Something Missing

I've been spending some time in "career counseling" with my mom, a teacher for over 20 years. While I love teaching, there are just many factors that are making it not such a viable option for me right now. First of all, I'm no longer certified and my 5.5 years of experience was over 10 years ago, so it's basically null and void. I'm just not sure about what I'm interested in doing anymore. Add to that list this:

Your Career Personality: Original, Devoted, and Service Oriented

Your Ideal Careers: Art directorBook editorCollege professorComposerFilm directorGraphic designerNovelistStage actorPsychiatristWriter

The'>http://www.blogthings.com/quickanddirtycareertest/">The Quick and Dirty Career Test

Something is missing from this list! LOL!

Circle Diner

We decided on one of our favorite spots for dinner, Circle T. One of the things I've always loved about CT is the number of small, private restaurants as opposed to large chains. When I was a kid, we had to drive 1/2 and hour to a Pizza Hut, but we rarely did that as we had an ample number of totally awesome pizza places within 5 minutes of our house! None that you've ever heard of, but awesome none the less!

Here's a picture of Kt and my mom enjoying time together at the diner!

Shopping!

We made it safely up to New England yesterday. My allergies from all those blooming cherry blossoms trees got the best of me, though, so I'm just glad I was able to stay awake for that 6 hour trip! Driving through Newark, NJ at 6 pm is just totally miserable! That's why I settled for the McDonald's, especially when the sign under it said "Next food 30 miles" - YIKES!

Today is a warm 60 degrees, sunny and not quite as spring as MD. We are taking it easy, lots of shopping, lunch at Duchess and dinner we're not sure about yet. I am toying with the idea of taking both girls to see the movie Bridge to Terabithia. I've read mixed reviews about the movie and while I'm sure it will be perfect for Kt, I'm just not sure about Em. I'm leaning towards going, as my mom REALLY wants to see a movie. It's one of our regular activities when we're up here, so we just can't pass it up!

Right now, the girls are outside jumping rope barefoot in the grass. At some point, we'll need to hit the bathtub! Uncle D and Aunt J are up in NH, so one of our dinner options is pizza, which Aunt J isn't a huge fan of. She wouldn't be very happy if we waited to have that when she's home! LOL And then, there is the Christmas Tree Shop - we can't pass up a visit there!

Big Hair is Back?

Ok, so maybe my crazy hair cut lady wasn't so way off! Or maybe this is a joke!

Letters to God

Today was a hectic, busy day for me. I'm not nearly ready enough to work tomorrow morning and then head up to CT, but I just had to take a moment to record something that happened today out of the blue. Something that kind of left me speechless.

This morning I was tutoring at the girl's school. My first student is a third grader who I see for a mere 15 minutes and all we do is go over and over lists of sight words. It is literally the most monotonous, boring 15 minutes and there are times when this sweet girl can't hardly stand it anymore. Add to that the good possibility that she is somewhat ADHD (she can touch all 8 computers and still sit down before me in the time it takes me to walk from the door to our desk!) and really struggles with reading.

Today we went back to our corner to begin. We had 100 words to read today, three times! We've done this since the beginning of the year and we've grown fond of our own little routine. We are so attached to our routine that when they tried to find another parent to work with her on another day, she "fired" her! Today, we plowed through her words and then she completed her favorite part, which is to star all the words she was able to say correctly all three times. While she is starring, she will ramble on to me about any number of random things from the weather, to being sick, to how much she likes her pencil, etc...

Today, without even looking at me, she said, "My hand really hurts - I've been writing A LOT!" I agreed with her that third grade involves quite a bit of writing. She replied, "Are you Catholic?" I told her no, I was a protestant. She didn't say anything, so I asked her if she was Catholic, to which she replied, "Yes I am, and I have been writing a LOT of letters to God. Have you ever done that?" I was about to answer when she continued, "Every night I write Him letter about everything and I leave them all by my desk. He just 'takes them up'!" She said this with a sweeping motion up to heaven. I smiled and asked, "Does He read them?" She said, "Well, I guess He does because in the morning, they are just gone!"

I'd love to say that we sparked a more in depth conversation, but she quickly turned to her experience as an alter person for her first time and how she almost dropped the book. Then, as soon as that conversation started it ended with her quickly departing to join her class in media. She left me with a smile on my face. Letters to God at the age of 9 - I would LOVE to read those! Oh, to have faith like a child.

42

Need I say more? That is the temperature this morning after several days of 60's and 70's. Crawling back into bed sounds like a wonderful idea right about now!

