Making the Most of Three Day Weekend

I have been at my company a lot of years and we have a good vacation policy, so the combination means I have quite an accrual of hours banked up.  Unfortunately, my work load has been such that taking more than the odd day off every now and then has meant I am often at the point of maxing out further accrual. Since I have taken so little time off, I need to take a vacation day a pay period or technically I lose the benefit, so I will be trying to get some three day weekends in between now and the week of Christmas.  I might trade for a Thursday as that is when hubby has his day off as he works Saturdays. Today is a teacher workshop day, so no school.  With both daughters home, I was able to clear my calendar in the office.  I brought work home, but that's another issue. .

It's gray and chilly today-typical Minnesota November, but I got a mess of errands done this morning, and in between loads of laundry, am helping my daughter decide what to purge before her move next week.  She baked a double batch of chocolate chip cookies this morning as well, half to take along for her last weekend on the film set. In my last blog, I did a little brainstorming of ways to fight the urge to stay cooped up each night, now that the daylight is so fleeting.  A few things are in motion.  Eating the remaining cookies is not on the agenda.

The moonlight walk wasn't with a friend, but I did take pup for an extra long one last night.  It was already getting a little cloudy, so the moonlight was dim, and not the type that lights up the walking path.  We went an extra few paths and made it a pretty good walk even so.  

I did a good browse of the community ed calendar.  I was disappointed in the contents this time for my interests.  There were lots of yoga, zumba,  and computer classes, of which i should probably be more interested in. but very little crafts and cooking, more what I had in mind.  there is  lefse making class on the 20th, but I have a conflict. I was intrigued with the Over 50 offering of a scotch tasting class, but i am  "under age."  I haven't had that apply to me in 30 years when it comes to having a libation.  It looks like no community ed class then for the near future, but, another catalog starts in January.  It did serve as a reminder to pick up my walking  pin, which for a $15 fee, gives use of the high school field house walking track, much appreciated in the height of winter.

With the extra day off, I'll continue to knock  lot of things of my to do list, today, and put Saturday and Sunday to less mundane  use.  DD#2 folded a load of towels last night, without request, and even gathered up a load of jeans and sweatshirts, and did a load of clothes as well.  I topped off groceries, hopefully the bulk needed for the rest of the month, minus some specif Thanksgiving purchases, and she also put away all the things in the bag.  She might be trying to butter me up for something, but so far, nothing has been asked for.  While I'm catching up on blogs, and we're between laundry loads, She was doing some violin practice, so I've been treated to a a little concert.  She has been playing for three years now, and it is a delight to hear how she has progressed, though she is critical of her skills. 

I popped into the dollar store near my house, not really for anything, but to browse and think ahead to items that are cheap but enhance the holidays.  I picked up some greeting cards, a deal at 2 for $1.00, and I was ahead of the game so they weren't picked over.  I found some cute  stretchy gloves to have extras for purses and the car glove box, and some thin, non-pulling, ribbon type, head bands for DD#2 for basketball season. They have to be the soft ones-no plastic or metal at all. The stretch fabric kind can be quite pricey when you consider how many are lost in a season so at 6 for $1.00, this was  bargain. 

The woman ahead of me was buying an assortment of star shaped bric-a-brac, for what she said was going to be an awards night theme birthday party for her 12 year old daughter.  The last one, she said, so decided to go all out.  she had a bunch of star shaped helium balloons, star candy dishes, and glitter covered star twinkly lights as some of the décor items.  Not trying to be nosy, but heard her total was under $20, so not too bad considering what the party stores would have charged her. She mentioned you can get directions for various party ideas on-line, which include games, recipes, activities, and story lines if you want to throw some role play into the event.  Maybe if i am so bold to have impromptu guests over, I an do a quick internet browse and make it a theme night. Yeah, probably not. 

I need to get back to task -load number three for today will be done soon, and I hope we are the final purging stage.  It would be good to get the usable items out of the house and to the Goodwill or Family Services donation center yet this afternoon. Do you have fun or productive plans for the weekend?  We have wine club tonight, and I am looking forward to some new reds to try.  Have a fabulous weekend.