Mina Isham

August 05, 2010

2010-08-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Thurs., 08/05/10

Hello!

Today I want to discuss noise. Yesterday I used computer to read about soundproofing.

There are web sites & people devoted to the subject.

Do you know if you mask one sound another one will take its place? For example, if you eliminate a barking dog you might hear a baby crying.

If I could afford to have my whole house soundproofed I would still be assaulted by noisy motor vehicles when I step outdoors. Now I don't enjoy walking to library, p.o., supermkt., & hardware store because traffic is noisy, & I have to look both ways at intersections before running across streets.

Do all new jobs involve motors & noise? Are they all created for men? Are any new jobs being created for quiet & creative people? Most women don't want to drive trucks or pound nails. Where are the jobs for women's college graduates? English majors? single women who depend on salaries for housing, food, utilities, & clothes?

Hot weather continues in northwestern Vermont. I better make ice now to keep lunch at dept. store fresh tomorrow.

Bye

Mon., 01/04/10

2010-01-04T11:47:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is my first 2010 post to this blog.

In Sept. 2009 I joined gather.com where member contributions earn points redeemable for gift cards.

Not until recently did I have any compact fluorescent "lamps" in sockets. [When did light bulbs become "lamps?" window panes "lights?"]

A great gift for college students, retirees, & unemployed workers is a CFL. Savings in terms of dollars & energy are impressive as is long life of CFL. Give CFLs to everybody!

I've been thinking about light bulbs since bulb in garage fixture burned out. At least I think it burned out. Turns out the bulb was a 4.65" halogen double-ended "lamp." In November 2009 I ordered a replacement electronically. It wasn't in stock & had to be ordered. Six wks. later UPS delivered lamp to my house.

Fixture is mounted on garage near the gable. To remove old bulb & install new one I used ext. ladder. Driveway is uneven. When I installed replacement bulb or lamp I put summer tires around feet of ladder to increase my safety & self-confidence. Two springs in fixture hold lamp. I had to climb ladder at least 12 times to try every combination before lamp illuminated when turned on. Switch is in the kitchen. While installing lamp I noticed spring connections are rusty.

Halogen burns at high temperature & one is supposed to handle lamp with paper towel or clean cloth. Skin contains oil/s which will damage bulb or shorten its life.

About two yrs. ago I bought a pr. of three-way porcelain lamps at a resale shop. After both lamps fell to floor on separate occasions bulbs didn't operate at three settings. They only emitted 70 watts of light not 30 or 100. When I bought CFLs I also bought two three-way bulbs for the sake of safety. I don't want to worry about bulb not actually being OFF while I'm at work.

Does anybody know if CFLs are available with three-settings for three-way lamps/light fixtures?

Happy new yr. & decade

Bye

Wed., 10/14/09

2009-10-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello

What I have seen of fall this yr. while walking around my small Vt. city & driving to solid waste drop-off center is spectacular. Maple leaves don't all stop producing chlorophyll at same time so foliage occurs in stages. Trees on my property are late bloomers. Leaves are gradually changing colors & still cling to trees.

Today I raked enough leaves near busy street & on sidewalk to fill two trash cans. (They fell from a neighbor's tree.) I dumped leaves in compost pile. Several times this yr. I've mowed leaves for mulch.

This yr. I've bought a few buttercup squashes & a pie pumpkin. Always I roast the seeds. They provide protein.

I like pumpkins because they are handsome & edible.

Bye

Thurs., 8/20/09

2009-08-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hello

It's been weeks since I've posted to this blog!

Last Wed., 8/12/09 I was dismissed from temporary psych tech job. It took me about six mos. to get the job.

Summer weather finally arrived in Vt. about 10 days ago. Rain is expected this evening & tomorrow. I don't mind a few days of hazy, hot, & humid weather.

This Sat. I should visit farmers mkt. in Taylor Pk. to buy an ear or two of sweet corn. It's delicious without butter.

As always, thank you for visiting.

Bye

Mon., 07/13/09

2009-07-13T16:48:00.001-07:00

Hello!

