I need a vacation!!!!!!!!!!

All week I've been baking for the youngest craft fair the senior class has every year. Have not cracked a book because this is occupying my time so.

Left a note for the youngest to make his cupcakes when he got home today because he's bringing them to school on Friday for halloween. He's also making cookies and cutting the brownies we made last night. Brownies had to cool while we went to Bible study last night. When I got home I just called it a night. It was a nasty day. Rained all day and damp and raw out. I did my share of running in and out of the rain all day yesterday. Every time I came in I was wet. By the time I got home I was just cold. Had a hard time getting warm.

So today is the last day to get all this stuff together for the weekend. I'm telling the youngest how he can get all this stuff on the bus and he looks at me and says; "Mom, the craft fair isn't this weekend. It's next weekend."

He's right, it's next weekend. I'm really losing it, lol!!

Whole bunch of nothing

Three day weekend was nice, just not long enough, lol! Should consider taking more of those in the future. Thought we were going to do a whole lot of nothing on Sunday, my plans anyway, but hubby instead wanted to go shopping at wally world. Well, we left the house around 3 pm and got home about 8 pm. Don't know what time we went in wally world, it was still light outside, by the time we got out it was dark! Geez!!!! Hubby covered every inch of this store. I found things I haven't been able to find before, lol!! By the time we hit the automotive section I was ready to go. Hubby just kept going up and down the isles. sigh..............

Since his cousin is leaving in a week or two for India hubby did a little shopping for his relatives. Not a whole lot. So glad for that. He said he would do the real shopping for later when he goes in a few months. Oh, joy! Gonna be left alone during the winter. Again!!

Spent most of Saturday working on class. Haven't touched the books since. Monday ended up being an errand day. The youngest senior class is holding their craft fair and bake sale this weekend, so yesterday after work I spent baking. Have one more thing to donate which he will make tomorrow while I go knit. Then he decides to make halloween cupcakes for Friday so he will do that to. I'm not, I have more than enough to do.

Hubby was looking for some baby items to send to India. He remembered my knitted baby things and went rooting through that. Then had the nerve to tell me a relative is expecting in Canada and he wants to send stuff in December. He gave me an order of a blanket, some hats and some booties. Gee, thanks!! Haven't looked for anything yet, but will over the weekend. It's not looking like hubby's vest is going to get done anytime soon. I wanted to have it done by the winter for him. Maybe next winter, lol!

I can't believe November will be here soon. Seems like once August ffiinnaalllyyy finished, the months have been flying by. I've thought about Christmas shopping. Hubby will be easy this year, it's the boys who will be a problem. The one thing I wanted to do I can't do :( That would have been so easy.....................

Well, the state has suspended the mandatory h1n1 vaccinations because there aren't enough vaccines. Yes!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, hopefully when the vaccines are more plentiful, hopefully they won't change their minds or we will be going through this process all over again.

Damp, rainy, and miserable

My mood is fast becoming like the weather today, lol. Kids are giving me a hard time this morning and I'm just not in the mood for it. Really wanted to stay in bed and veg, but had to get my hair trimmed, so up I went. I like the way she did it this time, seemed like I was in and out in no time to.

Anyway, the youngest senior pics have been sitting on my desk for a few weeks and I can no longer ignore them. I have to order by the end of next weekend. I've glanced at them and I, as much as I hate to say this, I don't like any of them. I'm just not happy with them. Period. Last year we went to the photographer that the school uses and did the pics. We made an appt, did the changes of clothes thing and I really liked the poses, the pics and the photographer. I was happy with them. The oldest went along with what I wanted.
Even the prices weren't to bad.

This year the youngest didn't want to do all that. Originally, what he told me was he just wanted to take a pic here at home and submit it for the yearbook. Well, ok, if that's what you really want, then I will order the school pictures. Didn't get the school pics for the oldest last year, didn't see the need.

So that was the agreement. I pick the package I want for the youngest for his school pics and tell him he needs to start thinking about his senior pic. The day of the school pics he never gives the money for the pics. HE decided he didn't want them! GGGRRRRRRR!! He then said his teachers told him to use the other photographer the school is using for senior pics because there's more options available. Well. you pay for options, ya know. All I really want is one 8x10 and some wallets. That's it. I don't give a lot of pictures out and my mother recently sent all the school pics of the boys I gave to her over the years, back to me so why bother giving her anything. We haven't spoken since June and she sent the pics even before we stopped talking. Fine, whatever.

Now the deadline for the senior pics is the end of the month and I have to do something. He took 4 poses and I really don't like anything. One pose I absolutely hate. The others are ifie. Not only that I have to spend more money than I did last year, and on something I'm not happy with. There's no time to make any changes. I told the youngest, if he would have done what I wanted in the first place he wouldn't be having a problem with me. Now, I'm stuck on spending money on something I don't like or want.

