| September 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September 1, 2005
 Bill and Emily went to Eielson and got an official copy of Annie's high school transcript. They will take it by the University this afternoon. Emily came home and checked on additional activities related to her music courses. Annie needs to take the ACT or SAT as soon as possible so she can become a "degree seeking student" like Emily. You'd think with this degree seeking the house could stay warm without burning heating oil, wouldn't you?  By the end of today gas was up to $2.71 per gallon.  Click to View Close-ups of Frost This is the second day of instruction for Emily at UAF. (Tee-Hee) She has a Music class and Political Economy today. Annie will catch up on the Political Economy after she settles in. I hope the textbooks they still need come in soon! She'll also miss her first Introduction to Psychology class, and have to make sure she gets the information for that. This morning gasoline is ranging from $2.71 to $2.82 per gallon. I've visited a really neat site AlaskaGasPrices.com to compare us to the rest of the US. It really looks to me like "Gas Wars" of the late 60's early 70's in reverse... instead of seeing who can drop to the lowest price possible, the industry is trying to see who can top whom? (Somebody correct my grammar, please!) (It's right according to Word Grammar Checker, but I am never sure about the who/whom thing...) We ordered Emily's music book from Amazon (fast shipping) and will order the other two books Annie needs today with cheaper shipping. We also placed the order for part of Emily's CHAM costume and supplies for Couples Dance class. I'm still shopping for Emily's wings and wand... Welcome Home Annie!!!
It's got to be difficult for anyone but Annie to imagine how I have missed having her to talk to. Bill, Sgt. Bill and Emily are loads of fun too and I have a very special bond with each of them that I miss when they are gone. But it's ANNIE who has been gone the longest at this particular moment, and I have MISSED her!!! I must be feeling really nostalgic, remembering all the cute little dresses I sewed for my baby girls (and the dinosaur shirt for Billy.) The wait at the airport seemed to last FOREVER. It wasn't as bad as waiting to send her off, because we're SAD then, but waiting while HAPPY isn't always easy either. Daddy and Emily helped watch for Annie and Smuckers.  
Annie's computer was packed in her hardsided suitcase surrounded by loads of clothes for padding and such. Apparently that suitcase got dropped pretty hard from fairly high or something, because it practically ripped the inside structure holding her zip and hard drives loose. I tightened them all up and checked connections and set it up for her... she's taking a nap. Then we'll see if the thing works. Probably will. Cross your fingers... Working 6am to 4pm. WAIT A MINUTE!!! Sheesh, Deb. It's a Holiday and you said YES??? TO A FULL 10 HOUR SHIFT???? (sigh) (muttering to self) I must REALLY want to take those Friday night dance lessons pretty badly! I survived. I think I could handle the 10's on Saturday and Sunday, but 4 tens is more than I could take, at least for long. Hopefully we can get it to maybe 1/2 days. And if I end up working on Friday mornings, I am not going to enjoy dance at all... I will be WAYYYY too exhausted if I'm up at 4:30 AM Friday and out until 10 PM... then have to get up at 4:30 AM again on Saturday. We'll just have to play it as it's pitched.
Last year we kept the thermostat at 65 in the daytime and about 62 at night. Now we will aim for 60 at night, I guess. Or maybe even 55, with the programable thermostat we can have the heat come on 1/2 hour before we get up to shower and such. I'm not sure how much savings that will be, if we have to heat the house 10 degrees from night to morning. I suppose a government study could tell me. I could apply for a grant, but I have a feeling it would just go for the fuel oil. (laughing, but not really) Annie got a smiley face in math class tonight -- her very first and BEFORE her sister did, she was quick to point out.
I'm still wondering when she's going to study?! Today Annie joins Emily for Political Economy and attends her first Intro to Psychology class. You know if you typo "psychology" it can be spycology? Wonder if that is similar to covert operations? (shutting up now) Speaking of covert, we haven't heard from Sgt. Bill in forever. We haven't been online lately either so that may be a factor. Hopefully he's still happy with us, even though that box of cookies has gotten stale and we have to throw them out and bake more. This is really ridiculous. We've got to get a system for getting things into the mail!!! I still have the unsent Christmas Cards from 1998! After considerable thought, it is looking like Emily will wait to try the Alaska Camerata until next Semester. She just has SO much in her schedule right now that she isn't ready to add something else. She mentioned using that hour between Political Economy and her job to study for English. Tonight she had her first Dance class of the year, so we'll see what she learns! She's really been looking forward to it. Emily came home from dance last night upbeat and excited about the upcoming classes. She does have a small disappointment though, because Hanson is teaching Jazz Choir at UAF, and it's ... you guessed it, Wednesday nights. Maybe it'll be a different night next semester or next year. This morning, the girls decided to drop the Internet English. They will sign up for it in the spring, at the University instead of Correspondence. The big cluebird was when they got a welcome e-mail from the instructor what was grammatically incorrect. The second was when an assignment was posted this week but due last week. It was confusing enough that I suggested they just drop it. They have plenty with 12 credit hours (annie) and 15 for Emily, so (shrug) there. Since she dropped English, she will take the Alaska Camerata this Semester. Today Dad and Annie have gone to the base to get Annie's ID card and enroll her in Tri-Care. Then they will head over to UAF, I hope and try to get the Political Economy books that finally came in. It's a good thing, too, because Amazon wasn't going to have them until September 27. If they make it in time, Annie will check out the Job Fair at the Wood Center on Campus. If not, she'll submit her applications by mail or fax. Might be working a full four-tens this weekend. It will be a challenge, but since things are slower on the weekends, I imagine I won't be standing or running around quite as much as on usual Monday mornings! Should be fun! We'll see what I can handle, that's for sure. The girls are in class this morning from 9:15 to 11:30, maybe they will deliver lunch for me. Emily will work for a few hours and Annie sort through job opportunities. Bill watched Emily at work yesterday and said she really knows her way around the office. Good Job, Emily!
 Comfort from Sears with good arch supports. I think my old black reeboks were completely shot -- kinda like flat tires. Well, they lasted a good 3 years or more, so I'm satisfied. The new shoes are still comfy "granny" shoes, but they will look a lot more professional than the reeboks, for SURE.
Let's hear it for Sunday and not having to work! Yippee!!!
Argggh!!! If my feet hurt, it must be Monday? I reckon so! Had a full day at work today and didn't find time to actually sit down to have bites of my salad until almost 3:30! No prob, the time goes by really fast and it's lots of fun. I just hope I don't make too many stupid mistakes. Mistakes happen, but stupid mistakes are just ... STUPID! YAWN! one more day of work then I can sleep in on Thursday morning! I'm REALLY looking forward to that! Today was really nice and the new hire, Jessica, catches on fast. It is a pleasure working with her. Tomorrow night after I am done with work I will go to the CHAM meeting, then home and collapse. End of story. I'm starting to wear out and my back was twinge-ing today... so I've got to take care before I wipe out completely. Not a bit worried though, because just ONE more day before a few days off... and recovery. YAWN! Okay well, now ONE more day of work... after today, because I will go in again on Thursday morning. I got off early (11 am) today and ran around like a chicken with my head cut off until about 1 pm, and I got to take a nap from about 2 to 4. Then there was a CHAM meeting at 5, and I went to Joann's for more supplies for Emily's costume. Now it's nearly 10 pm, I'm dead on my feet and tomorrow ... well, I'll be surprised if tomorrow is fun. (sigh) Well, by golly, I will MAKE it fun. So there!
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