Awakening

It happened today - the blossoming trees in our neighborhood began to come alive again. I guess the warmth mixed with just the right amount of drizzle created the perfect backdrop for them to awaken! Just as every year, we leave on Friday, right when things will begin to look amazing, for the north. I'm sort of wishing we could stay for a few days of cherry blossoms, but once again we will miss going downtown to see them. I am glad the spring has arrived! (Sorry for the camera phone pictures - I'm lucky to be alive after typing in all that info while driving. Don't tell!)

Knit Together

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself...
Colossians 2:1,2

My little bad hair day yesterday didn't happen for nothing. Truth be told, God rarely wastes any time giving me tangible examples in dealing with me. I'm extremely visual and He knows it!! My morning Colossians Bible study focused on the beginning of chapter two and my friend, who is the leader, brought in a beautiful piece of knitting. I was clearly focused on this thing for most of the study because, well, I'm visual, and it conjured up many images for me about life as a Christian.

Why are we, as Christians, called to be knit together in love? That was the question, and many answers spewed forth: we are commanded to love, God loved us first, love is what binds us together. Then we asked what is it we need to do to love? This one was a little more abstract, mostly in the sense that we had some really good tangible examples - phone calls, babysitting, making meals, notes of encouragement.... Yup, all good, all phenomenal to others outside of our closeknit group, but what about when it's hard to love? My friend made mention of one of the most important elements of love and I have to admit, it passed by pretty quickly because let's face it, it's hard. Her suggestion was forgiveness.

When I sit in small Bible study groups among my Christian friends I always have these nagging thoughts centered around what the world thinks of us. What is the image that we portray to the world, not only by the way we look when we are together or apart, but by our actions? As I sat yesterday in the seat of torture at the hair cuttery, this thought was not lost on me. The idea of forgiveness also came to mind! I'm not saying I'll go back for round two, but I was thinking that I don't want to be the stitch that is different, that doesn't love or forgive and just makes the rest of the work look like it was in vain!

There are so many ways we can interpret this idea of being knit together in love, but what it means for me is that I have an important part in the fabric that reflects the love of my Savior to His world. I have a responsibility to keep that stitch intact, to remain strong in my relationships within the body and in focus on our reason for existing. We could say it's our love that separates us from the world, but really it's how we act out of love that does. Having access to a body knit in love makes the burden lighter. It's what people see, sometimes their first image of the love of Christ. It's important.

As for forgiveness, one might suggest this idea is many times what causes those outside our closely knit tapestry of believers to step back when they encounter us. It's funny how we expect others to extend it to us, but we aren't always quick to practice it where other's iniquities are involved. How Christ so easily extends forgiveness to us is such a mystery to me, but I want to be able to do the same.

So, what was He trying to show me at Hair Cuttery? Maybe that one out-of-place stitch can destroy the purpose of something, but that would be pretty unlikely. Instead, it's more likely that He was showing me how important it can be to draw in one out-of-place stitch in an act of His love. It can turn that stitch into something beautiful. I saw that on her face when I handed her a tip in front of all the other watchful hair dressers. Their look of utter shock was not lost on me, and it certainly wasn't lost on Him! Practice love, practice forgiveness.

One Smart American

But I'll be keeping it a secret while in Europe. Somehow, I just don't think they are interested in smart Americans!

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed. Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

Bad Hair

OK - I'll allow just this one picture of my hair 5 hours after the cut, after I spent all afternoon "taming" it down. T came home, took one look and in horror said, "Did you get your HAIR CUT?" I had to laugh, especially when I found out it was for real - he had not even read my blog post! Seriously, if it was 1982 I'd be set. T mentioned something about Duran Duran or Whitesnake.... Plans are being made right now to reunite with my usual stylist and we've both agreed it will be worth every single penny!

Haircut Gone Bad

I cannot bring myself to post a picture of myself. I've needed a haircut for some time now, but I couldn't decide whether or not to spend the $45 on one with someone I know is a really good stylist or go to the Hair Cuttery. My neighbor went to the Hair Cuttery and found someone she really likes who is also willing to take appointments, they were just on days of this week that I was not available. So, I decided just to give it a try.

When I first entered, it looked interesting. I'll leave it at that. There is a Hair Cuttery near my house, but it's very dark, always busy and there is quite an odd mixture of men and women who work there. This time, I decided to try the Hair Cuttery in a different part of the county that's a little more upscale, forgetting of course that people who live there would never be caught dead at a Hair Cuttery. Unless they are older, younger or have a stylist they actually like. She was totally booked.... for weeks!

