam. Busy with chores etc. At home all day. Aunt Cornelia made me my time honored plain soft chocolate covered birthday cake. Wrote up Freeman copy evng. Donald came early evening from Oneonta. Cornelia did not attend high school.

1936 February 23 Sunday - My 46th birthday. 10 above this a.m. 10 tonight. Lovely bright crispy day, northerly winds. Cornelia, Mariam & I went to Phoenicia to see noon snow train from NY arrive at ski slopes Snyder Hollow switch. With the crowd that came with the Friday night snow train Phoenicia was swamped - 1000 cars were counted this p.m. We called on Mr.and Mrs. West and her sisters. Ralph Longyear and George Kessler came fro our turkey birthday supper & spent the evng. Mother made my customary soft chocolate birthday cake as was dear Aunt Cornelia's custom sure I was a boy.

1937 February 23 Tuesday. My 47th birthday. Mild and sunny AM became cloudy and raw PM - snowing this evng. 1 inch. The Benders did not come yet today. C.C. Dunham delivered me 1000 ft of 8" spruce novelty siding AM @ $50 per M - less 5%. Mr.and Mrs. Henry Winchell had planned to have birthday dinner with us - but she was ill & unable to come. Daisy made a freezer of my favorite chocolate ice cream & mother my time honored plain soft chocolate cake. Did chores & split wood altho feeling pretty grippy.

1946 February 23 Saturday 20/7am, 14/11pm
Bright sunny cloudless day & evng. Winds northerly. Cleaned out granary this am - spread load manure on meadow behind barn, as road was slippery. During pm drawed out with dray firewood oak top logs at Ollie's. Today is my 56th birthday & mother made my annual time honored favorite plain soft chocolate cake. Had lovely chicken pie supper & mashed potatoes. Too tired to go to lodge tonite. Rec'd box cookies from Kay also greeting cards. Ruth Pleasants & Clifford S. Inghram married in United Congregational Church Bridgport, Conn.

1953 February 23, Monday — 20 degrees at 7 AM, 23 at 11 PM. Partly cloudy, crispy, light raw northerly wind. Cleared beautifully evng, brilliant moon, freezing quite sharp. This is my 63rd birthday — Turn backward, I pray thee oh time in thy flight. Mother made me my time honored plain soft chocolate cake. This AM I cut a dray load of yellow birch pole wood over in woods behind barn & neighbor Will Davis (up for the holidays helped saw it up) I took him 4 PM to the Boiceville bus.

1975 February 23, Sunday — 39 at 8:30 AM - 47 at 8:00PM. Light rain in night this AM damp and foggy, murky, sun came out briefly at 2:30. Cloudy dismal evening. Daughter Cornelia called up from Florida. Wishing me a happy 85th birthday. (Its foal time again as Dear Grammy called it. Only birthday callers was winsome friend Mrs. Charles (Carol) Davis, she gave me a fancy small corner festooned pillow, had a few ½ glasses of tawny port. My days libation 2 snorts of 4 roses & soda. Only exercise ½ hour late PM house walk. Ollie rested considerable on her couch. We had delicious supper boiled taters & cooked kraut & Mrs, Beatrice Ducs fancy birthday cake, green lettered Happy Birthday Elwyn.

We got a little more snow last night. I wonder if the wooly bear was accurate in predicting this winter? I can't remember.

The appraiser came on Wednesday. This is estimated to be a $1,300 repair:

The mourning doves weathering the height of last week's storm.

After a (mostly) snowless winter, yesterday we started to wonder when it would stop. I don't know how much is out there, but it is a lot. Maybe two feet? Classes were suspended on Wednesday, and resumed today at 11:45. Since Winter Break is next week, and Thursday is the new Friday, my classes would have been half empty anyway, so I had no idea how many students would show up today. Ten were missing from my afternoon class. Wonder what will happen in the evening class? The parking lots are still a nightmare, but at least they have plowed one small path between most buildings.

At 7:30 pm last night, some guy from the firehouse (where he was probably enjoying 10 cent beer night) went out of control in front of our house and smashed into our car! Bob was out there shoveling, and it was a good thing he wasn't standing right there when it happened. The damage isn't extreme (broken right tail light, bent bumper, scratches and small dent over the rear wheel) but still, we are sick over it. That car was mint. I'm hoping the guy's insurance company doesn't give us a hard time since the car is old. We don't want a car payment on a new Prius! The guy's truck is probably totaled, very badly damaged, he could barely drive it away. The Lincoln is like a tank. It is probably fortunate it was in the way, because otherwise he may have hit the house, or gone through the flower bed and fence, over the retaining wall, and down the hill!

I think the pop quiz thing is working! Discussion is going well.

The #1 excuse in recent semesters for why students miss class: having to go to court for speeding violations. Reported in a matter of fact way, as if it is a totally legitimate, justifiable, sympathetic reason. If only they had a clue how little respect I have for people who drive too fast!

My classes, especially the evening sections, are very quiet so far this semester. Maybe the cold weather of the Spring semester has an impact? Not sure. Last night, I gave my first ever multiple choice quiz. I decided to add pop quizzes into the class after a handful of excellent students over the past several semesters have suggested that I should do something to "encourage" more students to come to class prepared for the discussions - prepared meaning that they have done the reading. I am not really a fan of this type of assessment, and I don't know how it will work, it is too soon to tell.

I finished Team of Rivals (I was sad to have it done, it was so good), and have started Margaret Atwood's Lady Oracle. So far, Lady Oracle is shaping up to be as good as her other books. On the entertainment agenda, we saw Children of Men over the weekend. It was a good movie, although maybe not as good as the review I'd read suggested. We also got tickets to see Ordeal by Innocence at the NYS Theatre Institute, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Proctor's. The Proctor's show is an Oneonta alumni event, with a mixer before the performance at the Parker Inn. An alumnus is in the cast. During Spring break, we are going to NYC to see Les Mis.

Since it was spared in the Diocese reorganization, the congregation has been inspired to do things to fix it up, and I've been doing some research on the history of the church I go to when I am in Samsonville. It is the one I attended when I was growing up in West Shokan. We lived next door, and now my nephew lives in that house. The original church structure was lost when the Reservoir was built, and there was no Mass in West Shokan for more than 40 years. Once it was re-established, Mass was held over a general store, and then, after a major fundraising effort, a new church was built. Here's what I came up with so far, it is a PDF document with some photos and maps.

For Better or For Worse is my favorite comic strip, so this pending change is making me sad. I liked how the story line followed real time, even though Farley's death really upset me. But I certainly can understand being burnt out. I guess I'll just have to see how it works out in September.

