By request:Twice the blood! Twice the gore!

My good friend, Chank, insists that a blog about international travel should "have a bit more sex and violence. You know 007 stuff." And so, I have added this to my list of work to do:

Mail a graduation gift.
Find another book to read on the plane.
Go to Parkway Music to look at electric guitars.
Replace the battery in the smoke detector outside my bedroom so maybe I can sleep tonight.
Work on adding more sex, violence and intrigue to my life.

I did manage to pare down my list a tiny bit more by the end of the day. As I had anticipated, the trip to Parkway Music was the highlight. They have an amazing selection of new and used guitars in a wide range of prices. Eventually, I'm sure I'll be able to find something there. Eventually. I did, however, buy a guitar stand. And some $4 martinis with Spezz at the Bankok Thai Bistro. And groceries after that.

The smoke detector debacle continued last night when, after being silent all day, the beeping began anew at 12:25 a.m. Although I had bought a replacement battery, I could not open the smoke detector in order to insert the replacement. I couldn't even see where the battery would go. Oy. I finally put kleenex in my ears and managed to sleep around 2:00.

Today, I will look for a couple of books to read on the plane. And work on the intrigue thing. I'm sure Chank will not be satisfied with references to martinis, even if they were shaken, not stirred.

I should switch to decaf.

Find html code for strikethroughs.
Put off work by reading the New York Times online.
Find college visit pictures to attach to grant report.
Drink coffee.
Finish grant report.
Drink more coffee.
Verify final grades for seniors.
Get groceries.
Mail a graduation gift.
Drink even more coffee.
Find another book to read on the plane.
Amuse myself by googling the names of friends.
Go to Parkway Music to look at electric guitars.
Get directions to Parkway Music from Gary.
Replace the battery in the smoke detector outside my bedroom so maybe I can sleep tonight.
Wonder why I can't sleep even when I've made the smoke detector stop beeping.

All in all, a sad little list of mostly boring things to do. Clearly, the trip to Parkway Music will be the highlight by far.

Friends, focus, food . . .

Tomorrow, Nora is heading back to Venice, two little pictures of me in hand for my transportation card. We had dinner last night with Toby and said good bye for now. Today, she spent trying to tie up loose ends, say good bye to others, return her rental car and get her new glasses. Unfortunately, the glasses aren't quite right, so she will leave without them. If all works out, I will pick them up and deliver them myself soon enough.

This afternoon, I attended the now-annual GE house retirement party and had the chance to talk to several old friends who have retired within the last few years. In particular, I spent some time talking to Chris, who had visited Nora in Venice this winter for a few days and had had a wonderful time.

The end of the school year is always hectic, and I'm a little tired tonight. I have to focus on finishing the year and then taking my little trip to Wisconsin first. It's hard, though, to temporarily ignore the big trip to Venice. Today, I realized that I have very little to eat in the house so tomorrow, I must put both trips out of my mind and focus on little things like food!

I should make a list.

Before Nora returns to Venice on Wednesday, I must give her a couple of small pictures of myself so she can get me a transportation pass. I assume that AAA will handle this nicely, but I haven't checked yet. This will be my lunchtime project, I guess.

Although I don't have much to do to prepare for the trip, I feel as though I'm going to forget something big . . . like my passport. I suppose that's unlikely. Nevertheless, I have a lot on my mind: final grades, professional development proposal, grant funding final report, curriculum mapping (but luckily the software isn't cooperating so I don't have to deal with that today!), various end of the year celebrations, the dogs and cat, Geof in Wisconsin, getting ready for and taking my short trip to meet him there and preparing the house for a short visit from my sister-in-law and my niece and two nephews. Not a big deal, but a little hectic right now.

Amusing myself with storms and blogs

After verifying the all-important blog title with my son and daughter, and finding that no one else had chosen it already, I spent probably too much time creating this new, short-lived blog. On the other hand, I was at the lake visiting my parents, it wasn't swimming or sunning weather, and I had already finished my book.

Unfortunately, the book I finished was the book I had planned to read on the plane to Venice, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers. I shall have to find something else now. I've read all his other books, but I'll verify this with Erin.

After I finished with the blog creation, I amused myself "chatting" with Erin online and by watching a quick thunderstorm build and sweep across the lake from right to left (or from west to east, I guess). Then dinner at the Pine Lake Lodge. I was home by 9:15.