Moving On....

Word is out.  I'm moving.

What's that you say, you know my house is for sale?

No, I'm seriously moving on.

To Florida!  YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT!

I am so excited.  Scared.  Happy.  Eager.  A bit anxious.

I have a new job in Florida working "in-house" which means no more billable hours, no more marketing,  no more cool shoes because I can't afford them  - oh well.

Yes, I am moving closer to the Captain.  A.  Lot.  Closer.  We are not sure yet if we are sharing a roof.  But we are definitely going to be in the same town.  Imagine.  Dinner together.  Perhaps Breakfasts together.  Working out together.  Maybe catching a movie.  Doing chores.  Gardening.  Trips to Home Depot. 

I seriously cannot wait.

I told BossMan yesterday that I am leaving.  It was really really hard to do.  I do love my Big DC Firm.  I love my friends here (9 years worth!).  I have a great firm and my practice group is one of the best in the country in our practice area.  I have a LOT of friends here.  And it will be hard to leave.

They have tried to woo me back.  But they just can't compete with the CAPTAIN!

I am not moving until the end of July/beginning of August.  I still have a house to sell.  I have kids coming from Spain in July.  But I am leaving my Firm June 10, flying to Ft. Lauderdale June 10, picking up my new laptop and new blackberry and a pile of cases June 13, and flying back to MD June 15 where I will "work from home" until late July.  Sweet deal.

It's an adventure to be sure.  It's a lot of change all at once, but changes I have been contemplating for years.  I think it's the right thing, the right opportunity, and I'm excited!  When I'm not trembling. 

And? My Firm offered me a safety net - in writing - that if it doesn't work out, I can come "home."  I told you it's an awesome place that will be hard to leave.

But coming home from work and looking out on the water, hold the Captain's hand and staring out at the sunset?  Priceless 

Yes the "Change the title of the Blog" contest is still on - so now this gives you more ideas, right?  You still have until June 1 to suggest titles!!!!

Secret Momentary Delights

Some random happenings lately that have made me smile.

1. Talking to opposing counsel in Court, apologizing for my coughing, feverish sickness transmitted by kids. She says, "OH I bet you're in those daycare years, huh?" And I say, "No they are twin 17 YO's." And her look of shock.

2. Sitting in the car in the parking lot awaiting the start of Son's Rugby game b/c it's freaking freezing outside so we're waiting til the last possible second, "talking" with the Captain, and Ex walks up to the Car, right as I'm kissing the Captain.... (I didn't promise not to be a little snarky)

3. Standing in front of the Court seemingly between a rock and a hard place, when suddenly "the Spin" hits you and you're on solid footing again.

4. Your teenagers "demanding" that you go to your Parents' house for Easter - a 6 hour drive - because they miss them.

5. Your 17 YO senior announcing she has Straight A's - despite the fact that she has already been accepted to all colleges, has received a scholarship and by all rights should have a major case of senior-itis by now but that hasn't yet dawned on her.

6. Your 17 YO Daughter and Son letting down all reservations and teaching the Captain to play Kaluki (Jamaican cards) on a Friday night, complete with insults, giggles, and down right mean card playing, showing his acceptance. Finally. (Two-fer - your teenagers playing cards with you on Friday night!)

7. Your Daughter admitting she isn't very good at breaking up with her boyfriend - and you laugh together because apparently - with the Captain here for the weekend - you have the same "problem."

8. Putting the top down on the convertible in early March.

9. Sticking to your LOSE IT "iTouch" apps diet for a whole week and actually losing weight.

10. Realizing you are within 4 weeks of your Jamaican Vacation.

11. Finally finally finally teaching Stinky Butt to roll over!!!

An Easter Gift

Saturday, the day before Easter, I knocked out a ton of the chores on my list, then turned to Work and Trial Prep.



Sitting on the couch with Stinky while Queen Bee snored in her bed on the floor, around 7pm I heard my text ring. Daughter with a message: "We're heading home tonight [a full day early] - around 1030 or 11 will u be up?" YES!!!!! She said she'd come right over.



Now I am not deluding myself into thinking she's coming over to see me. No - I know after 7 or 8 days away from her Precious Stinky, she was coming over to see her Puppy. But I'll take her any way I can get her.



She came running in, bubbling with information and excitement over the prospective college visits and sharing with me the details of her acceptance into the Peer Ministry program** at her high school.



I shouldn't be catty, I know, but can I say I was grateful when I heard the words, "Don't ever make me go anywhere ever again with Dad and Brother....." And other comments about how much she missed me and how I would've understood what she wanted or expected. This the girl who gave me pretty much the cold shoulder before leaving on her trip. Ah the fickleness of a Teenager.



