So, it's Spring Break for the 10th grader, but rather than, you know, "resting" or something silly like that, he's had a pretty momentous week. First he and Husband made a brief sojourn to the other Carolina, to visit his GPs (as I've taken to calling the grandparents). While they were gone, Riley texted me that one of the (many) places he'd completed an (electronic) application to work had contacted him, requesting that he call them.
Now, this was a potentially super-exciting development in what had been, up to this point, a somewhat frustrating job search for him. You see, although one is technically allowed to work at age 15, we found that in reality, most businesses won't even talk to you unless you've reached that magic 16th birthday. I mean, it's difficult to understand why--because adolescents are sooooo reliable, responsible, and mature, right?
(Yeah, I couldn't even type that with a straight face...) But still..how could you NOT want to trust a young man who's created a resume and cover letter (with Mom's assistance, naturally) detailing his very impressive status as...High School Sophomore...and describing his vast experience...as a volunteer for both a Summer camp....and a non-profit organization? (Oh...never mind....siiighhh...)
You might recall that this all started in January, when I'd helped him begin the process by Googling possible leads for establishments in our immediate vicinity that might be hiring. Then we also put in the time and effort for legwork--showing up at stores and restaurants that didn't have clear guidelines on their website, or wanted an actual paper form, to ask in person if they would consider a pre-16-er. Next, I walked him through his first couple of submissions...aaannnnd we commenced the "waiting in vain" portion of our program...for anyone to reach out and initiate the next step.
However, Riley had decided that he reeeaaally wanted to work, and so when he hadn't heard anything back from the aforementioned shop, several weeks after providing his information online, he emailed them to follow up. (Whaaaat? Self-motivation and initiative demonstrated by a teenage boy? I almost didn't recognize it...ha!) When he got in touch with them as instructed, they wanted to set up an interview--which would be his first real shot at gainful employment...so needless to say, there was much excitement amongst Riley's supporters on Team WestEnders.
At the appointed time, I drove him to his meeting, then left him and the manager to chat, and walked around town (trying to breathe deeply, while channeling hopeful and positive vibes). After 15 minutes or so I got the "all done" text. I retrieved him and casually inquired as to how it had gone...to which Riley responded that they definitely wanted to hire him, as soon as they could set up some training sessions in the coming weeks. Um...yaaaayyyyyy!
So, if everything continues to go smoothly from this point--and we're ALL going to keep our fingers crossed that it does, 'kaythanks--my kiddo will be pouring coffee and preparing biscuits in the fine town of Carrboro someday very soon. And can I just say: could he possibly have picked a more appealing venue? Heeeeyyyy...I wonder if they offer any kind of..."family discount"? Mmmmm.....
Friday, March 29, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Some Saturday Shenanigans
Last Saturday Riley and I completed our traditional "first race of the season". For the past 4 years this has been the 5K for Education, which benefits local schools and is always held in March, beginning and ending on UNC's lovely campus. Now, since it's so close, and by this point we have the commuting and parking and whatnot down to a system, I figured we didn't have to leave our house until 8:25, for the 9 a.m. start.
So that morning I got up, dressed in my pre-Spring exercise layers, and puttered around the house waiting for our scheduled departure time. It did strike me as a bit odd that I didn't bump into Riley, since he's usually the naturally earliest riser of Team WestEnders, but I just assumed he was hanging out quietly in his room and not in the mood to talk quite yet. But at 8:23, I tapped on his door to issue our version of a sports "Two Minute Warning"...and found him seated in a slumped position on the edge of his bed, yawning and sleepy-eyed. When I told him we'd be rolling out shortly, he admitted that he'd only opened his eyes a few minutes ago, and added, "I thought you'd wake me up at 8!" "Um...dude, I haven't been your alarm clock since, oh, about 4th grade!" I replied, to which he agreed, but also remarked that for some reason he was feeling extra-tired that day.
Well, regardless of how bright-eyed and bushy-tailed we were, we had a date with 3.1 hilly miles, and it wasn't going to wait. Thus we found ourselves lining up with over 1,100 other chilly gluttons for punishment--I mean "fitness enthusiasts"--waiting for the starting gun (or, you know, "air horn"). As it turned out, own experience proved to be less-than-peppy and slower-than-usual on this particular day...but I finished, and that's really all that matters, right? And as expected, Riley cruised in waaayyy before me--but he thoughtfully stationed himself at the end so he could cheer his considerably pokier parent across the line.
When I asked how his run had gone, he gave a stereotypical adolescent boy response: a nonchalant shrug and "Eh, it was fine." Knowing him as I do, though, I asked a casual follow-up question, "What was your time?" to which he admitted, "19.06." Uh-huh...so, a sub-7-minute mile, then...nice (especially for someone who just rolled out of bed, yeah? I swear, teenagers...). What he didn't bother to mention, meaning that I had to find out later, by checking the official results on the website, was that he'd also come in 2nd overall with that time--earning him a medal that we didn't stick around to pick up, because he claimed he was cold and wanted to go home and stretch. (He might be the most attention-averse child EVER, y'all...)
Anyway, in a rare occurrence, I actually had another event later in the day: a...dramatic reading, if you will, to benefit our bootcamp leader's non-profit organization, which provides books to underprivileged kids in the Durham area. (Right? Exercise and education: two things near and dear to my heart!) Another of our esteemed workout buddies had set up the shindig, reserving a portion of a restaurant's outdoor rooftop seating section for us to present various classic and contemporary kids' stories to the friends and munchkins who showed up to listen.
Sounds fairly straightforward...except it ended up being QUITE the multimedia extravaganza, with everyone getting super-into their performance and going above-and-beyond your run-of-the-mill "say the words and turn the pages". For example, there was the duo who chose to deliver the rousing party tale called Dragons Love Tacos--while fully decked out in a taco costume and a dragon onesie. Then came Tienes un Pajaro en la Cabeza! (You have a bird on your head!), complete with finger puppets, a "nest", and plastic eggs to demonstrate the adorable narrative.
A speech pathologist lent her considerable skills to a spirited, language-enriched version of the timeless classic Where's Spot? Next a local author got the crowd involved in her own creation, Camp Wannatippatrashcan, by acting out a group of raccoons hunting for snacks...and mischief. And yours truly teamed up with yet another fellow SLP (because apparently we travel in packs) to treat the crowd...and The Very Hungry Caterpillar...to our very best read-aloud + ASL interpretation.
