yesterday was a fun day.

1) Beloved made our reservations in both Paris and Amsterdam. I am very happy and I am very excited. I am also stunned that it's really so soon. We leave on 7/28. That wouldn't seem so soon (or maybe it would) if betwen now and then weren't this blur of time called the Bar Exam, which will FLY by, and keep me 100% occupied. It will be this looming thing in the future which will cause time to go by fast. I won't want it to go by fast, because I w'll want more time to study, but then, once it is here, and then over- BAM - it's time to get on the plane!

2) We made camping reservations! We're going with the girls in Vermont, on a river, in August. My parents are lending us their car for some time, while they're off in another country, and so the expenses will be so small, I'm okay with going despite the lack of paycheck until October. Kinda funny that if we had found a hotel for $54/night in either of our destination cities mentioned above, it would have been a miracle, yet for 3 nights of camping, $54 is the TOTAL! It helps that we have all the gear. We camped regularly in CA, but haven't managed to make it happen once since law school started. I'm very excited that we're getting to do this - both because I've been craving camping, and because I want to do something fun with the girls when they return.

Once I get past this giant wart on my future, the rest will be quite grand.

Labels: bar exam, camping, europe, family, vacation

posted by Zuska @ 8:45 PM 3 comments

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Random Info Request

Next year, I get 4 weeks' vacation.*

Beloved and I were fantasizing the other night over what we'll do with those 4 weeks in 2008. We figure a week off during the kids' April vacation, 1/2 spent at home (their wish), 1/2 in D.C. (our wish/my refusal to use an entire week of vacation to sit in this town); a week in late summer with the kids after they spend time with their dad (perhaps a house on the Cape? Perhaps finally taking them to Bar Harbor? Perhaps camping?), and a week at the holidays to mostly stay home, probably go to my parents' house, etc.

That leaves one more week.

Beloved and I want to spend it together ... in the summer when the girls are with their dad.

We're thinking somewhere in the Southeast. He threw North Carolina out there, and I actually vacationed there once with a friend and her family in high school, and I loved it. I would go back. HOWEVER, ever since I was in 8th grade and read Gone with the Wind, I've wanted to go to Charleston, S.C.

Does anyone know if there are good spots in South Carolina -- not in Charleston, but on a beach -- that has rentals and such? We want a house on the beach. The quieter and more-removed the better. We want to be able to drive into Charleston for a day (perhaps more), but we don't want to be IN the city.

I just did a quick internet search, and it made me want to take a nap. So I'm asking for help. You know, so I can have more specific fantasies.

Then, in April of 2009, I want to take the kids to Spain.

* A friend of mine who was at Future Firm with me last summer made it her mission in life to find out how much vacation time attorneys actually took. We all have heard that young associates are told they get 4 weeks, but then just get a check at the end of the year for the 4 weeks' that they could never take. My Friend the Researcher found that was not the case at our destination-firm. Every single person she spoke with took every single DAY of their vacation. Therefore, nay-saying is not welcome.

Labels: vacation

posted by Zuska @ 5:33 PM 3 comments

Friday, March 02, 2007

My last day off

And I feel sick. Doesn't it figure? The sore throat hit at approximately 9:30 last night, as I was making muffins for J.'s family breakfast this morning. I muddled through the evening, and Beloved and I had some fun (yee ha!), but I woke up with pain in my throat several times in the night, and now my nose is stuffed up and I'm achy -- in my head and muscles.

not to mention, I have cramps. Of the menstrual variety.

I'm also rather beastly today - grumpy doesn't even begin to describe my attitude.

I feel bad because I made E. go to an extra-curricular thing she does in the morning - it's math-based, and she's done it all year. It starts at 7:30 (school starts at 8), which is the same time J.'s family breakfast started. E. really wanted to come to the breakfast, and I told her no - that she had a commitment to honor, and that she didn't need to be at the breakfast.

Then, at the breakfast, several of her friends were there (siblings of other kids in J.'s class) and were asking for her. At least one of them, I know, skipped the same extra curricular activity to be at the breakfast.

I felt like an ogre.

