This is one of those weeks where there needs to be three of me. Our university is hosting a Swedish crime writer who I'd love to see. I also have tons of housework, a friend who needs help with her impending move, DD's spring break, and loads of class prep.

As much as I'd love to escape into Stockholm's gritty underworld, I suspect I should work, work, work, and play a bit with DD.


So today's short goals:
Update online classes and hold their virtual hands.
Write quiz and project for "real" class.
Go for a long walk with DD.
Call painter for her room
Transfer money to cover airline tickets

I have news on the London teaching, but will hold off until I know more tomorrow!

It's DD's spring break and she's spending it at the university with me. I feel more than a little guilty as most of her friends are in San Diego or Orlando or somewhere swell, and she gets to sit in on my boring classes.

So, since we were running late this morning I spent more than anticipated. It was $8.75 for parking, $1.35 for her cheeseburger, and another $23 on groceries on the way home.

I ordered theatre tickets for the four of us that are going to NYC--It was (gasp) $448 but it's Death of A Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman directed by Mike Nichols. It's a play I'm planning on teaching again next fall, and how often does a boring Midwesterner like me get a chance like that? And we have two jazz nights planned too. I better start scouring the sofa cushions.

Yesterday was a cheap-o day with a mere 50 cents going to machine coffee.

I'm beat, so will update more tomorrow when the hangover from too much teaching wears off.

Yesterday I spent $105 on groceries, $16 on Easter basket stuff, $65 at Target on Easter stuff, tights for DD, skirt for DD, cleaner, toothpaste etc. Then another $8 at CVS on hair stuff like root touch-up (I have no secrets at SA) and a deep conditioner. We talked about going out to eat, but I was meticulous with my coupons and didn't want to blow my savings so ate in.

This morning? Another $40 at church, but nothing else.
We had friends over, ate large quantities of the food purchased yesterday and just plain relaxed.

Target is dangerous for me. I know this. Stuff flings itself into that big red cart.

I'm currently anxious about my potential NYC spending. My girlfriends are posing the idea of several nights of $100+ tickets--and that's w/o food.

But I did manage to read two senior capstone reports tonight for some needed extra cash. Still--that NYC money....

Yesterday, a mere $5000 deposit on the new windows.
Today? After the recoil from yesterday's outflow (at least he let me put it on the credit card!)I spent $2 with tip on coffee and $22 at the pet food store.

What I spent through yesterday doesn't look so bad. I'm ducking and covering knowing what's to come.

Sunday: Church offering $41 (just mine, not DH's)

Monday: Vending machine coffee (ugh) at second job: 50 cents. Kumon: $100 for the month. Mortgage $600

Tuesday: Coffee again (is there a pattern here?)$2 w tip

So far, so good. But the arrival of the window man and my current ebay bids make me anxious.

Another chilly day here, but I'm close to being caught up with grading and feeling positive as I've accomplished a lot.

This weekend we decided on a window bid, booked a vacation rental when our British friends are here, booked a girls' long weekend in NYC, and (hallelujah!) got paid for my new glasses and all my capstone project reading.

We've decided not to go to Minnesota for Easter. It's a wise decision, I think. It's too much driving, and a late Easter dinner would screw us up all week, not getting home till midnight.
But it seems sad still to me. It's the first year without my mom, and if she were still alive, we'd go no matter what. It seems like this might signal less closeness with my brother, so we'll have to arrange another time to be with them. Maybe I'll send him a funny card or something.

I love April--such hope!

My carefully (not) balanced out plan for the week includes (in no particular order):

1. Walk every day
2. Complete all grading and post it to online gradebook
3. Clean office
4. Finish all laundry and ironing
5. Clean laundry room
6. Send five cards and letters
7. Get rid of 60 things through recycle, freecycle, gifts, donations. (That's 10 a day!)
8. Get three window bids and decide.
9. Call painter re house trim bid
10. Call interior painter re DD's room.
11. Pedicure and fun shopping!
12. Read three books for personal enjoyment
13. Taxes
14. Submit flex spending bills and deposit checks
15. Run away for one or two days to Chicago or Minneapolis or Dells.

To that end, I've started the laundry, graded all last night and this morning, gave old bulky computer monitor to Best Buy.
Lots to do!

