I can’t file this entry under On The Soapbox, because I don’t intend to solve the world’s problems with my thoughts. Actually, my thoughts are more than a bit scrambled on this issue, so I’m just putting forth information I’ve learned recently, and we’ll see what YOU think about it.
St. Viator, a private school in the Chicago suburbs, which has more than 1,000 students, has announced that this coming fall, EVERY student will be tested for drugs. A student who refuses the test will need to get their education elsewhere. In the past, random testing has been done at school dances, and the boys hockey and football teams have been tested.
Each test will cost $45.00. The Daily Herald states: “Hair samples will be tested for cocaine, opiates, PCP, marijuana, amphetamines and Ecstasy, whose use within 90 days of the test can be detected. It does not detect steroids or alcohol.”
I think testing is a great idea toward helping students get an early start on managing drug problems, and perhaps avoiding addiction. It’s possible that the school’s follow-through on the testing needs to be stronger. Just making the problem known is not going to be enough to end it.
I think it’s appalling the amount of information the school will have on the student, which may possibly follow them in their school record for life.
This is a private school. They have the option to make the rules for their student body, and anyone wishing to attend this school needs to abide by their rules.
It’s possible this will make a safer environment. But, the school says it doesn’t have a drug problem. Are they being pro-active and trying to make sure a problem doesn’t develop. Is the School Board aware of a problem in the community that they want to head off?
Is it fair to test the students and not test the faculty and staff?
I’m not sure where I stand. On one hand, I’m concerned about the loss of rights, and the danger of personal information being stored where it could fall into the wrong hands. On the other, a step toward showing kids that we are serious about the dangers of drugs, and creating a safe environment for the kids, is very appealing.
Any thoughts on this? I’d love to hear more pros or cons on the situation.

Joy, at Joy of Six, was talking about getting relief from her TV addiction with the finales of the past season playing out. I have to admit that over the past 18 months or so, we have watched a LOT more network TV. It all started when I happened to come across Grey’s Anatomy when Grey had her hand inside the chest of a man, next to a live piece of ammunition. I was hooked, and we made sure that we were available on Sunday nights to see what happened over the next few months.
Our son introduced us to Boston Legal and it’s odd stories. We generally watch Monk, and I tripped over House, M.D. on the same channel. Then, our son, (see a pattern forming here??) encouraged us to watch Heroes. My sister likes the criminal investigation shows, and somehow I started watching CSI and CSI New York. I must be the only person who doesn’t like CSI Miami.
I’ve come to determine what day it is by what program is the feature of the evening. When there’s a change in programs, Dear Husband takes over the remote and checks out the guide. He’s likely to settle on one of the Turner Classic movies, or science/history shows.
We really need a break. We have become addicted and lazy, and need to be doing more physical things. I wonder if I could schedule one hour a night in the basement through the summer and get the job done?? *G*
Joy lists four different ways she keeps up with shows that she’s missed. I have two others that work for me. Many of the networks are now making episodes available for you to watch at your computer. I’ve seen back episodes of Brothers and Sisters, and other programs.
The other way to see shows that you’ve missed is to buy the DVD of the season. Usually season one will be available once season two starts. I have Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 & 2, Boston Legal Season 1 & 2, Dead Zone Season 1, House M.D. Season 1 & 2, and 24, Season 1.
I’ve only seen ONE episode of 24, and I’m looking forward to watching the first season. When the summer heat is upon us, I will water my gardens early in the day, and then retire to the cool of my living room and quilt while I watch these shows. If I’m piecing a new quilt, I’ll pop a movie, or one of the reruns into the player while I sew.
I watch for sales and order from Amazon when I feel the price is right. I ordered one of the seasons and discovered that the price had dropped significantly on the day it was mailed. I called to talk to them, and they gave me the discount. You can’t ask for better service than that.
My name is Buffy, and I’m addicted. I’m going to try to keep this addiction corralled to certain times through the summer, and I promise to get up and do something physical after every show!
Joy, call me if you need an update on any of the shows. (What happened on the Boston Legal finale????)

