FAT TUESDAY

Is this Carnivale? Are we in Rio? New Orleans? A Silly String Party? Or just a Fat Tuesday Celebration? Yep - Mardi Gras at the homestead a few years ago. We can still recall the look on poor Rusty's face when he walked in at curfew that night. "What the heck is going on, and where are my parents????"

Speaking of Mardi Gras....we can't forget our trip to New Orleans. (on those free airline tickets we used to enjoy so often...sigh!) After an afternoon sightseeing trip (okay, Bourbon Street and O'Brien's Hurricanes") we went back to the Fairmont Hotel for a little nap.

Little did we know that shortly thereafter, (guys don't "nap") Bill and Terry snuck out for their own little sightseeing trip. Poor Bill - went out without his jacket, cuz Lynn was sleeping on it and he didn't want to wake her! You FROZE, didn't you!!!

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A few hours later, Lynn and I decided to hunt them down.

Found them snacking on pizza (how did we even spot them in that little joint only 5 minutes after arriving on Bourbon Street???). Apparently they were hungry from Bill's suggestion to just go "a few more block's down to that "red light" at the end of the street. They were sure they would see the famous hookers sitting in the windows. They get to the red light and realize it wasn't the red light district....it was really just a red STOP-LIGHT. Oh...my...

Nurse Practitioner Has Sex in the Dark with 80 students...

Rumor has it, that recently, a well-respected N.P. (Nurse Practitioner) had sex in the dark with 80 college students!

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According to my sources, she was asked to assist with a program sponsored by a prominent college in the area, called "Sex In the Dark". The program is designed to assist young college students with questions about sex and sexuality. In this program, the lights are turned off and questions are written by the students and read out loud. It is a non-threatening environment where the students can have their questions answered by a professional, without fear of embarassment or reprisal by their peers.

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It starts out with a lot of kisses. Heshey's, of course. (Doesn't it usually start that way?) On to questions, laughter, embarassed giggles and truth. Truth about what college kids need to know and might be embarassed to ask their friends or family. It IS education.

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When asked about how she felt about that night, she simply said: "Well, it was at late - after a full day's work, I was tired. I admit I had to have a few drinks. So, I downed a few 24 oz. bottles of Mountian Dew to keep me awake, cuz even though I was going to have sex in the dark with 80 kids, I surely didn't want to sleep with them!"

Weather in Siberia

...And we thought we were suffering through an artic chill!

For the 3rd time, Nanook's presence was requested in Siberia for the "spring" start up. Again he had to decline. (I'm sure it has nothing to do with the conventions to attend in warmer climates - Las Vegas, NV, Anaheim, CA, St. Augustine, FL...)

Nanook received an e-mail from one of his friends, Randy, who is currently at Kupol. Randy writes: "We were unable to go up the hill today, due to 3-meter (9.8 foot) snowdrifts, minus 35 degree Celsius (minus 31 F) temps and 35-knot winds."

Wow - now I don't know what the wind chill would be with those numbers, but my guess is that the below zero temps and snowfall we had recently didn't hold a torch to that!

Randy also said that they have ropes all over camp – between the dining tent, sleeping tents and shower and bath tents. Not to hang themselves, but to avoid getting lost in the whiteouts. Sounds exhilarating, doesn't it!

Steno Books vs. Post it Notes

As many of you know - I haven't posted about work, even though some of you have asked that I do and would probably look forward to some comedic essays I might create about the fun I have. But I have too much respect for my company and my job. (And it IS a good company and a good job.)

But this week, I'm tottering near the edge. Don't get me wrong...the people I work with are great. There is a lot of comraderie, support and many gifted and talented people working there. I LIKE my job!

But we have a practice - and that is to use a steno notebook every day to record everything. On my first day, before I learned how to use the phone system I was given my very own steno book. A vote of confidence in my abilities, I'm sure.



