Wednesday

Didn't do a lot today. Went out for groceries and a few other things. Hard to focus on any task, I have so many. At least I have nothing to do all week. Think I'll just flow with it.

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

2nd Debate

Didn't get dressed today. Fiddles with bills and paperwork. Updated some web sites.

Watched the debate. Agree that McCain looks sick. One commentator thought it was early Alzheimer's. "That one" was either a racist cheap shot or he couldn't remember his name. He got the name of one of the questioners wrong. Very condescending and rambling.

Did something stupid on the spur of the moment a couple of weeks ago that is coming back to bite me. Can't keep using the pills as an excuse for everything I do.

I do need a holiday! Victoria in a couple of weeks, then Callanish Healing Retreat & Houston for Christmas. That might do it.

Religulous

Finally changed all my VISA automatic payments. What a pain! At least the new card doesn't change until 2012.

Picked up Mae & we went to Religulous at the Fifth Avenue. Not many in the theatre but those who were there laughed out loud all through the movie. He really nailed a few people, especially Senator Mark Pryor - I can't believe he is a Democrat!



via videosift.com

It was raining when we came out so we had the drive around Stanley Park almost to ourselves. Stopped to show Mae the new portals by Susan Point (Musqueam) at Totem Park and then Steve's tree near Lumberman's Arch.

Used the first coupon from my Entertainment Book at The Fish House in Stanley Park. We had halibut that was delicious.

Run for the Cure

Woke up before my alarm and got up at 6:30. I love turning them off without ever having to hear them ring.

Met Barb outside her tower and we walked across to the Run for the Cure site. The BCTF had Frisbees for the kids finishing and we had pamphlets and big pink clips at our table. Two cartons of the clips disappeared before the race even began - a big hit.

Saw several teachers. Vancouver didn't have a team this year and we thought maybe we should join the existing BCTF Team and make it open to all teachers.

The rain stayed away and I even needed sunglasses by the time we left.

Home by noon and just sat and watched the latest Bourne movie for the rest of the afternoon.

SNL VP Debate

Windy

Quite windy here all day. I was so glad that the owners had the huge trees in the front properly pruned yesterday. The morningglory is totally gone and there is room between the branches for the wind. They were worrying me in big storms. Today they behaved much better.

Started at the library and then went to the mall at Marine Way & Bryne Rd. There is a large movie lot across the street with storefronts and fake roads. Too bad they don't build in a viewing area.

I like shopping at Market Crossing. I found everything I was looking for in Staples, HomeSense, Linens & Things, PriceSmart, Vancity & Cobbs.

Spent the day with bills. VISA sent new, safer cards. Still can't contact everyone to change automatic billing. I found myself yelling at the Telus Automatic Voice - it must have worked since I was switched to a very nice live man.

Found a new TV station called CPAC at 110 that shows politics all day. Watched some of the debates again. Palin is scary. A piece in the NY Times suggests she is running for President, not VP (see DIGG on side).

OJ Guilty

Took 13 years to the day from the 1st acquital for a jury to get it right! Minimum sentence has to be 15 years.

Forgot to blog yesterday. Did some laundry in the morning and then settled in to watch the 2 debates. Watched the US VP live. Palin was totally outclassed by Biden. She had memorized lots of answers but couldn't match them to the questions. Then watched the rerun of the Canadian leaders. Elizabeth May did surprisingly well. Jack Layton was the most feisty and Dion the most statemanlike. Harper just kept smiling. That smile is as irritating as Palin's wink. Actually, Elizabeth would be a far better VP than Palin.

Picked up Matt this morning and we started with lattes from Starbucks. Then drove around Stanley Park and visited the tree they planted for Steve. It is a giant sequoia and is in the perfect spot (just in front and below the red arrow).

Head Case

Spent 2 hours with a neurologist at the Cancer Agency today. His student did a complete workup. I think I actually knew all the answers (the words I was to remember were face, velvet, church, daisies, red) - if only I remembered everything so easily. I made a story as she read them to me.

I passed everything so the Dr. thinks the problems I'm having with memory are the result of the Arimidex. Just like the chemo brain I had with the chemo and again with the Tamoxifen. My theory is that women are smarter than men because of estrogen.

I am doing the just what he suggests - playing Scrabble & Brain Age - to exercise different parts of the brain. Research shows it helps. Now I don't feel guilty about buying the Nintendo DS.

Stopped at IGA & London Drugs on the way home. Missed the French debate but watched it at 10. Tomorrow the VPs debate is on at the same time as the English debate but again it is repeated at 10.

New GPS

I took my GPS back to Circuit City in Oakridge. Of course it worked for them, but there was no problem in switching it for a new one. Did a bit more shopping and then home by noon.

Worked on BCTLA stuff all day & night. Once I get on a roll there is no point in stopping. The spirit might not move me tomorrow!

Mineral Springs

Met Louise at Brown's "House of Mystery" on Hastings where she is selling books left from Women in Print. We went for lattes and then I bought a few books.

It was such a warm day (and I bought a book on Harrison) I decided to go on to Harrison Hot Springs for a swim (in the public pool). Had a patty melt (done the right way with lots of onions and dark rye bread) at Bobby Sox 50's Diner in Maple Ridge.

Tried to find a cache after my swim but the new GPS is broken. Hope I have better luck returning things to Circuit City than Patience! Went to Farm House Natural Cheeses and Limbert Mountain Farm before stopping at the Chilliwack Airport Coffee Shop for salad & pie.

Bought Jubilee sweet corn at Yellow Barn Country Produce and took 1/2 a dozen to Pru before going home.

Designed a blog for DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) tonight for teachers who want to take part but can't access the Facebook page at school.