I'm thinking about how to best spend my break. I need a balance between lots of fun, some school work, and some house work.

Today's oddness occurred during a class discussion before exams when a student (they're pretty much all juniors so about 21) asked what the word "spouse" meant. Does that seem really odd to you? Three or four more admitted they'd never known what the word meant. But I fed them doughnuts as an exam treat and just shook my head.

I also found myself shaking that head again when I saw the local fancy grocer had roasted brussel sprouts for $7.99/lb and the raw ones were 1.99/lb. I think for $6,I could turn on the oven and find some olive oil.

I welcome any oddball advice on how to spend my break---

It's spectacular here today. The combo platter of spring warmth and sunshine with impending spring break has helped me be one happy camper.

I've got minor but cheerful good news. I've finished writing my midterm exam to be given tomorrow; my online class is done for 10 days except for grading, I've hung the guest room bedding on the clothesline, and I wangled an optician appointment to use my flex spending a brilliant one day before the deadline.

I certainly need new glasses; my original no-line bifocals have lost their coating, and I suspect the prescription will have to be ramped up. But what style? Sunglasses too? All the funky gals at the university have largish dark-framed numbers, and I suspect that's where I'm headed too. It's so fun to have money I have to spend!

I sat and graded for hours today, finally got dressed about 1, graded some more, then went off to teach my night class. They're reading Elie Wiesel's Night, so we had a great discussion, but until my break, I think I'll be the most boring person on the planet.

My one triumph today? My DH's favorite instant coffee for a super bargain price at CVS with $10 extra bucks,

In fact, all my expenditures today were on coffee: DH's instant and my (ugh) machine coffee at school for a whooping 50 cents.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz

It's sunny but cold-ish here, and I'm spending Friday further frittering. The house needs a couple of hours cleaning, I have stacks of grading and stacks of laundry, there's food to be made, class prep for next week and all sorts of odds and ends to be accomplished.

Today's hilarious event was DD's pioneer simulation. With the bargain lace-up boots, long skirt, checked shirt, bonnet and apron on she looks very funny. We packed up her lunch in a wicker basket and off she went on the bus. The bus driver was similarly overcome with laughter.

Weekend's monetary goals? Get some checks deposited, don't spend much, and hit double-coupon day. Taxes will have to wait for my break.

But March hasn't really come in like a lamb either. Maybe more like slightly ornery animal--a muskrat?

It's been an odd day: I almost kept DD home from school with the runniest nose, but she has tomorrow off, and several big projects due today, so off she went.
We wrapped up her Pioneer A-Z last night, and then I spent a couple hours trying to untangle my online class.

Good grocery shopping yesterday, but spent (gulp) $60 on gas and another $50 on the dog groomer. It all had to be done, but still...

Today is payday--and that--along with March-- is happy news.

To use up our overflowing freezer and pantry stores, I'm just buying a minimum of fresh things for a while. I made a lasagna last night and we'll have plenty for lunches and tomorrow night. Our church is having another themed food drive: mac and cheese vs chili, and we love both, so will raid the pantry for both of them.

I wish I could report we haven't missed the wine or dessert that are gone for Lent, but last night I would have loved a glass of wine.

I still haven't done the taxes (sigh), but did spend some fun time teaching DD how to do laundry on Saturday. It's part of my overall goal to make her feel more a part of the work of the household--and to teach her valuable life skills. I wonder if my students would mind her grading their quizzes.....?

I seem to be slowly getting caught up on things. I have another hour of grading left today, but really enjoyed having the night off from cooking and having pancakes last night at the church dinner. We met a few people we didn't know, and enjoyed our quiet time there a lot.

Both DH and I have decided to knock out the wine and liquor for Lent. If I appear cranky, let that explain it. No sweets for us either. We both tend to reach for them for quick comfort. Instead I'd like longer-lasting comfort like exercise, sleep, and nurturing.
That's my plan.

The days my face-to-face classes run, I hardly get a chance to take a breath. I walk into the university at 9, and if I get a chance for a glass of water or a bathroom break before 2, I feel lucky.

Stepping out of the rush for a minute, I can see we need to do some mid-and long-term planning. Perhaps this weekend? Taxes still need doing, we need to set a budget for our summer trip and our house projects.