It's been weeks since I've published a new post. Mon., 06/01/09 I began a new job which requires spending almost an hr. driving to work & an hr. driving home. That's 10 hrs. behind a wheel weekly.

About a wk. ago screws on old toilet seat rusted away. At a hardware store I bought an oak seat. It's easy to install. More difficult was installing burlap curtain panels on 3-season porch. Instead of expensive drapery hardware I used two 3/4" PVC pipes (10' ea.) & gutter hardware.

Today I ordered 8" coil burner or element electronically. Recently I put a kettle of water on stove & it didn't boil. Element light illuminates when the dial is turned but there isn't any heat. Late this afternoon I removed old single-lever kitchen sink faucet because it leaks. Tomorrow morning I'll buy a faucet deck with three holes & possibly a sprayer.

I haven't seen the Atlantic Ocean since mid 1980s. This summer is cool in northwestern Vt. & it often rains.

Thanks for visiting.

Bye

Fri., 05/29/09

2009-05-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Hello

This a.m. I wrote this essay about paint stirrers as a note on facebook.com

----------------------
"Paint Stick"

Preparation is the most difficult part of painting. Filling dings. Caulking gaps between floor boards. Sanding. Vacuuming. Washing/rinsing surfaces. These steps take time. When they are eventually done you're ready to prime & paint.

Always remember to ask for a paint stick or stirrer when you buy primer & paint. If more than one is offered to you accept them! Sometimes I'm on a roll when it comes to painting, & I am juggling two or three projects at once. To not have a paint stick can delay the application. Sometimes I apply primer to trim & am ready to apply second coat of color to a wall in another room. I need a dry paint stick.

At local paint & hardware stores I have to ask for a paint stick. They aren't on the counter. Customers can't help themselves to two or three. I think paint sticks should be prominently displayed on counters to remind customers they will need this tool. It's as important as a brush or roller cover. How do commercial painters obtain sticks? I've never seen a pkg. of sticks for sale in any store. I'd be willing to spend a couple dollars to buy a pkg. of 16 or 20 sticks.

Not all sticks are created equal. Some sticks are thin & brittle. They wiill break if primer or paint is stirred too vigorously. Recently I bought a tray liner, 9" roller cover, & two sm. foam disposable brushes at a hardware store. After walking out I do-si-doed back in to ask for a paint stick. Clerk handed me a nice, thick one from a box on a low shelf behind paint mixer & muttered something like "You're lucky. It's almost the last one."

After spending $12 to $15 for a qt. of paint & about $30 for a gallon why are paint & hardware stores stingy when it comes to distributing paint sticks? If you find yourself without a stirrer when you're ready to apply primer or paint I suggest using an old kitchen utensil, a (clean) ruler, or part of a yardstick. I used to have a set of two or three wooden mixing spoons but needed them to stir paint.
-------------------------------------------------

Bye

Wed., 05/20/09

2009-05-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hello

I'd like to create a blog for unemployed Americans.

Why do so many human resource depts. contain people with androgynous names? Some are Lee, Dale, Robin, Kelly, Chris, Jamie, & Pat.

Some paper applications have a section at the end with the instructions "DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE" or something similar. What happens if I write a poem or draw with crayons in the space?

Why do employers not ask for an electronic address? Sometimes I include it but usually I forget to provide an e-mail address. Acknowledgement via computer of paper & electronic applications would be appreciated by this jobseeker. Already I am paying Fairpoint Communications for Internet & e-mail service.

Thanks for visiting.

Mon. a.m., 05/18/09

2009-05-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hello

Recently I wrote the following poem. It took only five or 10 minutes to compose.

WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE?

On Saturday at 6:45 p.m. a foreign woman on the phone asked to speak with Meena Eeshum. My name is Mina (rhymes with China) Isham (I or eye + shum).

I was hoping the caller was my cousin Sherry. No. American Satellite has entered my home. It didn't pick a lock or break a window. There isn't any property damage. Nothing is missing except a couple minutes.

