I'm by myself in my department today, one of my favorite times. I've spent the morning cataloging stuff for the Champlain library. Nothing very interesting, and it's about to get less interesting as I dive into their videos. Only a few dozen, though, not a big collection. I've been watching videos of New Orleans, looking at satellite images of the city, reading news stories in between my work. Still incredible. And amazing that the authorities didn't think of the 100,000 people who didn't have cars or other transportation to get out of the city when everyone else could be evacuated. America is such a class-oriented society.

I spend a lot of time cleaning up our data base, making sure all the subject headings are spelled right and are uniform. This morning I changed all the subdivisions relating to Egypt so they match are are correct. Some of the B.C.'s had spaces between them, which results in the computer filing them in a different place, thus separating them from the rest of the pack. I need to do work like this for every author and subject heading in our data base but there is no methodical way to do it, so I do is as I come across the problem, one by one. In some ways it's the most rewarding part of my job, like herding little ducklings back to the rest of their flock.

I love being surrounded by my friends, my very good friends, and having my own house and my own boat house to retreat to. My bubble, my space, when the visiting is over. I had a great time last night with the 6 people at dinner, really nice conversation, jokes, good food, catching up, political discussion, and I saw Rush on the way home, but when I got home--there I was, in my own space, alone and quiet. I like that very much. Tonight I will make at least 2 stops on my way home, one to deliver the NY Times to Linda and one to deliver some books I promised I would pick out for the hostess from last night. She likes having me be her personal librarian and I don't like the pressure but do like testing my readers advisory ability.

Should I sleep in the boat house tonight? One of these nights I have to spray the huge wasps' nest hanging on the side door of my house so that Steve can attach the side to the front deck. It wasn't cold enough this morning, they were already busy flying around when I got up this morning. It has to be 50, I think, or maybe just night time. Last night when I walked past my apple tree I heard something moving in the brush. Shined my flashlight and there about 3 feet from me was a huge porcupine eating apples on the ground. We communicated for a while before he loped away. "Stay away from my dogs!" was pretty much all I said, besides "Eat all the apples you want." He was cute, as porcupines go, but boy was he a big one. A little too comfortable around me, maybe. The wildlife in my neighborhood has become very relaxed around people. The deer are not so afraid of cars anymore, which is not a good thing. I see does and fawns almost every day, next to or near the road.

Chances has been eating the sugar during the day. Don't know why suddenly it appeals to her so much. After the first time she did it I refilled the sugar bowl but now I think I won't do that again. She lost the 25 mg Prednisone pills that Tess needs to take for her ragweed allergy so I'll have to go to the vet's on Monday and explain that one. Lots of luck getting them to believe me. I can't find the small white envelope ANYWHERE. I spent about an hour looking in the kitchen and living room yesterday, then vacuumed them both, to no avail. I still have the 5 mg pills that she gets weaned down to eventually, but there were a lot of pills in that envelope. Hard enough keeping track of my own meds, don't need problems with the dogs' as well!

It's another beautiful sunny day here and is supposed to be nice for the next few days. I'm seeing more maples with color, though, so it's a matter of time. My wood was delivered and is screaming at me every time I walk past it. Must mow lawn, must stack wood. Get to it, girl!