GASP!! What do you mean, I can’t get to the Internet!!??
Sometime late on Thursday, our connection to the Internet was lost. I was too busy Friday to realize it was down, and groaned on Saturday morning when I realized we couldn’t connect. I was sure that they wouldn’t send a repairman until Tuesday at the earliest, because of the holiday weekend.
I resigned myself to a long wait, so I was very surprised when they offered an appointment on Monday. SURE, I’ll be here! They called back to ask if someone could come on Saturday…..it was Saturday when they called. SURE! I’ll be here. Unfortunately, the repairman didn’t keep the Saturday appointment. I was rather ticked, because we had planned to go out to dinner, and the appointment was to have been by 6:15. We waited, thinking he was just running a little late.
I called the company after 8:00 p.m. and they said the appointment was still open. By then, I didn’t want a repairman in my home. We rescheduled for Sunday afternoon. I tried all the common tips to get the modem to work. You turn the computer off, and unplug the modem, plug it back in, and it usually works. I knew it was getting power because the computer worked. Finally Second Son came down and looked around. He discovered a re-set button on the back of the modem, and tried it.
It worked.
I went without an Internet connection for close to three days because I didn’t know there was a re-set button. (You can imagine me fuming here….)
I’m so very glad to be back. I think I’ll spend a little time catching up with your lives.

….like the first morning. Can’t you hear the Cat Stevens song running through your mind? I suppose that’s a sign of my age, but it’s a song I’ve always liked, and it’s suited to my mood this morning.
I rose early. I’m pretty much on my own today. Dear Husband will be sailing until late afternoon. Elegante Mother has gone to visit my Second Sister for a few days. Second Son has plans to picnic with friends. I was touched when he sounded worried about my being alone. I reassured him that I’d be just fine, that his father should be home in time for dinner, and I planned to enjoy the day doing “just me” things.
I made a quick stop at the grocery store. I’d planned to get just a few things for dinner tonight and tomorrow, but I saw several “Buy One, Get One Free” sales. Yesterday, at church, I saw a display asking for donated items to defray the cost of Bible School. I chose three of the items for Elegante Mother to provide. *G* One of the three was “five boxes of Ritz Crackers.” Today they were on sale, Buy One, Get One Free! Talk about serendipity!
I’ve started the laundry, and cooked some pasta for a cold pasta salad. I watered the indoor plants and the container garden. I’ll get some time in on the sidewalk garden, and maybe even the garden along the front of the house. There’s still stuff to plant.
It’s been lovely to have such a laid-back weekend. I put up my quilting frame again. It was possible to have both a Christmas tree and the quilting frame in the living room, but it looked awkward, so I dismantled the frame and stored it for the holidays. It’s taken me this long to get back to it. My quilting bee is bound to rib me about it.
I watched a little TV. I ate Denver scrambled eggs for dinner last night. I worked on a crossword puzzle, and answered some e-mail. I just simply vegged out! Sometimes it’s good to be able to direct your own life, and work at your internal pace, rather than having to meet demands of your job or your family’s needs. I hope you all have the chance to find a few days like this.

Last week I spent most of my time in the gardens, weeding, planting, and edging, getting ready for the annual pot luck brunch we host for our exercise class. I thought this year we might not have many attend, but when it was time to sit down, about thirty people had joined us.
We lucked out on seating. One of the men offered to bring chairs. I never thought to discuss with him just how many chairs he was bringing. He brought eight. My niece’s four folding chairs were still here from Easter (Thank you, Sweetie!), and Elegante Mother has four folding chairs. I began to think we might have to use a bench, and the two vanity seats from my bathroom, and maybe the office chairs, to get everyone seated. It turned out just right. I’m sure there’s an angel who sits on my shoulder. There just has to be someone watching over me.
The meal was wonderful, as usual. There were several exceptional fresh fruit salads, all sorts of deserts, and a yummy Mediterranean salad that I plan to make tonight! On Thursday, I made a huge pan of baked ziti, and cooked about four pounds of beef brisket. Friday morning, Elegante Mother made her homemade barbecue sauce, and I shredded the brisket and combined the sauce and beef in a Crockpot. I’d picked up small dinner rolls for those who wanted to try the barbecue, rather than the usual large buns. Everyone wants a “taste” of the food, so the smaller rolls were just right. When I went to clean up after our friends left, I told EM that we’d had a horde of locust come through. There was enough barbecue left for about one and a half servings! I guess it must have made a hit.
The gardens were at their peak on Wednesday of last week. Thursday we had 40 mph winds all day long. I was surprised that the iris and peonies made it through the wind. I went out early Friday morning to deadhead, and there were enough blooms left to make a beautiful show. I have to apologize. I didn’t get pictures. This was one year when I really SHOULD have taken pictures, too, because we had a number of new iris open that are spectacular.
I thought this weekend was supposed to be bright and sunny, good sailing weather. Instead, it’s been a little on the cool side and overcast. They think we might get another shower or two today. I won’t complain. We are desperate for precipitation, and anything that saves me having to pull hoses out to the extended gardens is just fine with me! But, the rain was VERY hard on the peonies. I’m afraid that our season will be beautiful and very short. Dear Husband told me that as he was mowing the lawns, he saw people walk up our drive to see the gardens. 🙂 I didn’t realize that I’d had visitors. I’ll have to get to work on the summer gardens now.