I just spent some time searching and adding labels to old posts. I think some of them are not perfect fits for the categories I created, that is the problem with going back and doing this quickly. Oh well. The new posts will fit better I guess - and over time, as I go through, maybe I will be able to clean it up a bit.

The Registrar moved two of my classes, and I was able to secure technology for the other one - so I am finally all set. All the rooms are far from my office, but that is OK. I could use the exercise. My online class is too big this semester, though. Last semester I had only 14 students. This semester I have 30 and students are still asking to get in. I've never seen so much late registration generally and late applications to the graduate program (yes, another of my duties). Anyway, it is always hard to predict enrollment in the online class because of the large number of students who panic and drop in the beginning. I will manage, but small groups will wind up being a misnomer. My Thursday night class is the same size as the online one, which is OK. The other two classes are smaller, 20 and 26 students, respectively.

Last night, after my evening class, as I was packing it in, a student comes up, introduces herself, firmly shakes my hand, and then procedes to say that the material is challenging, her day is long, she had trouble at the end paying attention, and could I please break it up? I wasn't offended or anything, but I'm not sure if it was what she said or the straightforward way she said it that surprised me. I always give a break during the class, but last night, since we switched rooms, which involved walking across campus and took up a lot of time, I didn't bother. I let them out a little early instead. The class was no longer than usual, it just started later and ended earlier. Another complication was that when I got to my originally assigned room, all the students were waiting outside. The door was shut, the instructor and all the students from the earlier class were still inside. They were watching a movie. It was "Shane;" I heard the little boy yelling it at the end. The class should have been over at 4:05, and it was 4:20. My class should have started at 4:15, and it was at least 4:25 before that class ended! What is it this semester? I'm glad to have changed rooms, hopefully it won't happen in my new location.

I got a thrill yesterday. My quote is on the back cover of this book. I was a reviewer, and I did like the title a lot.

I am up to the end of 1864 in Team of Rivals. When I got to the summer of 1864, I was curious about the exact date and other details of my great grandfather's enlistment in the Union Army, so I went on ancestry.com and did some searching. Since genealogy research is an interest of mine, I've had a subscription for a long time, but it has been a while since I last searched it. The search utility, and access to the original documents has improved a lot. They are always adding more databases. After I discovered he enlisted in October 1864 and did some reading about Company F of the 15th NY Volunteer Engineers, I decided to search for a few other folks. My paternal grandparents died when my father was a kid, which of course was long before I was born. I had seen them in the 1920 Federal census for Philadelphia a while ago, and more recently I had located the ship manifest for when they came over to the United States from Sicily in 1913. But a few days ago I found my grandfather's WWI draft registration, it must have been newly added, or at least was only made easily searchable recently. This has us all very excited. The information is interesting - including his exact birthdate, address and that he worked at Hog's Island shipbuilding facility, but what seems to be most touching to all of us is that his signature is on it. His handwriting was nice! Aside from a few pictures, we have nothing this tangible. Seeing something so personal from nearly 89 years ago makes him more real, more vibrant.

How sad. RIP Barbaro, another casualty of a disgusting, evil "sport."

One really annoying thing this semester is that I didn't get even one "smart" room for my classes - usually I get at least one, if not two of the three in a smart room (meaning there are a computer and desktop projector). Over the years, I have made powerpoint presentations for almost all of my class sessions, and making overheads is a real hassle. Plus, I demonstrate some things on the web in a few classes. But when my class is in my building or the one next door, and you land a room with no technology, we have a computer guy who will bring a computer cart with a desktop projector to the class, and you can schedule it for the whole semester.

So while it isn't as good as a smart room, it works OK. However, when your class is in any other building, you have to go through the campus audio visual department for a computer and projector. This semester, I have no classes in my building at all, and only one of my classes is next door - one is two buildings away, one is across campus in Siberia. So not only do you have to go through audio visual, but you have to pick the cart up and return the cart yourself (which means going to the lecture center area where the audio visual office is located, and wheeling the cart from there through the tunnels to the classroom. This includes having to take the cart down and up a "hill" in the tunnels since you can't use the stairs), and you also are only able to schedule to have the cart two weeks in advance. The audio visual folks are nice enough, but what a hassle! Since I am always running late, I have no idea whether this will work for me. You'd think the university could use some of the budget to wire more rooms! Or at least hire some student assistants to schlep the carts around.

I am trying it this week, but I am afraid that I may have to go back to overheads. Here's why. I don't give my posts titles, but if I did, call this "a lesson on how not to be collegial."

I got the computer and projector from audio visual yesterday for my afternoon class. When I got to the building, the class that is in the room before mine was still in session. It was early, so that is not unexpected. So I waited, and waited, and waited. The class is supposed to get out at 1:05, and mine starts at 1:15. Well, the instructor opened the door shortly after 1:05, but the students didn't leave. They were all crowded around his desk, and he still had the overhead set up. I couldn't even get the computer cart in the door, and my students could not get in to sit down. So forget being able to get set up and test everything in advance.

Finally, at 1:15, I shoved the cart in the door, but the crowd of students didn't budge and the professor acted like I wasn't even there. He was youngish (30s), long, bushy hair and beard. Stereotypical sociology or anthropology type professor. Seemed nice enough, but extremely disorganized, and still going over details with the students crowded around him. The overhead he had up had a tiny font and was a complete page of words, like he printed a word document of lecture notes out on a slide. Finally, probably about 5 minutes into my class, he got his stuff together and said, "sorry. First week of class and everything. Do you need the overhead projector?" I said, "Umm, no. I have a computer cart." I wanted to say "can you spell O-F-F-I-C-E H-O-U-R-S?" But I was pleasant instead.

After he left, I asked my students who he was, and they told me, also his department. I was only curious, not planning to do anything with the information. (Not that I could even if I was so inclined.) Then one student volunteered, "he will do that every class." Great! Well, after a nightmare of getting everything set up and one call to audio visual when it wasn't working right, I finally got started. Then, at 2:32 (my class ends at 2:35) I dismissed my students so I could unplug everything, erase the board, and get out of the room and not be rude or clueless like the guy before me.

The minute the door opened, the students from the next class poured in, and so did the professor. She flung her briefcase on the desk, even though my stuff was still there, and stood nearby, acting very impatient! She began to do housekeeping stuff with the students that had already arrived, even though I was still snaking the electrical cords out from between the desks and rolling up the ethernet cable (one other irritation is that there seems to be only one working jack in the room and it is...in Siberia). Anyway, her class doesn't even start until 2:45! Unbelievable. So needless to say, the experience confirmed my suspicion that I will have to use overheads instead, because that will take less time to set up and break down, except for on a select few occasions when I absolutely must use technology. At least I can avoid the "hill" in the tunnels.

