I'm so busy...

I took two days off.

Two.

Thursday and Friday.

Why, then, do I have 7 days worth of emails and work and projects all piled up on my desk?!

And did I mention I spent, oh, six or eight of my vacation hours doing work? A no-no, for sure, but I'm a responsible kind of gal...

I got some really cool file holders last week and set them up - it was neat to come in and see them all shiny and new on my desk! and I got rid of a couple of reams of paper, with more to sort through and discard. By the end of this week, I'm going to be all caught up with my sorting and filing and organizing, whilst keeping up with my work, of course!

I bought a cute dress for my niece's bridal shower (which is next Sunday). It's a sleeveless dress, black qiana (shades of the 70s!) with some turquoise and ecru flowers "growing" up from the hem to mid-thigh. The neckline ties in back like a halter and my shoulders are bare -

BUT, what did I do on Saturday? Two days after I bought the dress? I sat outside in the beautiful 79-degree weather, wearing a new orange blouse I bought the same day. An orange blouse that had a low-cut front and wide, 3" tank straps.

One word.

Sunburn.

Another word.

Zebra.

Picture it. No - picture me. Sunburned. In a dress that shows off my shoulders. My striped shoulders.

Pray my sunburn fades!

Shoulda, woulda, coulda

Just read a neat blog entry at It's My Life...

Jessica is reading Heather Sellers' Chapter After Chapter. I'm not but I like'd Jessica's entry so much that I wanted to play with the word "should." Here's my version of the shoulds that bog me down:

1. I should be a better housekeeper.
2. I should learn to cook.
3. I should actually work one day without stopping in the middle of the day to either read other people's blogs or write my own.
4. I should buckle down and do some work right now.
5. I should stick to Weight Watchers a little bit more strictly.
6. I should exercise.
7. I should exercise my brain more. (My dad used to say, "Use it or lose it!" and I so believe him!
8. I should become more involved in my church.
9. I should really want a career, instead of a job.
10. I should be a better sister, aunt, daughter, wife, mother, friend (not in any particular order).
11. I should read more classics.
12. I should watch less TV.
13. I should save more money/spend less money.
14. I should learn to crochet better.
15. I should learn to knit.
16. I should walk more.
17. I should finally really learn to swim.
18. I should get an annual physical each year, instead of just going to the GP when I'm sick.
19. I should learn more technical stuff about my computer.

Okay, I just reread # 3 and #4 and I gotta go...

Okay, I lied (again!).

Yes, I took Mom's laptop to New Orleans.

I did not stay in touch.

I didn't even catch up once I returned.

But here I am, safe and sound, and ready to blog again.

So let's play catch up now...

Getting to New Orleans? Piece of cake.

Getting home from New Orleans? Can you spell w-i-n-d c-o-n-d-i-t-i-o-n-s in less than 4 hours? 'Cause that's how long our delay was 'cause there was wind in Newark.

Unfortunately I didn't get to play tourist - I walked a few blocks on Canal Street, and a few blocks on Decatur, and I did get to the very non-New-Orleans-ish Riverwalk Mall, but I didn't make it to Bourbon Street or the French Market and I didn't get to ride a streetcar.

Although I did get a picture of one and I did meet some Louisiana natives who came right up to me on the streetcar stop and asked me if I was a cancer survivor. Not quite the opening line I thought I'd hear when they approached me, but apparently they noticed the pink breast cancer pin I wear on my jacket... Once I explained I walk for others, they thanked me, chatted with me, told me about his leukemia (he's in remission) and her schedule for the day (if they don't take a cab they won't have time to do what they want to do in New Orleans before they go home (which is 40 miles away, but they come in to "the city" every Sunday 'cause there's nothing to do at home).

I ate at Nola (one of Emeril's restaurants). I had shrimp and grits with a tomato glaze and crimini mushrooms and minced bacon. Mmm-good! We had an awesome appetizer of stuffed chicken wings with homemade hoison dipping sauce. Yum!!! We shared a slice of banana cream cake for dessert.

I ate at Cafe Giovanni's. I had Voodoo Shrimp and loved my meal. My eating companions weren't quite as thrilled with their entrees, but we all LOVED the Tuscan Asparagus appetizer: 3 stalks of tender-crisp asparagus, rolled in prosciutto, stuffed with mozzarella, and deep fried.
O.M.G.

I had some beignets and fresh squeezed orange juice at Cafe Du Monde's Coffee Stand at the Riverwalk Mall. Now I know why people have Cafe Du Monde's beignets for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dessert when in New Orleans. I was seriously trying to figure out how many times I could go buy 3-for-$1.82 and not gain 20 pounds in a 2-1/2 day trip!!

My hubby missed me. He got out of school, went home to wait until my delayed flight arrived; we were scheduled to land at 8:30pm. I called the minute we landed (at 8:00pm) and he was en route. I got my luggage and started to walk outside to the spot where we were to meet. I called him again, and he was "at the first traffic light." Well, I was at the second traffic light! I walked to the curb, he pulled over, I put my luggage in the car, and hopped right in! We couldn't have timed it better if we tried! He brought a bouquet of flowers to the airport for me.

You know, we're not newlyweds - we'll be celebrating our 10-year anniversary this July - but I mean it with all my heart when I say that we'd really prefer to be together all.the.time. I love to travel, but I really don't like being away from him. And it's not like we do all these exciting things when we're together: we hang out at home, eat at Costco, watch some TV during the evenings, visit his sister on Mondays - nothing earth-shattering. But we really like to do nothing together.

I'd like to visit New Orleans again, this time on vacation. With Jack. I'd like to walk around the French Quarter, visit the French Market, the cathedral, have dinner at one of Emeril's restaurants with Jack (we're both fans!), ride on the streetcars, take some tours around the city... Perhaps we can try convincing the Board that our next seminar should be in New Orleans...

I came home, haven't even caught up on laundry yet and it's been a week! (Guess what I'm doing tonight!?) Work has been a real chore - lots of things to do, and not enough hours in the day!

Our daughter moved in with her boyfriend this past weekend. I hope this works for her. She seems very happy and much more open about this relationship. (Remember the last BF? She only told us the good/neutral stuff, not any of the things that would have sent up big red warning flags.) And S seems like a nice guy. He's friendly, he talks, and he doesn't treat her as if he owns her. She says he's not controlling or manipulative, that she's excited (not sick to her stomach!) when he says "See you at home!" (A sure warning sign that she didn't share with us last time around!)

She's coming to Easter dinner (which is also Jack's b'day) and then S will be joining us for dessert at my sister-in-law's house. My sister, niece, nephew and mom will be coming, too. I have to go buy my ham, some broccoli, some potatoes, some cabbage, and all the rest of my food, AND dye my eggs...

Okay - gotta run. You know that comment I made about "not enough hours in the day"????