The end of the saga

I know everyone is sick of me talking about my kitchen floor. Good news! Its finally finished. I want to thank everyone for being patient about my whining. I will try to show a picture soon.

I went to the American Library Association conference in Washington D.C. yesterday. I should say that I went to the exhibits, not the conference. Unfortunately I am too poor for the conference program. Many of the publishers were giving away review copies of books. Plus I picked up lots of bags, pens, and post-its. I have this weird addiction to office supplies. I ended up walking for about 2.5 hours straight. And thats with heavy bags on my shoulder. One of the booths that I wanted to visit (and did) was the booth for the online comic strip Unshelved. Its this great comic that takes place in a public library. Its absolutely hysterical. If you've never seen it, go visit! If you work or have ever worked in a library, it will seem familiar. If you've never worked in a library, it will show you what life in a library can be like.

I recently finished The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry. I should have a review soon. Right now I am reading a YA book called The Book Thief. I'll review that one too when I finish.

Near Accident and More Floor Issues

I almost wrecked my car yesterday. I was taking the back way into work because there was a traffic back-up my usual way. I was heading one way on a two lane road, when all of a sudden this old "lady" made a left hand turn crossing directly across my path! I had no time to slam on the brakes. I could not swerve to the right because being a back road, there was no shoulder. My instinct was to swerve across the opposite lane of traffic into someone's front yard. I had to do this because the car behind the old lady did not stop either. I was afraid that if I hadn't swerved I would have t-boned her car and killed her husband. I am the type to dwell on things. I kept thinking "what if..." and "maybe I really did have time to brake?" I need to learn to stop dwelling on what MIGHT have happened and be grateful that nothing DID happen! Especially since if anything happened to one of the people in the car, I would have felt terrible even if it was not my fault.

Now more on the floor! I know everyone is sick of hearing about this. Not half as much as I am, dealing with it! The giant fan is out of the kitchen. Now there is plastic blocking off underneath my kitchen cabinet with a big old humidifer running. I know this is important. They need to make sure it is really dry under there., especially since it does not really get the air. But it is kind of hard to get to my sink (although NOT impossible--you kind of have to go at an angle). When I sent a text to my sister to give her a heads up (since I am working 12 to 9 tonight) she just said "How are we supposed to make dinner." I am getting so stressed dealing with this. There is nothing I can do about it. If the floor is not dry, mold will grow again. And I know she understands this too, but I am SICK of the appliances being in the dining room, and I am SICK of eating microwave food.

Saturday I will go to my second yoga class. I went last saturday because my yoga center offers a free beginner class. I LOVED it. It really helps relieve my stress. The atmosphere is low-key and non-competitive and the price is reasonable. Last week (afterwards) I thought I would have to re-register, but she told me how much of a check to write, asked if level one felt right (definitely!) and said she would get me registered this coming saturday.

Enough ramblinhg! I am going to get ready for work (new public computers installed today!) and possibly check in tonight.

Stress easing

Sorry I have not been around. My house has been stressful. The kitchen is still in disarray but the water mitigation people are coming back tomorrow afternoon to make sure that everything is dried. They may have to cut out a piece of the lauan (sheet of plywood on top of the subflooring) but my flooring people can take care of it. Things are slowly coming together. The stove had been moved back into the kitchen because my sister could not take microwaved food another day, but I moved it back out today. The carpenter bees attacking the side of my house have been treated for, so hopefully the woodpecker pecking the house will stop. I have not had much time to read, but I have read a bit. I read The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff (I think). He explains the Tao philosophy using characters from Winnie the Pooh. It makes it so much easier to understand. I had to read the Tao Te Ching in college and it was hard to understand. This makes it easier. It is also pretty short too.

I return!

I just realized that I have not posted since the end of April! I have been reading your blogs, but have not had much to say. Today I went to a used bookstore and found interesting old books. One is the Foxfire book which is full of old-timey mountain crafts etc. Another one is on Bacon's Rebellion which took place in Jamestown. I know, I know...boring. I actually majored in history in college, and having been born and raised in Virginia, this kind of thing fascinates me. I look looking in used bookstores and trying to find treasures!

Speaking of Jamestown, the Queen visited the lovely state of Virginia this week. She stopped in Richmond and gave a speech to Virginia's General Assembly in the newly restored capitol building. I was at work, but Governor Kaine gave leave to state employees. Since the library was open, I got 8 hours of holiday leave. The next day she went to Jamestown and toured the historical area. I believe she went to the Kentucky Derby today.

And now for the continuation of my floor saga. The insurance is going to cover replacing my laminate flooring. It is the kitchen that is damaged but the flooring goes all the way into the dining room and back the hallway. My insurance company is going to cover the replacement of the kitchen floor but not the rest of course. If the subflooring ends up being damaged (which I won't know until the pull out the old laminate) then I will have to call them back and get another estimate. I am HOPING that everything is fine! I went to a flooring company and of course the laminate in my house is so old now that the company does not make that color anymore. But I found something REALLY REALLY close. I can live with it. Their estimate and the insurance company estimate is really close, so I do not have to pay for much above my deductible. So my annoying sister starts nagging and saying that I should call the insurance company and say they cannot match it and see what they say. Uhh...no? This repair and claim is minor. I am NOT going to nag and risk getting my premiums increased just for something this little. I want them to be there for anything MAJOR that happens, and since we are dealing with a house filled with 30 year old pipes, anything can happen. My dear sister just annoys me with her nagging and then she cops an attitude when I tell her I'm not going to nag. ESPECIALLY since I got the check in a week and a half!

Enough rambling!