“This is the first case in which the labor board has stepped in to argue that workers’ criticisms of their bosses or companies on a social networking site are generally a protected activity and that employers would be violating the law by punishing workers for such statements.”

Readers’ comments on this article are almost as interesting and heartening as the article itself. There are the usual corporate apologists, but the great majority of recommendations – outnumbering the apologists in some cases by as much as 10:1 – are in support of comments favorable to employees.

The erosion of workers’ rights should be much more of a concern in public discourse. The NLRB’s stand is a welcome and long-overdue break from the usual. I am so grateful that this group of tough, smart attorneys and advocates are on our side.

We had snow night before last, and sleet for most of yesterday.

Finished the mow at Edgewater. Never could get the big lawnmower started, which is annoying, but I got the leaves off the grass, front and back, before the rain started this afternoon. Right now, it is pouring.
Brought Emme, James and Ethan to Sea Mist. James said it was a lot more fun than sitting around playing with the computer all afternoon – yes!!
Sandwich Agway posted an advisory that it is not to late to plant bulbs, so long as you do it within the next two weeks. Guess I wasn’t too late after all.

– Give that good looking boy in shop class a try.
– Stop smoking.
– Don’t even attempt to fit in with the true-blue-Jewish kids.
– Change your name as soon as you can legally do it.
– Take at least a year off between high school and college.
– Don’t attend that stuffy, uptight institution that beneficently granted you early admission.
– Find a place that likes blond, blue-eyed, athletic women and live there.
– Master tennis or golf.
– Get into programming as an undergrad.
– Stick with guitar lessons.
– Hire a private investigator to find your mother before she dies in 1979.
– Get your own photographer to take your high school graduation photo.
– Forget about everyone in your adoptive family except for your father, your cousin Cara and your aunt Margaret.
– Don’t believe anything that the “experts” tell you. They are probably wrong.
– Name your son “Todd”.
– Don’t let the sons of bitches get you down.

I like November. It has much to recommend it.
We get an extra hour of sleep.
It’s still Autumn. The foliage, while muted, is still beautiful.
It includes one of the neater holidays of the year, Thanksgiving.
The days and nights are cooler, making it easier to work and to rest.
Another thing about November is leaves. I’ve done a rake twice at Dixon and started on Edgewater this weekend. I couldn’t get the big lawnmower started, so have done everything by hand so far, filling up the truck twice.
Clumps of soaking wet leaves started to kill the grass, as I feared, and their tannin gets on everything, clothes, hands.
I’m going back today with my electric mower to try to clean up the rest.

The camera hates me. Always has, even in my younger days and now, with bags and wrinkles, I look in photographs like someone whose face has been pushed through a glass door.
People have criticized me for years for being camera-shy, so I gave my phobia about being photographed a run for its money by booking two appointments on the first of this month: one with a photographer and one with a makeup artist.
As a result, I do believe that the old adage about silk purses is absolutely true.

How’s this one: “I felt so guilty about leaving you that I took up with someone else.”
Yes, that one really parses. And love is a thing that can never go wrong, and I am Marie of Roumania.

Woke up to rain – good news, since I didn’t water the bulbs planted yesterday. Bad news, since I didn’t mow at Edgewater yesterday.
Busy one today: dropping John off for chemo, appointment with Amy, stopping off at Highfield to help with a mailing, job interview, going to UMass Law School at 4.

Second frost last night and I finally pulled out the tomato plants and some of the annuals from the vegetable garden. Planted some bulbs; late, but maybe some will “take”.
Lost two favorite gardening tools.
Not a good day.

Getting jittery about my trip to California in THREE WEEKS.

The flights and the cottage reservations have been booked and paid for.
Since my flight out is at 6:30 am, just reserved a room at a hotel near the airport for the night prior that offers up to two weeks free parking and a complimentary shuttle.

Candy and I did some clothes shopping yesterday, and I think I’m pretty well set there. Got my ears re-pierced.

Ron called to see if I was interested in having Thanksgiving dinner with friends of his, which is great – I get to meet some of the people he cares about, and no cooking, maybe just some clean up, which is easy.

I am off on a couple of secret errands today, which is probably why I’m so nervous right now. I’m way out of practice with “girl” stuff.

I’m worried about Mr. Fluffles. I’ll be gone for 9 days.