To top it off, I got to my evening class, the one in the building next door...and no computer or desktop projector had been delivered. At least I remembered to bring a marker (despite the absence of technology, the room has a white board rather than a chalkboard).

But it is kind of funny for the afternoon class to be scheduled in a room after a professor who is so laid back, and before one who is so uptight. That's me: ultimately middle of the road.

A very happy announcement. After years of whispers, and appearing last year on the diocese's closure list, our little mission chapel will remain open with no change of status!

Classes started yesterday. I was feeling very "blah," mostly because I was tired. My owl tendencies resurface when I don't have to go to campus for a long stretch, and I find myself staying up way too late, reading. So I'll have to stop now that I'm back on a schedule.

To combat the "blah," I wore a suit yesterday. That is something I have not done since my days in administration. It didn't do much to perk me up, but I think it got students' attention. The two classes I had seemed OK, hard to tell this early.

For the evening class, there was a typo on the schedule. It said "ED" instead of "ES," meaning that the class was in Earth Science, when I thought it was in Education (my building). So I was about 15 minutes late! Once I figured out the mistake, I thought Earth Science was only two buildings away, but when I arrived...it turned out to by Physics. Turns out that Earth Science is across campus. I didn't take my coat, so I had to use the tunnels to get there, something I usually avoid. Hopefully my blah + suit + lateness won't cause the students to drop!

We got a little snow today. This usually wouldn't be worth mentioning, but it has been a snowless winter. As always, it reminded me of Rudy. I imagined him dashing outside to roll in it. I have been thinking a melancholy thought: that the lack of snow this winter and last is because he isn't here to enjoy it.

Thursday Threesome
::No California Oranges this Year!::

Onesome: No California-- drivers allowed! Do you drive and talk on the cell phone? Come on, fess up...

Well, since I don't drive, and I don't have a cell phone - the answer would have to be no.

Twosome: Oranges-- and Apples and Pears, oh my! Do you have a favorite fruit?

I like most fruit, though especially apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, pineapple, and bananas.

Threesome: this Year-- I'm going to _______ (go ahead; fill in the blank. No, it's not a resolution !)

Hmm. Not sure! Let's see what 2007 brings.

Long time no post! I spent several days in Samsonville. Threw in the towel on the wireless and just used wire instead, and it works great. That is a relief. Hopefully, Staples won't give me a hard time about taking the stuff back. It has gone from unseasonably warm to unseasonably cold. Classes start Thursday, and I still have some things to finish to be ready.

Thursday Threesome
::College Bowl Games::

Onesome: College-- playoffs? Yes or no? ...or 'who cares?' Is the current BCS system something you think works or would prefer things a bit more 'tidy'?

If I am restricted to those choices, I guess "who cares?" I don't even know what is BCS. I am not a sports person at all. Now Sam, on the other hand, is completely a sports dog. I don't know how that happened, but he's my first truly athletic dog.

Twosome: Bowl-- of cherries? Chips? Tofu? What's on your snack list during a game. ...or a favorite show?

Gee, is this a TV oriented question, or what? See Onesome, above. I think my TV would stop working if I put on a sports program. Favorite show, hmmm. I try not to eat while watching television, and I don't have a lot of favorite shows. But I guess cookies and milk are favorite snacks of mine. Both dogs (Sophie especially) love them too (my cat Edna loves milk), and sometimes their demands are what sparks me to get the snacks. I also like Polar Old Fashioned Golden Ginger Ale. That's the only kind of soda I enjoy at all. I like Culligan water a lot too, and usually that's what I drink when I watch television or a movie.

Threesome: Games-- within games: if you're a sports fan is there any sort of 'inner game' you like to watch during the contest? I'm thinking in terms of line work in football or post play in basket ball. ...and if you're not into sports, how about something similar in your favorite pastime?

I don't have any clue what this question means. And since I don't know what is line work or post play (aside from the generic meaning of the words), I have no idea what to compare it to in my favorite pastimes. Reading? Maybe examining the dust jacket or reading the chapter notes at the end? Gardening? Digging up the soil in preparation? Watering afterwards? Browsing in a garden center or buying seeds? Really, I haven't a clue!

**********

I haven't made much progress on anything work-related during the break. Which means I have to update syllabi, my online class, my WebCT pages, write new assignments, and send emails to all students in my last semester's classes with a breakdown of their grades. I thought I might have done all of this already, but instead I have been cooking, sleeping, surfing, and reading. I am about 1/3 of the way into A Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I got it for Christmas (2005!) and it has been waiting for a year. She writes well and it is a fascinating book, especially for a history buff like me.

Yesterday, we went to the governor's inaugeration concert at the Times Union Center. Performers included Natalie Merchant, Ben Vereen, James Taylor, and Jimmy Fallon was the MC. The arena was only about 2/3 full which was a shame. All the media was saying that it was a "free concert" and technically that was true, but the average person couldn't get tickets. Bob tried in early December and the website wasn't working right. You had to be connected to an organization like the legislature or a labor union or something to get a ticket. Which was too bad, because I'm sure there were ordinary people who would have loved to go if they could have. Probably a lot of people who got tickets through their jobs blew off going once the day arrived because they didn't feel like it or were hung over from New Year's Eve or something. My nephew had 7 tickets and he only used 4.

It was great, overlooking the political BS. I mean I like Spitzer and everything, and I'm glad he is governor, but I can do without all the insulting and unrealistic hoopla of the speeches about him being the savior of our crappy state! Give me a break! Also, Jimmy Fallon seemed totally unprepared at times - I'm not sure if he didn't prepare enough jokes or what but it was almost embarrassing. One group was late coming out to the stage and Jimmy Fallon had a hard time filling up the few minutes while we were waiting! Now what MC wouldn't prepare some material in case that happened? Or be able to come up with something off the top of their head? Ben Vereen and James Taylor were both great. Natalie Merchant is my favorite of all the performers, but it was really obvious that she is totally ignorant. At one point between songs, she was making some compliment about Spitzer's election and she said something about the next 6 years. She didn't know that the governor's terms is 4 years! Wow, and they think we should listen to celebrities about political stuff, eh?

From my button collection.

Yesterday the phone was dead. (It may have been out before yesterday, but we weren't here.) The DSL continued to work until yesterday afternoon, but then it went out too. I did everything possible in the house, disconnecting and reconnecting phones, and Bob checked the box outside, but we had no luck. So Verizon arrived today at 9 am and they restored the service at about 12:30. There was a problem in the wire a few streets away. After the phone was working, I had to spend another hour talking to a representative from Verizon DSL to get that running again, and then about another half hour on my own, getting the router figured out (although I didn't have to call Netgear). But now I am back in business.

