But not until next fall. My conference proposal got accepted and we're all going to Montreal. Today I found a Canadian penny on the sidewalk, so it must be a sign.
We've never been to Quebec, so I'd welcome all suggestions. it'll be mid-October when we're there.

Still working on dejunking around here. I expect I have a solid week of it ahead.

I was expecting an easier day today since this is my first day of my university break. But all that needs to be done around here and my evening class seem to be keeping me running.

I've got quite the full program planned for my evening class tonight, so it doesn't feel like I've had the day off at all. And off to an essay award judging in a few minutes too.

Like Annie, I'm singing "Tomorrow, Tomorrow..."

Lots of rain and hail here, but it didn't start until I returned from school. I said goodbye to three sections of students--and some of them I was sorry to see go. Others--not so much.

I was late going to bed last night. It took lots of time to get my grades figured, and so I was late this morning. I contemplated saving some time by parking in the U ramp, but parked in my super-secret street spot and made it, copies in hand, with plenty of time. I was happy to have pocketed that $6.

Off to peruse UK airfares again. Ugh.

There are two teaching days left at the university! Though I'm still buried in work, I feel the delight that will be mine very soon! I have lots to do over the summer, but a good month before DD's school break starts.

I haven't looked hard for summer work, and the editing I did last summer is over, but I have two new classes to plan for fall, and my evening class runs until the end of June.

I've done some preliminary planning about things we need to get done, and I hope I can avoid the week of vegging out I usually do when the semester's done.

Budget crunching will wait until next week, and I'll post some summer goals then!

DD is at the point where she's outgrown most of last year's spring and summer things--as well as all the shoes from last spring. She's been wearing suede faux Uggs to school most of the winter, and now needs all sorts of new shoes. Plus an Easter dress and a sweater.

I bought myself some khakis for work and DH a new blue oxford cloth shirt with Kohl's cash from DD's shoes last week. In the meantime, it seems I'm shoveling outgrown clothes of here every day. I heartily admire all of you who manage this with several kids!

It's another cold lousy day here weatherwise. I love the headline from the locals weather site: More Dreary Cold Dullness. But after seeing the tragic tornadoes in the South, I guess cold dullness isn't so awful.

Busy day, but I did manage to get two of the capstone projects graded. They pay me on the grand academic piecework scale for those, but at least it'll cover DD's dental co-pay and the week's groceries! It's super-busy at the university, so not much else will get done for the next few weeks.

Anyone heard from CB? Is she traveling?

What's stuck? House not clean enough, can't seem to stay on a diet, still behind in my grading, don't feel like cooking. Diagnosis: Last three weeks of the semester.

I'm not really all that frustrated as the end of the semester is always like this. They're hanging on; I'm hanging on.

I listed a few things (not selling) on cragislist and ebay. They're stuck too.

I think I need smaller baby steps, so I did declutter a little, giving away outgrown kid's clothes and an apron from my mom's things.

Hoping to be unstuck soon, but work is sticky now.

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I just finished our taxes. They've been almost done for weeks, but one of my editing jobs didn't send me a 1099, and I spent days trying to track it down. They are done now--with a refund (thankfully) heading our way. I do wish DH would pay some attention to this stuff.

I made less last year as I didn't teach a summer class, and unless we're overdrawn (never) or I'm very fixated on money, he doesn't even blink at anything. it does have its good side, but I often feel like I'm alone in my battles with money.

We got the stuff for another raised-bed garden, got to the grocery store, bought DD some Easter things, and even went out last night to see a play. It was an expensive Saturday night, but since we seem to go out about four or five times a year, I guess it all averages out.

My decluttering continues. More on that soon.

Lots of school work to be done. I was going to whine a bit about it, but just read Save More's news and feel I nothing to whine about. Thinking about all of us out here as we face such perilous waters.
Hang in there, folks. We've got such a helpful community, and you've all been so supportive. I appreciate you all.

What a nice day. We had a special musical production at church of Schubert's Mass in G--which was spectacular. DD and I spent several hours outside cleaning up the yard and potting the pansies we bought on Friday. It was great to be outside--plus we planted radishes, our first seeds of the season.
I finished up some household tasks, we had an easy dinner, and I indulged my Anglophilia with the new "Upstairs Downstairs."