He doesn't see the need for senior pics anyway. He doesn't understand that this is the last set of pics I'll ever get of him while in school. So it's a butt heads day with the youngest. I showed hubby the prices of the pic pkgs, which is really cheaper, since ordering just what I want will cost close to $100.00. Can't see paying that when for a few dollars more I can get more. Even though I don't want it. Hubby just told me to order what I wanted. I know he wasn't paying much attention to me because I told him I wanted the $600.00 pkg and he said ok! I'll wait until tomorrow and sit down with him when I have his full attention. That will give me time to stop growling about these pics and just get it over and done with.

The rest of the day I have to spend getting caught up with class. Did some last night, but it was my stopping time before I knew it, so the rest is for today and Monday. I've been stopping class work at 9 pm. So far, so good. If I go later than that I seem to spend the night thinking about things and not getting much sleep. Stopping and watching tv and knitting for a while seems to clear my head and relax me.

Gonna have some lunch, close the door on the family and see how much I can get accomplished today, lol.

TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like the mouse in the picture above. Ready to hide, lol!!

Today was such a busy day, but the day did go fast. I left for work at my normal time and hit wally world for ink. Was tempted to go food shopping for my lady, but I resisted. Got her scripts, only one of the two, then went to two different stores because she had coupons for both and needed different things. She wanted green grapes. Normally, they aren't hard to find. Well, there are no green grapes in that area! Every store I went to, and I went to 4, including back to wally world, all had red. One store even had black grapes. My lady can't chew the skins on the red grapes, that's why they have to be green. Oh well, I tried and she has lots of other fresh fruit anyway. She's still asking for cherries. Cherry season is long over up here.

Get back to her house and the upstairs tenant is down with her. I walk in and he leaves. Ok. She tells me he was driving by and didn't see my car so he stopped in to check on her. The whole reason I went shopping before getting to her, was so she could sleep in. Nice thought anyway. She said the phone was ringing since 7 am.

Get all her stuff put away and do the floors. This is a chore I absolutely hate!! First, they have to be vacuumed. Step stools, kitchen table chairs, and any other stuff picked up and moved into another room. I don't clean like that on a weekly basis. Anyway, she has a white kitchen floor. Who has a white floor???? Since the floor is the original floor, they've been there over 60 years, it has discoloration around the table. The walkways. She insists the discoloration comes up. I've yet to see it go, no matter how hard I scrub. Anyway, she has a steam mop for the floors. On the kitchen floor she wants a little Ivory dish soap put down with the steam mop. She seems to think it removes some of the discoloration. Whatever makes you happy! Between the kitchen and the bathroom, takes a good hour. Then everything has to be moved back in. A lot of work and always on a Friday.

Today I was already tired from going to all those stores anyway. She calls the pharmacy about her script. By the time I got to her house and she called, the script was filled. Back to the pharmacy I had to go. I'm off the next 3 days so I feel better knowing she's set for the weekend. But still! It made for a very short day, but I'm exhausted.

Since I was already in town I decided to do a little of my own shopping. For some reason when it comes to the weekends, I don't like to go shopping. I'm finding I'm not liking going shopping anymore anyway. Don't know what's happened but I prefer to stay home. Must be getting old, lol!

Went to see hubby after work and he's upstairs cooking dal. The man knows I love dal, so he better bring some home for me! Yea right, won't happen. Right now all I want to do is curl up on a comfortable piece of furniture and veg for the night. Nice thought but I fell behind in my school work, when haven't I, so I need to make an attempt to get where I should be. Tomorrow will probably be a long day working on school stuff. I refuse to do anything on Sunday. Hubby has stopped asking if we can do Saturday instead of Sunday. Hope he got the hint.

Well, the best news I heard today was that NYS is no longer making it mandatory for health care workers to get vaccinated with the h1n1 vaccine. Now, this has it's good points and some bad points. Because there is not enough vaccines, the state pulled the plug. But...............and there's always a but, since the cases against the state were only heard once, and the state is doing this voluntary, there is the possibility that when the vaccines are more plentiful, like around mid-November, so the saying goes, the state still has the right to reintroduce the mandatory vaccination program on health care workers. Had it gone to court a second time, then the state would not have this option open to them if they were found in the wrong. So, we may be facing this again, just closer to the holidays. Or maybe not. For now I can breather a little easier.

Time for a hot shower to ease my aching back and then back to the books!

