...and 38 to Go!

Well as I figure it, that's one week down and 38 to go. We just finished our first week of school and it wasn't all that bad. I had a few classes come in for the first time and a few of the students even checked out a book or two. I'm reorganizing the library: consolidating the old jr. high collection with the high school collection and moving the whole thing to another wall while at the same time weeding out library books that are old enough to have been on the shelves of my school library when I was in grade school. It doesn't make any sense that a library that's less than 10 years old should have so many old books, but someone (probably a penny penching principal) collected old books from other libraries that threw them out. Don't know why anyone would want to start a brand new library of the 21st Century with a lot of old books, but it happened.

Anyway, all that moving of books has really inflamed my bursitic shoulder. It's a good thing I have some student assitant librarians. Now that I've got a pattern going I can get them to help me move the books and spare my shoulder and wrist. Did I mention that my wrist is starting to fall apart? Did I mention that my library assistants are amazing? I watched one of them check out books while entering new patron names at the same time. She was as smooth as I am and I've had 5 years of practice and she's had 5 minutes. Just proves to me that kids are as comfortable if not more comfortable with computer stored iformation than old-fasioned print materials. Gives me a lot to think about when planning the future of our library.

Busy Week

I just finished my first week back to work and I'm really tired, but righteously tired. I worked hard! I was attempting to learn where things are and get what the teacher's needed to start teaching next week when the students arrive. Also we had numerous meetings with staff and administrators, but I barely remember those, thinking too much about other things. Jimmy was never far from my mind and as long as I kept my hands busy I could keep my memories of him from becoming overwhelmingly sad. I can't say that the library is ready for the students yet, far from it, but I'm hoping to enlist their help to get it ready.

I suspect our cat has fleas. He's never had them before that I know of, but we're getting some mysterious looking bug bites. So today, I go to town to get some flea stuff for the cat and then spend the rest of the day vacuuming and washing bedding. Better get busy.

Playmate, come out and play

I've lost my childhood playmate. He never forgot how to play like a child. I need to remember.

God Bless

We just got some sad news about our brother. He has returned to the hospital to fight another round with the cancer. He has been fighting the cancer with valor and with love for his family. We are all in his corner for this fight and are here when he needs us. Just let us know what to do.

Library MEss

This is the state of my libary as of today. I just found out that the new shelves won't be coming until the end of Septmeber. So probably, this will be the state of the library until Halloween. I'll post some new pix then.

Family Ties

I've had a very good week. Andrew came to Ashland for an over night visit and brought his girlfriend. She must have good luck because the sky was clear and she got her first taste of the night sky through a telescope. She said she would never look at the sky in quite the same way again.

It was good to see Andrew as we'd lost touch for a few weeks, which tends to make me worry, especially when I've not got much else to think about, summer being a slow time for me. Then on MOnday, I went into Billings to visit family. Brother Ken was down from Helena and brother Pete is off on Monday nights so Monday dad took us out for a nice family dinner. Then Pete and I sat up too late watching a movie that Andrew had recommended to me when he was here. There's a six degree separation going on here somewhere if I could figure it out.

Tuesday I just hung out, ran a few errands and made a salad for dad and me for dinner and then came home. Very relaxing and enjoyable company.

Today, Wednesday, I got a letter from my school district with the agenda for our first days of school which start on 16 August!
There are 3 laws I would lobby to get passed. 1. No Daylight Savings Time 2. Elect the President by popular vote instead of the Electoral College 3. No School starting before Labor Day. (and maybe a 4th - No politician may mention their opponent by name or inference in any campaigning)