I need to spend an hour or so on prep for the week, but hope to get some extra sleep in. I've been feeling poor. Isn't that strange? I think I wish we had a bit more discretionary income, especially with plenty of things that need to be done around the house. And I'm still in shock about the cost of our summer airfares to the UK. I can't find anything for our dates less than $1200 each. But it'll work out; I'll just pinch the pennies elsewhere and look for a summer editing job. Lots of my colleagues are thinking about waitressing over the summer. Ugh. it probably depends on when the state budget "repair" bill hits my paycheck.

For today, I'll just enjoy today.

My students have started counting down the class days until the semester ends. I heard them talking amongst themselves before my first class started, and they've come up with 11 more of our classes. That seems so doable!

We had a jam-packed day today, and tomorrow is my big promotion meeting. Cross your fingers!

Well, it's been a non-starter for the second half of the semester. I've been home sick with a yucky fevery flu for the past two days. I feel find 60% of the time, then start coughing and spike a fever. But my second half of the term is all planned out and I'm actually eager to go back!
DH is home from the UK, and his mother seems slightly better, He has his usual" I miss England" moroseness, but he'll perk up soon, I hope. The super-cold weather here hasn't helped either my cold or his homecoming joy.

I also canceled my evening class last night, but DH drove out there to drop off materials for the students. He picked up a "request for credit" portfolio for me to evaluate. They are fun to read and usually mean a quick $75. I'll spend some time with it today.

None of my mom's misc china sold on ebay,so I'm planning a consignment shop visit in a few days. I'd also like to start a freecycle program at work. Has anyone done anything like that? I've read a couple of web articles, but would like to talk with someone who has experience getting it set up and running.

And it sure does improve the mood. It was a day rife with disasters, but they all seemed to roll right off me. I suspect it was the sunshine. Two more days until DH comes home from England. My goal is to have the house spic and span, good food in the fridge, and lots of welcome for him.

Some spring break--I'm still not caught up with my grading or laundry, but while the sun shone, it doesn't seem to matter!

I sold another couple of books--including some gift books I've been given. I feel vaguely guilty, but my book shelves are overflowing.

We did get the projections for all the state budget hurt today. For folks like me on a nine-month paycheck, we'll pay four months of health insurance premiums at the new doubled rate on our June paychecks, I figure between that and the dental insurance, they might as well pay me in quarters, dimes, and nickels. There won't be much else there.

I continue to look for places to economize--and my big excitement besides cleaning and grading tomorrow is a church rummage sale. What bliss!

I got two bits of good news this week. First, I got named "Teacher of the Year" at the small school where I teach an evening class. They don't pay much, but they're very good about recognizing their employees. I like them, and I have to say, it made my day.

More importantly for my budget, my promotion was passed by my academic department at my university today. One more hurdle and some payoff for the weeks I spent putting the packet together.

The final bit of good news? Tomorrow begins my spring break--right after a morning meeting!

I plan to clean up, clear clutter, do the taxes, read some books, eat lovely fresh healthy food, and get some badly needed rest and exercise.

Today's various expenses included a very large cup of coffee to get me through the day, dog grooming (overdue!), and our newest expense, piano lessons for DD. I'm hoping she enjoys them. My DH has a good musical ear, but I hated piano lessons, though I love music. I topped off my gas tank at $3.42/gallon and made a big Tex-Mex casserole for dinner.

My very informal and unscientific poll reveals a lot about the economy. Of my 100 day-class students, only about 6 or 7 are going anywhere on their breaks. Everyone else is broke, going home, or staying around to work extra hours. Used to be that more than 1/3 of them went somewhere. I suspect that their parents are all hurting a bit, and so are they. One told me she was very excited about getting her hair cut because she'd put it off until she got paid! It's not as fun to be 20 as it used to be...


Tomorrow is the first batch of midterms! Break, please hurry !

Not that I'm counting or anything.
I'm tired--just tired and need a break badly. I've been really busy with many things--people over on Friday and DD had day off, grading and writing exams and out to some friends' home for dinner on Saturday. We left there too late and remembered after we got home about the time change. DD had three hours of choir and practice on Sunday and then I went to a very sad funeral for a colleague. I'm worn out.
Break cannot come soon enough.

