I love the smell of napalm in the morning
So we prevailed at my hearing yesterday, but that was just a battle, and the end result is that she dug in her heels more deeply and is now incredibly angered and ready to draw blood. The hearing officer ruled that they had not followed proper procedures (quelle surprise) so her written reprimand must be destroyed. They had claimed that our grievance had no merit because we had taken to long to pay the filing fee. That got show down by the hearing officer because there's no time limit in our contract for filing the fee. I could hear the system's attorney shouting at the end when the two attorneys were meeting with the hearing officer for the final decision to be made. So here's how it went: I went in to the room with the hearing officer, my attorney, my union rep, the director and the system's attorney. Emy (sys. attorney) presented joint documentation, which consisted of memos and letters. accepted by all. Discussion of events and memos. Emy tries to make the case about whether or not I accepted the written reprimand when it was presented to me. Director is sworn in (refuses to raise her right hand on religious grounds--she's a Quaker). Is asked questions about the meeting at which she presented me with the written reprimand. Since I know she can't remember details, I can tell she makes up certain salient points, stumbles over others. Says I didn't sign off on the memo. The memo says that if I don't sign it, disciplinary charges will be taken. "Were these charges taken?" no. My union rep is sworn in, as he was also present at the meeting, and heard me say that I refused to sign or accept the reprimand. At this point Emy enters into evidence the notes (anecdotal) taken by director at the meeting. In capital letters are written "DENIAL" about my reaction. Ken (union rep) says that every time I try to speak I'm interrupted by Mary, who says, "of course you'd deny it, that's what I'd expect you to do." I remember all this painfully well. Does Ken remember my saying that I refuse to accept the reprimand? Yes, he clearly does. I don't get to testify. RATS! We leave for lunch while the hearing officer makes his decision. We return, wait for half an hour, during which time the tranquilizer's soporific effect takes hold and I begin to doze. Finally attorneys are called in and decision is announced to them (I hear yelling). We're called outside, told the results and I'm asked if I want to proceed with a hearing on the reprimand at this point. This would mean that all witnesses would be called and all accusations would be addressed--my trying to subvert the process, calling someone a cripple, my interfering with Julie's doing her job, etc. I decide to end the day, don't want to deal with the ramblings of a lunatic at this point, knowing that she will rewrite the charges in a (seemingly) more coherent form. Maybe this is wise, maybe not, but it will give us a chance to prepare a stronger case against the cripple comment, which is not what my attorney has been focusing on thus far. We need one witness he has not lined up for the day. Besides, I'm TIRED OF THIS. So that's it for the day. Wasted 5 hours and a lot of the library's and union's money. And that was only round 1.

When we get back to the library the director finds me delivering an audio book to another member of the staff and tells me it's time for us all to be doing work in our own departments now. OK, I say. I walk by another person's cubicle: she tells me the workshop we were to do in Malone is cancelled. The director hovers, listening in on the conversation. I go to the bathroom. Julie is in there. The director follows me there. Is this woman rowing with two oars? I pee and flush, Julie and I say "See you tomorrow." That seemed safe enough.

So I go to the chiropractor, who wants to talk about all sorts of things, but ends up giving me very explicit instructions on how to move firewood. This is good. He also works on my pressure points for spleen, intestine and liver. This is to help my sacro-iliac so my legs won't ache all the time when I sit down. And today I feel better driving in to work and sitting at my desk.

Then I finally get home to discover that dog A has peed on the floor and rug, while dog B has puked in her cage. We're having a rash of puking and peeing in the house this week. I don't know what's going on. Chances and Tess are puking every day but are fine otherwise. No loss of appetite (just the reverse--of COURSE they're hungry, their stomachs are empty!). I have no idea what the pee is about or who's doing it. All I know is that it's no fun to walk in the door and start cleaning up puke and pee before you get to relax and eat your dinner. Just before I went to bed I let them all out to pee (and puke, if they had to, since Chances had spent one night puking on the floor 4 times) and only Chances returned. FINE! I shut the door, turned out the lights and went to bed. Chances worries about Tess if she doesn't come home, but I was so tired and drained that I slept soundly all night. No one was at the door this morning, though, causing mild concerned. I called Jackson & Tess, and 2 minutes later Tess came bounding up the stairs and into the house, very happy to see me and relate her adventures. Jackson ambled in a little later. This is not a good way to monitor what they eat or how firm their poop is, but I'm just not up to controlling them these days. I can barely keep track of myself. Let's see what greets me when I get home.

Today I'm cataloging videos of classic films (done) and will now write some articles for our newsletter. One will be about the nice workshop I went to on redesigning library space. That will be ok to do. Another will be a potpourri of interesting websites and the third will be excellent election-related websites. you go girl.

Tomorrow I have to do a repeat of the workshop on collection development for member libraries. I think we have an audience of 4, but not 4 who are motivated or stimulating, if I'm correct in guessing who the 4 are. But I'll do my best. yuck it up.

It continues to be autumn here. I bought 2 sweaters from Lands End overstocks yesterday. cotton. And two long sleeved tops at Penneys last night while I was waiting for my apointment at the chiropr.'s. I need some more pants, and that will be my winter/fall wardrobe for the year.

So that's the news. Sick dogs, wiped out me, work, firewood.