Pros and Cons

This week I looked up how much I would be making per year if I was teaching at a school in our district. Gotta tell you that earning $23,000 less a year than you could be (and let's face it, it would not be difficult to get hired as a teacher right now) does not feel great. BUT, when Korra called to say she was sick yesterday, I was able to easily leave work and get her. No one batted an eye or was very inconvenienced by me working from home today. Also, no one has cussed at me or expected me to break up a fist fight so I suppose that balances out the pay difference. 

It’s Me

What's that smell?  It's me. I have Icy Hot rubbed all over my hips because my bursitis is acting up. It's the smell of middle age. This is who I am now. 

Sick Korra

Had to pick Korra up from school early this afternoon because she had a headache and a sore throat. Not long after, her stomach was hurting and she had a 101 degree fever. 

Negative COVID test but the poor kid feels awful. 

Septembers

September 2022

September 2021

September 2020

September 2019

Grandpa’s Gallbladder

My grandpa is having gallbladder surgery right now and I'm worried about him. 

High School English Certification

Now that my HR certification test is behind me, I think I'm going to sign up to take the tests to become certified to teach high school English.  I don't think it'll be that hard.  Not like the high school math one.  I don't think I could do calculus again to save my life.

Very Quiet

Mondays in the office are always quiet. Today it is EXTRA quiet (as in I'm the only person here) since this week about half the staff is in San Diego for the conference we put on (ZEB Con).

Not Enough Yarn

I already unravel half this blanket once when I realized I didn't have enough yarn. And now...

So close. 

Girl Scouts Planning

Korra and a new friend from Girl Scouts got together today to plan for the badge (Comic Artist) they are leading for the troop next week. They had such a good time, it extended into an all afternoon playdate. I'm so thankful for this new troop and the sweet new friends Korra is making. 

Flexible Friday

Nate and I have fully recovered from jet lag (but I still took a lovely nap anyway). During lunch we walked to Publix to pick up a few groceries. This afternoon I baked a batch of strawberry muffins. After Korra got home from her Dungeons and Dragons club at school (she's the Dungeon Master!), we finished a puzzle and watched some Taskmaster. 

Fantastic Friday. 

Steve's Car

Yesterday I got a text from one of my bosses asking if I can ride with him (and his wife) to the airport and then drive his car back to the office.  Sure.  Why not?  

Steve and his wife are going sailing in Fiji for the next two weeks.  I am extremely jealous.  

Grateful List

Some Things I'm Thankful For:

1) the weather cooling off enough to sleep with the windows open at night

2) after dinner walks with Nate

3) weekly phone calls with my grandpa

4) sleeping until my alarm goes off (finally over jet-lag!)

5) being able to go in later to work so I can fix Korra's hair for picture day

Jet Lag

Yesterday didn't feel too bad, but I woke up at 4am today and 3pm feels really, really sleepy.  

Celebratory Lunch

Today I went out to lunch with 2 coworkers to celebrate the successful completion of my HR certification. At first I was a little frustrated that when I was asked to pick a place to eat, I was told my choice wasn't fancy enough and they chose somewhere else, but lunch was still delicious and I do feel appreciated.  Not as much as I'd feel if I had been given the difference as a bonus but... 

Crazy Hair Day

Recovery Day

Nate and I both took today off to recover from the trip. We were home and in bed by 11, though it felt like 5am. We managed to sleep ok though the night and if we can avoid naps this afternoon and go to bed at a usual-ish time (9pm?) we should be readjusted for work tomorrow. We're lounging, doing laundry, unpacking, and trying to get ready for the week. 

Day 9- Headed Home

I went for a walk this morning in search of coffee and found another open market. Not quite as impressive as the one yesterday, but still fun to walk through. Bought some croissants from a bakery but didn't have any luck finding an open coffee shop (one was entirely full of men, so I passed) so I settled for some incredibly sweet canned iced coffees I found at a little bodega. 

We packed up at the hotel (lots of packing tape and special bubble wrap containers for the beer we're bringing home) and headed straight from the hotel to the train station. The train ride to Paris was uneventful as was finding and boarding our plane (train station and airport all in one!)

The flight was long and we're exhausted (feels like 3am) but we're home. 

Day 8- Back to Brussels

After visiting the market, we checked out of our hotel and drove to Duvel brewery since it's on our way back to Brussels. 