Honestly, I'm not sure who enjoyed it more--the tots in attendance, the parents who brought them...or the grown-ups who got to ham it up like big overgrown goofballs in front of an appreciative audience. It was not only a total blast, but with the donations collected from those who came to support the soiree, our fearless Champion of Literacy reported that she'll be able to purchase 50 books for the cause. Win...WIN!
And there you have it...an uncharacteristically action-packed Saturday o'fun. Thank goodness for Sunday--and that I no longer feel the need to spend St. Patrick's Day in bars--so we can rest up before we reset the treadmill and do it all again....ha! Here's to a quiet week...fingers crossed!
So that morning I got up, dressed in my pre-Spring exercise layers, and puttered around the house waiting for our scheduled departure time. It did strike me as a bit odd that I didn't bump into Riley, since he's usually the naturally earliest riser of Team WestEnders, but I just assumed he was hanging out quietly in his room and not in the mood to talk quite yet. But at 8:23, I tapped on his door to issue our version of a sports "Two Minute Warning"...and found him seated in a slumped position on the edge of his bed, yawning and sleepy-eyed. When I told him we'd be rolling out shortly, he admitted that he'd only opened his eyes a few minutes ago, and added, "I thought you'd wake me up at 8!" "Um...dude, I haven't been your alarm clock since, oh, about 4th grade!" I replied, to which he agreed, but also remarked that for some reason he was feeling extra-tired that day.
Well, regardless of how bright-eyed and bushy-tailed we were, we had a date with 3.1 hilly miles, and it wasn't going to wait. Thus we found ourselves lining up with over 1,100 other chilly gluttons for punishment--I mean "fitness enthusiasts"--waiting for the starting gun (or, you know, "air horn"). As it turned out, own experience proved to be less-than-peppy and slower-than-usual on this particular day...but I finished, and that's really all that matters, right? And as expected, Riley cruised in waaayyy before me--but he thoughtfully stationed himself at the end so he could cheer his considerably pokier parent across the line.
When I asked how his run had gone, he gave a stereotypical adolescent boy response: a nonchalant shrug and "Eh, it was fine." Knowing him as I do, though, I asked a casual follow-up question, "What was your time?" to which he admitted, "19.06." Uh-huh...so, a sub-7-minute mile, then...nice (especially for someone who just rolled out of bed, yeah? I swear, teenagers...). What he didn't bother to mention, meaning that I had to find out later, by checking the official results on the website, was that he'd also come in 2nd overall with that time--earning him a medal that we didn't stick around to pick up, because he claimed he was cold and wanted to go home and stretch. (He might be the most attention-averse child EVER, y'all...)
Anyway, in a rare occurrence, I actually had another event later in the day: a...dramatic reading, if you will, to benefit our bootcamp leader's non-profit organization, which provides books to underprivileged kids in the Durham area. (Right? Exercise and education: two things near and dear to my heart!) Another of our esteemed workout buddies had set up the shindig, reserving a portion of a restaurant's outdoor rooftop seating section for us to present various classic and contemporary kids' stories to the friends and munchkins who showed up to listen.
Sounds fairly straightforward...except it ended up being QUITE the multimedia extravaganza, with everyone getting super-into their performance and going above-and-beyond your run-of-the-mill "say the words and turn the pages". For example, there was the duo who chose to deliver the rousing party tale called Dragons Love Tacos--while fully decked out in a taco costume and a dragon onesie. Then came Tienes un Pajaro en la Cabeza! (You have a bird on your head!), complete with finger puppets, a "nest", and plastic eggs to demonstrate the adorable narrative.
A speech pathologist lent her considerable skills to a spirited, language-enriched version of the timeless classic Where's Spot? Next a local author got the crowd involved in her own creation, Camp Wannatippatrashcan, by acting out a group of raccoons hunting for snacks...and mischief. And yours truly teamed up with yet another fellow SLP (because apparently we travel in packs) to treat the crowd...and The Very Hungry Caterpillar...to our very best read-aloud + ASL interpretation.
Honestly, I'm not sure who enjoyed it more--the tots in attendance, the parents who brought them...or the grown-ups who got to ham it up like big overgrown goofballs in front of an appreciative audience. It was not only a total blast, but with the donations collected from those who came to support the soiree, our fearless Champion of Literacy reported that she'll be able to purchase 50 books for the cause. Win...WIN!
And there you have it...an uncharacteristically action-packed Saturday o'fun. Thank goodness for Sunday--and that I no longer feel the need to spend St. Patrick's Day in bars--so we can rest up before we reset the treadmill and do it all again....ha! Here's to a quiet week...fingers crossed!
Monday, March 18, 2019
Beach + Bonus History Lesson = Happy (Nerd) Camper
For my second half-day at Carolina Beach, I began by strolling to a nearby java joint called Majik Beanz. In order to do this, I had to forcibly suppress, with great difficulty, my aversion to businesses that think they're being cute by deliberately misspelling words that are perfectly fine the way they're found...in nature...or whatnot. Only the promise of freshly made morning-caffeine-nectar could have tempted me to violate my own strict personal policy of avoiding such establishments. These issues notwithstanding, I will say that things got off to a promising start, as inside the cozy shop, I was warmly greeted by the barista/cashier, who interrupted her animated conversation with another customer (clearly someone she knew personally) to welcome me. After receiving my coffee (which did turn out to be delicious), I sat at a table and sipped it while scrolling absently through social media.
Meanwhile, additional entertainment was being provided by a toddler whose mother followed closely behind him as he ran amok through the obviously familiar space, picking up and moving around toys they apparently keep in the back for just such a...small child invasion. A few minutes later, a father entered with another little boy and exclaimed, "Look, buddy, Richard is here!" (I swear, it was like Cheers...for the preschool set!) It had become abundantly clear that I was the sole out-of-towner currently inhabiting the building...which was confirmed when I got up to leave, and the employee stopped what she was doing again to wish me a nice day...and the father apologetically remarked, "I hope we didn't ruin your quiet time!" Okay, okay...I admit that the local hospitality made up for the grammar faux pas--all is forgiven.
Thus fortified, I made my final pilgrimage to the beach, to meander along the shore for a while and soak in the ocean vista. The weather was shaping up to be gorgeous again--a bit breezier than the previous day, but still delightfully warm and sunny. This boded well for my last planned activity: a history field trip to a Civil War battlefield I'd never even heard of, prior to looking up "Stuff to Do in Carolina Beach" online before my getaway. I couldn't believe this had somehow escaped my notice up to this point, so I was intrigued. (And also, of course, super-excited about the prospect of learning something new along the way...yaaaayyy! What? This isn't everyone's idea of a perfect weekend excursion? Huh...)
