No Spin

So I come home from work, toss a load of laundry in the washing machine in the basement, come back up, do my thing and then go down to toss it into the dryer when I open the washer and find it still filled with water. Hmmm...that's curious, but then not really because it would be just like me to not have pulled the knob out or whatever so I go ahead and do all the usual...no change. I look at the plug, I consider the idea of a circuit breaker, I unplug it and plug it in again, and nothing...no spin, just water and a load of soaking wet clothing.

When I came out of the basement (outside, since we only have Bilco doors to get down there) I tell the neighbor about my dilemma who then proceeded to tell me that the guy who used to own the bar down the way had once worked for the washing machine company and said that it just happens that way sometimes, no more spin (as it was, the neighbor had the same problem in the past but now he has a new washer and a dryer from the bargain news...)

So now, I have a big pile of wet clothes out back. I tried to rig a clothes line, unsuccessfully and Trav is not around to help:( I guess that means it's off to the laundromat tomorrow after school. AND I guess that means we have a major (ish) decision to make...Just get a new washer, OR get a new washer AND dryer (the ones we have were free from someone my mother in law knew who was getting rid of them when I bought the house), OOOORRRRR, do the stackable washer dryer in the front entryway of the house with a closet (we so need more storage and it would likely make the house more marketable with the washer/dryer more easily accessible.) Hmmm... I'll stop the ORs there, though the way my brain works I could go on and on...

Oh, decisions! How I love them! I'm leaning towards the stackable and the closet. We'll see what Trav says...

3 1/2 Days to Go...

That last day is not going to be here soon enough! I am ready for summer, slow mornings, sitting on the front steps drinking my tea, writing in my journal, going for a jog, catching up with friends, kayaking, doing nothing, heck, maybe I'll even knit a little again...I figure, Samantha is going to be 2 in September so her blanket that I started almost 3 years ago might get a few more rows added on to it (sorry Marisa, I certainly meant well when I started it;)...reading...I was given the book The Pact by Jodi Picccoult by a colleague and I can't wait to dive into mindless reading, although I have to finish my reread I'm working on now. This is going to be the first summer in many years that I haven't worked for a few weeks at summer school (and I don't have a wedding to finish planning and execute, etc.). I honestly feel that I have truly EARNED my summer vacation this year given all the crap this class has put me through. In 9 years of teaching, this is definitely my worst...good riddance!! Oh and as I reread, I realize that the word "class" though originally meant to apply to my students (though not all), it can also dually stand for my graduate program...August 11th is another of those bittersweet dates, marking my official graduation, although a mere 4 days later I begin the rat race of the new schoolyear, which I anticipate to be much much more enjoyable again. Wish me luck in my last few days!!

Just Stuff

So on Saturday, in the midst of my going batty-ness and not feeling well, I decided to head out to get some fresh air and sunshine for awhile. I took myself to the beach in Milford, found a nice quiet spot away from the "crowds" and with a view of these rocks, but more importantly with the soothing sound of the mini-waves spattering against the rocks. A nice cool breeze, some sparkling water, and warm sunshine was a great improvement from couch, sneeze, cough, blow, repeat...If any of my local friends are interested in a beach day this summer, just give me a call (though I confess that 2 hours is More than enough time for me at the beach...sizzle, sizzle, burn!!)
On Sunday, Father's Day, my father was busy with my husband, father-in-law, brother-in-law-to-be and some of Trav's other friends up in New Hampshire for the now annual Father's Day Weekend Getaway that developed out of Travis' pre-wedding guys weekend last year. It appears to be that a lot of fun was had, swimming, water-skiing, campfire and s'moresing, fishing, and apparently snoring! While I'm jealous because I want to do all that stuff (except hear the snorers), I also find it to be a nice tradition in the works. I love the fact that my dad drove his shiny red corvette up to the "camp" which last year he didn't for fear of having to off-road it to get to said camp. As it turns out, the so called "camp" they stay at is a fully equipped A-frame with kitchen and bathroom...really rough! So Dad gets to show off his favorite toy to all the boys!

And on Tuesday was my first co-ed soccer game of the season. It was a great workout and I didn't feel like quite as bad of a player as I usually do after those games! Those boys are just bigger and faster and I seem to get knocked down much easier as I'm aging...But, I love to play soccer, whether I stink at it or not...it's kind of like riding a bike...it instantly makes me feel like a kid again, running around, chasing people, kicking balls, falling down. I think that as we grow older, we forget how good doing all of that stuff makes us feel...Give it a try if you haven't in awhile!

Finally, a decision has been made and the check is in the mail for the Cape Cod cottage. It paid off to wait it out for the "best of three." This cottage is fully updated, nicely decorated, on the water and does not appear at least to be damp...And besides, based on my comment received on the previous post, I've got nothing to worry about anyway!!

A Splash of Color Outside...I love the purple viney flowers:)

Going Nuts

Did any of you all know what difficulty I have making decisions? About my "particularness" about things? Yeah, well, that's a problem I have long battled and for the past week I have been making myself NUTS trying to decide on a place to stay up in Cape Cod. I've only been there years and years ago, but Travis has been there and recommended we stay in Wellfleet or Eastham...Do we stay right on a lake or in a neighborhood? I've been looking and looking and looking and looking for "just the right place" at "just the right price (or even a little more)" and I'm just not meeting success...I just worry about places being "damp" or too "dated." I figure that my own house is cozy and comfy, airy, breezy, all that jazz...I don't want to go away and stay somewhere with an old itchy damp couch...I know we're doing this late in the game and if we had known we were going to do this trip months ago we could have probably found "the perfect place." But alas, this is how it is...and I just can't make a stinkin' decision!!! I have two very different places in mind and am waiting to hear back from a third (which would be the best of the three...) I shake my head at myself because all I need to do is pick a place, book it, and move on with life, rather than being STUCK here with my "favorites" overloaded with vacation rental links....AAAAACCCCCKKKKK!!!!! I so need to find a "spot" that we like to go on vacation around here and just count on that year to year...My traveling needs are a-changing!!