As the news from our state capitol gets worse and worse, I've decided rather pointedly not to look at it for another couple of days. I've got a lot to do at school and at home, and the anger and sadness about the direction the state is headed is slowing me down.

I'll come back to it perhaps over the weekend, but I need a mini-vacation from it.

I had to park on campus today to the tune of $7. We had four inches of wet slushy snow this morning and there wasn't a street spot anywhere.
No other spending except that. Spaghetti tonight for dinner.

Bah--but need to get to work....

I stayed at the office long past my regular office hours and thus arrived very hungry at the grocery store. I wasn't planning on buying lunch at the deli counter, but almost did. The reason I actually went there was to buy paczki, the Polish doughnuts so popular on Fat Tuesday. But the fancy grocer only had the prune ones left, and I knew DD wouldn't eat those. So I left without buying lunch either. I stopped at my regular store, bought raspberry paczkis and came home to eat last night's leftovers. They were fine and saved me $5--as well as cheaper paczkis.

The state's political problems still are bothering everyone--including me. I ducked a discussion with another mom at church's pancake supper. I just don't feel like talking about it--the rhetoric runs too high and I find it wearying. Especially since it's my pocketbook and retirement plan they're all complaining about. Bah.

We did get DD signed up for piano lessons so that was today's triumph!

The political battle lines around Cheeseland seem to be making everyone edgy. I'm in a ongoing battle to stay positive and think and act thoughtfully about all this.

Today a volunteer came around with a petition to recall one of our state senators. I tried to get a petition myself yesterday, but the lines were overwhelming. I've contacted this senator's office numerous times--letters, phone calls, e-mails, and received no answer. I'm frustrated with that senator and the unwillingness to listen to the other side of the debate.

Anyway, the very polite young-ish man who came around had his children in a stroller with him, and I told him how happy I was to see him and support his petition. I was ready to send him away with a signature and a box of Girl Scout cookies when he told me the women across the street actually yelled at him and told him to get the hell off her property.

I am shocked and dismayed. This is a professional couple--she an attorney, he an accountant. We don't have much to do with them, except an occasional hello and help with the snow shoveling, but imagine swearing at a well-meaning (at worst) man with his children with him?

My bad angel wants to send my dog over to poop on her lawn, but thankfully, so far, my good angel has won out.

My DH's mom is struggling with her health. She's in her 80s and not doing well. It's very hard on him that she's 3500 miles away, so tonight we used some airmiles and booked him a trip to the UK to visit.

I'm glad we had the miles. glad he can go.
DD and I may go to Harry Potter World while he's gone if we can find a cheap deal, and if there's some money in the tax refund. I remain very glum about the state situation, but I'm trying to focus on other things.

I won't belabor the obvious for anyone who has been watching the news from Madison. Wisconsin.
Let's just say it sucks here right now.

I'm trying very hard to be positive about things, but please excuse me if I start getting snarky or glum.

On a more positive note, I guess, is the bagful of free toothpaste and vitamins and shampoo from Walgreen's today. I had a cheap and lovely lunch with an old friend. It's March 1. I collected a bunch of supplies for a homeless shelter's schoolroom. They're going to need all the help they can get in this environment. Tomorrow I'm taking Girl Scout cookies to my local firefighters who are supporting teachers and other state employees in this debacle.

This is an interesting piece about the current crisis here.
http://www.ppulse.com/Articles-c-2011-02-25-97101.114136-Locked-Into-The-W

Now I'm having a big glass of wine and going to bed.
Sigh.

Yes, it's been a difficult couple of days. I've had a couple of plagiarism problems in my evening class, and last night I had to talk to the students involved.

One problem was with a married couple who turned in identical homework responses. They know this isn't acceptable, and I e-mailed them to tell them they were getting zeroes for the assignment. Last night the woman of the couple completely snubbed me. She passed me in the hall before class and gave me her best insolent face, not responding at all to my greeting. After class the guy came up and apologized while she stood out in the hall steaming. It was very odd.

Another student copied his entire paper (these are working adults) from a website, then DENIED it. I showed him the website and the paper together,yet unbelievably he insisted it was a coincidence that his paper and the website were identical.

Tracking all this down, printing it out, and comparing the documents took me hours. I was tired, cranky, and left school to another snowstorm. My 20-minute ride home took over an hour. Teaching is such a rewarding profession.