When the phone rings I climb the stairs where phone & computer share a jack.

If I want to subscribe to cable or satellite TV (or extend auto warranty) I'll use yellow pgs. or advertisement.

Please don't bother me. I'm baking bread. I'm paying bills. I'm folding laundry

Bye

(Hang up)"

There are several old purple lilac bushes on my property. Their perfume now is intense. Last spring I moved a young lilac bush. Previous homeowner/s planted it under the canopy of a flowering crabapple tree. Now it receives direct sunshine. Its blooms are white.

Thanks for visiting.

Thurs., 05/14/09

2009-05-14T05:30:00.001-07:00

Hello

Yesterday the weather was sunny, mild, & breezy. I walked to Holiday House to play the piano during a Red Hat tea party. At home late in the afternoon I mowed the lawn.

Today rain & wind are forecast. I'll probably scrape trim (woodwork) in the hall upstairs & use orbital sander on the floor. I want to paint trim white & the floor chocolate brown.

Seeds I sowed in the garden aren't germinating. Last yr. I let sprinkler water garden for 10 or 15 minutes. This yr. I've been holding nozzle to moisten seeds. I don't think water is wetting top two or three inches of soil.

Play the piano & walk are daily activities.

Thanks for visiting.

Sun., 05/03/09

2009-05-03T09:09:00.001-07:00

Hello

Yesterday the weather was sunny & warm. Outdoors I sowed chamomile & savory seeds. I plopped cardboard pots with mint seedlings in two tree stumps.

Sundays I usually walk through an industrial pk. because most businesses are closed. Several times I brought a rope with me to twirl near a bldg. with gravel.

I need new sneakers. My two prs. work hard.

Ciao

Mon. afternoon, 04/27/09

2009-04-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hello

When I turned on the radio this a.m. I learned swine flu is in the news.

From the library I borrowed "Babe" on video cassette. At Champlain Veterinary Clinic Wanda told me Dr. Gunther used to have a pet pig named Newton. The pig was fond of Fig Newton cookies. My maternal grandmother had a pet pig named Arnold.

On Easter Sunday earlier this month (04/12/09) I wrote this poem to defeat boredom.

Grey sky spits out a few snowflakes

Heavy traffic includes all models & makes.

A walk yielded five empties or 25 cents

Neighbor allowed dog to poop (I have no fence.)

On gravel I did 50 jumping jacks & jumped rope

Fresh air & exercise help me cope.

In cardboard pots I sowed some seeds

for zucchini, mint, & probably weeds.

I slipped my feet into barn boots not Crocs

to stretch plastic on garden anchored with rocks.

The weather today is hazy, hot, & humid. The temp is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit!

Now I'm going to play the piano.

Bye

Fri., 04/17/09

2009-04-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hello

Before leaving the house on foot to do errands this a.m. I watered lettuce, spinach, & turnip green seeds in the ground & radish seeds in a whiskey barrel.

Late this morning the sun retreated from the sky. Now the sky is overcast. Rain is forecast for tonight & tomorrow.

In the winter the USPS returned application & cover letter I mailed to Old Mill Troy because the plant doesn't have a mail receptacle in St. Albans. This a.m. I handed the original envelope to a woman seated behind a desk in the office.

Now I'm pursuing a job as an independent contractor for a credit card processing company. This weekend I'll visit the web site to learn more about rates & svcs. I think I'll enjoy meeting merchants in northern Vt.

Thank you for your interest in my whereabouts & doings.

Bye

Tues. a.m., 04/14/09

2009-04-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hello

This afternoon I have been asked to play the piano during a Holiday House tea party. I thought the event was scheduled for next Tuesday.

My hair needs to be trimmed. I like the Haircuts Plus salon on Williston Rd. in South Burlington. It's bright & airy. Mon. afternoon, 04/20/09 I have a dental appt. in South Burlington. The outing will include a trip to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Drop-Off Ctr. on Patchen Rd. with household waste & recyclables.