What to do without the Internet? Yesterday I made a pot of homemade tomato sauce, and eggplant parmesan. I suppose I used to accomplish a lot more things like that in the pre-wired days. Speaking of wires, my nephew's roommate is throwing out a perfectly good computer - so my nephew has taken it for my mother. It will be a big improvement over what she has now, and I am hoping that it will help me to get the wireless working there. Goodbye Windows ME!

Christmas was good, if tiring. We went to Samsonville on Saturday, made a round trip to Long Island on Christmas Eve, got back just in time to go to midnight mass, had dinner at my sister's on Christmas, and came back to Castleton on Tuesday evening.

Anyway, the computer glitches prevented me from posting what I wanted yesterday; so they appear on the post above this one.

Thursday Threesome
::Happy New Year!::

Onesome: Happy--New Year to you and yours! ...any plans for this weekend? Dick Clark? Guy Lombardo? Early to bed?

Going to Samsonville Saturday/Sunday (more computer tinkering); then coming back to Castleton. New Year's Eve will be spent at my nephew's.

Twosome: New--year, old year. Is this the year you take up skiing? ...or knitting? ...or vacuuming every other day ? Do you have any major project you'd like to tackle? (Sure, 'resolutions' count...)

Hoeing out the third floor and working on my Mimmie book top the list. Maybe taking up the treadmill, again! We'll see how far I get.

Threesome: Year--end chores? Do the lights and decorations come down this weekend? ...or are you already "done with Christmas"?

What? No way. The tree goes up shortly before Christmas (much later than most people's), and stays up until it is just a stick with no needles.

I finished my grades!

Thursday Threesome
::Plenty of time::

Onesome: Plenty-- of time, take a deep breath. Overnight/Saturday delivery could work for you... So could a trip a few hundred miles away if you're into shopping on Sunday! How are you doing? Do you have it together?

As far as the holidays go, yes, I have it together. But my focus is really on 12/26 at 11:59 pm...that's the deadline for grades.

Twosome: of-- all the states, I'm hearing the worst reports from Ohio! It has no snow! No snow, no Christmas! What's to be done? Is it looking like the normal Christmas weather there for you?

It is colder than it was a few days ago, but it isn't normal Christmas weather. No snow (though what's normal is a real question; some years there is a lot, some a little, some none at all) and it is warmer than usual. I wish it would get cold! Not sub-zero, but colder than it is. Some snow would be nice too, but not on the days when I have to travel.

Threesome: Time--Time? Good grief, the 24th is days away, and most men haven't even awakened a sense of urgency as yet . Is anyone done, finished, wrapped and resting?

Done and finished: pretty much, but not completely. The joy of online shopping! I have to go to a little gift shop and pick up a few things on Friday or Saturday. Wrapped: no, aside from the things that were wrapped by the store employees. Resting: yeah, right! See the grading deadline. I have made good progress, and with five days to go that should be plenty of time, but since two of them are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I am a little nervous. Then, there is the wireless dilemma competing for attention. Decorating is done in Castleton, and another waiting project in Samsonville. Baking is out of the question again this year. Now, remind me again why it is I like to live my life on the academic schedule?

Too tired on Friday, and we got back too late on Sunday, so we put up our tree in Castleton last night. It is quite big, too big for this tiny house really, but it is a nice tree. We didn't put up a tree in Samsonville over the weekend, so that is the plan for Friday or Saturday.

The reason we didn't put up a tree in Samsonville, and also why we got back to Castleton so late, was that I spent nearly all weekend working on the computer situation there. First, I had to get the cable modem working. I don't think the Time Warner technician had it hooked up right. So after wasting some time tinkering, I gave up and installed an ethernet card in the machine. The technician had it connected via USB, and that was no good. With ethernet, it worked fine right away.

Then, I hooked up the wireless router. That was a breeze. I took my laptop over the my parents' house to see if the signal went that far, but it didn't. So I threw in the towel, went back home, called Staples, said I wanted to return the wireless adapter and get an ethernet card for my mother's machine instead. Then I did some surfing, read on the Internet that wire only works for a maximum of 328 feet.

The next morning, I reconsidered, moved the router around, and while I was at church, Bob discovered that the wireless signal was within about 75 feet of my parents' house. So we went to Staples and bought a range extender, as well as two very long ethernet cables, so I could move the router to the end of our house that is closest to my parents' house.

When we got home, I moved the router and hooked up the signal extender. With those changes, my laptop could see the signal from my mother's computer room. However, something about the range extender isn't working right since I couldn't get on the Internet with my laptop. I installed the wireless adapter in my mother's machine anyway, thinking that maybe it would work better than the laptop (since the laptop is "G" and the router and adapter are "N"). But I ran into another snag, since her machine has Windows ME and it seems the adapter is for Windows XP and 2000.

I gave up at that point, because it was getting very late, my patience was thin, and we had to make the drive back to Castleton. Yesterday morning I called Staples, canceled the return on the adapter (but kept the ethernet card order just in case), and called Netgear to see whether the problems with the signal extender and adapter can be corrected, or if wire will be the better solution (though I am still concerned about the distance).

The good news is that the Netgear technician gave me a link to software to download so that the adapter will work with ME, and said that he can walk me though configuring the signal extender. And Staples said that they will take everything back if necessary, even though I have opened all the boxes. So on Friday and Saturday, in addition to putting up the tree there, I will be back at the computers.

This week's regular (and priority) focus is end of semester grading, and it is going OK.

I spent a few minutes and figured out what was wrong with the archives. I was forced to change the template (something I haven't done since establishing a blog). I didn't want to do it, but gave in. I have no time to tinker at the moment, and I'm not crazy about this template...but it will have to do for now.

Thursday Threesome
::Holly Jolly Christmas::

Onesome: Holly-- Hmmm... Do you have holly where you are? Is it used for decorating? ...and if not, what types of greenery are used to show off the season? Inquiring minds and all that...

Yes, it grows here and I have a holly bush in my yard. I don't use it for decorating, though. Evergreen is the most common greenery used. I think we will put up our tree here in Castleton tonight, and one in Samsonville this weekend. Both will be real. We already have wreaths on the doors of both houses.

Twosome: Jolly-- Jolly Elf or The Grinch? How is your Christmas experience going so far?

It's OK. The end of semester complicates things. But I have the majority of shopping done, the Internet is a lifesaver. I even sent five Christmas cards out today. That is a real accomplishment for me - for the past couple of years I just haven't had time to send any. I would love to decorate and bake more, but the grading deadline is looming.

Threesome: Christmas-- Hey, I miss ol' Burl Ives singing the song in this header: who does your favorite Christmas song? ...and which song is that? Yes, yes, you're allowed more than one ...

