Those of you who are public educators will know of what I speak.

The dreaded red grading pen.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAA!

Admittedly, most of the time I do not use a red pen. Frankly, I like using other colors, like green or purple. Green is the color of envy and purple is the color of royalty...

neither of which has anything to do with grading homework. But anyway..

I'm using a red pen these days because that's what available. Right now, I'm at the mercy of whatever colored marking utensils are in the pencil jar. Someday I may have to grade in fat Crayolas.

Yes, as an English teacher, there are several weekends throughout the year that must be devoted to grading homework. This weekend looks to be one of them.

It's OK, though, because it's a bunch of short grading tasks. It'll be good. Really.

So....the community theater play is over.

Last night was my first night of freedom. Of completely unadulterated time. Of leisure time to spend in the way I saw fit.

Here's how it went:

First of all, I got home from work about 4:10 in a leisurely manner. Then, our financial planner person stopped by with some paperwork for us fill out. I was a bit miffed that this took the better part of a half-hour. Too much time spent listening to FPP talking about 529 plans. I mean, really, my kids' college educations are important, but I'm supposed to be at leisure.

Then, I did my treadmill running (too damn cold outside). 25 minutes - 2.82 miles...WHOOHOO! After that, I walked up the stairs, sweating...at my leisure.

Brent had prepared supper already and was feeding the children before he hustled them off to soccer practice. SOOO - I was able to enjoy my dinner in relative silence, reading the book "Eragon". At my leisure.

After dinner, I soaked in the tub. Then I graded some assignments. Then I went to bed at nine.

AT MY LEISURE.

Looking forward to doing it again tonight.

Yep! So I'm 33 today. Another year has passed me by. Thank you, Randy and Taylor for the birthday greetings...thank you for remembering and taking the time.

Thank you, John, for the lovely birthday present. Very nice and congratulations on the 180.

Here's what I've learned in the last year. Most of it will probably take another year to implement.

1. Less community service committees, more family.
2. Anything can become part of your routine if it's important enough to
you (i.e. exercise)
3. Women in their early to mid-30's really do hit their sexual peak.
4. Whining and complaining serves absolutely no purpose.
5. Getting up early in the morning (even weekends) is a good thing.

So, last night was the second night of our play...very good crowd, lots of laughter. I got home about ten-forty-five, in bed by eleven. My dad calls at 5:55 this morning and asks if I want to go out to breakfast (see lesson #5). After breakfast, Mom and I hit some garage sales for fun. Then, Brent and the boys and I did groceries. (Kirby was at a Hannah Montana party.) Then I did my 2.5+ mile run and am now enjoying a leisurely lunch. After this, it will be a toss up between watching "Sydney White" and taking a nap. Maybe I will do both. Then, Brent is taking me out to eat before our last play night. I also received a new iPod (1000 songs) and some perfume!

Not bad for an old-timer.

Yesterday was one of those days that no matter what else went on in the world - things were right and happy in my corner of the universe.

We started off the day at church, which, by itself, is not so monumental (in fact, that's something I need to post about). But then, after church, the kids went to Sunday school, and Brent and I snuck off to the local coffeehouse to have a soda and some conversation...instead of going to the adult Sunday school. Sacreligious, I know.

Then, we stopped at Subway and picked up some subs for lunch, picked up the kids, and then went home. There, we saddled up everyone for a 15-minute bike ride to the elementary school playground. We would eat our subs there and play awhile. A very nice ride - Spencer rode by himself, Kirby rode tandem with me, and Brent pulled Elliot in the trailer. We were quite the convoy. Anyway, the weather was nice, clouds were clearing out and temps were reaching into high 60s.

After about an hour, we ride back home. Because of the nice weather, and the absolute need, I spend about an hour power-washing our screened-in deck, followed by another half-hour of deck washing, followed by another hour of power-rinsing. I also hosed off the deck furniture and part of the house. Brent did some other outside stuff.

I come back inside, and take a break by grading a little bit of homework. Within the hour, though, it's time to start supper. Kirby and I had decided earlier this weekend to have banana pancakes, sausage, and hash browns. Now I enjoy cooking, so I liked the three-ring-circus-challenge of doing this meal...between the flipping and pouring of pancakes, stirring of hash browns, and microwaving of sausage, I was having a ball. Not to mention watching the clock, because timing is everything!

After that, I took some provisions over to my school for this coming week, and we went out for ice cream.

So it was a productive and fun weekend...but most of all, I felt like part of a family. With all this play stuff the last six weeks, I've felt a bit alienated from them. However, one more week to go and I'm done with community theater.

Life will be changing around here some in the next few months.

Brent just got his acceptance letter today from Iowa State University. He's going back to school to get his Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instructional Technology - sounds pretty fancy, doesn't it? Basically, he wants to work on computers in schools.

He starts this summer, and it's probably going to be a three-year commitment.

We're probably going to have to tighten up the pursestrings a bit (not a bad thing)and we may have to drop out of some of our outside community involvements (not a bad thing, either).

You all probably thought I was pregnant from reading my first line. Huh.