Since we both had the afternoon off and wanted to enjoy some warm weather, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i headed east for the day to outrun the rain.

Rochester's Park Avenue is what the Elmwood strip, oh, i mean Village would love to be -- vibrant, busy, a healthy mix of shops (from spas and boutiques to dry cleaners and bodegas), places to eat and residences. We had lunch at Esan and i had the best Lemongrass Tofu since Rice Paddy on Elmwood closed.

Then, we went to the Seneca Park Zoo . A small but good zoo... and today, the animals were active, and interactive.

While at the Amur Leopard exhibit, one of the keepers was approaching from the back, talking, and the Leopard made this sound i have never heard before. Nikita, we found out the leopard's name is, likes baby talk and if she likes you and the way you baby talk, she will make the same sound at you. At first, my "what a cute kitty you are" wasn't enough for her to do it, but she came over and would glance over at me from time to time. But, the "you are such a good girl" was the ticket. She purrgrowled at me. Least, that is what the keeper called the noise. Way cool to have been able to interact with such a big cat.

It sounds good. Almost like you get to date a man. Mandated. Ain't nothing of the sort.

What it really means, ultimately, is feeling like shit for a few days because you cannot leave work.

When someone calls in, and no one on the "i want overtime" list answers their phone (and who is going to do so at 9pm on a Saturday night?) or returns a message, the next card in the overtime book has to stay for the next shift. By law, we cannot be understaffed.

Being new, i was the first card in the book. I went in for my usual shift... wait... i went in for the shift i have been working. Technically, i am flexed every week because i do not work the 4pm - 9pm shift i was hired for. I work 3pm - 11pm 2 days a week and a random 4 hour shift some other time of the week. I digress.

I had some notice. The person being mandated does not always have that luxury. Sometimes, they find out at 10.45pm that their shift does not end at 11pm.

My wonderful husband, (e:Uncutsaniflush) even drove out to West Seneca to put my phone charger in my car so my cell phone would not run dead while working (we have to keep a working cell phone with is in case there is an emergency that isn't serious enough to hit the 911 emergency bracelets we are required to wear). Luckily, i didn't end up needing my cell phone.

Luckily, they were kind to me. I was on relief duty. Not an individual's 1:1, having to sit in a darkened room, watching someone sleep all night.

But still, working from 3pm Saturday afternoon all the way through the night until 7am Sunday morning was tough.

Relief duty means chores. Better for me to stay awake, really.

I had food to thaw for the Sunday's meals and Monday's lunches. I made some of Sunday's lunch. I cleaned out the Health and Beauty cabinet of the med room. I washed kitchen linens. I cleaned out the fridge of all opened food over 48 hours old (state law!). I cleaned out the laundry room. And yeah, i drank coffee!

Unfortunately, i also had to work Sunday.... from 3pm - 11pm. So, bleary eyed, i drove home, talked to my mom on the phone for a few minutes and around 8am crawled into bed. By 12.30pm, i was up drinking strong tea and getting ready for work again.

All this backed by last weekend.... working 3pm - 11pm Saturday then 7am - 11pm Sunday -- voluntarily.

Just when i was caught up on sleep, i get mandated.

Thank goodness i am only part time.

In the good news department, today is mine and (e:Uncutsaniflush)'s 7th wedding anniversary. He is as imperfect as i am. But together, even in the rough times, it just feels perfect. I cannot know how i went through life without him. Nor do i ever want to again.

We are having a low key day due to my work and the fact that he had to work this morning. But i made us a big mid day meal of (vegetarian) sausages and peppers with pierogies and mushroom sauce, mizzeria (a cucumber sour cream salad) and an apple cinnamon cake. We were too full for the cake, so it waits for a later.

And she's not blue this time, but red, and slightly less old.



Of course, if she does not cough up the Morrissey and New York Dolls cds stuck in her supposed 4 cd changer, she is meat.

I think red and orange look good together. She needs an (e:strip) bumper sticker...

But it thrilled me to no end today to get a text from an old workmate saying this one simple sentence -- "rita got fired". About time. Worst manager ever. I know no details... just that the person who sent me the text still works for the company, if not at that location. I have to say, every time i thought of it, i was giggling. Not very long ago, i got a questionaire from the head office asking me what i thought of the company, asking the reasons why i left. I assume i got it because i left on good terms and would not have if i had gotten fired or just walked off the job like i considered so so so many times. In it, i was factually honest, trying not to sound as though i had an axe to grind. Oh, damn, how i hope my 2 pages describing the things my manager did and how inappropriate they are had even a tiny little bit to do with why she was fired. Might be too much to ask for, but i would be so proud. How much of a bitch does this make me?

I am Canadian, and i hate hockey. Last night, i was reminded why. In person, at the HSBC Arena. Of course, i did not volunteer to go. In fact, i tried desperately to get out of it. Not only because i assumed that the state of New York would not, could not pay for anything but nosebleeds. But also because it saddens me to no end to hear in person the cheers from the crowds during fights. WTF? Why not just go to boxing if that is what you're looking for?

Luckily, the individual i weasled my way into taking care of (instead of the person i was assigned to) needed special seating that was slightly less high up.

I laughed when Toronto scored... and got lots of dirty looks. But, it was seriously funny how many people booed the people cheering and the goal itself.

In a funny twist, our driver decided we were going to leave when it was just under 5 minutes on the board or jumbotron thingie... and we heard tons of cheers. I thought it might be due to us leaving, but i think it might be because Buffalo scored...