I arrived and was instructed to put my own name in the system. Clearly, I was a newbie! Since there were three "stylists" and three customers getting cuts and three in the waiting room, I was thinking I'd be there for a while. Wrong! Soon after, some other odd looking characters arrived. I soon realized they actually worked there! I then became nervous - and rightly so. One of them, who was quite large, wiry gray hair and was wheezing from her last smoke stepped up to the computer screen. She squinted her eyes and read off a couple names, both of whom were waiting for a specific hair dresser. I should have known, but instead I sat there naively. Then, she called my name. I looked around - wasn't there anyone else who should have been before me? They all smiled and shook their heads - nope! I was the lucky customer.

We head over to this woman's chair, I'm still skeptical that this woman can actually be a hair dresser. Even the other hair dressers are watching her out of the corner of their eyes. She then asks me in her raspy, nicotine smelling voice, "What are we doing here today?" Of course, I was wondering the exact same thing. What in the world was I doing there?? That in mind, I begin to explain to her in very simple terms what I want - inch off the bottom, some long layers (which despite the fact that she "wasn't seein em" they were there!), some more bangs and shaping around the face. The last one - she gave me the most puzzled look. At that point, I should have high-tailed it out of there!

Instead, I allowed her to direct me to a sink. She proceeded to wash my hair, never actually looking at me but instead at all the people who were arriving. When she spotted one she knew, she said this to me, "Are you comfortable? Good, because I'm going to leave you here for a minute." She left me there, conditioner in my hair, so she could go chat with someone. She then returned to finish the job and I realized she looked exactly like Nanny McPhee in the beginning of that movie! Yikes! Of course, she was double her size.

Not to be completely rude or disgusted, I engaged in as much small talk as this woman would endure. Did I have kids? Yes, two in kindergarten and first grade. Did she? No. OK, Did I have a job? Not really. Would I like to buy the double sized double package of shampoo that she uses regularly? Not by a long shot, if it meant my hair would begin to look like hers! YIKES again! At this point, she informed me that she would be unable to cut my hair the way I'd requested, it would just look too "stringy". Instead, she took the one comb she owned and one pair of scissors and literally cut around the bottom of my hair. For real. No clips, no checking to see if both sides were even, no combing through to make sure she had not missed a long strand. Just chop, chop and I'm done.

She finished off by totally layering bangs I'd spent years growing out. She then sprayed something in my hair, blew it all dry with her one brush and did something I have not even done since I was in college - she used a curling iron on my bangs! After that, and mind you, my hair was looking seriously like I'd stuck a finger in a socket, she asked me if I wanted hair spray. I should have run, but instead I said, "Sure! I can't live without my hairspray!" She almost died (literally) laughing, and sprayed my hair sticking out horizontally on either side. Even running my fingers through it thousands of times once I was out of sight didn't help!

Now that I'm home (I mean, I wasn't going anywhere after that!), I should have hopped in the shower to see what I could salvage of my hair. Instead, I'm writing about it and laughing at the same time. I don't think I'll be returning to that Hair Cuttery - too many scary memories. I'm feeling like some things in life just are worth a little extra. Hair happens to be one of those things. I'm so glad it all grows back!

Go Bananas!

My mom sent me this email today about the benefits of Bananas (wish I knew the author!). She also wanted me to send this along to Kt's teacher's, who would not allow anything but orange slices and raisins as brain food. They should have gone along with my suggestion - go bananas!!

Subject: Bananas

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:
> Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again. Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve y our mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape! So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods a round So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !

Want These?

We listed these on Craigslist - sort of an experiment. Want them?

Just Call Me Crazy

I've always wanted to try this - just ask T!

You Should Try Bungee Jumping

Can you take the plunge? The true test of an extreme sports junkie!

What Extreme Sport Should You Try?

Shock to the System

I am a little cynical when it comes to stories like this one - "College students to pay more for birth control pills." For me, it really doesn't get anymore ironic than this! In a world where abstinence seems immoral, birth control pills the "norm", what are they expecting? This was my all time favorite quote in the article:

"It's a tremendous problem for our students because not every student has a platinum card," said Hugh Jessop, executive director of the health center at Indiana University.

There, he said, women are paying about $22 per month for prescriptions that cost $10 a few months ago. "Some of our students have two jobs, have children," Jessop said. "To increase this by 100 percent or more overnight, which is what happened, is a huge shock to them and to their system."

OK, let's just backtrack here for a minute... not every student has a platinum card - I will totally give him that. In fact, not every adult has a platinum card! However, if some of his students have two jobs AND children, could there be a bigger problem than making sure they have birth control pills? Maybe a little education about where babies come from, some money for childcare and financial aid for college. If someone is going to college, working two jobs and taking care of children they ought to know better! Just a thought!