Last Thurs., 04/09/09 I sowed lettuce & spinach seeds in the ground & radish seeds in a whiskey barrel. Soon I'll enjoy fresh salads.

Now I'm going to sit on the piano bench & practice. Should I drive or walk to Holiday House? The weather today is sunny.

Bye

Sat., 04/04/09

2009-04-04T11:12:00.001-07:00

Hello

Crocuses & tulips are emerging from the ground on the south side of my house. Today's rain is beneficial.

This a.m. I returned three video cassettes & a book to St. Albans Free Library. I walked home via a railroad track & an industrial park so I could collect empties. I wasn't disappointed. I also found four heavy decorative pieces of metal or iron beside the rr track. They might make an attractive flower bed border.

In the kitchen I made a pot of soup after cooking barley & lentils separately. In the oven I baked bread & six potatoes together. Later today or tomorrow I'll dice the potatoes to make salad with onion, oil, & vinegar. I don't have any celery.

Last wk. I visited Holiday House after I expressed an interest in playing the piano. The HH upright piano sounds tinny. Is it out of tune? Maddie would like me to assist with April activities.

Last Tues., 03/31/09 I collected trash, recyclables, & redeemables along the Missisquoi Rail Trail from the parking lot in St. Albans to a farm about 3 miles away. It only took my about 90 minutes. Due to the damp weather at midday I met only two people & two dogs on the trail.

Thanks for reading today's post.

Bye

Mon. afternoon, 03/30/09

2009-03-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hello

Late last wk. I prepped the floor in my lg. bedroom for paint. I filled cracks between floor boards with caulking. An orbital sander removed loose paint & rough spots with 60 grit sandpaper. Next I mopped the floor with a sm. amt. of TSP in water & mopped again with plain water. I let the floor dry overnight.

Yesterday a.m. I applied the first coat of "terra brun" mixed at Sherwin Wms. The color is chocolate brown. The paint contains primer & is for porches. This a.m. I applied second coat of paint to the floor.

Today I drove to Highgate Ctr. with household trash & recyclables. While out with my car I shopped for lg. items like a 5# bag of w.w. flour, a gallon jug of bleach, 5# bag of russett potatoes, 3# bag of carrots, & a head of cabbage.

Before heading home I parked my car at beginning of Missisquoi Rail Trail & walked on the four-season recreation path. Empty bottles & cans litter the trail. Returning to my car I heard a cardinal before I saw him at the top of a tree.

Thanks for visiting. Now I'm tired of sitting at the computer. Mine rests atop a bureau. There isn't a space for my knees & legs.

Bye

Mon., 03/23/09

2009-03-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hello

Fri., 03/20/09 I saw a woodchuck emerge from a tunnel on the hill behind my house. There are two or three tunnel entrances on the hill which were behind an old chicken coop I dismantled spring 2007. Because I didn't see him last summer & fall I thought he probably moved to an abode that afforded him more privacy & quiet. I'm so glad he is still in residence on my property!

The weather today is sunny & cold! I returned from Sherwin Wms. with a quart of white interior paint & a red face. Brrr! It occurred to me yesterday to buy beauty supplies at a locally owned pharmacy instead of Rite Aid. Today I bought shampoo, toothbrushes, notecards, lip balm, t.p., & envelopes at the family-owned shop. The next time I'll look for bar soap.

Sat. a.m. I found enough empties to fill two bags & a $5 bill folded on a stream bank. I feel like a lottery winner. Five dollars equals 100 empties.

Today I applied a coat of paint to woodwork/trim in my bedrm. Tomorrow a.m. I'll apply the second (final) coat. Yesterday I applied primer. Next I want to paint the floor "Terra Brun" which is a glossy chocolate brown.

Before today ends I want to buy a gallon of milk & play the piano.

Bye

Tues. afternoon, 03/17/09

2009-03-17T12:02:00.001-07:00

Hello

Publishing these posts is therapeutic.

Writing requires me to organize my thoughts. I can put the clutter in words which are easily erased & edited. Typing relaxes me because I don't have to focus on hitting the keys accurately. Already I am familiar with QWERTY keyboards.