Besides, it was only 5 miles from the hotel where I'd spent the night, so I figured it was a low-risk venture. If it was lame, or boring, I'd just hit the road and head back home early. Fortunately, though, Fort Fisher turned out to be neither of those things, but rather a scenic and fascinating site complete with descriptive plaques detailing its importance in the War Between the States, beautifully preserved fortifications that helped you visualize how the conflict played out...and cannons. (I'm such a sucker for those things, I tell ya...no idea why...)
Here's the Cliffs Notes version: with fewer railroad lines in the South, waterways were absolutely vital to the Confederacy, for maintaining trade relationships and transporting supplies to where they were needed. Thus the Union carried out a prolonged campaign of blockading port cities, because every one they captured hurt the Confederacy's chances of winning the war. Wilmington, NC was the last port open in 1865, in part because of its unique topography--there were 2 avenues of entry on the Cape Fear River, allowing small, quick boats to more easily evade the Union ships that were stationed there to bottle up the city.
In fact, this worked for a while, as blockade-running crafts slipped by time and again. However, in January of 1865, a concentrated land and sea attack finally breached the fort, and it fell to the Union forces, effectively ending the Confederacy's ability to move trading goods and war materials by water routes. Not coincidentally, the war came to an end two months later with the South's surrender.
As I mentioned, all of this was news to me... and while it's no secret that I love this kind of gratuitous educational opportunity...in this particular case, it certainly didn't hurt that you could still catch glimpses of the sea while wandering around all the informational displays!
Anyway, when I'd had my fill of "grown-up school" for the day, I hopped back in the Subaru for the return journey to Chapel Hill. While I felt content that I'd maximized my short time at the coast, I always find myself a bit...melancholy when it's time to leave the beach. So it was both amusing and...I don't know...eerily apropos?...that I spotted this sign on the way out of town: "shake sand off your shoes...not off your soul". Dude, I'm not even totally sure what that means, but I think I need a t-shirt, ASAP! For the time being, hasta luego a la playa!
Meanwhile, additional entertainment was being provided by a toddler whose mother followed closely behind him as he ran amok through the obviously familiar space, picking up and moving around toys they apparently keep in the back for just such a...small child invasion. A few minutes later, a father entered with another little boy and exclaimed, "Look, buddy, Richard is here!" (I swear, it was like Cheers...for the preschool set!) It had become abundantly clear that I was the sole out-of-towner currently inhabiting the building...which was confirmed when I got up to leave, and the employee stopped what she was doing again to wish me a nice day...and the father apologetically remarked, "I hope we didn't ruin your quiet time!" Okay, okay...I admit that the local hospitality made up for the grammar faux pas--all is forgiven.Thus fortified, I made my final pilgrimage to the beach, to meander along the shore for a while and soak in the ocean vista. The weather was shaping up to be gorgeous again--a bit breezier than the previous day, but still delightfully warm and sunny. This boded well for my last planned activity: a history field trip to a Civil War battlefield I'd never even heard of, prior to looking up "Stuff to Do in Carolina Beach" online before my getaway. I couldn't believe this had somehow escaped my notice up to this point, so I was intrigued. (And also, of course, super-excited about the prospect of learning something new along the way...yaaaayyy! What? This isn't everyone's idea of a perfect weekend excursion? Huh...)
Besides, it was only 5 miles from the hotel where I'd spent the night, so I figured it was a low-risk venture. If it was lame, or boring, I'd just hit the road and head back home early. Fortunately, though, Fort Fisher turned out to be neither of those things, but rather a scenic and fascinating site complete with descriptive plaques detailing its importance in the War Between the States, beautifully preserved fortifications that helped you visualize how the conflict played out...and cannons. (I'm such a sucker for those things, I tell ya...no idea why...)
Here's the Cliffs Notes version: with fewer railroad lines in the South, waterways were absolutely vital to the Confederacy, for maintaining trade relationships and transporting supplies to where they were needed. Thus the Union carried out a prolonged campaign of blockading port cities, because every one they captured hurt the Confederacy's chances of winning the war. Wilmington, NC was the last port open in 1865, in part because of its unique topography--there were 2 avenues of entry on the Cape Fear River, allowing small, quick boats to more easily evade the Union ships that were stationed there to bottle up the city.
In fact, this worked for a while, as blockade-running crafts slipped by time and again. However, in January of 1865, a concentrated land and sea attack finally breached the fort, and it fell to the Union forces, effectively ending the Confederacy's ability to move trading goods and war materials by water routes. Not coincidentally, the war came to an end two months later with the South's surrender.
As I mentioned, all of this was news to me... and while it's no secret that I love this kind of gratuitous educational opportunity...in this particular case, it certainly didn't hurt that you could still catch glimpses of the sea while wandering around all the informational displays!
Anyway, when I'd had my fill of "grown-up school" for the day, I hopped back in the Subaru for the return journey to Chapel Hill. While I felt content that I'd maximized my short time at the coast, I always find myself a bit...melancholy when it's time to leave the beach. So it was both amusing and...I don't know...eerily apropos?...that I spotted this sign on the way out of town: "shake sand off your shoes...not off your soul". Dude, I'm not even totally sure what that means, but I think I need a t-shirt, ASAP! For the time being, hasta luego a la playa!
Friday, March 15, 2019
Intro to Carolina Beach
So, we had Derek home for a couple of days, but it was kind of weird, because now that he's in college, his Spring Break isn't going to coincide with Riley's anymore. They did get to hang out a little bit over the weekend...but then Riley went back to his school and homework and weeknight bedtime routine...and that effectively put an end to the brother bonding, at least for this brief hiatus. Besides, Derek was only planning to stay until Thursday, at which point he'd be joining some of his SC buddies in Carolina Beach at one of their family's vacation houses.
Of course, this required him to be chauffeured to the rendezvous...Husband volunteered, earning him a side-eye from me, while I gave him ample time to think about the ludicrous thing he'd just proposed. I mean, in what universe does he imagine that I'm going to pass up a chance to visit my favorite relative...ahem..."Mother Ocean"? (Thank you, Jimmy Buffett...) Sure, it's March, when you never can tell what weather personality you're going to get--hot sun, thunderstorms, biting wind, even snow, who knows? But no matter what, there will be surf, and sand, and that's good enough for me.