I like Christmas music. I have quite a few CDs by various artists. My favorites are Bare Naked Ladies and Willie Nelson. I also love the religious music that we sing in church. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer always makes me smile, and remember the past.

Today is my last day on campus until January 18. Fall grades have to be done by 11:59 pm on December 26. Naturally I will be working nonstop until then to make the deadline. Oh, I guess I will have to take a break of a couple of days to celebrate Christmas, but otherwise...

I have several changes in mind for next semester. I have to cut down my end of semester workload to a more reasonable level. And, I am getting tired of the assignments. I am going to make students write a lesson plan and present it to class with their groups, instead of just writing a book review individually. Change is good.

I don't like having to sign into google to use blogger. That's my only criticism so far, and it is fairly minor, but when I wrote a comment and used my blogger sign-in, it vanished. How irritating. Oh, I forgot. I do have one other concern. My archives aren't appearing, and I don't see where to re-publish them. I'm sure it is somewhere, but I haven't spent the time looking.

We didn't go to Samsonville this weekend (Bob was working on a group project that wasn't going well - although it turned out OK) so I will have to wait until Saturday to see if I can get the wireless running. Now there's another day that I won't be working on grades. So I better not procrastinate otherwise!

I'm psyched; today I switched my wired router for a wireless one, and got wireless DSL up and running on my new laptop. Tomorrow's project involves getting it to work with the new cable modem in Samsonville. I hope it goes as smoothly. I just upgraded blogger - not sure what I think of that yet. Tonight we are going to see The Producers at Proctor's.

Time Warner came and we are hooked up! My mother reports that the technician said the machine is old and so the broadband is slower than it could be. I knew that. I may upgrade there eventually, but first I have to get wireless up and running in both houses. I ordered all the necessary components from Staples and this weekend I'll give it a try in Samsonville. I will probably do Castleton on Friday, if I have time.

Last week I was (attempting) to show a DVD to class. There were numerous technical snafus and so I had to call AV Services. While the technician was working on the problem, he said that they often find that people change the settings on the TVs, VCRs and DVD players and screw them up. Last year, I heard the same thing about the smart rooms - that people unplug the computers and projection equipment so they can't be used easily by the next instructor. The AV guy speculated that it is Luddite instructors (he didn't use the word Luddite though) although I think it could also be disgruntled students looking to waste time and get out of class (though not for the smart rooms, since students can't access the cables). Anyway, after the AV guy left, one of the students said, "I think it is the ghost. Did you know there is a ghost in the education building?" I said I didn't, and she proceeded to tell me the story, which I later located on the Internet here. See "Albany - Education Building."

I was thinking of this today as I was coming back from the cafeteria. This building connects to the campus center at the basement level, and I take the elevator up from there. Seems I always work somewhere where there are reputed to be ghosts! (When I worked downtown at the former D&H building there were so many stories, although none are listed on the website with the School of Education ghost.) I always think, maybe I can put them to work? How do you think Jason is at grading end of semester essays?

It snowed! Only enough to coat the ground, but still it looked pretty this morning with the flurries coming down. The air is cold and crisp and wintery. Yay! I am completely sick of the strangely unseasonable weather. Goodbye fleas and ticks!!

It did make me a little sad, though. It reminded me of Rudy. He would dash out the door every time it snowed, delighted. Even with a mere dusting like today's, as the first snow of the season, he would do his best to roll in it.

I found out today that Time Warner is coming tomorrow afternoon to install Road Runner! Hopefully it will go without a snag this time. They are charging me $20 less for installation because of the screw up.

I am all set for the end of the semester. Today I finally finished grading everything I had from earlier in the semester! The back of my head is a little numb but overall I am happy. Tomorrow the final papers start to come in so the respite will be brief.

I guess the 21st Century is on hold. When the installer came on Tuesday, he discovered that the cable still needs to be connected at the pole on the road. So far, my calls to Time Warner have gone unanswered. Oh well. At least the CD Rom drive is up and running.

End of semester work has arrived. Classes end December 12, and then I have until December 26 to get the grades submitted.

Long time no post! I have been busy with evaluating papers, and finally finished the journals yesterday. Today I baked pies (the last two come out of the oven in about 15 minutes). Sophie loves raw fruit and vegetables, and her favorites are asparagus, zucchini and apples. So today, while I was peeling apples, I had to give her two. After she finished eating them, I turned and saw her with her head in the bag of apples - she took a third apple herself! I was reminded of Howie. He never took one himself, and I don't think would have eaten a whole apple, but he would sit nearby as I made pie, demanding the apple peels.

And I found out that high speed internet will be installed in Samsonville on Tuesday (provided I manage to replace the broken CD Rom drive in the machine there in time). Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I found out today that the Samsonville house is only 156 feet from where cable ends...so Time Warner will hook us up for free! Yay!

My mother's cat Tabby died yesterday. Tabby was a barn cat, and spent her time with horses. She was at least 14 1/2 years old. Someone dropped her over 13 years ago, during a blizzard in 1993. She was cared for (and named Tabby) by an elderly woman who lived next door to my parents.

Tabby was pregnant when she was dropped, and after she had kittens, my mother took her and had her spayed, earning her the knickname "52," because that's how much it cost. One of the kittens, now old and somewhat wild, is still hanging around there. When the woman couldn't take care of herself, much less Tabby, any more, my mother started feeding her, and it wasn't long before Tabby migrated from the empty house to the barn. That was about 10 years ago.

She was a good cat, and I liked her. Although a small cat, she scared many a dog, and in her day, she more than scared many a rodent. A funny Tabby story is that once when my parents took her to the rabies shot clinic, Tabby managed to squirm away, and their dog Hobo chased her. She ran right up a tree, and a neighbor had to climb up and retrieve her. Several people at the clinic didn't know that Hobo and Tabby were with the same people - they watched Tabby and my mother sympathetically, clucking disapprovingly at Hobo and my father. They were probably thinking, "How could that man allow that bad dog to terrorize that woman and that poor cat!" Tabby was generally in control of all dog interactions, driving canines away from the barn, and Hobo was afraid of her. I guess chasing her that day was his revenge.

Last night, when we went out to dinner, it seemed to me that I saw stray cats everywhere, looking at me, perhaps auditioning to be the next barn cat. One was a half-grown kitten, very cute. But my mother doesn't need any help in that department.

Here's a story from the Freeman, updating the status of the Game Farm animals.

I voted this morning. Since I have a night class to teach, that seemed like the best strategy. I really don't understand why people don't vote. It isn't difficult or that inconvenient. I also don't understand why people don't read the newspaper. I read two daily papers (that are delivered), one daily paper online, one twice weekly paper that I buy in the store, and an every other week paper that I read either online, or in paper. If I go away and my morning papers build up - almost the first thing I do when I get home is sit down and read them.

