Not Overworked Anymore

I've been working very steadily since the middle of January. It hasn't been a lot--generally between eight and fourteen hours a week--but it's kept me busy. And the steady stream of paychecks has made our lives a lot easier. We've been able to get our savings account reasonably well built up, and haven't had to worry about our purchases too much.

For the first time in 23 weeks, I don't have any classed scheduled. I will have a one-day class in a few weeks, but there are no new packages set to start. (A package generally lasts five weeks, two days a week.) I'm going to have a lot more free time, but a lot less money. I knew this day was coming; in fact, I'm surprised it didn't come sooner. My job has never been steady, which is one of the things that frustrates me about it.

I'm going to feel obligated to get back to stuff that I've been putting off, using work as an excuse:

• the basement
• sewing projects
• making freezer jam from the sour cherries I've had in the freezer for almost a year now,
  
• getting the German class fully planned out (I've got lots of ideas, but haven't written out my objectives and lessons yet)

And of course I'm already getting concerned about money. I'm also starting to think about other avenues of revenue:

• photobooks for other people
  
• Ebay (Pley, I wish you were here to help me!)
• creating websites
  
• other classes I could teach
  

Reviews

I enjoyed this year's recital a lot more than last year's. Last year, by the last few acts, I just wanted to get done and get home. This year, I liked watching everything right up to the end.

I attribute this to two factors:

1. I sat in the audience, instead of volunteering to sit with the kids. Last year, I got to see most of the show, but not all of it, and I had to police kids.
2. I sat with Jeff, who stayed for the whole thing, instead of going home at intermission. I didn't worry about how he was feeling, or think about getting home ASAP.
   

The show itself was a lot of fun. Wide variety of music; Sarah looked like she was enjoying herself; Lauren stole her scene, if not the whole show; the finale, "Time Warp," was super cute. I'm glad I sprang for the video this time.

Shoe Shopping

I got a gift certificate for a shoe store last Christmas, and since I'm getting a pedicure tomorrow (also from a Christmas gift cert, and that's a story in and of itself), I decided I needed new shoes, something to show off pretty polish.

I happily went into a store the size of a warehouse and started walking the aisles. The hundreds of options dwindled rapidly.

Criteria #1: size 10. I'm tall, and I have feet to match.
Criteria #2: no or low heels--see above.
Criteria #3: summery, preferably sandals, to show off pedicure.
Criteria #4: casual, but still nice enough to wear to work or church
Criteria #5: Nothing that goes between my toes--no flip flop/thong styles.

Out of the whole store, I ended up finding about half a dozen that I could try on.

#5 was really killing me. At least three fourths of the cute, summery, moderately casual sandals were flip flop style. I hate feeling something between my toes. It's downright painful. All the other shoes that fit the size and style requirements were dreadfully plain. I actually considered one set of flip flops, just because they had some decoration. In the end, though, I couldn't. I couldn't get something that I knew would hurt and make me crazy. The ones I ended up getting are some plain slides--I shall have to get some very vibrant polish to make up for the lack of ornamentation.

Mean Mom

I feel for Sarah, honestly. She really is the only kid in the neighborhood who isn't allowed to ride her bike in the street. It's got to be frustrating and hard to keep up with everyone.

Today, while my Dad was babysitting, she rode home from a neighbor's, and tried telling him she wasn't in the street. "I was on the edge" of the street, and "I'm not a little kid, you know."

It would appear that she's also one of the few (if not the only one) who has to wear a helmet, although she doesn't seem to balk at that.

It is a quiet street, at least most of the time. That's not the point. It doesn't change anything.

I hate being Mean Mom.

Not that I'm Biased

Seriously, my kids knew their dance routines better than anyone else in their respective classes. True, Lauren is the oldest in her class, and the only one who took dance last year, which makes a big difference.

Walking

I've started walking again, although not yet regularly. I actually like to get up early, before everyone else, and go out while it's cool and quiet. If I'm by myself, I don't have to worry about one kid going too far ahead, and the other complaining about being "hot and sweaty and tired." I need better shoes, though.