Thus I made my own arrangements, to stay overnight after dropping Derek off with his friends, and the two of us hit the road. Once again, it was delightful to have him all to myself, for 3 hours of car convos. (It's not like I had to pay much attention to the actual, you know, "driving", since you literally take Route 40 East from Chapel Hill, all the way until you hit the coast...and it's ohhh sooo flat, straight, and boring. I just realized that tomorrow's solo trek back will likely be super-tedious...ay yi yi...but first, beach!)
As we pulled up into the driveway, we were greeted by a heartwarming "Norm" moment, when the boys chilling outside on the porch (appropriately blasting the surf-vibes tunes of Kenny Chesney) spontaneously yelled a collective "Deeerrrrreeek!" and raced down the stairs to welcome him. Alrighty, then....clearly he didn't need his mother any longer, so after exchanging pleasant small talk for a few minutes, I left the teenagers to it, and set out to find my own hotel.
But first, I did have to linger a few moments while I pulled up the address on my phone...and when I happened to glance up after finding it, I was startled to see the whole gang outside once more, enthusiastically waving me goodbye. Perhaps it was simply a "Dude, can we get rid of your mom, already?" gesture, but there was something sweet about it, too. (These are nice guys, that Derek has fallen in with...thank heavens!) Anyway, I was a little nervous about the venue, since I'd booked an unknown place (the chains being ridiculously expensive, even in the off-season), but it turned out to be fine ("quaint" I believe sums it up...). Oh, and also: Right. On. The. Water. (Yaaayyyy!)
(The one downside I'm noticing is how loud it is, with various noises easily penetrating my walls--such as each and every time someone locks their car...a small yappy dog that keeps barking at random times...or the live music being played at the tiki bar 50 yards away, which sounds like a personal concert happening right in my room. Yeeeahhh...we'll see how much sleep I get tonight...)
As soon as I dropped off my stuff, I hightailed it back outside, to stroll along the water for a bit. Aaahhhh, the sea breeze, the briny air, the...toasty temps? You see, it was about 10* balmier than the forecast had predicted, and I felt warm in a light long-sleeve shirt for the first time in...well, months, for sure. After reacquainting myself with la playa, I decided to do something else on my list: the nearby state park, where the big draw is apparently that it is one of the few places containing Venus flytraps in their natural environment (In the "you learn something new every day" category, these plants only grow in the wild within 60-70 miles of Wilmington, NC. Now we're all smarter, right? Cool...)
Now, it was undeniably pleasant to stroll around the grounds, appreciating the scenery and all. But I've gotta say....as someone who's not particularly...botanically gifted...I would have loved, oh, I don't know, SIGNS of some sort that pointed out these unique carnivorous specimens. I kept my eyes peeled, and was quite proud of myself for spotting one...kind of brown and shriveled...example. Perhaps they need to regrow after the Winter? Or I just flat-out missed all of them. Without some helpful markers along the trails, I guess I'll never know...
Then it was time for some food (Flaming Amy's Burritos...where I had a salad, go figure...) to fortify me for my last activity of the day: one more meander on the sand before sunset. I didn't intend to cover quite so much ground, but you know how when the landscape is very level, and there's nothing in your line of sight to judge distances, you might tend to...underestimate how far away things are? Well, instead of a 20 minute ramble, I ended up power-walking more than 2 miles...each way...to the jetty I was using as my target. Oops! (Oh well, it's been a while since I've had a 25,000 step day, so it's all good...)
Whew--now it's time to relax and rest up for tomorrow's continuing adventures: more beach time, and a historic stop, before heading back to Casa WestEnders. Keep your fingers crossed that the band across the street has a curfew! Zzzzzz....
Of course, this required him to be chauffeured to the rendezvous...Husband volunteered, earning him a side-eye from me, while I gave him ample time to think about the ludicrous thing he'd just proposed. I mean, in what universe does he imagine that I'm going to pass up a chance to visit my favorite relative...ahem..."Mother Ocean"? (Thank you, Jimmy Buffett...) Sure, it's March, when you never can tell what weather personality you're going to get--hot sun, thunderstorms, biting wind, even snow, who knows? But no matter what, there will be surf, and sand, and that's good enough for me.
Thus I made my own arrangements, to stay overnight after dropping Derek off with his friends, and the two of us hit the road. Once again, it was delightful to have him all to myself, for 3 hours of car convos. (It's not like I had to pay much attention to the actual, you know, "driving", since you literally take Route 40 East from Chapel Hill, all the way until you hit the coast...and it's ohhh sooo flat, straight, and boring. I just realized that tomorrow's solo trek back will likely be super-tedious...ay yi yi...but first, beach!)
As we pulled up into the driveway, we were greeted by a heartwarming "Norm" moment, when the boys chilling outside on the porch (appropriately blasting the surf-vibes tunes of Kenny Chesney) spontaneously yelled a collective "Deeerrrrreeek!" and raced down the stairs to welcome him. Alrighty, then....clearly he didn't need his mother any longer, so after exchanging pleasant small talk for a few minutes, I left the teenagers to it, and set out to find my own hotel.
But first, I did have to linger a few moments while I pulled up the address on my phone...and when I happened to glance up after finding it, I was startled to see the whole gang outside once more, enthusiastically waving me goodbye. Perhaps it was simply a "Dude, can we get rid of your mom, already?" gesture, but there was something sweet about it, too. (These are nice guys, that Derek has fallen in with...thank heavens!) Anyway, I was a little nervous about the venue, since I'd booked an unknown place (the chains being ridiculously expensive, even in the off-season), but it turned out to be fine ("quaint" I believe sums it up...). Oh, and also: Right. On. The. Water. (Yaaayyyy!)
(The one downside I'm noticing is how loud it is, with various noises easily penetrating my walls--such as each and every time someone locks their car...a small yappy dog that keeps barking at random times...or the live music being played at the tiki bar 50 yards away, which sounds like a personal concert happening right in my room. Yeeeahhh...we'll see how much sleep I get tonight...)
As soon as I dropped off my stuff, I hightailed it back outside, to stroll along the water for a bit. Aaahhhh, the sea breeze, the briny air, the...toasty temps? You see, it was about 10* balmier than the forecast had predicted, and I felt warm in a light long-sleeve shirt for the first time in...well, months, for sure. After reacquainting myself with la playa, I decided to do something else on my list: the nearby state park, where the big draw is apparently that it is one of the few places containing Venus flytraps in their natural environment (In the "you learn something new every day" category, these plants only grow in the wild within 60-70 miles of Wilmington, NC. Now we're all smarter, right? Cool...)
