For Whom the State Sucks...

The Governator strikes yet-again - at 11:00 today he signed a bill to screw State Workers as punishment for our having - uh... well, actually I have no idea what we have done to deserve this. You see, the State legislature is tardy in passing the State budget for the new year fiscal year - an annual occurrence. To make up the naughty lawmakers, I and all my fellow State workers will have our pay cut to Federal minimum wage level until the legislature 'makes nice' and passes the annual State budget. No worries; my credit union will cover our arses as it has done in the pass when the State toys with its workers lives.

So... what to worry about...? Aha! How about August? Last night I got a letter from my credit union; my State paycheck was not deposited in my checking account as it ought to have been yesterday. You see my credit union has my initials down as 'C' but the State has my initials down as 'NC'.

*GULP*

Mind, if a chimpanzee, with a copy of my drivers license - in crayon - swung into the State Controller's office to demand my paycheck, I strongly suspect there would a happy chimp, having the time of its life at Disneyland on my dime. But put my paycheck into my account, when the only thing different is ONE freakn' initial? Hell no.

Alas. A few months ago, I visited my safe deposit box at the credit union. There was a minor quibble that the name on my safe deposit box doesn't match my driver's licence. I told them to just drop my unused first name. Voila! The problem disappeared. Well, Voila again, the problem has reappeared and has brought reinforcements. Who knew a 'minor change' would, two months later lead to the State's sudden decision that all other things being the same, Norma Claire M. and Claire M. are 2 different people.

So now I have to spend tomorrow scrambling to get $$ into my account before my automatic mortgage deduction, utilities, and everything else I have on automatic payment, hits my account. The fun starts on Monday when my mortgage comes due.

Funny - I bought barrels for my garden, now it seems, if I can't get the State Controller's Office to see reason, I may wind up needing the things for day wear.

Uh... pardon me... does this barrel make my arse look fat?

[Management is happy to report, that on checking with the State Controller's Office, and after going on line to see for one's self, Ms. Claire's cash is where it belongs -in the #$&% bank. An unsettling question remains of why the EFF the letter, that began this Tempest in a Teapot, was mailed to Claire in the first place.

Hearty thanks to the head of the Payroll at the Controller's office, Ms. R., without whom by now Ms. Claire would have torn out the remaining vestigial bits of her hair.]

My Other Potter Obsession

I have distinct memories of when I was in first grade or so, of the closet of the narrow front hall our Bronx home. The closet had no door, only a drapery curtain, the same as every other closet in our 2 bedroom flat. But in the closet on a top shelf where I couldn't reach, and when I was a very good girl, my mother would climb up there to fetch my reward; The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

I loved the story, not just because getting to read it was a humongous sort of kid reward, but because Peter was a naughty rabbit and I was fascinated by the final lines of the tail... I mean, tale... which take place after Peter was so bad that he lost his shoes and jacket in Mr McGregor's garden.

"I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed and made some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! "One teaspoonful to be taken at bedtime." But--Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper."

To this day, if you want to get on my good side, read a few lines from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, or maybe just offer me bread, milk and blackberries for supper.

I have GOT to bake some blueberry bread pudding...

Mini-break to Switzerland (almost) - Day two

Smokey Does Tahoe Too

Saturday night, due to another 'Pooh-bear' moment of luck, we managed to get the very last campsite at Fallen Leaf Lake.

Mind - I don't mean, we got one-of-only-a-few, or one-of-the-last or the 2nd-from-the-last campsite; we got THE last campsite. *triumphant chuckle*

It's been a decade or so since I camped at Tahoe. Camping just isn't the same for me anymore. I still love it, but frankly, time passes for me so rapidly that by the time I set up a tent, it feels like five minutes have passed before it's time to take down the tent and go home. I'm living in a ever-shrinking time warp. Don has no problems with that however, so he pitched a tent. Me? I decided to overnight in my 'H.O.N.D.A'., that is, my 'Hollow Orbital Nocturnal Dream Annex' - in the back seat to be exact.
After claiming our campsite (via a yellow tag, not by peeing on the shrubber), we went back out in for an evening birdie search. My iPod was a failure at calling in any owls, but it did tempt a beautiful pair of Western Tanagers.


Male Tanager - bit out of focus, but obviously alert, isn't he? Also, as the sun set we spotted a couple of Common Nighthawks. The photo below was not taken at Tahoe, but it was taken by me last May in Colorado.

Common Nighthawk - aka Stealth Fighter

Leaf Trail Next morning we were up nice and early and hit the Fallen Leaf Visitor trail which, I am embarrassed to admit, though it was suitable for an old lady in a wheel chair, that suited me just fine, thankyouverymuch. The trail started with beautiful view of sunny marshland, on a wooden balcony. We spotted Orange-crowned Warblers, numerous chickadees and the odd nuthatch. The two pictures below are one of two bickering Warbling Vireos.


Who's a sweet birdie dat sings so purdy?

Yes, you's a purdy birdie! Don got a lifer when a Williamson's Sapsucker made a quick entrance, strictly for Don's benefit of course. Obviously the bird kingdom was making restitution to Don for cheating him out of his lifer Grey-crowned Rosy Finch.


Williamson's Sapsucker The birds were fun, but there were also quite a few wildflowers to admire.


Ranger Buttons
Wild Hollyhock
Sierra Rein Orchid Our last weekend hurrah was a few stops in the Loon Lake area that we birded last February. There the Lazuli Buntings showed off for Don but avoided me like the plague - retribution for my selfish thoughts about the Rosy Finches at Squaw Valley? Oh well.

And last point of the weekend, I'm happy to report the wildflowers were obedient, sitting without figgiting while I took their portraits. If only birds followed the lead of wildflowers I would be a deliriously happy woman.

Pussy Paws

Pine Drops

Pine Drop