My friend, Adele, at Moment After Moment, has a cat named Nimrod. Now, Nimrod is known as a mighty hunter, but I believe that we have some competition for his crown, in our cat, Edward Scissorhands.
Ed has had a tough year. Fifteen months ago he underwent radiation treatment for a thyroid problem. It took him a while to get back to his usual cantankerous self. At one of his regular checkups following the radiation treatment, the vet said that she wanted him to go on the Science Diet or Iams products. She felt he would be healthier. So, we tried it.
Shortly after Christmas, I made an appointment for Ed to see the vet. I felt that he was doing so poorly that he might not make it through the winter. I mentioned that he hated the food we were pushing, and she said that at this point we should give him whatever he wanted. And we did.
Ed spent the entire month of January indoors. He is usually an indoor-outdoor cat, demanding that Elegante Mother rush to the door to let him out as he demands. I was VERY concerned at this change of behavior. But, our January was awful. We had vicious cold temperatures for three weeks running. We’d open the door for Ed and he’d stand there, shake his paw as if to say “It’s too damned cold out there,” and walk back into the living room.
In February he started going outside again. On the really warm days we had in early spring, he’d be away all day, leading Elegante Mother to start talking about his demise around four o’clock. He’d show up, looking satisfied at having worried her, covered with dust, and DEMAND his dinner.
Now we come to this last week. Ed has been in his element. While I was outside working on the gardens, I’d see him silently vulch over the opening to the chipmunks dens. He has all the openings around the house and in the herb garden and sidewalk garden mentally staked out.
I walked into the garage after planting all afternoon to find part of his prey left where I would be sure to see what a great hunter he is. It’s dreadful to come across the back half of a bunny lying on your steps. I hollered at him, and said that he couldn’t bring it inside! Dear Husband had to bury the remains for me.
Now, you know that DH is off sailing this weekend. Luckily his Second Son is home. I opened the door on Saturday night to let the cat in, and the back half of a chipmunk was displayed on the sidewalk, looking for all the world as though it was trying to run away…..
Sunday evening, he brought another bunny, not a baby, but not full grown. I opened the door to let Ed in, and realized he had prey again, and shut the door in his face. SS!!! YOU HAVE TO DO CLEAN-UP DUTY AGAIN!! SS has taken to calling Ed the “Zombie Cat.” Apparently, Ed has a taste for brains. EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
I hope we get past this sharing of prey, soon! Do we win the hunting crown for this week, Adele, or is Nimrod still the mightiest hunter???

My first poison ivy for 2007…..Wednesday, May 23. Drat!
I may try the new Cortaid poison ivy control stuff. I’ve washed with Tecnu and that seems to have kept it from spreading, but it’s not going away.

I am a member of a wonderful exercise class. We meet three mornings a week for a bit more than 45 minutes of exercise and 30 minutes or so of chatter. Occasionally, on Monday mornings, we go to McDonald’s after class for the free coffee, and once a month we go to breakfast to celebrate all the birthdays that occurred that month.
For a number of years, four or more by now, the class has come to our house to have a pot luck brunch in May. We always hope that our gardens will be at their peak, and that they will provide eye-candy for our visitors as they drive up to the house. (Pictures WILL be forthcoming. Be patient. I’m a work in progress.)
I have had the most wonderful week getting ready for their visit. I use this as an excuse to get my Spring cleaning done, and to get the gardens in shape. I’ve spent four to six hours a day in the gardens, and they were absolutely gorgeous on Wednesday. The colors blended together well, and the accent plants were in bloom. Unfortunately, today we have had exceptionally high winds, and high temperatures, so I’m not sure what the gardens will look like tomorrow. We’re also supposed to have thunderstorms tonight.
I spent today running errands, and making baked ziti and cooking brisket for homemade barbecue. I’ve washed most of the glass ( hurricanes, candle holders, an antique footed cut-glass candy dish, vases, and the Waterford that Dear Husband gave me for Christmas.) Tonight, I’ll iron napkins and tablecloths as I watch TV. Tomorrow, we’ll do the final cleaning, set the tables and deadhead in the gardens, and it will be SHOWTIME!
I know that sounds odd to say that this was a great week, but I’m very proud of all the work I’ve done in the gardens. I really hope that they still look good tomorrow, but no matter what, I’ll have a good time with my friends.
Don’tcha just love friends who like to go out to eat??? *G*