It's come to my attention that people might have gotten the wrong idea about my opinion of the KIA Sect'y's actual expertise. There's no doubt that she is a blooming cornucopia of gardening knowledge - even I'm continually floored by the depth and breadth of her advice and her ability to dispense it. When I say “continually,” I do mean in a constant and ongoing fashion. What's amazing about her passion is that it's here, at work, where it's expressed (and, assumedly, in the garden, as well) - It has made me reflect on the whole bygone era where your hobby was also your work. Here, for her, work is simply the downtime from her hobby where she gets to talk about said avocation. But, dear readers, worry not - gardening's not the only thing her loquaciousness encompasses.
At this very moment, she's talking about the gas prices, middle east and how Bush is finishing up all the dirty stuff that his dad did and doesn't care, because once he's gone “he's got his, he don't care!” Apparently, the big businesses are running the country and all our jobs are going elsewhere. Recall, she's firmly ensconsed in the .gov. No matter the topic, she's got an armchair / soapbox for it.
She's now transitioned on to how cold water breaks down oatmeal in a cup in the sink, since people keep coming by her desk to talk to her about the e-mail she sent out yesterday (which, in my opinion, is simply encouraging her self-righteous meddling): “Cold water! A few minutes, that's it! Breaks down oatmeal like that! Not hot water! Cold water!” She's a non-stop common sense elevator music soundtrack.