Tropical Heat Wave

Phlox welcomed Spring today!

The car thermometer read 82 degrees on the way home from work this evening. What could be better? I arrived at work at 7:05 a.m. this morning and didn’t arrive home until 6:00 p.m. but the warm weather made it bearable. (I'm having trouble with fonts tonight.)

Welcome back, Lizzie!

The first Wildlife Habitat meeting was held today in at the main campus in uptown Charlotte. There were two or three co-chairs from each of the six campuses in attendance as well as the college Grounds Supervisor, college horticulture reps, and three certified habitat stewards from the National Wildlife Federation. Most campuses had biology teachers represent them, except for our campus, who had clerical staff present. Because our campus consists of criminal justice and automotive teachers who couldn’t give a rat’s a - - about wildlife, the Dean pleaded with me and two other ladies to co-chair the effort.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide general information regarding the grant we’ve received and to provide a timeline of activities. I learned that our grant is minimal and the project will be on-going for several years. There was even mention of additional grant writing but I think the Deans should assume that one! We’ll need to rely on Partnerships for help and donations from local businesses.

What came next was actually quite funny. I sat there and listened to the biology experts poo-poo the ideas of the grounds supervisor and the grounds supervisor poo-poo the biology experts. That's to be expected, but it became very personal and the chairperson of this meeting had no control. That’s when I started pen-tapping a bit. Pen-tapping is rude and annoying but I didn’t care - it wasn't a severe case. Some reps from campuses needed to have their voices heard about their personal wishes – and let me tell you – this meeting was not intended to be all about them! Bunch of ninnies. Why do people need to blabber away about their own campus activities when it’s dinner time and they’re off the agenda? Pen-tapping, checking the clock, shifting in my seat. Maybe it’s my age and I’m less tolerant than before. Maybe after my years of experience in business situations I know more than them about efficient meetings. I wanted to shout out, “Can we paleeze stick to the agenda??? My dogs are waiting for me, I’m hungry as hell, and it’s a damned beautiful day out there!”

Several of us gave the meeting an extra twenty minutes then graciously departed!

Knowing my day would be long, I used a full lunch hour to walk the entire campus perimeter and I didn’t see one bird, except for those spooky mockingbirds that seem to be stalking me. At the end of my walk I saw a familiar couple, though.

I think Johnny has major issues. He’s the one who found himself trapped in the building on two occasions and now he’s infatuated with the Dean. He’s been sitting on her windowsill for days and pecks away at the glass. Sad. His house is only a few yards away from the Dean’s office, so I know it’s Johnny.

Millie is helpless. She just doesn’t know what to do with Johnny. She perches, watches and waits, probably wondering, “How did I hook up with that lunatic?”

Is Mary a little looney tonight? Perhaps. It’s been a long day and maybe the heat is getting to her.

Off to American Idol.