What a mild day

Such a pretty day today. Temps are close to the 70's. All of last week had me digging out the sweaters, sweatshirts and long sleeve tops and this week, it's back to t-shirts! But, today is the last day of the mild weather. Or so the weatherman tells me. Back down into the 50's, lower 50's by the beginning of next week.

Knitting is tonight and I've decided I'm not going. Not that I don't want to, I do, just other things are more important. Went to Bible study last night and had a great time. Very interesting and walked out with lots to think about. Didn't get any school work done, started checking out a few things from the night before, and time just got away from me. By the time I looked at the clock it was time to start dinner. Hot dogs, quick dinner. The plan today was to put something in the crock pot but, had trouble getting out of bed this morning. Yup, it's Thursday, I start slowing down after Wednesday. So tonight I have to finish what I started last night and then work on what I have planned for tonight. I didn't plan much for these nights, but it's looking like if I go out on these nights, I can't plan anything. My goal of being done with school by 9 pm is working. By 10 pm, I'm ready for bed.

Tomorrow's a busy work day. Have all the errands and shopping to do UGH!! Don't like doing it all on the same day. But, I'll do the errands before I see my lady, I'll arrive later than normal, and she liked the option of sleeping later to, lol. She doesn't go to bed until between 5 and 7 am. I arrive at 11 am. Not much sleep for her. She was telling me she didn't get to bed until after 7 am today. I knew she was exhausted, but all she wanted to do was talk, so I let her talk it all out. With any luck tomorrow will go fast, work anyway, and then my 3-day weekend will start. Really looking forward to that. Monday, all to myself. It's more a mental health day than anything else. No plans except to use my time wisely.

Hubby has been asking me if we could celebrate our anniversary on Saturday instead of Sunday. I keep telling him no. He keeps telling me Saturday is easier for his cousin because he has to get up at 6 am with his kids on Monday morning. I still keep telling him no and I'm not backing down. I know full well his cousin gets his kids off to school and crawls back into bed. The man never made it downstairs before until 9 am at the earliest, without his kids. It's probably noon now with his kids!

Well, break time is over for me and back to the books!

Little bit of organization

This is the Ras Malia, another Indian sweet. The one that took forever to make!!

Zeera Aloo Dum. The Indian potatoes. I wasn't crazy about it, don't know what anyone else thought of it, but they all ate it.

Nothing special, just rice to put the Chicken Tikka Masala over, which I don't seem to have a picture of :( Thought I got everything. Have to look through all the pics again and make sure they downloaded.

Well, so far tonight I've gotten my desk and the area around it organized. All stray papers filed away, notebooks and books all in the same place, the books I need for school all in the same room. That was a major accomplishment in itself since I have two bookcases and they usually ended up out in the living room on that.

Now, I have to actually start working on my class. Did a few errands after work and went to see hubby and had a nice chat with him. Our anniversary is on Sunday and I told him he has two choices as far as work is concerned. One, work daytime and be done by around 4 pm or so and two, take the whole day off. No other option will be considered, lol. All the years past we've had to celebrate either before our anniversary or after. Whatever was more convenient for his cousin who he works with. Nothing I hate more than going out for anniversary dinner at 2 pm and rushing so he can go to work. Not happening this year. He was saying since our anniversary is on a Sunday why not celebrate it on Saturday. Told him no. He said his cousin has to get up at 6 am to get his kids off for school. Geez, it's not like he's the only person to get up early to get kids off to school and then go to work!! Told hubby no, I didn't care how inconvenient this is for his cousin. There are three people working the station, can't see why someone can't change their schedule for one day! The kid who works there goes away for 2 and 3 days at a time for his break. I think hubby is entitled to some time with his wife. And I'm not even demanding a whole day off either, just the night. Since it's Sunday and I want to go to Church, that leaves all afternoon and evening. I want to go out for dinner, at dinner time, and then come home and watch Slumdog Millionare with hubby. These are no major plans just something that we have never done since we've been married because he has ALWAYS been working nights. Can you tell the stubborn attitude has set in, lol??

I was giving school some thought today and I realized what was/is bothering me so much is the dissertations. The masters program consists totally of research. We were given a list of topics, which you had to choose a minimum of 12. I think there was like 15 or so to choose from. Each topic we have to write a dissertation for. For me that's 13 of them!! Feel the stress yet, lol? Anyway, I realized that just because I'm facing all of that doesn't mean I have to rush through all of that like I do my life. I can slow down, and take my time. I have all the time in the world to do this. The only deadline I have is the one I set for myself. I've been repeating this to myself all day. Sure hope I was listening, lol. Now that I have a calmer attitude I'm hoping to sleep tonight. Went to bed way later than I wanted to last night and had such a hard time falling sleep. Woke up feeling like I ran a marathon all night. Tonight I'm done with school by 9 pm, no matter how much or little I've gotten done. I need to spend at least an hour before I got to bed doing something relaxing. I'm thinking I'll do some reading. Got a few new Beverly Lewis books. They should relax me and turn my mind off. I hope.

