Finally, A Break.

I made it through finals. I was excited. Now I am just waiting for grades to be posted and whatnot. With Christmas coming around the bend, I am enjoying this, in my opinion, well-deserved break, by "vacationing" with my brother in Missouri (exciting, I know . . . ) Tomorrow I will be driving back to the city to nap for the rest of the day, so I can wake up early on Saturday to catch a flight to Chicago with John to go and see my mother. This is my first winter without her, so I'm going to go out and get some nice bouquets of Christmas flowers to put on her grave. I think she'd appreciate it, since she always loved the flowers in the wintertime. John's going for support. I suppose he thinks I am going to break down completely and throw myself across the tombstone or something (even though I told him I would do no such thing.) I think he just wants a reason to go to the big city and not have to deal with the big foreign family reunion that is awaiting him in St. Louis (which we are going to anyways, but just arriving a day late.) I'll get to hear him translate for me Norwegian and all those funky languages his family speaks. I told him it sounded like fun, but he just shook his head and laughed at me. I guess I don't understand.

Driving Makes Me Sleepy.

John and I got back from St. Louis today at around 6ish. The trip was enjoyable. We went around to all the museums, visited his parents, ate some really nice "cuisine," etc. The killer about trips like these is always that long 4 hr drive back. It just gets so monotonous. I tried to not fall asleep. I willed myself to not fall asleep. But alas, I fell asleep, which was bad on my part because I had so much work that I could have been doing. When we got home neither of us felt like putting together dinner, so instead we got some carry-out Chinese. It was sub-par to the meals I have been having lately . . . just a tad bit too salty.

Well, I better go and get some more sleep. I have a final to take in the morning . . . yay.

Waiting for My Ears to Thaw.

I just got home. It was a late night at the office again and I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to end up just the same, since class isn't in session on Friday and next week is finals week. I am just tired of dealing with people. It gets so repetitive after a while that I get so wound up and I never have a chance to deflate.

It is still cold here. I lost all feeling in my face in the walk from my car to the flat. I lost my hat with the poof-ball on top and cozy ear flaps on the sides, so everything just hits me right in the face. I tried to wrap my scarf so it would kind of block the wind out, but alas, it didn't work.

I was so glad when I got in to see the John was still here and had kept dinner warm in the oven. It was a nice warm vegetarian lasagna with rye and garlic toast, a side of fresh broccoli and snow peas all tumbled together, finished with the best fruit pastry I have ever had (it was from the gourmet bakery down the street). Yum! Yesterday he surprised me with, not tomato soup like he said; instead, it was fusilli pasta in a Gorgonzola and walnut sauce with a side of very delicious winter melon soup. It was superb beyond all comparison.

Tomorrow I think he's planning something with chicken or turkey . . . some kind of poultry. I'm looking forward to it. I told him to not begin cooking it until later in the evening though, because I don't want it to be cold when I come home . . . that always kind of ruins it. Friday, however, on my day off we're driving over to St. Louis to visit his parents for the day. We're staying up there for the entire weekend though, to take in the environment and lifestyle, go see the art museum (it always has good exhibitions), and mingle with some of John's old college friends that still live in the area. It'll be nice, since I never get to go anywhere new unless its for work or school. I've forgotten what it feels like to actually have fun and enjoyment while on holiday.

Anyways, my feet are getting cold and I am having a really strong craving for some hot chocolate. Weird, I know. I think I'll go and put the kettle on to make some.

An Early Leave Makes for a Great Surprise.

I actually got to go home early today! I mean, yeah, I was planning on coming home early anyways, but I'd like to think that I was somehow scamming the system to do so . . . it makes me feel like I am actually accomplishing something.

The real reason for my early leave is that I had a doctor's appointment. It was boring. I always hate sitting in that little room with the bed/chair thing draped in that white meatpacking paper. Its too sanitary, too clean. I suppose I'm healthy (I know that all any reader is thinking about right now is 'I wonder what she's got'). It was just one of those 'routine' once every couple of months checkups. The doctor prescribed a different brand of sleeping pills, the others I was taking weren't working. That was about it. Then I went home.

Now, I am going to take a nap or something. John's over, making an early dinner or late late lunch. He said it was going to be tomato soup or something, but I didn't see him bring in any tomatoes. I'm guessing that was just a cover and that it is going to be a surprise.

Sleeping with Soup.

Its Sunday night and I'm at the office, like I have been for the past four nights. I have learned to live here. I think if I brought in a sleeping bag I could unfurl it underneath my desk and nobody would even know . . . and then I wouldn't even have to think or worry about the commute home. It's getting boring here, and I had to take a break, so I thought I would write something. The only thing I have to look forward to for the rest of the day, is that John said he was making soup for dinner tonight, and he making at my place so I don't even have to walk up the street to get it. He said it'd be ready when I got home . . . whenever that is. I wonder what kind it is . . . he makes such good soup, with little chunks of everything fresh and delicious. Plus, its like 20 degrees outside with this nasty biting wind. It makes the day even worse.