Now, I've resisted since day one - okay I've tried TWICE to use it, but failed miserably. I try to write notes in it, phone call messages, and reminders of what I need to do and then turn the page. Well, when you turn the page...what happens??? It's like reading a book. You finish the page and move on. You forgot that you have things on the previous page that need to be taken care of. I spend too much time wondering if I should write things in the notebook or on our files - on the "While You Were Out" pads, or on a slip of paper to throw IN a file. Help!

See, when I use little pieces of paper, I can attach them to the pertinent files, put them on my computer as a reminder or stick them where every I need to. I change the colors of the notes, based on it's urgency. I've got a system.

When the task is completed, I can throw out the paper. Efficient. Clean. If I have to scratch out a mispelled or messy note, I can toss it and forget that I made a mistake. But with the "Steno Notebook" it's all there! All the mistakes and scratches and messy things I wrote. A constant reminder that I'm not perfect and I don't like it!

I promised my boss I would work on this - thank goodness I already had my probationary review. I'm struggling. It's not easy to play stenographer. It's worse to have all those messy records available for anyone to read. What if I get hit by a bus and someone has to go through my notes ???? What if they have my doodles analyzed???

The final blow was when Nanook told me that he needed to get a few more notebooks for work. He showed me how he kept all his notes and could refer to them at a moment's notice. Oh geez! I can't conform! I'm not normal!!! I have to get this thing under control! I didn't see anything in our handbook about this, so I'm hoping I won't be terminated for gross misconduct . But, why is it so easy for everyone else? Maybe other people have perfect handwriting, don't doodle, and don't make mistakes. Hmmm...

"Buddy"

"Buddy"

As some of you may know, Buddy was in intensive care for the better part of the last two weeks. His blood count was low, he was on oxygen, and antibiotics. For those of you who don't know, Buddy was CJ's love bird. She didn't buy a pair of lovebirds. She bought just one. As written in all the bird books, if you just a "pair" of lovebirds, they will bond with each other. If you only buy one, it will bond with you...especially if you don't put a mirror in the cage. CJ was not interested in competition when she bought THIS bird!

So little Buddy lived in his beautiful, artistically designed mansion with a view of the veranda and a small summer home (an RV if you will, as he travelled in it occasionally). He sang early in the morning and strutted back and forth along the patio doors in the evening. His little eyes glowed with anticipation when CJ would walk in the door. Was it a new toy today? Would she turn on the CD with all his little bird friends singing? Maybe it would be a special day and she would play the "New Orleans" bird calls! Oh, how the days flew by as she played with him, talked with him and even bathed him in her shower. On occasion, she would invite her frightful sister over. Those were his worst days. Her sister would creep towards the cage, look him straight in the eye and give him a glaucoma test! Oh, how he hated that.

But Skipper was always his pal - the floppy-eared bunny who would hop around the living room while Buddy preened and danced along side him. Skipper never kicked him - never made fun of him and always invited him to play in his heap of hay. CJ encouraged their friendships.

Last week, after numerous visits to the emergency room, a 3 day stay in the ICU and a transfusion, Buddy was sent home. There was nothing more they could do for him. His liver, they think. An incubator was set up for Buddy at home. He had to be kept warm. Special high-protien meals were prepared. He was kept safe and warm and loved, tended to by his warm hearted caregiver.

On Saturday, while making food for the Super Bowl, CJ put on Buddy's favorite music - he rallied and strutted back and forth inside the warm incubator, singing loudly along with the bird CD. After a while he became quiet. His little head dropped forward for a moment - he fluffed his feathers and sat. Quiet. His eyes flickered for a moment. CJ picked him up and held him - cradled him to her chest. He laid his little head down and passed away. Loved. Yes, little Buddy, you were loved.

Buddy was buried Sunday morning. He was tenderly laid next to our little Muffin - in the woods on the crest of a small hill. A good place for God's little creatures. He really wasn't just a Bic lighter - He can't be replaced. He will be missed.