I've got sunshine. . .

It almost feels like a Colorado day outside.  It's been chilly lately (more on the weather report in a bit) but the intensity of the sun is feeling really marvelous today.  What a wonderful beginning to my last spring break.

I've have had and am going to have a lot of "last" academic milestones in the recent/coming months.  Two weeks ago I registered for classes for the VERY LAST TIME=amazing.  It was a welcome change from getting up at o'dark thirty trying to get into the sections I needed for my schedule before they were full 20 seconds [notjoking] after registration opened in the morning.  This time I was like "meh, I'm a third year - what are they going to do, tell me I can't take the class?  I don't think so."  Truthfully I didn't even realize summer registration had opened until about 11 am and my classmates were collectively mentioning "oh yeah, I guess we should do that sometime."  Ahhh. . . space to breathe. . .  beautiful. . .

This morning we started the day with breakfast and a house flipping real estate show.  We then drove to Andrews AFB because Gen. (ret.) Colin Powell was signing his book this morning for a couple of hours.  We decided "hey, why not - we won't get this chance again."  We hadn't been on base forever.  There's something very very comforting, secure and familiar about driving on to a military installation for me.  Especially one where I know the lay of the land.  It's like I pass through the gate and know that anything could happen and someone would take care of me.  It's a great feeling.  It was interesting driving across base thinking about the ups and downs Philip experienced the last few years while he was stationed at Andrews.

We got to the BX Philip stood in line to have the book signed and I got some household misc.  The BX (or PX - depending what branch of the military the base you are on is affiliated with) is kind of a military version of Target ---- except that it's not, because they sell pretty high end stuff there.  It's ridiculous.  In the military you know what everyone makes.  So I am aware that as an officer's family with an intermittent second income, we are pulling in more than a lot of people - at least of the younger enlisted force.  I walk through there and never fail to have the thought, "IF I CANNOT AFFORD TO SHOP HERE, A MAJORITY OF THE REST OF THE MILITARY CANNOT AFFORD TO SHOP HERE." My sweet friend Tammy summed it up well, "If you want to get a good deal on a Coach purse, it's great.  If you want to buy three white shirts for your boys - it's horrible."  AND soap box on household misc:  the reason I avoid Target/Walmart/ at all costs (seriously I get what I need at the commissary and limit trips to those stores every couple of months for makeup) is that you go, leave the store $50 poorer with a bag full of stuff that is going to be washed down the drain or thrown in the trash bin in the next 2 months.  So annoying.  

I'm not big on stuff.  I'm becoming even LESS big on stuff as we begin to go through the house to prepare for the move.  Moving is unbelievably horrible.  I hate it.  Loathe it.  Detest it.  BUT - in a way I have to admit that I am grateful that at this point in our lives we are forced to do it every few years because it really forces me to get rid of CRAPWEDON'TNEED!

And while I'm on a hodgepodge of topics (this is like the household product aisle of blogposts) - Weather.  For real east coast, there is NO NEED TO NAME EVERY SINGLE SNOW SHOWER. Snowquester?????  There must be some really bored people employed by The Weather Channel sitting in a room somewhere who cook this stuff up.  Now I'm a Minnesota girl, so I recognize that I have an abnormally high threshold for what "serious" snow is - but FOR REAL. We had a snow day on Wednesday (which I am NOT complaining about AT ALL- it was blissful blessing and a much needed pause in the week - we slept in, I was in my pjs until 12:30 snuggled next to my very attractive husband and made some forward traction on a neuropsyc report I really needed to tackle - it was awesome- but totally unnecessary).  It hardly snowed.  There was maybe an inch or two of accumulation that lasted for a few hours.  And the government shut down for that?  It was raining people!  No wonder the place is going to hell in a handbasket. . .   AND - schools in the area were two hours late the next morning.  Freaking ridiculous.    I walked uphill both ways with no shoes in blizzards.

Okay, I need to clock some dissertation time before we meander over to Chipotle and then out to the Mall for a stroll (if that plan comes to fruition, I'll post pics soon).

Ciao friends.

Find some sunshine in your world today.  If there's none outside your window, I bet you can find a bright ray of warmth and love somewhere within your four walls ;)