Now, it was undeniably pleasant to stroll around the grounds, appreciating the scenery and all. But I've gotta say....as someone who's not particularly...botanically gifted...I would have loved, oh, I don't know, SIGNS of some sort that pointed out these unique carnivorous specimens. I kept my eyes peeled, and was quite proud of myself for spotting one...kind of brown and shriveled...example. Perhaps they need to regrow after the Winter? Or I just flat-out missed all of them. Without some helpful markers along the trails, I guess I'll never know...
Then it was time for some food (Flaming Amy's Burritos...where I had a salad, go figure...) to fortify me for my last activity of the day: one more meander on the sand before sunset. I didn't intend to cover quite so much ground, but you know how when the landscape is very level, and there's nothing in your line of sight to judge distances, you might tend to...underestimate how far away things are? Well, instead of a 20 minute ramble, I ended up power-walking more than 2 miles...each way...to the jetty I was using as my target. Oops! (Oh well, it's been a while since I've had a 25,000 step day, so it's all good...)
Whew--now it's time to relax and rest up for tomorrow's continuing adventures: more beach time, and a historic stop, before heading back to Casa WestEnders. Keep your fingers crossed that the band across the street has a curfew! Zzzzzz....
Monday, March 11, 2019
Just Marching Along...
To recklessly misquote a book (that I've never read), the theme of this week could be summed up as "all quiet on the WestEnders front"...in this case, both literally and metaphorically.
You see, Husband's been away on one of his infrequent business trips, and it wasn't quite time for Derek to come home for Spring Break yet, which left the house occupied by...the two introverts of the family. Yep, it was just Riley and me--both of whom greatly relished the opportunity to spend many quality hours alone in our respective rooms. Sure, we came out and interacted with one another on a regular basis...but in general, there were long periods of blissful silence to be enjoyed. Heck, Riley's even decided that he likes cooking for himself, so he puttered around the kitchen concocting his own meals. Honestly, I don't know why I was even here....oh, right: motherly love and support, blah blah blah. (Eh, I'll have to assume I performed my duties in a satisfactory manner...since the child didn't lodge any complaints!)
And speaking of required tasks, I continued my search for gainful employment--but with a new...wrinkle, if you will. It recently struck me that there's a certain aspect of "figuring out what I want to be when I grow up" this time around. What I mean is that I'm kind of wanting to branch out and re-purpose my skills...and somewhere along the line I realized that perhaps my same old resume wasn't necessarily telling my story the way it should. Besides, it's been so long since I finished grad school that I haven't had the benefit of on-campus help with these types of things, so I decided it was high time for a professional to take a look at my credentials, and polish them up for me.
So I found an expert located in NC (through the wonders of Google) and contacted her to see how all of this works. When we spoke the first time, I was feeling a little...direction-less, shall we say...about what, exactly, I wanted to do with my life. However, her pointed questions over the course of our conversation--and really, just talking about it out loud with another person--helped to focus and crystallize my objectives a little bit, which felt like an immediate improvement. Then she sent a detailed questionnaire for me to fill out, asking for all sorts of personal and job-related information, requiring deep self-reflection and thoughtful responses. (Of course my first reaction was, "Yay, homework!" Not even kidding, y'all...)
After I sent her my typed answers (complete with appendices and attached supporting documents...never let it be said I shirked on an assignment!), we scheduled another call to sort through all of it together, clarifying, organizing, and fleshing out the data when necessary. And I've gotta admit...this was kind of...fun. Not only because she happens to be someone who's super-easy to talk to, but also because it felt like, I don't know...a career counseling session, in a way? She consulted with me to tease out things like what skills I needed to highlight, what types of positions might be a good fit for my particular strengths and likes, and also, as she put it "what things you're good at, but do NOT want to do in your next job" (which she would then remove or downplay on my CV...which never occurred to me to do...there's just one of the reasons I'm paying her, yeah?)
I actually found the process pretty fascinating. Next she'll draft something for me to review, and we'll chat again to make any revisions I'd like to incorporate...and then hopefully I'll end up with a beautifully wrapped package that describes me in attractive and desirable terms, to submit to potential employers. To be continued...
Then the peaceful week tiptoed to its end, and it was time for me to drive to Charlotte and pick up Derek (whoo hoo!) at his friend's house for his mid-semester mini-vacay. Armed with road snacks and a peppy playlist, I tackled the--fortunately very easy, barring any traffic snafus--145 mile trip, stopping once, but only because once you approach the Queen City, you enter QT territory....and I never miss a chance to pop in and take advantage of their kick-butt food and drink selection. (If I had to characterize it, I'd say "like a next-level Sheetz experience". Does that help? You'll just have to take my word for it...or check it out yourselves!)
Of course, after 2 Derek-free months, it was delightful to catch up on the return trek. With several hours to kill, we covered updates on his classes and the newest crop of amusing friend stories, before settling in to address some of our perennial faves...namely the upcoming baseball season, and the current state of men's college basketball, heading into conference playoffs and the NCAA tournament. (What'd you think I was going to say, "an insightful analysis of global human rights, innovative ideas for saving the environment, and proposals for how to achieve world peace"? Sure, those are awesome and important...but c'mon, know your audience, people...)
On a note related to one of those topics, Derek wanted to be back in Chapel Hill by 6, to be ready for the tipoff of the big rematch between our hometown university and that other school 9 miles up the road. A little context: the animosity between the programs is a HUUUGE deal if you live here, but even ESPN has been known to refer to it as "one of the best rivalries in college sports". And you'll have to trust me when I tell you that the town basically wakes up on game day and starts getting hyped with their morning coffee (or Red Bull, or whatever the kids are drinking these days to get moving). Seriously, even the local police and fire departments get involved...by posting cautionary messages on social media about remembering to "celebrate carefully" in the event of a victory. You can practically feel the air vibrating with anticipation all day long--I swear, it's adorable.
Anyway, it turned out that several of Derek's closest High School buddies were also home for the weekend, so they got the gang together to watch the game, cheer on the Tarheels...and participate in the beloved post-win tradition..."the storming of Franklin Street". According to reports delivered by an exceedingly sleepy teenager the next morning, this was followed by meeting some other pals for a fast food infusion, before returning to our house with the core group to play FIFA19 at like midnight. (Yep, seems right on target for the college crowd--I, on the other hand, was in bed and trusted them to behave in the absence of parental supervision...which luckily they did not give me cause to regret...they're good boys...)