But tomorrow our weekend guests return, we have a school carnival, and I have a mountain of papers to grade. It also looks like there may be changes in the offing for DH's job situation. I feel boring and tired, but it's just the routine for a while.

We successfully got through our day with a house of very loud 10-year-olds. I found that they divided into camps along the loudness lines, but my ears are starting to recover.

The web site I read said dipping and decorating cake pops would be messy--and they weren't just kidding. It took about 10 minutes to clear the hardened candy melts and various sprinkles off the table, but they were fun to make. The rock star bracelet kit was also fun--and we eventually got the hang of weaving Swedish paper hearts. Despite some party girl nerves, DD did fine.
The Wilton pan that makes a heart in the center of each cake slice worked like a charm. The center heart was a combination of whipped cream and seedless raspberry jam.

We even had a few hours between their departure and the arrival of our English guests. Thankfully time enough to have a decent dinner and watch one of my favorite movies, "Local Hero." It's dated now--but the Mark Knopfler music is so lovely as is the Scottish scenery.

Off to bed, but satisfied with the day.

Tomorrow is DD's party and the arrival of our English weekend guests. Thoughts and prayers welcome as each my try my patience.

Today was a whirlwind of house cleaning, guest room prep, shopping, and cooking. I'm making this heart cake for DD's party and the filling is supposed to be Cool Whip. I was raised by a whipped cream purist and am proud to be one myself, but was worried about the cream's stability. I looked up some internet blogs that advised adding gelatin, but unsure how well it worked. My experience tells me that 10-year-old girls will eat chocolate cake with whipped cream raspberry filling even if the cream flopped.

There's lots to do and still unsure of Sunday's menu as one of our guests is a very picky eater and the other a very eager eater.

My California trip is now officially off. I was near tears canceling the Culinary Institute reservation but should suck it up and get over it. And we've got subzero windchills. Bah.

That title sounds worse than I am. It's just that this is about the fourth cold since Christmas. I'm tired of being sick. Nothing major--just yucky and drippy and all that.

Luckily my classes had a guest speaker today so I mostly sat and tried not to cough. half my students are ill as well. Because it's so cold, and because I feel so lousy, I paid for parking today. I intended to go home early, but students kept finding me.

So now off to bed with some Julian Barnes short stories.

I had the hard talk about texting with my classes today, and I think they're getting the (not text) message. Three good classes and I'm tired but happy.
I have a lot of online work for the weekend, but my main goal in the taxes. I almost always do them Super Bowl weekend.

My Napa trip is now questionable, and I'm already sad about it. One of my girlfriends has a very ill dog--the vet says the dog will likely die in the next three-four weeks. Not only does this mean a cancelled trip if she decides not to go, but it's a $100 change fee on my airline ticket, and I have to use the other $200 up in the next year.

I got two of my three speed goals done yesterday. All my homework is graded and I got my ebay listings up. But the treadmill? Don't ask.

and I already would like to yell at some of them. Despite my injunctions against texting in class, I caught FIVE of them in three classes texting. My new rule, "Each time I see you texting counts as half an absence." Our rule for this class is four absences and your grade drops; seven and you fail.

One student has missed two of three days of class and was 30 minutes late to the class he actually attended.

I'm full of alternating parts weariness and vitriol. But tomorrow is payday.

We had a quiet weekend, and I'm thankful for it.
I went to a colleague's mom's funeral on Saturday then went shopping. The gloomy morning made me spend more at the grocery than I'd like, plus this darn diet made everything look fabulous.

But thanks to that quietness, I'm caught up with my online class, the laundry, and have a pot of veggie soup ready for tonight.

DD woke up at 3, and crawled into bed with us. That precluded several hours of sleep so I may try to squeeze in a nap this afternoon after I grade some homework.

Our local grocery has been running what I can only describe as an idiotic promotion with scratch off cards. I estimate we've scratched off 500+ cards and have won a whooping total of $3 and a bag of coleslaw mix. Everyone I know hates it, yet no one turns the cards down. I'm on the verge of writing cranky letters to the store, but will they listen?
Why don't I throw them away?

My darling daughter's school is having Pioneer Week and they want them to dress in 1864-style outfits. I've put a wanted call on freecycle, but wonder if anyone out there is SA-Land has an idea. The stuff on ebay is WAY too much for this one-time frolic.

