Since starting at SVA they added a Programming Manager.  Essentially, they added a layer of management and my boss is now my boss's boss.  This is actually a good thing, as my original boss was overworked, and wasn't able to manage us properly.  On the one hand it was nice because we had a relatively open schedule, but on the other hand the programming environment was suffering.  Things like our clout with the IT department and the state of our workstations weren't they would be with a more focused manager, so in spite of the extra layer I really think we're better off now. 

I bring this up because over the weekend my original boss' wife had a baby girl.  Also, another member of the system's team is due any time in the next couple of weeks.  So with both of them gone for a little and the team playing short-handed it could be a fun few weeks.

It's normally my job to put Alice to bed, and we have a pretty good routine set up.  Alice gets in bed and I read her a poem from "A Light in the Attic", then sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "Night Night, Alice."  Finally, I sing "God is Listening" before saying a good night prayer.  It's almost always the same prayer, though I will occasionally add something.

Last night after finishing "God is Listening" I paused for a moment to take a breath, and Alice took over.  She's said the prayer with me on occasion, but this time she went solo.  Not only that, but she didn't stick to the script: she was actually praying.  She took nearly a full minute, and was talking in her pseudo-gibberish that's hard to make out.  I caught snippets of "thank you for" and other references to things that she did that day.  She was talking to God, and that's as good a prayer and as a father can hope for.

Melody spent some money she got for Mother's Day on a couple rose bushes and a hydrangea, so I helped her plant those this evening.  We actually got some good use out of one of Alice' toy garden tools, as it was just the right size to help dig out the bottom of the hole for the roses.

I also looked up some information on compost piles, and discovered I have a problem.  Supposedly, one key to a successful compost file is a good mix of 'greens' and 'browns', which means nitrogen-rich items like grass clippings and table scraps vs carbon-rich items like dead leaves or even cardboard.  The web site I found recommended mixing 25 to 1 in favor of browns.  The pile I put together is almost entirely greens. 

I do think the compost pile will work out okay.  I have some dead leaves left over from last fall that I bagged before I knew the city would take them, some cardboard boxes left over from when we moved in, and some tree branches I pruned off the large bush behind the ground.  All that needs to broken down to small pieces manually before I can include it in the pile, but I'll get it in there in time (this is going to be one big pile pretty soon!).  I also get the feeling that green/brown mix just determines whether the compost is more manure-like or more mulch-like, and maybe how much it smells (enough brown items and it won't smell at all).

After more than two weeks, the water has finally receded a little and no longer covers Hwy 14.  It's still dangerously close,though, and they had to bring a pump out to make it happen.  So the water here has been high for nearly 2 continuous months.  Also, the trip to take Pepper to get spayed involved driving on some pretty out of the way back roads, and one of those is flooded pretty bad as well.  At what point does it cease to be 'high' water, and just become the new standard level?  Atlanta: if you're wondering where your water went, I think we've found it.

Our care group met at the Zoo today.  We were pleasantly surprised with how active most of the animals were.  On most of my previous visits most of the animals didn't do much, but today just about everybody was out and about.   The polar bear put on a good show, as did the otter (of course), some deer, a pelican, the flamingos, the prairie dogs, the new giraffes, and a few others.  They were all very active.  However, the new playground area stole the show with Alice.  There are three slides bigger than any she has yet tried.  One was for bigger kids, but she loved the other two.  Melody had her camera along and took most of the pictures, but I did get one with my cell phone: