While I miss the J right now (he's gone for some military school training thing*), I have to say, I'm thankful for this break and this alone time right now. Not that I did anything more yesterday than getting rid of one huge bag of trash from the office and julienne-ing 12 zucchini (which I do by hand rather than by mandolin because I've become so adept at doing it by hand that it takes me less time to just do it that way). And I know I needed this time off (thank goodness for Mardi Gras Break! Yes!!) because my body is acting like one that is exhausted. I mean, I remember when I was in grad school that every Christmas break, within days of the semester ending, I would get this massive migraine that lasted for days, a stomachache, and a cold because once I was not in the fight or flight madness that comes with three seminar papers and all nighters and TAing, my body would just shut down and recover for a few days. And I think after the major grading push I did last week, I think that's what's going on here right now. I woke up with a headache yesterday, a stomachache this morning. So I think clearly I needed this. Plus, I only had to prepare a side dish for a friend's surprise party last night, so I got some dinner I didn't have to put all together myself. And tonight, since the J is out of town, the same friends who hosted the party last night are having me over for dinner again tonight. So that will be nice, too. I really do actually get a vacation from just about everything right now--cooking, tending to people (except the dogs, who are being very low maintenance right now), work (although I do need to do some reading today). I am really trying to take advantage of every single moment I have to myself right now and do very little to nothing because this time next year? I will most certainly not have that sort of freedom.
Now, I know I said I was going to work on cleaning up the office. Yes, well, once I did my taxes this weekend and was informed that because of some educational credit thing that we weren't getting our return until March, which will be after my parents visit in two weeks, I don't need to get the office ready for a bed now. I only need to get it cleaned up enough so that I can get the air mattress in there and they have a place to sleep. So I'm not as gung-ho as I was feeling on Sunday because there's not as big a rush now for this to happen. The tax return has been ear-marked for a king sized bed for us and for baby stuff, which makes me feel significantly better about being able to provide the initial things for the child especially since I'm doing a bang up job with getting the finances in order for the summer. I'm sure this is no small part of my stress.
Anyway, I at least have time to chip away at the office rather than doing a marathon cleaning thing. But, if I can get rid of another bag of trash today and get most of the stuff off the floor, then we might be in business here. Plus the J has so much stuff that he needs to go through, too. And I really need to purchase a filing cabinet. I think that would solve many problems here with our space and where to put things. It would clear out a shelf on the bookcase, too, and eliminate the four or five filing "boxes" and crates that we have.
Ugh. There's just so much to do, and June will be here before I know it.
That's all right. One day at a time.
I think now, breakfast is in order. Then I will read. Then I will clean. And at some point today I'd like to map out my research and academic plans, deadlines, teaching, etc. for the next year since I need to know what's ahead of me in terms of how I'm going to negotiate tenure with a newborn/infant child. I know I can't plan really a schedule for after the kid is born in terms of my reading and writing, but I can make a list of what needs to be read and written so that I can mark things off and chip away, right? Or attempt to.
*I wish sometimes, because I'm not involved in this, that the military were like the Boy Scouts. While the J does get patches and stuff for the schools he attends, I think they should have to wear some sort of sash with their uniforms all the time with their *merit badges* on it. They already have to wear berets now instead of caps, so what's a sash if there's already a beret?
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