Thanks, Ginger, I'll suggest those.

Susan, I'm sorry the trip has been so rough on your mom. I know she was looking forward to it. I hope the meds kick in quickly and help her be more comfortable.

Glad to hear from you , Susan. Sorry it hasn't been a the best trip.

Report on vinegar cleaning of the bathroom

used the cheapest distilled white vinegar I could find. ( this usually means a 5% solution). I used it undiluted - and added couple of drops of lavender oil. Maybe 2 cups to clean the whole bathroom. Not sure I had to use that much.

Time: same as commercial products.

Effort: similar to commercial products

Smell: Far less strong than most commercial products. almost gone 20 minutes later.

Cleaning: good bye soap scum and mold. I didn't have to rinse the floor. Bonus - vinegar absorbs funky smells.

Any way you could interview her and get HER to turn down the job, Vortex? I mean, if SHE thinks she won't be happy, it's not your fault..;)

"Is that's the way this is going to be?"

OMG! It is universal! For me it is usually when something very clearly doesn't fit because there has been a mistake in the alterations or we JUST got it, someone hasn't put all of their costume on during a quick change, or there is a giant safety pin holding up a hem or holding the costume on. One director always asked very nicely 'Is that safety pin meant to be there?" and, like NoiseDesign, I answer "yes".

Ay, I have been crazy like the crazy thing for the last week or so. I can't even remember -- did I mention my contract didn't get renewed? so I have surgery AND have to look for a new job-ness?

I did Prom this weekend, It went great, but there was all this attendent craziness on Friday -- last-minute security issues, we-'re-gonna-have-to-cancel INSANENESS, but everyone says it was the best prom we ever had.

All of my students were SO sweet today! They made me a card, and told me they would pray for me, and more and more know I'm not coming back next year and they are very sad about it, and just..., oh, I love them! I will miss them so much.

This is very much a rambly me-me-me, but I have been so busy I haven't had time to be nervous, and I;'m still busy, or trying to keep myself busy and I had to make up 4 weeks of lesson plans and..and...and...huh, I guess I haven't eaten today, I'd better do that?

Ahem.

::makes out with Erin::

Please don't forget to eat, Erin!

Not only did you remember to tell us about your contract, you can totally threadsuck all sorts of outrage and stabbinations and virtual smitings of every stupid ass-head involved in that moronic decision.

Yay sweet kids, with the prayers and the missing!

Also, many many hugs to Laura. Your letter looks great, and javachick's note about that one possible revision is just about perfect. I'm sorry it's all so sad and stressful for you. You're such a good daughter and sister.

Hec and I were just talking about you over the weekend; as we were noodling on about maybe someday, if we ever dig out of our giant debt hole, getting a TV that doesn't make our eyes cross with the blurriness, it occurred to us that we'd have to go through all the pain of setting up the VCR and DVD player and TiVO all over again. And then it occurred to us that obviously this meant you'd have to come out and visit again, and then we spent the next five minutes talking about how ridiculously happy that would make both of us.

I am work-fried already. My predecessor and her predecessor had, to say the least, slightly chaotic filing systems, both in conflict with each other and neither corresponding to any organizational principle previously known on Earth. The predecessor's predecessor apparently stuffed everything down a black hole. The p's p's p had a perfectly sane and sensible filing system, but it's now defunct due to having been ignored for the past two years. Also, the entire thing is overlaid with a strong stench of math and accounting. I am Not Happy.

(Except for liking all the people I actually work for, and most of the co-workers who are present and not predecessors. They're all peachy.)

Please don't forget to eat, Erin!

I'm not the only one who skimmed right over the comma, I hope?

In case there was any doubt, Plei totally rocks! The blog you linked to earlier is perfectly what I was looking for. I started reading it from the beginning and her Spina Bifida seems to be of equal severity to mine and reading her first few entries has already answered a bunch of questions. Thank you!