The Virgo Times

We're back

I wrote a long post yesterday and it was eaten by TypePad.  Sigh.  Anyway, we are back.  I tried very hard to miss the flight home, but in the end I chickened out and here we are.  All of our sandy clothes and beach towels have been washed, and we no longer smell like sunscreen and the ocean.  Very sad.

Going back to work was terrible, but I felt a whole lot better after I got to enjoy a nice chatty breakfast with Laura and Breana.  Thanks you two, I really needed that!  I guess I had forgotten how restorative it is to spend time with friends; it's been a while since I did that.

The last couple of weeks have been rough on M, job-search-wise.  It's been one painful and unrelenting lesson in patience and letting go.  Poor lamb.  He is holding up pretty well, though, and I'm proud of him.  Last night I cooked dinner from The Garden of Vegan (Tanya's Asian Delight, and Rhubarb Crunch for dessert--both delicious).  Tofu and rhubarb were both new to him, but he liked it all.  A couple of days ago I broke the news that I'm planning to give veganism a try, and I wanted to cook a yummy vegan meal to help allay his concerns.  My plan worked

Nags Head

Posting live from the Outer Banks!  Best vacation ever.  We love it here.  The weather has been perfect, everything we've eaten has been delicious, the restaurants all serve sweet tea, and people are very, very friendly.  It's the beginning of the season, so it's not terribly crowded either.

On our last beach vacation, J was a little dubious about the ocean.  This time, though, he jumped right in and will play in the surf for hours.  I'm so glad my boy loves the beach.

Today was the last day of school and J is already a little glum about missing his friends over the summer.  I always get a little choked up at the end of the school year, too, and this year I'm extra-emotional.  When we moved here, I really didn't know how it would work out.  I did my research, but ultimately it was a leap of faith.  And, well, I am so proud of the way J has handled himself.  He rose to the occasion, my kid.

Of course we only aggravated our emotional state by watching We Are Marshall last night, and I turned into a sniffly, weepy wreck.  I guess that will be the movie I turn to from now on when I need a good cry.

Tomorrow morning we're leaving for vacation and I think that is another factor here.  I have noticed that I tend to have great big emotional meltdowns in the last few days before vacation.  It's like the strain of holding myself together becomes completely unbearable once I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I remember the fit I threw last year, the day before I left for California.  That was the day I threw the contents of my mailbox all over the floor of my cubicle.  Very professional.

This time I've kept it together for the most part, but man, do we need this vacation.  We are going to ride our (rented) bikes, beachcomb, fly kites, fish off the pier, and climb to the top of a lighthouse.  I am not going to use a hairdryer, think about the price of gas, call my office, or have any conversations with anyone about the economy.   I am going to do yoga on the balcony, listen to the ocean after J falls asleep at night, and probably eat something really bad for me.  And I will come back rested and relaxed.

But first I'd better pack.