As it turned out, though, the night owl had company, dragging in the a.m., thanks to the blasted switch to Daylight Savings Time. I've never understood how a mere 60 minute-shift can mess me up so much, but Riley felt the same way, so at least I know I'm not the only one who gets their circadian rhythms in a twist....or what have you. But we had Stuff to Do, so we mustered what energy we could, and plowed on with our day...including such scintillating tasks as "attend church" (and try not to yawn more than absolutely necessary), "obtain haircuts" (for the shaggy Male Duo), "purchase items at Lowe's" (for Riley's latest engineering class project, which involves the design and construction of a model roller coaster, and which has quickly become the most expensive school assignment in the history of Team WestEnders....yaaayyy? More like "oy"...)
And finally, there was the...um...highlight?...of the day: a grocery store visit with the 2 adolescents-- before which I foolishly remarked, "I have a short list, but feel free to add to the cart, if you see or think of something you want!" Oh. Good. Grief. You'd think I was new at this, or something--what the HECK was I thinking? Well, let me clarify...Riley picked up only a bag of microwaveable potatoes, a staple that he requests once in a while, to change up his usual school lunch.
Meanwhile he and I had wandered through several aisles when we noticed that Derek seemed to be... missing. A few seconds later he sprinted up behind us, brushing crumbs off his face, and the rest of a cookie in his hand (you know, the complimentary ones, that they leave out for parents to give to their small children, to distract them and/or make them more cooperative during the boring shopping? Or, say, a 6-foot dude who's starving and can't pass up free grub. Siiighhhhh...). He then gleefully admitted that in a quick sweep of the produce section, he'd also managed to score samples of cheese, pineapple, bread with hummus, and chocolate cake. I rolled my eyes at him...but I did make him show me where to find the bite-size desserts...because life's too short to pass up bonus cake, I always say. (New. Life. Motto...)
Thus fortified, he then proceeded to interrupt my purposeful foraging by holding up random items and asking if he could have them. "Can I get (2-pound bag of) jerky?" (Hard pass.) "How about strawberry/rhubarb yogurt?" (I caused him mild concern, I think, when I made a show of considering this one for a minute. He quickly backpedaled and assured me that he was only joking. Ha! Remarkably, that was the last ridiculous thing he pretended to want. Mom Win...)
That concluded our chores for the weekend, and we were able to more or less take it easy for the rest of Sunday--and attempt to recover from the Lost Hour Hangover we were all suffering. Hopefully everyone will rebound for tomorrow...Husband has returned from England and will settle back into his typical work schedule, Riley will kick off a normal school week...leaving Derek and me to choose our own Monday adventure. What could possibly go wrong? Mwah hah hah!
You see, Husband's been away on one of his infrequent business trips, and it wasn't quite time for Derek to come home for Spring Break yet, which left the house occupied by...the two introverts of the family. Yep, it was just Riley and me--both of whom greatly relished the opportunity to spend many quality hours alone in our respective rooms. Sure, we came out and interacted with one another on a regular basis...but in general, there were long periods of blissful silence to be enjoyed. Heck, Riley's even decided that he likes cooking for himself, so he puttered around the kitchen concocting his own meals. Honestly, I don't know why I was even here....oh, right: motherly love and support, blah blah blah. (Eh, I'll have to assume I performed my duties in a satisfactory manner...since the child didn't lodge any complaints!)
And speaking of required tasks, I continued my search for gainful employment--but with a new...wrinkle, if you will. It recently struck me that there's a certain aspect of "figuring out what I want to be when I grow up" this time around. What I mean is that I'm kind of wanting to branch out and re-purpose my skills...and somewhere along the line I realized that perhaps my same old resume wasn't necessarily telling my story the way it should. Besides, it's been so long since I finished grad school that I haven't had the benefit of on-campus help with these types of things, so I decided it was high time for a professional to take a look at my credentials, and polish them up for me.
So I found an expert located in NC (through the wonders of Google) and contacted her to see how all of this works. When we spoke the first time, I was feeling a little...direction-less, shall we say...about what, exactly, I wanted to do with my life. However, her pointed questions over the course of our conversation--and really, just talking about it out loud with another person--helped to focus and crystallize my objectives a little bit, which felt like an immediate improvement. Then she sent a detailed questionnaire for me to fill out, asking for all sorts of personal and job-related information, requiring deep self-reflection and thoughtful responses. (Of course my first reaction was, "Yay, homework!" Not even kidding, y'all...)
After I sent her my typed answers (complete with appendices and attached supporting documents...never let it be said I shirked on an assignment!), we scheduled another call to sort through all of it together, clarifying, organizing, and fleshing out the data when necessary. And I've gotta admit...this was kind of...fun. Not only because she happens to be someone who's super-easy to talk to, but also because it felt like, I don't know...a career counseling session, in a way? She consulted with me to tease out things like what skills I needed to highlight, what types of positions might be a good fit for my particular strengths and likes, and also, as she put it "what things you're good at, but do NOT want to do in your next job" (which she would then remove or downplay on my CV...which never occurred to me to do...there's just one of the reasons I'm paying her, yeah?)
I actually found the process pretty fascinating. Next she'll draft something for me to review, and we'll chat again to make any revisions I'd like to incorporate...and then hopefully I'll end up with a beautifully wrapped package that describes me in attractive and desirable terms, to submit to potential employers. To be continued...
Then the peaceful week tiptoed to its end, and it was time for me to drive to Charlotte and pick up Derek (whoo hoo!) at his friend's house for his mid-semester mini-vacay. Armed with road snacks and a peppy playlist, I tackled the--fortunately very easy, barring any traffic snafus--145 mile trip, stopping once, but only because once you approach the Queen City, you enter QT territory....and I never miss a chance to pop in and take advantage of their kick-butt food and drink selection. (If I had to characterize it, I'd say "like a next-level Sheetz experience". Does that help? You'll just have to take my word for it...or check it out yourselves!)