If we really want to solve this problem, let's take it to the heart of the matter. What kind of responsibility are we teaching our children when we say it's just easier to put you on pills than it is to teach you that when you choose to act in a certain way, there may be consequences for your actions? Instead, we not only condone their actions as morally OK, we encourage it by asking the rest of society to fund it! More of my tax dollars for things I really don't intend to encourage.

I'm sorry for the poor college students who now need to ask mom and dad for more money for their birth control pills. One more call home each month, one more check in the mail for them. Unless we're talking about something mom and dad don't know about, and then are we even condoning that? Then I'm even more against it! Who wouldn't be?

Here's what you can use my tax money for: the college students who are diabetics, have ADHD, live in constant pain, have severe allergies and asthma, need glasses or hearing aides, or those who need medication in order to live. As for those who want birth control pills but can't afford them? Stop having premarital sex - it's as simple as that. It's not life-threatening. It's just common sense!

Do I Have To....?

I've been reading these cute little conversations one blogging friend has been having with her adorable toddler. They are cute, and I remember when we had cute little conversations. Now, we don't have those anymore! Instead, most of our conversations begin with "Do I have to....?" Many times they end with those very same words!

Tonight, my youngest did something she is not allowed to do. She asked my neighbor if she could have dinner at their house. She claims they agreed to this, and chances are she's correct. Truth be told, she prefers to eat with them. We could serve the exact same meal but it's always better at her friend's house. I remember this!

The sad thing is that tonight my older daughter has asked me THREE times if she can join them all for dinner! What, am I serving dog food here or something? Both of them have spent the day cleaning because they've avoided it for most of the winter. I'm guessing they just want out of the house. Anyway, they both know I'm not happy, but they continue to ask.

Here's MY conversation with my oldest daughter:

Her: Um, can I join A, M, A and Em for dinner at their house tonight? (for the third time!)
Me: No, you can have Pizzeria Uno with your father and I. He's on his way home with it now.
Her: (Really pathetic face) Do I have to have pizza?
Me: No, instead you can just stay in your room all night with no dinner at all. How about that?
Her: (Complete silence.)

I guess we're having pizza for dinner! Do I have to put up with this all day everyday? Nope!

Be Careful Who You Tease!

Back in early November, the day I left to fly to Savannah for the birth of my nephew, when I discovered while waiting at the airport that I really DID have strep throat (while I was chatting with a bunch of Army doctors returning home from duty in Afghanistan!), I began my day with a major mishap. I had driven down to work, which I had taken off because of having a fever for three days!, to drop off some items and on the way back home I hit a terrible bump. I'm still uncertain as to what I ran over, but I figured out shortly thereafter that I'd put a huge gash in one of my brand new tires and just before arriving home the tire let me know! I was stuck out on a major busy road only minutes from our house. Thankfully, I was fine and the car survived as well. It was the scoffing that followed that was harder to swallow than the actual event!

I had to call T because 1) I have no idea how to change a tire, and 2) I was way too sick to do anything else. I really had no business being out at all, having the worst sore throat of my life and all drugged up with Robitussin, Advil and Sucrets! It was cold out and I just needed to know whether I should call AAA and wait or if T might be able to help me. He listened to my story and rolled his eyes when he came out to "help" me. I had to agree, it wasn't the best spot to be in to change a tire, but when you get a flat do you really have the option of where it happens?

He sent me on my way, seeing as I would be absolutely no help and I guess he didn't want me hearing him swear about me up and down while he tried to figure out what to do. Honestly, I was too sick to really know what to do, plus I had to pack so I could fly down to Savannah after arguing with the receptionist at my doctor's office about how there was no way in the world that I had strep - what does she know? I kept in touch with T enough to know that he'd called AAA because he couldn't figure out how to change my tire, then while waiting figured it out but waited for the AAA to make sure it was safe. He assured me that the two of them had their share of scoffing at whatever it was this woman did to destroy her new tire - like it was some common male occurrence to have to rescue their tire popping mindless, helpless females. Again, I was just way too sick and tired to address the irony of it all....

Here we jump to this morning. T drove us last night down to Alexandria his way, which is basically right through DC. Everytime we go that way, I'm reminded that I don't because a woman and two children, obviously from the burbs breaking down down there spells certain demise. We hit every single pothole at full force on our journey both ways. Both of us, I know, wondering if we might make the trip back today to enjoy some nice weather and cherry blossoms. Instead, we woke to a flat tire!! Isn't it just ironic that it wouldn't be his driving or his choice of routes that caused this, it could only be a nail or something I might have run over this past week. This tire popping thing - such a double standard! We're off to go pick him up at the mall so he doesn't waste the entire gorgeous day!