Today during the sermon, the priest asked us "what would you want on your tombstone?" He explained that in recent years people only put names and dates on there (he didn't say this, but I wonder if it is because headstones are so expensive now) but years ago having poems, prayers, sayings, etc. carved in the stone was very common. So he wanted to know how we would want our lives summed up, what we would want future generations to know about us. So I gave it some thought and found it easy to decide: She loved animals.

Sigh. Now I am getting bombarded with spam from a petition organization that I visited over an animal rights issue. Are they asking me to support something to do with animal welfare? No. They are asking me to sign up to telephone people in my area to get out the vote for "progressive" candidates (whatever that means). But the effort is really MoveOn.org's, not the petition website's. So, I responded with this:

Why are you sending me this email? I do not support MoveOn.org. I am very offended to receive emails like this from that organization, I have zero interest in their agenda and consider their tactics disgusting. I do vote, but I am not an overly political person and I am an Independent. I have no interest in telephoning anyone. I can't stand telemarketers myself.

I have visited your site in the past because I am a big champion of animal rights. Recently I was thrilled when the House of Representatives passed the horse anti-slaughter legislation. Although he is not my representative, this was sponsored by Congressman Sweeney and I do live in a nearby district in upstate NY. His advocacy on this issue has earned him the endorsement of the Humane Society in his re-election campaign.

I know MoveOn.org is supporting his challenger, because they are running advertisements slamming Sweeney. I'm sure they do not care about animal rights, and define his opposition as "progressive." So the fact that you would let MoveOn.org send me this spam when they are supporting a candidate whose winning would be contrary to animal welfare, which is the only reason I visited the petition site, is an outrage.

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I have also been the recipient of numerous emails recently that are not spam, but they are partisan in nature and are being sent via a supposedly non-partisan list that I joined. After about the 100th message (I'm exaggerating, it is a small list and the number of emails was probably about 20) I couldn't take it any more. So I wrote an email to the list protesting. Two members responded to me (off-list), and the list quieted down for a while. What a relief. But then today, it started up again. HELLO?!

I forgot to mention this since the article gives me short shrift, but my historical society presentation got about a one sentence (future tense? What is up with that?) mention in this rag of a paper. Scroll down to "Heralding Our Own History." I'm wondering if maybe the reporter was snoozing - or in the bathroom - or maybe in the next room, browsing the books in the library during half the presentations.

I agree with PETA.

Amazing Edna.

When we got home yesterday, we discovered that she had gotten a mouse. She is still proud today, puffed up to twice her size - and she is a big cat already. I was very surprised, since we have had her 13 years, making her at least 14 - and I thought her mousing days were over long ago.

I am busy grading midterms. I am about one-third of the way done, and although I know students would love to have them back tomorrow, I am burnt out on reading at the moment, so they may have to wait a few more days.

I couldn't be home for Halloween, so we put an "honor" bowl of candy on the porch. I don't think any kids came while we were gone, though. Bob said four trick-or-treaters came while he was here. That is the fewest ever, some years we get 100 kids, more recently we get at least 35, but I think darkened houses are not very inviting, and I am not sure the neighbors were home either. So trudging up the Green Avenue hill didn't seem worth the effort. There were a lot of kids out, and when I got home, I heard teenagers making a racket in the cemetery. Hopefully they didn't do any vandalism, and were just having fun scaring each other.

We have decided to get high speed internet access for Samsonville. After years of struggling with dial-up, we are both fed up. I already know my preference (and what I have in Castleton), DSL won't be coming until the distant future - and even then, it may not come because digital will be a better option (Verizon says they may bring digital in a year, but it will probably be more). A cell phone provider is also not an option. There is currently no cell phone service there.

So I emailed Time Warner (a company I hate, but oh well) and the response was that there are no active customers on Jomar Lane. I had been under the impression that Jomar was wired, but that other nearby roads were not, and I had heard horror stories of TW offering to bring the cable - but the homeowner pays, to the tune of $1300. I was very disappointed - who knows how far away the cable is and how much it would cost to run it - so I asked if that meant I couldn't have Road Runner at all? The response gave me a number to call. Which resulted in a voice mail, and (of course) it wasn't returned.

So yesterday I called again. This time I spoke with a very helpful young man who explained that it may be that the problem is not that Jomar Lane isn't wired for cable, but that the house is more than 250 feet from the road. He wasn't sure, but he said they have to send a survey team out to assess it. I believe that is the limit they are willing to absorb the costs for, and that we would have to pay to have it brought from the road if it is too far. We already have a pole so I can't see why it would be a big deal even if we have to pay.

The woman responsible did call me back and a survey team is being sent, so I should know next week. She said, "is your driveway long?" I really didn't know how to respond. I said, "well, I don't think it is for a rural area - but compared to a suburban area or a city - yes!"

While I was waiting to hear from TW - anticipating a "no" or at least an answer that is cost prohibitive - I have been researching satellite. I did this once years ago, and the answer was disappointing in terms of speed and cost. Things have improved a lot. Satellite still is more expensive (at least assuming the connection charges to TW are not exhorbitant), and not as fast as either cable or DSL, but it is a lot better than dial-up. I have found 4 providers, so if TW doesn't work out, I will do some more legwork and go with one of them.

Either way, we are going to get Road Runner or satellite internet. I'm psyched. Once it is hooked up, I think I will install a wireless network there. Of course I will have to keep it a secret or I will have all of Samsonville driving up Jomar Lane to hitch a ride on the signal! Luckily my traffic to this site from the town is not all that high!!

As my sister says, "this is the 21st Century, it shouldn't take $1300 and and Act of Congress to get high speed internet." A cousin adds, "yes, I thought all the taxes and surcharges that us city folk have to pay were going toward rural access."

Now I am getting political spam in my university email. This isn't the first time; last time it was from the Albany County DA (odd, since I do not live in Albany County), and after receiving several messages, I reported it to IT Services and they stopped it. This time it is from some group calling themselves the "RFK Democrats." The message I received today said:

Are you as appalled as we are at the ongoing debates about Alan Hevesi’s "ethical lapse"? It almost makes us ashamed to be Democrats----not because of Mr. Hevesi, but because other Democrats including Mr. Spitzer have allowed the "wuss factor" to override their good judgment. We are not saying that Mr. Hevesi did no wrong. He did--and he deserves to be fined, sanctioned, or whatever is decided. An ethical lapse is a far cry from criminal behavior. Ask Bill Clinton. There is every reason to vote for Alan Hevesi this coming Tuesday. Consider the following:

Where were/are we in our moral outrage when we have had to spend hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars to provide "safety and security" on 3 (three!) houses (Garrison, Essex Co. and the Mansion) for a governor who has spent more time in Hungary, Iowa, New Hampshire and other states than he has here in the Capital of NY. He has never lived in the Mansion. We still have to pay to maintain and guard it. The Governor did not give a knee jerk reaction to all of this--and neither should we.