My class today was better, but I'm still a little dejected.

Lots of rumblings from our deans about the state-university system budget cuts coming our way. The great rumor mill says at least 10 percent and perhaps significantly more from all salaries. Part of me wants to scream, another to throw up, but our budget is not that tight, and we'll be fine. I'll weigh in with the complete details when I know them.

It doesn't make me a nicer teacher, particularly with the bad students. It's Week Three of the spring semester, and today alone I had to call out three students for texting in class.
But maybe that is being a better teacher, because that behavior has got to stop.

On a different note, I'm part of a group that is helping colleagues with a seriously ill child handle household chores, dinner, and shopping. My task for the week is to go to Target with their list. I love Target anyway, and I've found them some great Target printable coupons (they're not coupon people at all) so I may finally get my Red card to save them and us some more cash.

On a more annoying note, I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and found the pork tenderloins I wanted on sale. Yet they rang up at double the marked price. I pointed it out to the checker, he looked at me blankly and said, "What do you want to do?" What kind of a comment is that? I told him I wanted him to give me the marked sale price. Looking minorly miffed, he re-rang it. Yikes.

Usually I park six or so blocks from my classroom and walk. It's free, and I need the exercise. But with my bronchial coughing and below zero wind chills, I've treated myself to indoor parking. And I probably will till the temps get better on Thursday.

How many days till spring?
What a winter!

As I might have predicted, there were plenty of absent students this morning. The stories they tell about their behavior and that of their friends during the Super Bowl makes me glad to be old and off the roads.

Yesterday's snow caused havoc with DD's school bus this morning, and I was almost late to school myself. And please don't ask how I lost my keys. All of this led to some unnecessary spending today as I had to park in the ramp or be late for school. But all's well, just $6 poorer!

Will turnout be better in my evening class?

But people are indeed happy in Cheeseland!

I stopped at the grocery store yesterday, and everything you can possibly imagine tinted green and gold was indeed tinted green and gold: cookies, breads, chips, dips--there are special green and gold pepper packages, fruit trays--It's a little scary.

I stopped in again today (poor planning!) and it's almost all gone. Local stores are closing down for the game and even people who've never watched a football game all the way through are excited. News stations are showing scenes from bakeries featuring doughnuts with green and gold sprinkles. Maybe it's the long winter, but it's very funny.

I HATE to think about what it will be like at school on Monday if the Packers lose....

And aren't flowers the best non-fattening perk-up in February? I went with my boss to visit a colleague at the hospital today. I hope the flowers help her a little. She's seriously ill, and it was very sad to see her.

I've spent the rest of the decluttering and listing some things on ebay.
I think I'll cross-list them on Craigslist too--mostly my mom's odd bits of china.

You can certainly tell it's Super Bowl time here in Cheeseland. Even the Brit DH has football fever.

Not much planned for the weekend except football and household stuff. Too cold for much else anyway!

I understand why Valentine's Day is in February. If it stays this cold and snowy, I'll be digging into the chocolate every day.

I had a short day of teaching today and came home to actually get on the treadmill. I'm very pleased with actually doing it instead of thinking about it. DD had a half day at school so we're going to cook up something good tonight. Because there was NO parking anywhere near campus because of the snow today, I went early and paid to park in the ramp. But I didn't buy coffee (awful)to offset the small expense,

How many days till spring?

The grocery stores are jammed, the gas stations are backed up, even the library was crazy. Can this storm live up to its hype as "The storm of the century"? Of course the century isn't that old right now.

I changed my office hours and came home early. The university is closing at 4 and will not be open tomorrow. I hope all three of us are home relaxing and playing board games tomorrow.

I got a big check from my evening class institution because of lots of final projects in December, so I dropped that off on the way home. Must spend some of this snow time working on the finances. Must spend some of it sleeping in!

Good Luck to everyone with the storm in their path!

It's snowing here and everyone is predicting a "snow day" for Wednesday. I'd be happy to have a day at home with DD, DH, and a big pot of soup.

It's been a cheap day with leftover pizza for lunch and no snacks purchased at school. I need to spend some time tomorrow looking over financial accounts, paying bills, and cleaning up my files. It must be the weather--I just feel like nesting!