That's sweet, Ginger. MO doesn't have bluebirds (at least my part of MO) but my mom and dad usually have some sparrows that come back every spring and nest in one of the old hanging baskets on the back deck.

It's about 2 feet from the door the dog goes out to the yard, and they don't seem to mind. And mom and dad can stand at the kitchen door and coo at the little birds. It's something they really hope happens every spring.

Gronk. TCG has a nasty cold. I was so tired yesterday that I fell and banged up my knee just trying to walk. We're supposed to be seeing TCG's stepbrother today and we're both just want to stay in bed. Speaking of which, is there a nice way of saying, ''Sorry, but none of us can afford the restaurant you picked out for dinner.'' T is supposed to join us and we looked at the menus last night and both freaked out.

I like Thrown together and Daddy and the hammer, and will happily vote that whichever doesn't make 40 should be 41.

ION...huh. One of my now-ex-co-workers came to Hec's reading last night (the reading itself went very, very well). I'd invited her ages ago because she'd mentioned to me that she owned a copy of Hec's bubblegum book and loved it (she'd just moved to SF and was unpacking her books, came across the bubblegum book, and said, "Hey, didn't that new chick at the office say her husband was a writer?"), but I thought that since I'd been FUCKING SACKED there was no way she'd actually show.

But she did, all cute in little pigtails and a kind smile, and after the reading she gave me some info about the job that I wish I'd had before. Like, that it wasn't actually open for a full year before they hired me, but that I was the fourth person in the past year to take it. ("I know one of the other three got fired because she went out to lunch on her second day and came back drunk, but the other two were completely normal"). She herself now has half my job, another person has the other half, and all the admins are wandering around muttering, "Trust no one."

Blech. Three previous permanent hires in less than a year is a pretty damn big red flag. But the kind of red flag that it's nigh impossible to find out about ahead of time.

I've now got a good healthy rage-on against the ex-bosses, which is nice, but now I also miss the other admin people and their spicy brains and stripy tights and secret quirky artsiness.

Ack! JZ, I haven't been on for a while; I didn't know this! That is awful -- I'm so sorry.

I'm on break; do you want me to cut a bitch? I'm a tough inner-city teacher; I got mad skillz.

Yuck, JZ. It sounds like there is no way you could have done anything right in that job. I hope something better comes along soon.

Ick, JZ. I'm glad you have the info, though--now you know there's no possible reason you should blame yourself.

I just have a lot of wet and more branches on the ground, Laura, but downtown has millions in damage. Now the question is whether it can survive the fact that they had to move the SEC tournament to Georgia Tech and are only letting in family and media.

Weather -wise it looks like it is going to be one of those days - very changeable. I haven't slept well since the time change - but I think it is asthma, rather than the time change. It rained some last night , but it sounded like some one turned on a giant faucet full force for 5 minutes and then turned it off -- it was interesting.

I have coffee, I should find breakfast.

JZ, that is dreadful. I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this, but I hope the new information helps you be less hard on yourself. Also? Much love headed your way.

I'm glad to hear the reading went well! I want pictures!

So, today is technically the first day of Spring Break. And I seem to be in the middle of Pukefest 2008. I was supposed to have study group today, and I called to cancel. My friend was like, "What is with your body this year?!" I can't say I disagree!

In fun news, though, mom and I went to the New England Flower and Garden Show last night. We go every year. It was actually kind of a dud this year, but two of the winners of the kids poster contest were from the school where I teach at after care. The third-grader is also the big sister of one of my Sunday School students. She was SO adorable and SO excited about her prizes. It was pretty priceless. And, the eight-grader got first place in her category AND Best in Show! So fabulous!

sorry you aren't feeling well today, vw. I suspect however that you have a good 6 months before you will really feel well. Something about getting three diseases at once makes your body overreact to any passing germ.

now for breakfast