UPDATE: Just returned from picking him up. He said to me, "While changing the tire, I found this piece of wood in the wheel well and a shard in the side of the nearly bald tire. We must have driven over a piece of wood and it took a chunk out of the tire a lot like the one you destroyed." Will it ever end? At least this time, I got to roll MY eyes!

Highs

I cannot wait for Tuesday - high of 78 degrees!! I'm not sure what the deal is, but that particular day is so far flanked in the 10 day forecast with days with a high in the upper 50's. Hmmm.... well, at least it's a taste of what is to come. To be totally honest, I miss New England springtime being here. Almost every year minus a couple we have not had a true spring here. It will be winter one day and summer the next, seriously! So, the prospect of having a real spring is kind of exciting.

Last night, we had dinner with some friends in Alexandria, VA. Our drive down was amazing, as we saw cherry blossoms in bloom everywhere. It always amazes me around here how we can drive just 30 minutes south and enter a springtime wonderland while our own home can still look as bleak as winter! Our route also took us slightly East of the Capital and the Washington Monument, both we could see encased in mist and slight fog on both trips. They were breathtaking. I think we both have the bug to go downtown - the girls ALWAYS have the bug to go to the "mall"!

Our friends have been here for about 3 years, and they are getting ready to head to the West Coast for the first time since he graduated from West Point. While it's been fun having them here, we've hardly seen them. Our short 45 minute trip house to house can easily be pushed to over an hour or so most days of the week with beltway traffic, so it has really hindered us from getting together much. Still, I will be sad to see them go.

Christy is a friend from childhood. We grew up in church together, our parents good friends. It's super funny to talk now about growing up, being raised alike with very similar backgrounds, knowing what our moms say to each other about various things and having a meal together like so many we've shared in the past. I really do wish they lived closer, because living in Maryland I've always craved having someone who really knows me and my family. I just don't have that here and I've never really and truly connected with anyone it seems. We spent a considerable amount of time last night, like we do each time we are together, recalling wonderful memories about growing up - it was really fun!!

So, that was a high in my weekend and now I'm just waiting for a high this Tuesday. What's wonderful is that Tuesday is now my most relaxing day, so a nice walk, some time of reflection and I'm sure I'll throw a bit of outdoor cleaning into the mix. I'm hoping the day of the week doesn't change for my 78 degrees, but I wouldn't argue if I had more than one!;-)

Fastpass for Passports?

Well, it's done! We got together all our passport stuff and went off to our local Post Office this morning to take part in what they have advertised as a Passport Application "Open House". What a joke!! We arrived at 10am, which was the earliest we could coax our children out the door on a cold, rainy Saturday morning. When we arrived, we could tell there would be a wait by the standing room only packed mailbox room. Others who were waiting alerted us to the fact that we needed a number, so we took one (601) and soon after heard them call the number "69". Hmm... judging by the fact that T had to be at work at noon we were a little uncertain as to how long this might take!

Once in the tightly packed "waiting room" it became clear that this "open house" was nothing more than an advertisement to draw folks to the Post Office all at the same time..... not well planned out, no chairs or even a clean floor to sit on, no bathrooms available and for the poor people who actually collect their mail at this facility, no parking. Not only that, but for the first hour that we waited, they processed only 1 or 2 people at a time. One might expect that if they are advertising a special "open house" they would actually devote more than one or two postal workers to the undertaking.

It was our great fortune that many people just plain old gave up! They went through the 70's very slowly, but once they started calling the 80's and 90's, the numbers went whizzing by. We also benefitted from them FINALLY adding two more postal workers to the work crew, so they had 3-4 processing at the same time. When our number was finally called, we fortunately had everything we needed, a great postal worker and left at 11:55. T was a bit late for work, but we're done!

As our children complained, moaned and groaned for the two hours we waited, we had some good discussions about working as a team, not having it always be just about you, waiting in lines wherever we go being a fact of life and how sometimes there really is just nothing you can do about it. It was an extremely frustrating experience, especially when we tried to call another local post office to see if we could make an appointment and the listed phone number for that post office had been disconnected!! T and I wondered more than once if our waiting would be at all fruitful or if we'd have to pass on our number to get him to work on time. We joked about selling our number! In the end, we were pleasantly surprised, as the process was quite simple. Now, we'll see if those passports ever arrive!

Long Distance Grocery Shopping!

Looks like if I want clean dishes, I'll have to get my soap in another state! What do I think about this? Do they really think this will make a difference other than once again raising the cost of living around here? Thanks, Mr. O'Malley! Cha-ching!