This a.m. I wrote & mailed notecards to my brother Mike & brother-in-law Mike. Hopefully both of them will hire me to do some old-fashioned work.

The temperature outdoors must be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit today. After lunch I wore shorts & a short sleeved shirt outdoors to gather lg. branches to put on a fence row I am building. On the lawn I jumped rope & did jumping jacks to increase my heart rate. My jump rope is a thick piece of twine I found on South Main Street.

I should play the piano now. Last night I watched "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" on a video cassette.

Can driving be an addiction like cigarettes & booze? It's something I think about while 24/7/365 traffic rushes by my house.

Thanks for reading.

Bye

Fri. afternoon, 03/13/09

2009-03-13T13:16:00.001-07:00

Hello

Because the weather reminds me of spring I decided to use my wheelbarrow after lunch to collect some red bricks down the street. All winter I walked by them. They were stacked at the base of two trees growing between the sidewalk & South Main St. I am certain the real estate between the sidewalk & the street belongs to St. Albans City.

There was heavy traffic & gawkers. Nobody yelled "Stop, thief!" After I filled the wheelbarrow I realized the tire was flat. At home I removed the bricks & filled the tire with air at the convenience store across the street. Then I collected the remainder of bricks.

I might build a fire pit or a small patio to hold an outdoor table & two chairs.

Early tomorrow a.m. I'd like to walk through an industrial park to collect bottles & cans for redemption.

My tax preparer didn't complete Part I Form 8606. When I expressed my concern today she said the information is on my 1040 & Part I doesn't apply to me because my distributions are deductible. I have a headache.

Today I mailed two letters & borrowed a video, a book, & a magazine from the library.

I'm glad it's Friday.

Bye

Sun. a.m., 03/08/09

2009-03-08T07:32:00.001-07:00

Hello

Today I'll write a few notes to let acquaintances know I'm available to work. Too, I have to tackle tax forms again. I might have to revise 2007 forms. My premature Roth IRA distributions might be qualified which means I don't have to pay a 10% federal penalty & an almost 3% Vt. penalty.

A walk through the industrial park will hopefully yield empty cans & bottles for redemption. I'll buy celery & honey in a grocery store soon. In a hardware store I'll buy wire to hang Florence Shattuck's framed painting of jeans & shirts drying on a clothesline. This morning the existing wire became two pieces in my hands. Fortunately the frame with glass wasn't hanging when the wire dissolved. This morning I hung two frames my mother gave me last week. One is Nancy Stone's acrylic painting of my maternal grandmother. Two is an A, B, C . . . and 1, 2, 3 . . . sampler I finished in 1982.

Tentatively on tomorrow's itinerary are VDOL, post office, library, Food City, & hardware store if I don't drive to Labor Ready in Burlington for 5:30 a.m.

I hope the sun makes an appearance today.

Now I'll publish this post & turn off the computer until tomorrow.

Bye

Thurs. afternoon, 03/05/09

2009-03-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

Hello

Before bkft. today I played the piano.

This a.m. I walked to VDOL to update & print my resume. At the library I borrowed three videos.

This a.m. the sun was bright & the sky was blue. The city contained the sound of birds. This afternoon the sky is overcast.

Early this afternoon I drove to Arrowhead Industrial Park to learn about a data entry/customer svc. job. An administrative asst. said all three positions had been filled. The bldgs. in this industrial park are situated close together & identical.

I left a phone message at a local rehab center. I said if it has a piano I would like to play it for residents. It would allow me to meet residents & employees, & I might be able to use one for an employment reference.

Tomorrow a.m. I have an appt. to register with a staffing agency in Burlington if I pass a survey. While in Burlington I might buy notecards & visit Kohl's.

Tomorrow afternoon I should print a Century Arms application at VDOL to complete & mail this weekend. After VDOL I'll visit St. Albans Co-op & Store to learn about job opportunities & buy milk & cheese.

This weekend I'll recalculate federal & state tax forms.

Thanks for reading.