Where is our moral outrage on the fact that we cannot get legislation passed where mental illness is treated in the same way as physical illness by our insurance companies. Mr. Hevesi should be supported for trying to provide safety, security and privacy to his wife in very difficult circumstances and not abandoning her. If we did not have biased attitudes toward mental illness, maybe he could have been more open and dealt with the security issue in a more appropriate way. Where were his political friends then--especially those who are abandoning him now? And where are the mental health advocates weighing in on this?

Do you really think that Mr. Callahan is a competent, credible state comptroller? We do not. His fiscal ideas are about as passe as his bowtie. As Saratoga County Comptroller, he was cited on issues. He made serious errors in his mortgage application? And he is going to run the state pension fund and audit others' books?
Keep in mind fellow Democrats--and others. Not voting for Hevesi is a vote for an extremely incompetent candidate: Callahan. Let the Legislature decide what his penalty should be. He is a good man. He is not a criminal. And he deserves better from us. He has done his job well; he has served the people of NY well. A vote for Alan Hevesi is a vote for the future fiscal health of New York State.

So I went to the unsubscribe link, and it appeared to be a place where you enter your email address for more information! So naturally, I didn't.

Instead, I hit respond, and wrote this: DO NOT SEND ME SPAM MAIL OF THIS NATURE - I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU GOT MY EMAIL ADDRESS FROM BUT I REALLY DON'T APPRECIATE GETTING POLITICAL SPAM - ALTHOUGH SINCE YOU DON'T CONSIDER A SERIOUS ETHICAL VIOLATION TO DISQUALIFY SOMEONE FROM SERVING AS OUR TOP ACCOUNTANT WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC FUNDS, YOU PROBABLY ALSO HAVE NO CLUE THAT SPAMMING PEOPLE AT THEIR UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS IS ALSO QUESTIONABLE. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW SERIOUS I CONSIDER ETHICAL BEHAVIOR, I CONSIDER PLAGIARISM TO BE A SERIOUS ETHICAL VIOLATION, ALTHOUGH NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. BUT I HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CHEATING, AND I REPORT EVERY INSTANCE I DETECT - AND STUDENTS GET KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL.

Usually when I write a long post like this one, blogger freezes up, sends it off to the parallel universe, and I remind myself once more that I should have copied it elsewhere. (But of course I never do.) So here goes.

I have been getting a ton of spam from the several related email addresses, with the "reply to" listing the address "info@menendez2006.com." Apparently they are legitimate emails, soliciting support and donations for one the candidates in the New Jersey U.S. Senate race. I have no idea how my email address was collected, or why. I have never visited the candidate's website, I have never signed up to receive election emails from anyone - even in my own State, and before this, Menendez wasn't even on my radar screen.

First, I flagged it as spam. It didn't stop (I assume because the senders were various names @menendez2006.com), so I tried the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the message. That didn't work either. So I responded with the following message:

STOP SENDING ME THESE EMAILS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU GOT MY ADDRESS BUT I AM TIRED OF THESE MESSAGES. YOUR OPT OUT LINK DOES NOT WORK. I DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, I AM AN INDEPENDENT AND DON'T APPRECIATE YOUR INSANE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT "STOLEN" ELECTIONS (GET A LIFE YOU LOSER), AND I HATE SPAM. DO NOT EMAIL ME AGAIN.

Well, surprise, surprise. That didn't work either. So today I sent this as a response:

This is my second response to the spam you keep sending to me. The online unsubscribe link does not work. I do not send donations to political candidates and believe there are many more worthwhile places for contributions - how about actual charities? Also I am not a New Jersey resident and I couldn't care less about Bob Menendez. I have no idea how you got my email address but after receiving all these messages I fervently hope his opponent wins in a landslide solely because of this unwanted spam. STOP SENDING ME THESE EMAILS.

But I am not holding my breath.

Today we took the dogs to the vet, stopped at the orchard (again) to get apples, cider, cider donuts, etc., and I did a quick grocery shopping (a much disliked chore that always gets put off). I picked up several bags on Halloween candy in preparation for Tuesday. Tonight we fall behind! Yay! I am never right until we go back to real time. Not that I mind the extra hour of daylight in the evening over the summer, but once the days start getting shorter and it is cooler outside - I find myself oversleeping every morning and can't wait to turn the clocks back.

Two awful stories in today's Freeman. First, this one, about the slap on the wrist given to Frankie's abusers. So people look at you as if you are a monster? Well that's about right, because that's what you are. Second, this one, about the fate of the Catskill Game Farm animals. And the comments on the article make me very sad. People can be just awful. (Also very stupid sounding.)

Our round trip wound up being on Tuesday. I finally finished my book review on Friday night, then I had to get ready for a presentation I was making on Saturday. We were supposed to go to Samsonville that night, but both of us were zombies from our long, tiring week and we were afraid of crashing on the Thruway - so we did something I hate, got up at 5:30 am and left by 6:40 (an hour I rarely see). Although I was flying by the seat of my pants (and exhausted), my presentation went well. On Sunday, after church I went to the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds with my mother and sister. We got back to Castleton at 11:15 pm on Sunday, and by then I could have slept standing up. Lucky for me, today was a holiday on campus so I got to sleep in. I am now trying to catch up on various work, and get the house into some kind of order.

Still too busy for blogging, but what the heck. I made good progress on the manuscript this weekend, but I have quite a bit to go and as a result the week will be hectic. Yesterday I snuck away for a while and went to get apples, pumpkins, cider donuts, cider and some other wonderful fall-related things at Golden Harvest. On the way back we took the dogs to the town park. Tomorrow or Wednesday we are making a round trip to Samsonville for a brief visit with relatives from Florida. The timing isn't great, but I'll manage somehow.

Busy week of evaluating essays. I have them all done except for the online class. The website is down today because of the snowstorm and power outages in Buffalo! I also had to write the midterm for my Thursday class.

This will be a working weekend - I have a book review due on the 20th, and naturally, I haven't even opened the box with the manuscript yet.

On the 21st, I have to give a presentation on one room schools. That is mostly ready, but I will have to spend a bit of time between now and then on the details.