We returned the car and checked into our final hotel which is very close to the train station, but it was frustrating due to construction, unclear directions, and a bad headache (me). 

We walked back into the old part of Brussels (excellent window shopping and people watching opportunities) and happened upon the Belgian cultural festival!

There was Brass band playing, giant puppets dancing, and of course, special beer. It was a really neat surprise. 

We walked to see the Mannekin Pis statue, did some souvenir shopping, and then had pasta for dinner an an Italian restaurant we passed that looked good (it was). 

Market

While Nate slept in a bit, I explored the weekend open market right next to our hotel. So much fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meats, olives, bread, gorgeous flowers… I bought a container of Belgian strawberries and a container of the biggest raspberries I've ever seen. Delicious!

Technology is amazing

I'm at bagel/coffee shop. They have wifi so I'm able to get on my phone, which I'm able to use to scan the QR code so I can view the menu which my browser automatically translates to English for me. Then I can pay with my credit card in Euros. It's absolutely amazing how much easier traveling to another country is with technology. 

Day 7- Antwerp

After an amazing breakfast at the St Bernardus guest house (fresh baked bread, fruit, cheese, and coffee), we drove for 2 and a half hours to Westmalle Abbey. We took a walk around the monastery and then had lunch in the cafe (Trappist monks make some amazing cheese and beer). 

I took a turn driving the manual Fiat from Westmalle to Antwerp. Nate and I both agree that driving is not something we like to do at all, much less on vacation. There was traffic today which was extra stressful since all the signs were in Dutch. 

Once in Antwerp, we checked into our hotel and took a walk around. I love how bicycle-focused this city is. There were so many streets that were just for pedestrians and cyclists. Like Brussels, the architecture is gorgeous. We got waffles, saw a castle and the river, and had dinner at this really neat restaurant called The Eleventh Commandment that was right in front of a gothic church and filled with religious sculptures and paintings (plus the food was delicious). 

Day 6- Belgian Breweries

This morning we picked up our rental car (a little Fiat) and drove nearly 2 hours to Westvleteren to a Trappist monastery where they brew beer that they only sell at the cafe across the street. We had a delicious lunch, learned a lot about the monastery, and Nate was able to pick up a dozen bottles of this very rare beer. 

About 20 minutes away, we stopped at St Bernardus brewery. We took a fun tour, had dinner on their rooftop restaurant, and checked into their guest house where we're spending the night. 

It's absolutely gorgeous- the guesthouse, the countryside, the weather. 

We're also enjoying this slower paced day. 

Brussels Bakery

This morning, while Nate was still sleeping, I walked about half a kilometer to a bakery for pastries and coffee. Delicious way to start the day!

Day 5- Brussels

We left the hotel at 7am for the train station. Traveling by train is so much better than flying. I wish we could do it more often. 

We arrived in Brussels at noon and after dropping our bags at our hotel, we went to find Delirium Cafe. We had a little misunderstanding and ended up at the wrong place but it was a fortune mistake because they had very delicious salads and we were in desperate need of some vegetables. Even with that, Nate still had a meter of beer (10 in the flight) in his hands less than 2 hours after arriving in Belgium. 

The alley it was in was so cool AND the statue I wanted to see the most was in the same alley!

After drinking all the beer, we went to the Comic Arts Museum. 

Next we wandered around the Grand Place where I bought a lot of chocolate and a waffle topped with ice cream. 

Finally, we had a traditional Belgian dinner (mussels for Nate and stewed beef for me- both came with frites). 

Our hotel is small (just 4 rooms) and our room is small too, but it seems nice and it's definitely close to everything. Glad the temperatures have cooled a bit as there is no AC here either. 

Day 4- last day in London

It was a very literary-focused day for us. 

This morning we started the day with a wander through Kings Cross Station (and the Harry Potter gift shop) and then a stroll through the British Library (some very neat originals were on display). 

We rode the tube north to Highgate, which was a really pretty village-feeling neighborhood of London. Despite the hills (thank goodness it was still cooler today!), we made it to Highgate Cemetery to visit Douglas Adams' grave. 

For lunch we ate at a gorgeous pub before heading back to Kings Cross so we could visit a bookstore that's on a barge on the canal. 

We went back to the hotel for a short test and a little packing in preparation for tomorrow morning before heading to Camden. It was a cool neighborhood but we didn't get to see as much of it as we would have liked due to some heavy rain and it being after 7 pm on a Tuesday.