Bye

Mon. afternoon, March 02, 2009

2009-03-02T11:37:00.003-08:00

Hello

This a.m. snow began to fall tentatively in northwestern Vt. Now fat flakes bombard St. Albans. Before lunch I walked gingerly to the bank & library because there is ice under snow on sidewalks. The weather two yrs. ago was BRrrrr cold. Tomorrow there are elections in Vt. towns & cities.

Snow provides jobs for truck drivers with plows, ski resorts, & nordic centers. It gives me an opponent. I attack it with a shovel & on snowshoes.

This yr. I think I'll be able to complete my own tax forms. Where is Pub. 564? The USPS has delivered all the other forms & publications I ordered in January.

This eve. I'll watch one of two movies I borrowed from the library.

Now I'm going to watch the snow accumulate, play the piano, & try to calculate a basis with the help of IRS.com.

Bye

Sun. a.m., 03/01/09

2009-03-01T07:48:00.001-08:00

Hello

Early this a.m. I read some pgs. in Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles." I like the author. He wrote "Fahrenheit 451" which I read recently.

After hanging clothes outdoors to dry I walked on a railroad bed. Behind a South Main St. bldg. is a barn which houses a horse & a field for exercise.

Yesterday afternoon I tried to write a poem with rhymes. This is what I penned.

"My geranium with white blossoms & scalloped leaves

is growing too big for its pot.

The houseplant with felted foliage is a hedge.

Motorists & passersby can't see me watching them."

Now I'm tired & will publish this post.

Bye

Fri. a.m., 02/27/09

2009-02-27T06:24:00.000-08:00

Hello

Clear ice glazes the short sidewalk to my front door & the bottom of the driveway this morning. I want to go outdoors as soon as possible to spread salt. Winter '06-'07 I bought a bag of salt. It's stored on my front porch.

I don't use the front door because it opens with difficulty. I think it contracts & expands. Anyway it doesn't lock with a key. I'm unable to lock it behind me. There's no keyhole. Then there are two porch doors that lead to the kitchen. If I had a job I'd ask a locksmith if it's possible to create keyholes for all these doors.

Squirrels bring so much pleasure to me. At certain times of yr. I watch one chase another one up & down trees. One seems to play hard to get. They are probably flirting before mating.

Yesterday evening I watched "Rain Man" with Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise. I borrowed the movie on video from the public library. It deserves all the Academy Awards it received in 1988. Hoffman's portrayal of Raymond is awesome.

I'm going outdoors now. At Food City I'll buy milk, honey, peanut butter, bananas, & tomato sauce/paste.

Bye

Thurs., 02/26/09

2009-02-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

Hello

What did I accomplish today? I spent quite a bit of time with my computer. Around noon I left the house on foot to visit two financial institutions, Vt. Labor Dept., the post office, & my public library.

Before watching the 6th & final "War & Peace" BBC video I might play the piano.

Snow fell this morning. Early in the afternoon bank thermometer blinked 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Sky is grey.

Still I'm living without employment & an income.

Bye

Wed. afternoon, 02/25/09

2009-02-25T13:07:00.001-08:00

Hello

This is a photo of Castle Geyser in YNP where I hope to spend Summer 2009.

Today I signed YNP forms, walked to the post office, & snowshoed on my lawn. Before bkft. I played the piano. Early a.m. is still my favorite time of day. Early this afternoon vehicles roared by my house constantly. Many have 18 wheels. It's ridiculous. I can't think of any destination in St. Albans & north of the city worth the gasoline.

My justification for ending my job search now is it's the "green" thing to do. Looking for a job requires paper, paper, paper, gasoline, leather, paper, gasoline, & paper. I read a newspaper article about a local woman who hired an assasin to kill her husband or ex-husband. The article mentioned an employer. She has a job! Society accepts d-i-v-o-r-c-e, premarital sex, adultery, & alcoholism but looks down its nose at people who have quit jobs or been fired. If I was an employer I would respect/value an employee who quit because s/he didn't like the job. I wouldn't want to give money to an employee who hated the job but accepted my green with a smile. Most employers today are national & international cos. The dollars are distant. They originate from a source far away from the factory or hotel.