Thursday Threesome: Fall Harvest Festival

Onesome: Fall-- (ing) into "The Decorating Season"? How about it: do you have your Halloween Tree up and decorated yet? ...or maybe just a plastic pumpkin sitting on the table ? ...something in between? Inquiring minds and all that...

I do have some Halloween decorations that I put on the porch. I don't do it until Halloween, or no more than a few days before. I live in a village where we get quite a few trick or treaters so I like it to be festive for the little kids. But it is only a couple of things, I don't go crazy. I always get a pumpkin.

Twosome: Harvest-- time? What crops are grown in your area (call it fifty miles) that are coming out of the fields this Fall?

This is apple country! In fact, New York State is the second largest producer of apples in the country. (Washington is #1 and Michigan is #3). It is supposed to be a huge crop this year, and the trees are loaded. New York is the #3 producer of grapes, cauliflower, pumpkins, milk, cheese, and maple syrup, and #1 in cabbage and cottage cheese production.

Threesome: Festival-- Do you have a County Fair or Harvest Fest happening in Autumn? ...or do you wait until the sap flows?

The county fairs are in July and August. It has been a couple of years since I have gone, which is a shame, since I really like them. In October there are a lot of harvest festivals. This weekend will be the Goold Farm Apple Festival. It's a fun time, but I probably won't go this year.

Blogger acts up a lot, I think. It often doesn't show my last post, which is what it is doing now. So this post is only to post that post through.

Our trip to NYC yesterday was great! The show was better than expected, dinner was nice, and after we arrived on the train we had a couple of hours to kill, so we decided to visit MOMA. Neither of us had been to MOMA for years, and when we got there, there was a sign that said "closed today and every Tuesday." So we went to the Museum of Arts and Design instead, and saw this exhibit on Droog. We took a tour, and the guide was fantastic. We took the latest train home (10:45) which got into the station at 1:15. Both of us said we felt we had been teleported - we dozed sitting up for the entire ride and it seemed as if the trip only took 5 minutes!

My letter is in the Times Union today! They cut the last two paragraphs - I know space is tight and my letter was long, but I think it was either because I slam horse racing (a big no-no in the Capital District) or praise John Sweeney (it is very clear they are rooting for Gillibrand).

I haven't mentioned my garden much lately, and I do like to keep a yearly chronicle. Overall, it has been a good year, and the plants still looks great. We have not yet had a frost. The green beans are pretty much over, the cucumbers are still producing although not at a high volume any longer, but I am just beginning to pick tomatoes! Unreal, there are a ton of green ones out there, but it is taking forever for them to ripen. They are not as sweet and tasty as usual, either. (Still they are better than ones shipped here from across the country.) I guess it must be the rainy weather this year. Funny, since it is supposed to be a bumper crop of apples. I have gorgeous basil plants, too and my other spices are still growing. So every night I watch the weather, to find out if a killing frost is coming. I will pick all the green tomatoes, and the basil at the last minute. The tomatoes will (I hope) ripen in a paper bag, and the basil will become pesto that I will freeze (keeping my fingers crossed the the frost comes on a day when I am home so the basil doesn't wilt before it is blended). So far, so good...no frost in sight. It is going to get close tonight, but then it gets warmer for several days. The tomatoes may vine ripen yet!

On Tuesday, we're going to see The Wedding Singer on Broadway! I can hardly believe it. Adam Sandler movies are a guilty pleasure, and I have probably seen it 100 times. I knew it had been turned into a show, but since it is new, going to see it is not likely until far in the future, if ever. But then Bob's brother invited us! He isn't really into musicals, but he won four tickets in a raffle that was a fundraiser in honor of a 9/11 victim. He knows we love shows, and the movie! I tortured myself for about an hour after the invitation - what to do about my Tuesday classes. Be a martyr and decline the invitation? Try to find someone else to cover (no easy task)? Cancel? I decided on canceling. My students didn't mind a bit (no surprise there). Actually, the day class seemed happy - Monday is a holiday so for those with a light class schedule, this gives them an extra long weekend - but my evening class seemed neither thrilled, nor disturbed. Maybe because I told them about the raffle, and they found the 9/11 connection upsetting. The anniversary has been a topic of discussion in their online board. Anyway, we'll take the train down. Dinner out is included too. Bob bought the CD and we are learning the songs. I'm psyched!

PS The TU is going to print my letter. Not sure when.

My Wuj died one year ago today. It is a hard anniversary. Even though the passing of time makes grief a lot easier to handle, I guess I don't like the idea of his lifetime moving farther back in my life.

This letter appeared in yesterday's Times Union and really annoyed me. So I wrote this response. Not sure if it will be published (the TU likes letters to be 250 words or less) but I felt better writing it.

Whenever something good happens for animals, it seems there are always people who are irritated. I remember this was true with the Buster Law, and now the same whining can be heard from opponents to the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

First John Dansereau writes in his September 21 letter "Saving horses shouldn't come before children" that the number of horses affected by the bill's passage was omitted from news articles. Apparently, he considers the U.S. Humane Society's estimate (about 100,000 annually) to be an insignificant number, and he believes failing to include the statistic is an effort by news organizations to promote H.R. 503. What he does not mention is that all sorts of information from the U.S. Humane Society about horse slaughter routinely was not published in newspaper articles, including that horses bound for slaughter are frequently not humanely transported, that many are young horses in good health, and that some are stolen horses that have been purchased by killer buyers at auction.

Next, Mr. Dansereau writes about the importance of turkeys in U.S. history, and their sad fate. As someone who is concerned not just about horses but about the welfare of all animals, I found this interesting, but I'm not sure why the fact that cruelty to turkeys exists means that we should abandon horses.

Finally, he closes with a favorite claim of those who demean the efforts of advocates for animals. He suggests that those who champion animal protection legislation are hurting children. At first I wondered whether he was suggesting that horsemeat be used to feed the hungry, which might be a logical argument, but is a strange one, considering there is no market in the U.S. Again according to the U.S. Humane Society, the largest markets are France, Belgium, Holland, Japan, and Italy, and all the horse slaughter plants in the United States are foreign-owned. But no, instead he is asserting that the time spent on passing horse protection legislation is coming at the expense of starving children, as if caring about children and horses are somehow mutually exclusive!

Mr. Dansereau believes he "neither hates horses nor loves turkeys" since he "gambles on the former and eats the latter." I hesitate to write this, considering the August obsession of most Capital District residents, but leaving aside the poor turkeys, there are a few of us who believe collecting umbrellas and wearing showy hats while betting on horses is not quite the same thing as loving animals.

I say, bravo to the 263 members of the House of Representatives who voted in favor or H.R. 503, and to John Sweeney for co-sponsoring the legislation. And by the way, I am not a resident of the 20th Congressional District.