___________________

I was going to go to school today. I still haven't bought my books, because I still haven't solidified my schedule. So I was going to go to the library and look at the reserve copies to read my first assignments for Monday and Tuesday.

But now I don't feel good.

And these cramps ... I sort of wasn't prepared for that - and needed to go home.

It's also disgusting outside, and I was not about to go home, and then go back out. It's freezing cold and rainy. I didn't bring gloves, because it was supposed to be near 40, but the hand that was holding the umbrella fell off on the way home from frostbite.

So I'm home. And still grouchy.

I'll do the reading (or skimming) before class on Monday -- my first one is at noon. So I'll have time.

____________________________

An example of my grouchiness:

At the girls' school's auction last month, Beloved and I won a quilt made by J's class. We were bidding against at least one other parent in the class, but we won ($180 later). It is a beautiful quilt - they did a fantastic job. Each kid made a square, and then the teacher and a very talented mom sewed it together - the colors are vibrant, and it's really well made.

Earlier this week, J's teacher e-mailed Beloved and asked him if he could bring the item to the classroom for the breakfast so other families could see it, and so the room parent could take some photos so everyone could have a copy. He happily complied.

While we were there, a room parent (who I know and like!) approached me and said she forgot her camera. She asked that I let the quilt stay in the classroom all day, and then she'd bring her camera in the afternoon and take a picture at pick-up, and then J. could just bring it home with her.

I was so irritated.

I didn't want to leave my $180 quilt in the classroom all day. This was stupid of me. The thing hung in the classroom for at least a week before it was brought to the auction - what did I think the kids were going to do? Have a paintball game in the middle of the day? Have a sudden Norovirus outbreak, and projectile vomit all over the thing? I mean, really.
I didn't want my $180 quilt stuffed in J's backpack. She has like, markers and stuff. They could leak on it. She has knitting needles. They could poke a hole through it. She's prone to dropping and losing things. This was not stupid of me. However - I am picking J. and a friend up today, and so I told this person - "okay, but I will meet you in the classroom at 2, and I will bring it home then" But I was still irritated, because ...
I am bringing J and a friend home today right after school for a play date. If I have to wait for this person to get to the classroom, and then to take pictures, and then for polite chit-chat, then I'm never going to get home, and the girls don't have that much time together and I DO NOT FEEL GOOD!!!

Really, this was all stupid of me. It's not like me. I am a nice person. I love to help out, and I love to accommodate others. I like this woman - she is a kind, helpful, giving, unselfish person. I just hope she couldn't detect my crabbiness ... but I think she probably could. I didn't feel good, and I was 1/2 asleep, and my smiley face had somehow been left at home.

___________________________

Beloved and I decided to go out to breakfast after we left the breakfast. We decided it before we ate in the classroom and therefore did not eat in the classroom. We were 2/3s of the way to his work, and he was going to have over an hour to kill, and when he suggested we go and find some eggs (as opposed to bagels dumped out of a bag and about 700 other types of starch), I was game. It also meant coffee that didn't come from a box.

We went to a local Turkish restaurant which is really very yummy and serves breakfast all day. We know someone who is Turkish who ate there when in town, and she said it is absolutely authentic, and very good. Now I like it even better.

Yet, eggs are eggs. I got a cheese and onion omelet, and it was great. But just after I ate 1/2, all my food felt like a rock in my stomach (because have I mentioned? I don't feel good!) That was when Beloved and I discussed the day and he convinced me that me, my mopy-ness and grumpy-ness were better off at home than at school.

I didn't drink my coffee, either. Wanna know why? I ruined it. Since January, I've been on a "healthy eating" kick, and one aspect of that is a major cutback on sugar - including in coffee. I went from drinking peppermint mochas (god, the amount of calories in those things!) to plain old lattes with no syrups or sugars of any kind. Sometimes I drink regular drip coffee - again, with no sugar. I'm also absolutely opposed to fake sugar. I'd rather the calories than cancer, thankyouverymuch.