The youngest made dinner tonight. We WERE having chicken breast sandwiches with french fries. The kid didn't watch the chicken so they are very brown, but not burnt. However, they are so hard, like break your teeth hard, so it's french fries for dinner tonight! I have some leftover green beans from last night, that will probably be my dinner tonight. The one night I get focused on school and that's the night the kid chooses to mess up dinner. Kids!!

Stress and Diwali

Here's hubby rolling the Gulab Jamun into balls. I mixed everything together and it was his job to actually fry them. I made the sugar syrup while he was doing that.

Saturday was Diwali. It's a Hindu celebration in India. Basically, all hubby's family here does is make special foods and sometime visit. We had a few people over yesterday and I made the food.

Here's the Gulab Jamun all ready to be fried.

And the finished product. This is an India sweet. We call them sweet balls.

As hubby was frying them he tells me that you can buy them premade in the Indian food store. I kind of figured that but the Indian food store is over an hour away for us, and nobody was going so I figured we would give them a try ourselves.

Well, ok, blogger for some reason doesn't want me to post any more pics so I'll do it another time. I made Ras Malia which is another Indian sweet and I don't recommend making this at home. It. Takes. Forever!!!!!!! Seriously, over an hour in the microwave just to thicken the milk, and I myself am not really crazy about it. Hubby loved it and knew exactly what it was when he saw it. He said he had it before in a restaurant. Well, he'll only get it in a restaurant again to, lol!! We had Chicken Tikka Masala and Zeera Aloo Dum. I've always loved the chicken, and the Zeera Aloo Dum is a potato dish. Not crazy about that one either but it was that or some stuffed potato dish , Stuffed Aloo Tikki , and the Zeera just sounded easier, lol. So, that was Saturday. Marinated the chicken Friday night and made the Ras Malia on Friday to so Saturday there wasn't much to put together.

It was cloudy and cool Saturday so staying home and cooking was fine with me.

Today was cold, damp and rainy. What a weekend this has been. Made it to Church but have to say my instinct was to just crawl back in bed and get some more sleep. Did not want to get up. But I did, and found my avon lady on my doorstep not soon after. She goes to the same church as me and was going to Sunday school first. I don't do Sunday school simply because I love my sleep more. Sad, but true. If Sunday school was after Church, then I probably would get there, but getting up around 2:30 am to get hubby and then getting up a few hours later, well, just doesn't work to well for me.

I've decided that this week we will be going to all outside activities. That means Bible study on Wednesday and knitting for me on Thursday. Notice I say that now? Last week was the first knitting class and I missed it. I really wanted to get the stuff together for hubby's holiday and did the food shopping on Thursday, so no knitting. No Bible study because no car. The car is still not fixed. Not saying any more on that. Just more stress.

So, I enrolled in class for the next, who knows how many years, today, lol. Since I'm graduating (hopefully) in December I wanted to start right in again in January. Just taking a short break. Going to need it. What I did was lay out my plans for a Bachelors and Masters. Was glad I did it at the time but boy, am I feeling overwhelmed about it now. Locked in to two years of payments. Maybe that's whats so overwhelming for me, so I know it will take a few years to get through all of this, but I'll just keep going and take breaks as I need them. Since everything is done online, I have no real end date. Which is ok, but still I don't want to be at this for 10 years either! Unless I'm working on my thesis, that I could handle. Maybe.

The thing that really gets me is I just added more work for myself, to my already over scheduled self. I've decided that the boys just have to help out more. Just have to. I can't keep doing everything and working and everything else. I have talked to hubby about my not working but he gets stressed about that to. My only other option would be to take a client with fewer hours. But, I promised this client that I would stay. I hadn't planned on so much school at the time. To top everything off, I got a letter from work with a list of in services I have to attend to meet my in service requirement for the year. One in service every month until the end of the year. Starting this month. Oh joy!

I heard on my local news that there are three cases being brought against the state about the mandatory H1N1 vaccinations. As of Friday a judge has temporarily suspended the mandatory vaccinations until the next hearing which is October 30. Ok, so just might keep my job after all. Of course, losing my job would alleviate some stress, but would bring about a different kind of stress. Feels like a lose, lose situation. Hubby was ok with my not working for a year, but I'm thinking what happens after a year and I still have no job? Personally I would like to quit and concentrate solely on school, but don't see that happening, especially with hubby's upcoming trip to India in a few months. Trying to put all of this in God's hands and not even think about it. Needing to work on that................