DAY EIGHT
(...and also Coconut Friday! Yippee!)

It was easy to find my way through today.

Gwynn had early band, but, due to forgetting to set up the coffee maker the night before, and being too much of a coffee snob to be OK with JUST the half caf they brew at work, I dropped her off and drove right on by, up to McDonald's in Wolcott. It was 8 blessed minutes alone on the way there, and 8 blessed minutes alone on the way back. "Grace Potter and the Nocturnals" played me along. I sometimes have that fantasy of "driving right on by" when I go to work, and this satisfied the urge, at least in part. (tried the new oatmeal from Micky's too and I have to say, it was pretty good, especially if you love craisins and yellow raisins...mmmmm...)

Once at work, we had the all day celebration of Becky's birthday complete with ordering out pizza for lunch. Thanks Beck, even if you had to get old, it made for a nice lunch:)

Then my paycheck came, complete with "Obama Dollars."

I came home, and was happy to see, on Facebook, that my sister in law Katie is making progress towards her own Coconut Fridays. It made me proud!

And finally, it has been an evening at home, with leftovers, and Wii, and wine. Sad as it may be, it just doesn't get any better than this!

DAY NINE

Ahhhh, take out Chinese was all it took. We all went up to Devin's bowling meet in Wolcott tonight. He did a great job, bowled his highest game yet, and we brought home dinner. I didn't have to cook. There are no lunches to make. Even if, as I type, there is math homework frustration in the kitchen, I know we will make it. Friday is in sight. The weekend is nearly here, and MLKJr day is closer every day. One day at a time. One day at a time.

DAY TEN

I had high hopes for today last night, thinking a good night's sleep was going to bring back my energy. Fat chance, with a snoring sick hubby, and a hormonal me to boot. Didn't sleep well last night, and didn't feel too great today, but at least I had some new clothes helping to get me through...a cute graphite corduroy jean jacket I picked up at Gap after Christmas for a song. Why IS it we all shop before Christmas when all the great sales are AFTER Christmas? I know, I know, the season of giving and all...whatever.

Tonight, I also had the happy thought, while making lunches, that I am DONE with that task for the week. We generally don't pack lunches on Thursday night as the menu at the cafeteria varies between pizza and soup/toasted cheese, items my kids won't grumble about too much, and that I am OK with them eating. No more lunch making for the week! WooHoo! Proof positive that Coconut Friday is on its way, as is MLKjr day! See, ya gotta hand it to these 12 steps, they really are moving us along!

DAY ELEVEN

Where is my ENERGY? Today was hard from the get go. Hard to wake up, hard to get out of bed, hard to get dressed and get out of the house. I could go on and on. I mean, it wasn't a bad day, just a dragging day. I did pretty well from 8:30-lunch at work. In fact we had a pretty good morning, in particular a good writing session, but then the afternoon hit and I could barely drag myself through. I am just not made to get up early in the morning, and, pitifully, each time we have a break, I get in bad "stay up late then sleep in" habits that are a bear to break when I go back to work. So today, on the twelve step plan, I am going to go to bed early to TRY to regain some energy! Caffeine can't do it alone!

DAY TWELVE

I kept joking today that I was on a twelve step program, those steps being the twelve days I must face in order to be treated to our next break, Martin Luther King Jr. day on January 17th. And I was joking, really, as going back to work today was fine, and necessary, and even a bit fun. I got to chat with people I hadn't in too long, my students were good, we got some work accomplished, and all in all it was a pretty good day, but still, we can't deny that we are so conditioned. Much like my dumb black lab, who will sit for an eternity like a prize show dog if there is even a hint of a treat in the vicinity, we, as human beings can't deny that we find our way through life with "treats" as well. We work and are rewarded with a pay day here and there. We work and are rewarded with a vacation day, a blessed week off, or, if we are lucky enough to be in education, with the beautiful expanse that is summer vacation. And that is just within the relm of the work world. We all "treat" ourselves to get through life as well. A particularly difficult week might "deserve" a grocery store arrangement of flowers. In facing a long day, we might create a mantra in our head "Bath Tonight, Bath Tonight," and in so doing, Calgon will help to take us away. Each step along the way, life is lived, accomplishments happen, good work is done, there is job satisfaction, but really, face it, we're working for the treat. So, 1 down, 11 to go, I will keep my mind on my mantra and my mantra on my mind.

...some nights you go "old school," to update your Christmas Memories book for the year 2010!

Just had a flashback to 10th grade math while cleaning up from a "Settlers of Catan" game with the family. In tenth grade math, when faced with probability, I was LAUGHED OUT OF THE CLASSROOM when I asked how many cards were in a deck. Tonight, I was LAUGHED OUT OF THE DINING ROOM when I questioned why the numbers 6,7 and 8 on the board were in red, and considered most desireable when positioning a settlement. Apparently, when playing games with two six sided dice, these numbers come up the most. Makes sense now that I think of it, but where along the way in the general knowledge of life, did I just plain miss out on this? I did not come from a game playing family is one reason, I suppose. I also know that when we did go to my grandparent's house in Buffalo, and card games ensued, people got loud and boisterous, and I just went off and read a book instead. Finally, in my married life, as much as he may enjoy a dice game, it is well known that I am wedded to "The World's Unluckiest Man," so perhaps he kept my naiveté intact in order not to expose his flaw more completely. Well, I am finding out, as the kids get more and more into games, and I am forced, as an older adult, to learn some new tricks, that I better brush up my mathematical logic skills. I was only one well played (and a little bit lucky) move away from winning, so we'll see. Rematch...TOMORROW.