Of course, after 2 Derek-free months, it was delightful to catch up on the return trek. With several hours to kill, we covered updates on his classes and the newest crop of amusing friend stories, before settling in to address some of our perennial faves...namely the upcoming baseball season, and the current state of men's college basketball, heading into conference playoffs and the NCAA tournament. (What'd you think I was going to say, "an insightful analysis of global human rights, innovative ideas for saving the environment, and proposals for how to achieve world peace"? Sure, those are awesome and important...but c'mon, know your audience, people...)
On a note related to one of those topics, Derek wanted to be back in Chapel Hill by 6, to be ready for the tipoff of the big rematch between our hometown university and that other school 9 miles up the road. A little context: the animosity between the programs is a HUUUGE deal if you live here, but even ESPN has been known to refer to it as "one of the best rivalries in college sports". And you'll have to trust me when I tell you that the town basically wakes up on game day and starts getting hyped with their morning coffee (or Red Bull, or whatever the kids are drinking these days to get moving). Seriously, even the local police and fire departments get involved...by posting cautionary messages on social media about remembering to "celebrate carefully" in the event of a victory. You can practically feel the air vibrating with anticipation all day long--I swear, it's adorable.
Anyway, it turned out that several of Derek's closest High School buddies were also home for the weekend, so they got the gang together to watch the game, cheer on the Tarheels...and participate in the beloved post-win tradition..."the storming of Franklin Street". According to reports delivered by an exceedingly sleepy teenager the next morning, this was followed by meeting some other pals for a fast food infusion, before returning to our house with the core group to play FIFA19 at like midnight. (Yep, seems right on target for the college crowd--I, on the other hand, was in bed and trusted them to behave in the absence of parental supervision...which luckily they did not give me cause to regret...they're good boys...)
As it turned out, though, the night owl had company, dragging in the a.m., thanks to the blasted switch to Daylight Savings Time. I've never understood how a mere 60 minute-shift can mess me up so much, but Riley felt the same way, so at least I know I'm not the only one who gets their circadian rhythms in a twist....or what have you. But we had Stuff to Do, so we mustered what energy we could, and plowed on with our day...including such scintillating tasks as "attend church" (and try not to yawn more than absolutely necessary), "obtain haircuts" (for the shaggy Male Duo), "purchase items at Lowe's" (for Riley's latest engineering class project, which involves the design and construction of a model roller coaster, and which has quickly become the most expensive school assignment in the history of Team WestEnders....yaaayyy? More like "oy"...)
And finally, there was the...um...highlight?...of the day: a grocery store visit with the 2 adolescents-- before which I foolishly remarked, "I have a short list, but feel free to add to the cart, if you see or think of something you want!" Oh. Good. Grief. You'd think I was new at this, or something--what the HECK was I thinking? Well, let me clarify...Riley picked up only a bag of microwaveable potatoes, a staple that he requests once in a while, to change up his usual school lunch.
Meanwhile he and I had wandered through several aisles when we noticed that Derek seemed to be... missing. A few seconds later he sprinted up behind us, brushing crumbs off his face, and the rest of a cookie in his hand (you know, the complimentary ones, that they leave out for parents to give to their small children, to distract them and/or make them more cooperative during the boring shopping? Or, say, a 6-foot dude who's starving and can't pass up free grub. Siiighhhhh...). He then gleefully admitted that in a quick sweep of the produce section, he'd also managed to score samples of cheese, pineapple, bread with hummus, and chocolate cake. I rolled my eyes at him...but I did make him show me where to find the bite-size desserts...because life's too short to pass up bonus cake, I always say. (New. Life. Motto...)
Thus fortified, he then proceeded to interrupt my purposeful foraging by holding up random items and asking if he could have them. "Can I get (2-pound bag of) jerky?" (Hard pass.) "How about strawberry/rhubarb yogurt?" (I caused him mild concern, I think, when I made a show of considering this one for a minute. He quickly backpedaled and assured me that he was only joking. Ha! Remarkably, that was the last ridiculous thing he pretended to want. Mom Win...)
That concluded our chores for the weekend, and we were able to more or less take it easy for the rest of Sunday--and attempt to recover from the Lost Hour Hangover we were all suffering. Hopefully everyone will rebound for tomorrow...Husband has returned from England and will settle back into his typical work schedule, Riley will kick off a normal school week...leaving Derek and me to choose our own Monday adventure. What could possibly go wrong? Mwah hah hah!
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Flashes of February
I realize I haven't written in a while, but...well, the truth is there hasn't been much to tell. In case you think I'm being overly dramatic (Who, MOI?), or my brain is suffering some kind of...I don't know..."Winter Doldrums" that warp my view of reality (wait, that second one is very likely accurate...let's put a pin in it for now and perhaps explore it further...like when the cold season is OVER for reals...) here's a February summary:
*Rain
*Riley: "Hey, Mom, can I order some stuff for the Bonus Room?" Me: "Oh, suuure, honey! No problem; what did you have in mind?" This is how we ended up adding a pull-up bar and punching bag to our already robust collection of dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, sandbag, weight bench and fitness step--the last three also purchased fairly recently. Oh, and we already had a programmable stationary bike. (Yep, we're becoming our own gym, y'all...memberships available--reasonable rates and super-friendly staff!)
*Lots more rain (Hey, at least we can work out indoors to our hearts' content now, right?)
*Me: (with extra free time while I'm unemployed, searching for the Next Big Thing). Hmm, the house could use some...sprucing up. Take the fireplace, for instance...it's totally blah. I know! I'll visit ALL the home decor stores, and wander aimlessly up and down the aisles, until I get a flash of HDTV-type inspiration...or whatever. (Eh, it's far from Joanna Gaines-worthy, but it'll do...until something better occurs to me...)
*Derek mentions during our regular Sunday conversation that it's only "2 more calls" until his Spring Break. Which struck me adorably reminiscent of the universal parental explanation to their small children in anticipation of exciting events: "X more sleeps until Santa/Disneyworld/your birthday/etc."--so it was precious to hear it from my almost-19-year-old (even if he had no idea he was being cute). Also, yay! He'll be home soon, for at least a short visit.
*AGAIN with the downpours. I try to remind myself that it could definitely be worse, if said precipitation were, say, of the frozen variety. Still, it's wet, and sloppy, and downright unpleasant.
*However, on the plus side, the unseasonably warm temps have confused the local plant life, leading to daffodils popping up willy-nilly, dogwood trees blooming early...and a plethora of pollen. (I swear this is an annual occurrence around here, and I just want to stand outside and shout to nature at large, "No, don't do it! There's more frost coming! Seriously, haven't you learned your lesson yet? This happens Every. Single. Year!" But the green stuff just doesn't listen. And the neighbors might call the authorities on me. So never mind....)
