A break in Spring

It's day six of my break and I feel like I've just been lying around the whole time, and I have, but I've managed to get some things done and I thought it was about time for an update.
So, all my finals went pretty well, the Spanish final could have gone better but it was a more stressful circumstance than usual and I guess I did well enough under those conditions. My final final was on Thursday, the 19th, and early in the morning. I was pretty wiped out the rest of the day due to the culmination of all end-of-the-term stress and from waking up at 6 which is a sight earlier than I normally do. these days. But too lacking a Tom to nap, I guess, I was still able to salvage the day because the weather was so beautiful and reviving Lane and I took a walk around her neighborhood in the evening while my clothes were going in her washer. Then we went grocery shopping and then watched Russel Brand stand-up on You-Tube while I sorted socks. It was our kind of evening and very long coming as school's had me hopping. I did miss Tom though, it's just how it is yet.
So, what I'm doing now is eating straight out of a pretty large bowl of Jello that I made out of both the peach and raspberry boxes of Jello I found in the cupboard. I'm free to do this because I am the only one whose shown any interest in this Jello for several days now - Tom, I think, just ate some to be nice. I made so much because Suzanne came to visit on her way to see Grandpa in Woodland and we invited Lane over as well (though, she can't have sugar) and I had made apricot Jello the other day (a small box) and it had gone over so well and gone so quickly I thought surely I should make as much as I could! Jello is gorgeous, and so fun to eat - but it makes me feel a little ill turns out.
Anyway, Friday I spent cleaning our little apartment. Things were pretty crazy in here as we'd been so busy we hadn't been cleaning up after ourselves very well and papers and inevitably abandoned projects lay everywhere just adding to my stress and feelings of frustration. Things are messy again already, of course, I haven't been doing much on my feet lately, nor has Tom, and we've both been into little projects and tend to spread out wherever's handy. I used to think I could have a small little house all of my days and be happy in how easy it was to manage (and heat) but Tom is just too big - his projects require at least a 2 foot radius and he uses a lot more stuff than I do as well. No, we need Tommy room - oh for the day he'll have an office! I can't wait.
Saturday I spent a bit more time doing chores but mostly sat and looked on Etsy for things I like and ideas for things I could make - I do this quite a lot but it may all be worth it once I can justify buying supplies. Plus it's fun and relaxing and it cures my window shopping itch. Lane came over in the late afternoon and then Sue showed up and we three went to Trader Joe's and Plaza Latina for provisions (Sue was dying to go to Trader Joes as she lives in No-wheres-ville AND suffers sales tax!). So my bright shining moment of pride this break (although slightly dampened by the fact that I didn't finish cleaning the kitchen) I made empanadas! Beginning to end all by myself! I don't cook, ya know. My husband does that stuff for now, I'm slowly learning when I feel like it (as is my way). But I was inspired by watching this YouTube video, Mama's Empanandas. I could understand most of it and, anyway, I'm a visual learner. I didn't feel like watching it again though, just then, so I kind of put my own spin on the process but, miraculously, it worked and I we ate very heartily for days on what I cooked up. I used different potatoes and a lot more, and chicken for the meat, and a lot less, than Mama did. I did it on the even cheaper side of things. Sue bought the salsa verde and Mexican sodas. We also drank red sparkling wine because it was too novel to pass up. We rounded off the evening with more YouTube - Flight of the Concords standup, which turns out is hilarious. I haven't been interested although Tom has the first season of their show - but, as usual, I didn't give Tom's taste enough credit (just like with The West Wing) or, as we joke, my standards have been lowered since I married him.
It was a good night and Sue left early Sunday for Southern Oregon. Sunday was much like our usual Sundays - church and hanging out and Bible study. We had dinner at Kyle and Davina's - Tom, Lane and I - more Mexican food, more good. Camille, the baby, was loving on Mr.Tom as usual. He's such a ladies man - though the boys love him too.
This week has been watching movies and sleeping in very late. Tom didn't get any hours this week despite his efforts but what a perfect time for that huh? We went to the library which we haven't been able to do in forever. Tom got a huge stack of comic books and I got books on tape and a knitting book for men (I'm very butch in taste). I've gotten through (on tape) The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym by Poe - very fun to listen to an adventure, very bizarre ending however, a little unsatisfying; I keep thinking I haven't finished it but then remember with slight annoyance 'Ah yes, huge white figure in the fog! Excellent, excellent ending.' My mom sometimes would rent us old fashioned mysteries on tape when we were sick and our eyes were too tired to watch T.V. She would make us Jello too because we'd always ask for it. And she'd go to the store and buy it and crackers and 7up and wait on us hand and foot and never act like it was any trouble. She'd make me spaghetti for breakfast. She was the best at taking care of us when we were sick or sad. One time, living in Idaho, I went to Brooke's house and was really sad about something and she laid me down in her bed and put on a mystery on tape she happened to have and turned a fan on my face and took care of me the same kind of way. She's going to be a good mom.
Now I'm listening to A Death In the Family by Agee. It's incredible. I really hope I'm not disappointed at the end because so far it's one of the my favorite stories I've ever heard, I guess, or read. I've just been sitting on the couch knitting, tears streaming down my face and Tom, who was reading and not paying attention to the story didn't know what was going on. But anyway, I did knit. I knit Tom's mom a scarf I'd intended on making as a Christmas gift. I loved the color of the mohair yarn for her but I didn't like what I was doing with it so I made her something else and decided to use the great yarn when I wasn't under a time crunch and could figure out something I liked that she would like. Anyway, I finished it and I really like it - I'm wearing it now. It seems too near Spring to give it to her - it's Autumn colors, really. I might save it til then and forget about an occasion.
I also cut my hair and haven't done so in a while so I was a bit nervous. I just chopped a couple inches though, pretty straight-forward.
I have a few more responsible things to do that I'll hopefully get around to. Mailing things and filling out things and whatever. Tom and I also want to go somewhere natural and beautiful in the area as we never do that and we can't afford to go to the coast (which is what we really want).
Right now though I'm starving. And I'm impatient to get back to my book. Oh books on tape! How practical you are! How wonderfully comforting and convient you are! And free? Gotta love it.
Wish me luck! And God bless whoever is reading this, you must really care about me.