The British Columbia Teacher-librarians’ Association has dropped the gauntlet. We are challenging the Premier, members of the legislature, and people across BC to “Drop Everything and Read” for 20 minutes on National School Library Day -- Monday, October 27.

Teacher-librarians strongly support Premier Campbell’s goal of making BC the most literate province in Canada and know the impact that good modeling has on children. Seeing our provincial leaders put aside business for a few minutes to let pleasure reading be their priority will send a powerful message to students and families.

Please join this group, invite your friends, organize your workplace to participate, contact your local media, and generally create a buzz about reading in BC. After the event, post your comments and pictures to this page.

WOTS

Picked Moira up at noon and we went to Word on the Street. I stared telling a woman at the Crime Writers of Canada table how wonderful a series of books was that was sitting on the table - she was the author, Lou Allin. Hope I made her day. I couldn't buy her books since I've read them all but bought a couple of others. Picked up a few good deals at other tables and stashed them in the car.

From 2 to 5 I sat at the BCTF table and handed out stuff and answered questions. A man who was not "well" tried to flog his book that solves all the problems of teaching math. Turned out it was rejected by the VSB 20 years ago. We didn't really want it and he just lost it. I finally told him to go home and take his pills. Then there was the flasher. I sent security after him. Should have whipped out my cell phone to take a photo - always think of it ages later.

Most people were much more normal. Saw several old friends. Moira hung around all afternoon, even standing in line at Starbucks to bring me a latte. We went to The Keg at Granville Island for a scrumptious steak covered with blue cheese.

Saturday Night Live

BCTLA Web

Spent the day analyzing the BCTLA Website and the new template that Al has created for us. I then made a chart of both with suggestions for what whould be on the new drop-down menus. I can't wait until we have the old info moved over to the new pages. It will be a lot easier to edit with Dreamweaver. Netscape Composer is so restriced in what it allows me to do.

Moira and I tried out the Taste of Thai menu at the White Spot. We had the Pad Thai (Our version of Thailand’s most popular dish. Prawns, onions, cashews, egg and rice noodles sautéed with our authentic spicy Thai sauce. Garnished with cilantro and lime). Very spicy and delicous.

Debate

Filled my empty fridge by shopping at Granville Island today.

Put some political links on the Retired Teachers' web site.

Watched the debate tonight. Clear win for Obama. McCain was so patronizing as he kept telling Obama he didn't know or understand things that it was sickening.

Funny that Biden gave an interview about it and Palin was no where to be found. She had been asked but said no. The reporters are all joking about her hiding. When reporters like Katie Couric and Jack Cafferty start attacking and everyone is laughing at her, the end is nigh.

The Women

Watched the original film of The Women (1939) this morning. It was quite funny. 139 women and not a single male role.

Met Christine at 3:50 at Riverport to see the remake. I was late as I got caught in traffic but we only missed a couple of trailers. The ones we did see were pretty awful. The Women (2008) was just as corny as the original but it was fascinating comparing the two. Some of the scenes and lines were from the original, but the women of 2008 had careers! The lesbian didn't just wear wool suits, she had a girlfriend. A good B movie.

We had dinner at Browns Social House.

McCain is self-destructing. He obviously is trying to avoid the debate. The left side of his face is swollen. Something going on? Pallin just keeps looking stupider and stupider. Look at the stories in the DIGG box on the left side of this blog for more.

Bon Voyage

Started off at the BCTF this morning for a Retired Teachers' Association Executive meeting. Made lots of notes for additions to the website. Loved being online with my iPod Touch.

Took Patience & Chris to Canada Place board their cruise ship bound for the Mexican Riviera - considered stowing away!

Met Sophy at the Red Cross for our training session on working in the Call Centre. We had 9 students and it went well (6:30-9:30).

Finished working on a new blog for the Victoria conference next month http://missionliteracy.blogspot.com/. They asked me to take some photos and I can easily put them here.

New TV shows again!

Read the papers and then did a lot of housekeeping on the computer.

Cleaned up my trunk and back seat so I can take Patience & Chris to the airport tomorrow.

Quit the photo contest group, Photos from the B.C. Amateur Photography Contest on Facebook when a photo was posted with a racist caption. When a few of us objected there were actually arguments. I see now that all my comments have been erased. So much for democracy! It was supposed to be a BC group but many were from outside the province. The voting method was stupid and some photos looked professional. There must be better sites.



Lasted a long time after the big oil spill in Alaska.

Status of Women

Attended 1st Status of Women meeting of the year at VESTA today. Took minutes & just emailed them before leaving the office.

Came straight home and ate the last stew in the freezer. I'm trying to empty it before cooking anything new.

My ankles are swollen tonight and one is pretty sore for walking. Too many days of meetings? The last time this happened I had been sitting for a couple of days. I was hoping the swimming would help.

I've booked 3 nights at the Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites in Victoria for the BCTLA Conference weekend (October 23 - 26). It is close to Parliament and the price is right - $79/night. And it does have a pool.

My insurance policy renewal from VanCity came today. By switching to the BCTF Advantage at BCAA I saved $60 and my deductable went from $500 to $200 with 1 forgiven claim a year. Most of the details are better.

Lunch with Patience

Patience is staying with Chris until they leave on an 11-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise on Wednesday. A large group of family met for lunch at Chris's today. Patience and her 3 kids were very lucky to avoid greater damage from Hurricane Ike. Homes close to where she lives in Seabrook were destroyed. She lost her trees and garden, along with the freezer and everything inside the fridge. Her main problem right now is travelling without a passport or birth certificate - both are in a safety deposit box in a bank without power! There might be power when she returns home in a couple of weeks.

Watched the Emmy's tonight and thought it was one of the worst shows ever - the jokes were sexist or just plain flat. Only Rickles got laughs when he stopped reading the prompter. So many of the shows don't even show in Canada. Like my favourite, The Closer.