The last time I went to Cape Cod was when I lived in Willington with Jen and Donna and decided one morning that I was taking a road trip...Jen came along and we camped in P-town in THE BUGGIEST CAMPGROUND EVER!!! But we had a nice stroll through town and ice-cream which made it all worthwhile. I think that's even when I bought my little Tibetan bowl that I used when I taught Kindergarten to get the kids to line up from recess. Before that trip I was there with the family probably when I was 6 or 7 and then in high school with my friend Karen's family...We'll see what happens...wish me luck!

Poor Me...

But first, a random picture...I went to water the window boxes the other day and it seems as if whoever likes to snip the heads off the tulips also likes to eat bread in the flower boxes...where did that bread even come from...whacky Stratford wildlife!!

Yeah, yeah, I know, suck it up, but it really stinks being sick. I started with a scratchy throat last week, was fading out a little on Saturday, coughed my way through Sunday (in NY), sucked it up on Monday, took Tuesday off from school, survived Wednesday at school and today was Field Day so I figured I should really "go have fun with the kids." Unfortunately, the role of the classroom teacher at field day tends to be "yell at the kids all day to keep them calm and safe when they're not competing..." I could go on and on...but anyway, I have this guilt complex about taking days off from school. I feel like a slacker, I feel bad for the "good kids" who have to put up with the "bad kids'" antics with the substitute (as if it's not already bad enough with me in there). Anyway, a miserable teacher who is cranky and doesn't feel good is no use to anyone. The only thing I really feel bad about is that they won't be able to finish their Father's Day frame/cards because I didn't finish taking everyone's pictures and hadn't printed them yet...I feel bad for people who on a regular basis can't breathe through their noses...I wonder how much of my not feeling well relates directly to that...dry throat, lips, breathing open-mouthed...yuck! Oh well, I really shouldn't complain at all because even though I'll be home tomorrow, I'll be busily working on report cards to free up my weekend to work on my culminating project as planned.

One.....

Singular Sensation!!!

On Sunday, the Sperrazza Girls took the mom into New York to see A Chorus Line which is back on Broadway! It was really a nice day and it reinforced in many ways why I am the way I am. For example, if you recall, Sunday was a little chilly and drizzly, so anticipating cold toes with my sandals, I put a pair of socks in my purse. Wouldn't you know, mom had two pairs of socks in her purse, one for her and one for Jill (just in case), and Abby just brought socks and closed toe sneaks as back-up. There were also the "try" to use the bathroom trips before we left the house, when we got to the theater, before we left the theater, and before we left the restaurant...It was very cute. I was a bit on the sentimental side at the show, so glad to be there with my mom. Jill made a comment that out of everyone there at the show, it probably meant the most to us since we grew up listening to the 8-track tape and knew all the words to the songs and sang the songs (including the famous one entitled "Tits and Ass") while swinging on the swing set. Ahhh, childhood memories! Days like that are like little treasures, moments in time that you can't quite put words to...I am blessed.

Not Bad for Nothing to Say...

So, I keep feeling like I have nothing worthwhile to say so I don't post anything...but I know me, once I get started...okay, in the last week I:

Took a personal day and worked diligently on my culminating project (then took a study break and bought a new dress for the summer weddings (only 30 bucks at Marshalls! quite a study-break find!!)

Had class Friday night and Saturday...not bad...it was on Ayurveda which roughly translates to "knowledge of life." It's the ancient medicine practices of India, dating back thousands of years. It bases much of its practice on "doshas" or body-types...The good news for me is that it's not my fault I'm hungry all the time...it's my dosha...the bad thing is that I crave salty stuff when I am "out of balance" which unfortunately is fairly regularly:) Interesting topic to waste a weekend away on...beats the crap out of poetry therapy!

Saturday evening hung out with Trav here, low key.

Sunday was Abby and Shan's engagement party...yay for them! It was a great little gathering and I got to hang out with all my little people...Chase is crawling now!! Samantha is like a string bean, growing and growing, and talking away. She's at the perfect "stick your finger in the frosting of the engagement cake and sing "hoppy bur-day to gaampa" and get away with it cause you're too cute" age. I'll tell all you mommies out there, I give you lots of credit because those little people sure keep a mama busy...phew!!

Monday, back to school...yuck!

Tuesday, school again...told "I wish you would die!" again...so rewarding. Drank wine out back with Trav (my favorite thing to do in the nice weather...sit out back with my honey:)

Oh, and new neighbors have been moving in across the street...haven't gotten a good look and for now it's grandma and two little boys(2 and 4ish), but I think young couple is finishing the packing/moving...we could use some friends in the neighborhood...

And, as Trav and I were outside with our wine, the next door neighbor came home and teased us for drinking pink wine (it was a rose...trying to relive our time in France when we had the tastiest rose ever!) She then brought us out a bottle of Zinfandel because it's her favorite and she thinks we'll be far better off drinking that! It was so cute! I'll have to send over a basket of soaps and stuff as reciprocity...