I considered begging at an Amish settlement, but not sure I'd be welcomed with open arms!

Time constraints are back on now that school has started up again. I got most thing done with my online class before noon, then headed to the grocery store.
While I got some decent bargains with the double coupons, I had to get rain checks on several of the other things I wanted. I always vow I'm going to stop going to that branch of the local grocery chain--the butchers are particularly irritating and always out of everything. It's worth a few more minutes drive time to have a better time shopping.

I tried to sit near the other moms again tonight during DD's dance class, but they're just not my cup of coffee. Another woman was trying to read while the gals were gossiping away, and finally gave up, looked at me, rolled her eyes, and went out to sit in a cold car to read. The class only lasts 45 minutes--and there's not really enough time to go anywhere. If it were warmer, I'd sit in the car too.

My good news of the day is another book sale from the old texts in my office. I'm aiming to make up the airfare to Napa with book sales and I'm almost halfway there.

I have an interesting story for you all, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Perhaps not spendy in the horrific major sense, but the money did flow out all weekend, mostly on eating out--which we don't do all that much. Friday night DH went out with some work colleagues, Saturday we took DD and a friend to the planetarium show then for burgers, and Sunday her friend and her mom and DD and I went to a fancy tea. This is the girl that was having bullying problems on the playground so her mom wanted to treat her a bit--and we came along for the ride. So it was spendy, but fun. Then the dog grooming, and a (aargh) parking ticket, and I need to get back in control of things!

So now both the eating and spending plan have run off the road. Tomorrow!

DH just got word from the car repair guy that our bill is a lovely $1200. I hope they'll honor their Angie's List coupon for 10% off.

It's snowing hard here, and I've begun serious work on planning the upcoming semester. The grocery store was crazy yesterday, but I doubt we'll have much snow. I am glad I filled up the car before it got so cold.

This afternoon I'm going to work more on class prep, but also on my teaching abroad application. I'm not optimistic about getting the job, but think I should give it a shot.

Butternut squash soup and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner tonight.

While DD was at her dance class, I zipped over to the library rather than sit with all the chattering moms. Sometimes I worry about my anti-socialness, but the few minutes I was there they spent talking about someone from a "Real Housewives" show--not quite my thing. But the library, just like when I was a geeky kid, was pure bliss. I got five new books, ordered two more, and at check out, the young library clerk who was somewhere around 20 looked over my selections and said, "I like your taste!" A kindred soul at the library!

I see they're forecasting snow tomorrow. Chicagoland Laura and CB: Any snow there yet?

Yes indeed, DH went back to work today! He's sitting in his same desk, but at work on another contract. And I have two blessed weeks to work on next term's materials, clean the house, and get things back in order. I've spent the morning going through receipts, filling out rebates, clearing out mail, and making lists.

We're very grateful he's back at work, but we sure enjoyed our week together. This week I'd like to organize, clean, and read.

Please slap me now, I'm ashamed to admit we have a house, child, retirement plans, too much personal property, half interest in my late-mother's home, a dim-witted dog, a three-car garage with two cars, and ...no will. My goal for the next three weeks of my break is to get some things done--probably most importantly a will. Should we do it ourselves with a kit? Do we need an attorney? Does our dual citizenship complicate this? I'm willing to throw a couple hundred dollars at this endeavor if need be.

Advice?

Can it only be January 4 and I'm already behind? Both DH and I still have colds, very sniffly ones, but I made it to get my hair cut and a quick swing to the grocery. I was pleased as punch to find 1# cans of tomatoes for 59cents, but wonder if I'm going to have to give up canned tomatoes because of BPA? I hope not.

Goals update procrastinated until tomorrow.

Grabbing tissues and a book for the duration. So much for our romantic week off together!

We had a lovely New Years. All of us trundled off to the very-crowded mall to see "Hugo" then to an early dinner, followed by games and the beginning of a jigsaw puzzles. Yesterday we went to a friend's party, and today while DD is off at school, DH and I are still in pjs, drinking coffee and planning his week off.

I'm still working on 2012 goals, but I suspect they'll just be an updated version of last year's missions.

We've had the lightest dusting of snow, but baby it's cold outside.