I am excited to know she has found a couple of schools she really likes - and that she is back to thinking she wants to go to school in FLORIDA. YEAH!! (her first choice school is currently in Florida! Yeah! But we're a LONG way from a decision) I'm glad the trip was a success and she has more of an idea where she wants to go. I'm soooooo glad she missed me. Really missed me. And, get this, apparently appreciates me and how much I understand her!



Huh?



Oh doesn't hurt that I just happened to have chocolate cake waiting for her - she gave up Chocolate for Lent. She hung out with me til midnight and then scarfed it down. And said THANKS more times than I could count. Who says you can't buy love with Chocolate Cake?!



Son came over, too, for a bit. Mostly to steal Queen Bee. DRD wasn't next door that night - she was still at the kennel, so Son wanted a Dog, too. I traded him Queen Bee for his attendance at Church on Easter. What? Can't I bribe him to go to Church? I think Jesus would approve...maybe.



Anyway, Son is a bit more into the college search thing now. He thinks he still wants to go Way North so he can snowboard. But he's keeping an open mind. Both kids have completely and totally crossed of Ex's school from their list. I'm convinced Ex is not going to be happy unless one of the kids goes there. But they both do not like his school - waaaay too big. I figured that out a long time ago, but kept my mouth shut. At this stage in the game, I want the kids to try to whittle things down themselves without being told how to think. Aren't they supposed to be preparing for college? Somehow they have to get this through their dad's head.



So Easter Morning the kids showed up. Our church is very casual, but being Easter I asked, "Please no jeans." Son went waaaay further than that and donned a tie. So handsome! Daughter took some of "our" clothes - we have a few outfits we've bought together that we technically share. We laughed when we realized we were all in shades of blue.

So my "first holiday alone"? Yeah, not so much. It was a wonderful Easter Surprise.

A new Discovery and narrowly avoiding Stitches

Once Upon a time I had a nice, new, sharp set of these:

But alas, over time they became very very dull and couldn't even cut this...

I tried stone and various sharpeners, but to no avail. My kitchen guests and fellow chefs complained, until I found this:

And voila, in 15 minutes I sharpened every single knife in my house to a perfect, razor sharp edge, knives as good as new. Except I forgot and while cutting this in my hand
I was reminded just how sharp the knives were, as one sliced swiftly through the entire avocado and right through this in 0.2 seconds....

It's only bleeding a little now....

edited to add: this whole incident had me cracking up b/c it is is so typical of a day in my kitchen! My cooking episode is not complete without a burn or a cut. No worries!

When Life Imitates Art

Ever mock a silly, stupid commercial, only later to realize they weren't lying???

As an attorney who specializes in false advertising, I watch all commercials with just a tad of skepticism. This one didn't get my attorney bells going off, I just found it annoying...



Then one day, my grocery store is running a ridiculous sale, and having chunked on a few extra pounds, I decide to load up the fridge with yummy yogurt (if there is such a thing) and get rid of the 10 pounds. I tend to stick to boring flavors like strawberry. No wonder I get tired of it after 1 day and the other 10 containers sit well past their "eat it before it tastes like a cross between sour cream and cottage cheese" date. And I see this flavor called "Apple Turnover." I like pie. I like apple pie. Apple turnovers? A sin from my youth I haven't tasted in ages. Can't even begin to count those calories. So I daringly splurge $1 on a few containers. I get home and try one...

Oh. My. Goodness. I run upstairs to Daughter, who can't even LOOK at a container of yogurt, never mind taste one. Has always Hated It. I beg her to try it - and she snatches it out of my hand after one bite and declares it "hers." I kid you not. And we start going off about how good it is. And I am embarrassed to admit, we sound like the damned commercial....

Oh, the boston creme pie and white chocolate mousse? Not so good. Definitely false advertising there. But Yoplait Light fat Free Apple Turnover? It's better than Mrs. G's secret boyfriends good...

The Joys and Dangers

The most obvious benefit of Next Door is making it easier on the whole sharing the kids scenario - but it has its downside. They pop in at all hours of the day and night, unexpected, unannounced, scaring the pants off you. Like the morning I was on the treadmill, iPod blaring, preparing for an upcoming race, "in the moment" imagining coming down the homestretch when suddenly there is a PERSON standing next to me at 5:30am, looking for a forgotten something for school. And I thought my heartrate couldn't get any higher. Or after a late night of salsa dancing - really late - and they come bopping in the next morning at 7:30 a.m. looking for something for a trip with Dad. It's great that the first thing they want to do is say hello...but jeez...and we won't even go into the whole idea of dating. Not them, me, silly. Well, I'm up now, guess I'll get some chores done. So much for sleeping in.....