Now I'm going downstairs to watch "War & Peace" video #5 of six.

Bye

Mon., 02/23/09

2009-02-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hello

Early this a.m. I used a shovel to remove snow in my driveway. This winter a snowplow driver toots his horn if I'm outdoors when he drives by. Municipal & state trucks with plows scrape my st. often during snowstorms & throw snow in my entrance/exit.

I don't know if I want to work at Yellowstone Natl. Park this summer. Seasonal employees are required to live in co. housing with a roommate & eat in employee dining rms. There are many unknowns. A fast food kitchen crew position has been offered to me. Should I accept it?

Unemployed I'm going crazy at home. With a pencil I've completed federal 2008 tax forms. Next I'll tackle Vt. forms. Early in the a.m. I have more energy & concentration to play the piano.

Thank you for dropping by to visit with me.

Bye

Fri., 02/20/09

2009-02-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hello

A day or two ago I received an envelope in the mail from Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra offering me a fast food job this summer. The pay is $7.25/hr. Lodging for employees is dorm-style with roommate/s & dining is cafeteria-style. If I accept I'll sell my house, piano, & car.

I've been unemployed since Sun., 01/18/09. Today my spirits are low. Thank goodness for the existence of St. Albans Free Library. Today I borrowed a National Geographic Society video about Yellowstone as well as the first two of six "War & Peace" videos.

This weekend I'll redeem cans & bottles, buy milk & peanut butter at Food City, & play the piano. Next wk. I have a job fair to attend Tues. the 24th.

Now I'm tired.

Bye

Mon., 02/16/09

2009-02-16T13:51:00.001-08:00

Hello

Early this a.m. I played Chopin's "Funeral March" on the piano, music written by Richard Rodgers, & "Mefistofele" by A. Boito.

This a.m. I bought some groceries at a So. Burlington supermarket before my appt. at Triad in Williston. I bought a gallon of bleach, 5# bags of w.w. & rye flours, & corn meal. These items are too heavy to carry home &/or not available at Food City.

Triad won't consider me for an assignment because I quit my job at Price Chopper #228 without notice. Triad should include the tag or subtitle "Employs Perfect People Only."

Sunshine was expected today but light snow falls from a gloomy sky.

This eve. I'll watch A&E's "Pride & Prejudice" video #5.

Today is Presidents Day.

Bye

Sun., 02/15/09

2009-02-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hello

Early this a.m. I played classical music from a Harker's songbook as well as songs written by Richard Rodgers.

Today I washed my shower curtain & liner.

Walking in St. Albans Town Industrial Park & on Nason St. today I collected two bags of empty cans & bottles. When I take them to a redemption ctr. on Lake St. I'll ask about employment. I wouldn't mind handling empties if I'm allowed to wear protective gloves.

Early this afternoon I pruned some branches on an ornamental crabapple tree. By removing a lg. one near the sidewalk I hope I have removed the temptation of passersby to pick fruit & blooms.

After I publish this post I'll bring in the shower curtain & liner to hang. Then I'll heat some soup to eat while watching #4 of six A&E/BBC "Pride & Prejudice" videos. The acting is superb. Some of the fictional characters are Mr. & Mrs. Bennett, Jane B., Elizabeth B., Mary B., Mr. Darcy, Charlotte, & Mr. Collins.

Tomorrow I drive to Williston to register with Triad.

Bye

Sat., 02/14/09

2009-02-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

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XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
..........................................................................................................

Hello

Again, I woke up early this a.m. & played on my Roland electronic piano music written by Richard Rodgers for theatre shows. The songs are exquisite. The melodies appeal to me. Now at 4:15 p.m. ET I'm tired. After I publish this post (1) I'll bring bedding on the clothesline indoors (2) make my bed with clean sheets (3) heat soup (4) watch "Pride & Prejudice" video #3 (5) read a few pgs. of "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury (6) sleep.