*Then, in a flurry of...what shall we call it?...oh yeah, "water is falling from the sky for the eleventy-thousandth day in a row, and I'm both disgruntled and BORED" should cover it...I turned my energies toward....moving stuff around. As in "I miss my portable standing desk, but where can I put it? Right, it works on this end table, here! But that leaves no space for the lamp that used to be in that spot, so I can fix that by bringing up one of the pole lights from the living room. Huh, now it's dark down there, but if I take the office lamp to the Family Room, and relocate its existing light to the Living Room...voila--it's bright enough, everywhere!" (Just picture me scurrying about the house, muttering under my breath, carrying various items from one place to the other...and it'll be almost like you were present for the actual...interior design chaos...)
*Observing my rearranging/organizing/decorating behavior prompted a mildly bemused Husband to ask, "Is there any thing you're not planning on changing?" Then with a slight note of alarm in his voice he added, "My office? You're not touching that, right?" I pasted on what I hoped passed for an enigmatic smile and responded, "You're leaving on a business trip in a few days...I make no promises!" ('Cuz that's the secret to a long and happy marriage, yeah? A little bit of mystery...that could swing either toward "heartwarming surprise" or "unexpected shock" , depending on the circumstances. Keep 'em guessing, I always say! Spoiler: I've never said that before...but I think it's time to start...or possibly I'm just doing this all wrong. On the other hand, he's definitely had plenty of opportunity to get used my nonsense by now, so why change? Mwah hah hah...)
*Rain, rain, go away (repeat ad nauseum...)
(I mean, I couldn't even take any Friday Field Trips, for heaven's sake, because the weather was so freakin' uncooperative all month. Wait, it's March now...does that mean we can have Spring? Pretty please with cherry blossoms on top?)
*And finally, one more independent consultant--that would be "Riley"--had the following comment regarding my February...antics, (with a great impression of a long-suffering sigh) "Mom...you reeealllly need a job."
True dat, my son. And I am indeed working hard on it. (Ha! Sorry...) But in the meantime, I have to figure out how to be productive--after all, there are only so many trips to Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and Target necessary to keep the house stocked. So...I haven't tackled Derek's or your bedroom yet! How about it: upgrades to the Boy Caves? Yeeeahhh...I'mma go check the job boards again, just in case...and try to stay out of trouble!
*Rain
*Riley: "Hey, Mom, can I order some stuff for the Bonus Room?" Me: "Oh, suuure, honey! No problem; what did you have in mind?" This is how we ended up adding a pull-up bar and punching bag to our already robust collection of dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, sandbag, weight bench and fitness step--the last three also purchased fairly recently. Oh, and we already had a programmable stationary bike. (Yep, we're becoming our own gym, y'all...memberships available--reasonable rates and super-friendly staff!)*Lots more rain (Hey, at least we can work out indoors to our hearts' content now, right?)
*Me: (with extra free time while I'm unemployed, searching for the Next Big Thing). Hmm, the house could use some...sprucing up. Take the fireplace, for instance...it's totally blah. I know! I'll visit ALL the home decor stores, and wander aimlessly up and down the aisles, until I get a flash of HDTV-type inspiration...or whatever. (Eh, it's far from Joanna Gaines-worthy, but it'll do...until something better occurs to me...)
*Derek mentions during our regular Sunday conversation that it's only "2 more calls" until his Spring Break. Which struck me adorably reminiscent of the universal parental explanation to their small children in anticipation of exciting events: "X more sleeps until Santa/Disneyworld/your birthday/etc."--so it was precious to hear it from my almost-19-year-old (even if he had no idea he was being cute). Also, yay! He'll be home soon, for at least a short visit.
*AGAIN with the downpours. I try to remind myself that it could definitely be worse, if said precipitation were, say, of the frozen variety. Still, it's wet, and sloppy, and downright unpleasant.*However, on the plus side, the unseasonably warm temps have confused the local plant life, leading to daffodils popping up willy-nilly, dogwood trees blooming early...and a plethora of pollen. (I swear this is an annual occurrence around here, and I just want to stand outside and shout to nature at large, "No, don't do it! There's more frost coming! Seriously, haven't you learned your lesson yet? This happens Every. Single. Year!" But the green stuff just doesn't listen. And the neighbors might call the authorities on me. So never mind....)
*Then, in a flurry of...what shall we call it?...oh yeah, "water is falling from the sky for the eleventy-thousandth day in a row, and I'm both disgruntled and BORED" should cover it...I turned my energies toward....moving stuff around. As in "I miss my portable standing desk, but where can I put it? Right, it works on this end table, here! But that leaves no space for the lamp that used to be in that spot, so I can fix that by bringing up one of the pole lights from the living room. Huh, now it's dark down there, but if I take the office lamp to the Family Room, and relocate its existing light to the Living Room...voila--it's bright enough, everywhere!" (Just picture me scurrying about the house, muttering under my breath, carrying various items from one place to the other...and it'll be almost like you were present for the actual...interior design chaos...)
*Observing my rearranging/organizing/decorating behavior prompted a mildly bemused Husband to ask, "Is there any thing you're not planning on changing?" Then with a slight note of alarm in his voice he added, "My office? You're not touching that, right?" I pasted on what I hoped passed for an enigmatic smile and responded, "You're leaving on a business trip in a few days...I make no promises!" ('Cuz that's the secret to a long and happy marriage, yeah? A little bit of mystery...that could swing either toward "heartwarming surprise" or "unexpected shock" , depending on the circumstances. Keep 'em guessing, I always say! Spoiler: I've never said that before...but I think it's time to start...or possibly I'm just doing this all wrong. On the other hand, he's definitely had plenty of opportunity to get used my nonsense by now, so why change? Mwah hah hah...)
*Rain, rain, go away (repeat ad nauseum...)
*And finally, one more independent consultant--that would be "Riley"--had the following comment regarding my February...antics, (with a great impression of a long-suffering sigh) "Mom...you reeealllly need a job."
True dat, my son. And I am indeed working hard on it. (Ha! Sorry...) But in the meantime, I have to figure out how to be productive--after all, there are only so many trips to Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and Target necessary to keep the house stocked. So...I haven't tackled Derek's or your bedroom yet! How about it: upgrades to the Boy Caves? Yeeeahhh...I'mma go check the job boards again, just in case...and try to stay out of trouble!
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