April 23: Friday of Vacation Week

It's a grey cold day and I'm having a lazy one of it, I guess. . . plan to spring into some work (bill paying, updating the busy, busy calendar for April/May, etc) but I didn't sleep well last night (next time: a DECAF iced coffee after Younger's ortho at 4:30!) and am tired now, so I am on the futon in the study, hoping for a nap.

The Boston trip was good/fun/packed/cheerful/pleasant/full of family and friends. . . . Besides seeing BH's aunt and uncle and a family friend, Younger and I had a lovely time in Boston while Elder and BH visited his second school. We went to the Aquarium and then knocked around downtown a bit, miraculously finding all the spots we needed to find easily and quickly. The weather was stunning, and we simply had a lovely time. Two pics:



Us on the wharf outside the Aquarium. . . and



a very avant-garde pic I managed with my terrible camera. There were tons of people in the Aquarium, but it was fun to be there with a mellow companion, so the stress didn't get to us.

On the homefront, Younger and I finished a deep cleaning of his room and, as a result/reward, he now has a new mattress and boxspring to replace the one I slept on in my grandmother's guest room. . . . which was old THEN! I think he'll sleep well. The room is certainly stunning!

Okay. Nap time, starting with a little more Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, which I am loving and reading very, very slowly to make it last!

April 17: The Saturday of Vacation

Well, it's finally here! The week was busy but good, with my 9/10 English class being especially, surprisingly, focused yesterday, which was a delight! I wound down the week by turning in the schedule for next year (my first time to plan it as dept. head), getting the nasturtium seeds for Earth Day Sunday next week at church, and then a really nice knitting group after school. To top it off, we had BH-made pizza as we watched "Mamma Mia!" (fun) and then Younger and I cleaned under his bed, step one of the Total Room Cleaning we have planned for this week. Yikes!

Sunday we leave for Boston: it will be great to see some of BH's family, and (gulp) to visit some colleges with Elder. We're hoping to get back on Tuesday night. . . best case, we'll have a nice family time, enjoy a change of venue to do some fun Boston stuff, and I'll get a chance to do some knitting en route. Not-so-best-case, we get cranky because we spend too much time rushing around and being crammed into our Toyota. . . and I forget something integral and can't knit! Well, good thing I'm an optimist.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand BH just walked into the den and announced, "It's snowing!" Which it is. Who says a good vacation has to be a warm one?

April 11, Sunday Before Vacation!

Well, we have one week looming between us and the week that seemed like it would never come. Maybe it won't--but compared to the gulf that has stretched between our tired selves and it, these five days with not too many commitments in them seem quite manageable. So.

For me, this weekend was a big sigh of relief after a week containing a lot, lot, lot of commitments: parent meetings, Younger's show choir night, eye doctor's appointments, meetings to discuss next year's class assignments, on and on. Last of all, I spent Friday on a bus with 13 other colleagues going to a conference in Portland on differentiation. While the conference was a blend of usefulness and glibness, the whole day was terrific. The bus ride allowed a lot of visiting/school talk/processing/non-school talk and two meals which left us all feeling charged up and energized despite a loooooong day (on bus at 5:30 am; off bus at 8:40 pm). It was a huge relief to get out of the classroom for even one day. What a great day!

Yesterday I had a chunk of solo time at home which was a pleasure, even as I hustled around doing laundry and picking up. As a result, the house looks neater and calmer than it often does on a Sunday afternoon, and I feel less stressed--so much less stressed, in fact, that I think I might just take a napppppppppppppppppp!

April 3: Wow! Time Flies like an arrow. . .

. . . but fruit flies like a banana!!!!

Just realized I should've used that old joke while studying figurative language with my 9th graders. . . . Oh well. Next batch.

It's Easter Saturday, BH has gone to help empty his father's house, under contract at last!, and I have much much much to do. However, I am bolstered in my determination that if volunteering to make the Easter breakfast for church is my gift, it needs to be done with pleasure and grace, not frenzy and rush. So.

1. Made six Stollen yesterday after school. Discovered that yes, they are still delectable even when one forgets to add the eggs. Completely. All four eggs. Until the first batch is in the oven and the second batch is formed and rising. Hmmm. Who knew?

2. Have made a good clear to do list for the boys, who will be asked only to do a small help-out since the breakfast (see above) is my idea. Mostly their to dos will make a nicer homecoming for BH, who is very stressed, and will get their weekend chores done before tomorrow, Easter.

3. Have decided on some simplified foods, but mostly have decided to focus on the almost-miraculous (and we're in the season of miracles, now, anyway, natural and religious, so let's call it miraculous, shall we?) way that things seem to get done every year for this event, whether I freak out or not. Am I learning? Anne Lamott talks about how her behavior can make Jesus want to drink gin out of the cat dish; I feel like my obtuseness makes Jesus want to kick me in the head to make his point!

4. Am hoping for a nap, and am watching the fog clear slowly. Forecast is for a most unMainelike Easter: sunny and 70's. !!!!