Today, Valentine's Day, I began to tackle my 2008 1040. I like the process of organizing documents & adding numbers. Last yr. I had three employers (3 W-2s) & received premature retirement distributions. State of Vt. tax forms are complicated. Of course, I can't complete them until the 2008 1040 is completed.

A USPS letter carrier just delivered two envelopes to my house. I didn't receive any valentine cards this yr.

I love Saturdays & Sundays. This Mon. the 16th I have an appt. with Triad Temporary Svcs. in Williston, Vt. Hopefully it will offer me an assignment.

The weather today is sunny & cold.

Bye

Fri. afternoon, 02/13/09

2009-02-13T12:45:00.001-08:00

Hello

Overnight the temperature dropped. Today ice coats sidewalks and roads.

This morning I walked to Vt. Labor Dept. (VDOL) on Houghton St. in Saint Albans to compose & print a cover letter. (Chatter in the rm. distracted me.) The Old Mill-Troy, Inc. in the city mixes vitamins & nutrients which are added to animal feed. The plant is in a refitted Agway building. I'd like to be considered for a production job.

This morning I hung two loads of laundry on the clothesline and cooked lentils & barley, separately. After I publish this post I'll make a pot of soup. I'll watch "Pride & Prejudice" video #2 late this afternoon/early evening.

I continue to go to bed early & rise early. This a.m. I played songs from famous operas. They are fun to execute, & the melodies delight me.

Bye

Early Tues. afternoon, 02/10/09

2009-02-10T09:33:00.001-08:00

Hello

Last summer I planted a white geranium & white trailing petunias in a tree stump. In the fall I dug up the geranium to grow indoors. Now it has two buds.

The sun is trying to shine. Morning was grey & dismal.

I'm praying for a miracle. I need income (a job) &/or money.

At Food City today I bought bananas, potatoes, & milk. I forgot to buy honey.

People who don't scoop their dog's poop & scratch & throw lottery tickets are on my black list.

Today I have Part B of "The Right Stuff" to look forward to watching. Part A is terrific. The movie won four Academy Awards.

I'd like to purchase a 13/16 spade bit in order to make a boot rack with 7/8 in. thick dowels & two pieces of 2x2 pine cut to 28" lengths. The drill bit size isn't common. The directions are available at www.marthastewart.com Every household in Vt. should want a boot rack. The Green Mtn. State has snow in winter.

I just thought of something to search for on Google.

Bye

Mon., 02/09/09

2009-02-09T05:33:00.001-08:00

Hello

I didn't get a car until age 35. I leased four vehicles. I bought the fourth vehicle when the 3-yr. lease ended. Now I drive an '04 Chrysler Sebring convertible. It looks like the one in the photo. Mine is navy blue, too.

I bought it used on 12/26/05. A few days before Christmas 2005 I lost control of my green Ford Focus ZX3 on a mtn. road. The hatchback was totaled. It was raining 12/26/05 so I didn't attempt to put the Sebring top down. The salesman told me the mechanism worked & it was an easy operation. I trusted him.

The weather this morning reminds me of spring. The temperature is below freezing, but the quality of sunlight isn't like December & January.

I'm going to post this blog now so I can listen to a gardening report on North Country Public Radio.

Bye

Sun., 02/08/09

2009-02-08T13:12:00.001-08:00

Hello

January 31, 2009 FairPoint Communications acquired Verizon accounts. I've spent several hrs. becoming familiar with FairPoint webmail & "easy mail" & updating my electronic accts.

Temperatures yesterday & today have melted snow in Vt. Today the sun is shining brightly. I took a 45-min. walk in the neighborhood.

Lunch was potato salad, popcorn with raisins, & milk. Potato salad included sweet potato for color & beta carotene.

Soon I'll watch a travel video about Prague before getting in bed. Where is the city located? Tomorrow I'll return three videos & "In a Sunburned Country" to St. Albans Free Library. I was sad to read the last pg. in Bill Bryson's book this afternoon.

I better publish this post now.

Bye