For some reason, this morning, I got my coffee, and went looking for sugar. Out of an old habit, I guess ... which is weird, because I thought the habit was gone. I suppose this is the first time I've sat at a table in a restaurant with a cup of coffee since I stopped using sugar ....

I found some sugar, and poured it in -- really poured it in. As I was watching the white stream I thought, "huh, that's a lot of sugar - CRAP!" I tried to drink it, but I couldn't. It was too sweet. It didn't even taste like coffee to me.

I see this as a victory. As a permanent change to a healthier Zuska. I am no longer depriving myself by not having sugar in my coffee. It is now just the way I like it.

After we left the breakfast place, I went to the bank to deposit my child support check, and then I went to Starbucks and got me my no-sugar-added latte. Mmmm.

Labels: health, kids, vacation, weather

posted by Zuska @ 9:44 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Now, that was fun!

I picked the girls up when school got out today, which is a very rare ocassion. They typically go to their after-school program, and often have other activities at the school which they leave the after school program for, and then return when they're done. J. takes classes in knitting and magic tricks, and she has play (she is only in the chorus, because she's in 3rd grade) and E. has her play rehearsal a few times a week. Today, neither of them had anything, and I have a week off. I arrived at the school at 2:05 -- so they spent 5 minutes at their after-school programs.

We took a nice slow walk for the entire width of our town, from our area on the southern edge to the very northern edge of town - where J. had a 3:00 hair appointment. The girls are fun to be with. They have good senses of humor and are happy and fun to talk with. The walk went quickly.

J. got her hair cut, and she looks great. Her hair cutter remembered her, and didn't charge us for the hair cut. She said she overcharged us last time (how did she remember? It was November!), and so this time, it's free. I tipped her, thanked her, and went to Gap Kids to look and see what was on sale. I picked up a couple fresh tops for them both, and then we hopped on the T to another outer edge of town, to go to Whole Foods.

We walked in our door at 4:30 - which is amazingly early compared to our usual 6:15 or 6:20. E. is trying to finish up her last of 25 books that she's reading for school (The Massachusetts Book Awards books - she will then get to vote on which book gets the award, IF she passes the test.) Now the girls are doing homework and reading, and I'm posting and getting ready to do some maintenance on the blog.

Very nice afternoon, and oh-so-peaceful.

Labels: kids, vacation

posted by Zuska @ 4:33 PM 1 comments

Monday, February 26, 2007

Bliss

Every now and then I wonder if I was sane, back in the days when I was home all the time and unhappy with the arrangement. Days when work or school is dragging, and the things I have to do are less interesting and feeling repetitive, I think of being home, of just cleaning the house (!!!) and reading a book, perahps going for a walk around town to pick up some groceries - and it seems so blissful.

Inevitably, however, when I have more than say, 3 days, of said "bliss," I start to feel lost. Like I have no center, and I am just wandering aimlessly. I *don't* clean, and I *don't* read ... I sort of do nothing, and then feel guilty that I've wasted a day.

Today, however, is not Day 4. It is Day 1. It feels like bliss. I have done 4 loads of laundry; I've cleaned the kitchen, I've straightened the living room, I've brushed the cat, I've gone for a walk to get coffee, AND I went back to bed after the girls left, and didn't get back OUT of bed until noon.

Oh yes, you read that right -- NOON. I don't feel guilty at all. Beloved and I watched the Oscars through to the end, and then stayed up for the news/weather (we got SNOW last night), and I was tired. So there.

I don't think that come Thursday, I'll feel useless. I have a "family breakfast" for E.'s class that day at 7:30, and then have to be back at the school by 2 in order to help out with play stuff. I will be there probably until 3:30 or so, and then I may bring my girls home with me, where we'll together cook dinner. I won't have time to wander aimlessly.

Friday morning also requires early arrival at school - this time for J's class. I will then go straight to the GYM, and then perhaps come home and try to enjoy my last day alone in the house by reading or doing one of the many other things on my list.

I know, though, that if I did take last week off as I'd originally planned, I would have been feeling adrift. No kids around, no school stuff to do (their school ... not mine). Blech. No thanks.

Labels: vacation

posted by Zuska @ 3:21 PM 1 comments

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