A Day Off

Tuesday was Veteran's Day, and consequently, I didn't have to work that day! Hooray! I cannot tell you how much I needed the break. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the deadlines coming closer, plus the stress of the move, finding and getting comfortable in a new ward, rehearsals every night, and life-changing news from several members of my family. The last couple of months have been hectic. I'll freely admit that I'm pretty jealous about my free time, so not having any free time at all is added stress. I probably could have used a whole week off, but I was grateful for the day.

I started the day by staying in bed until 11am. I woke up at my regular time and dozed a little -- I find lying in bed to be so relaxing, don't you? When I finally dragged myself out, I cleaned my condo from top to bottom. It felt so good! My home has been sorely neglected in the cleanliness department for the past couple weeks, and with work and rehearsals getting intense at the same time, I don't know when the next chance to deep clean will be. Hopefully I can maintain so it won't need as much work next time...

Sunday, I had invited my family to lunch for Tuesday's holiday, but it turns out most of them had to work. Luckily, Mom and Gram were both free, so they joined me at the Training Table for some "All-American" cuisine. I was pretty excited to finally walk across the street to eat at the restaurant, which I'd been wanting to do pretty much since I moved in. It's not necessarily that I'm a huge fan of the Training Table; mostly I just think it's cool the restaurant is literally across the street from where I live! Having my mother and grandmother there was a total bonus, and we ate our onion rings, cheese fries, and burgers (well, I had a chili dog -- YUM!!) and chatted about whatever popped into our heads. It was a pleasant way to pass the time.

After lunch, Mom and Gram decided to do some shopping, but I really just wanted to sit around for awhile, so I did. I had a bunch of movies on my DVR I needed to watch and delete. I managed to get through The Da Vinci Code and most of Armageddon before I had to run to Albertsons for much-needed groceries, and Dancewear Unlimited for footwear for the play. And of course, on the way back home I found a dance store much closer to my place than the one I'd found in the phone book. Boo. Next time I'll know where to go!

I had time to make myself a quick dinner before rushing off to rehearsal, which was where I spent the rest of my evening. True to form, I stayed up much too late, and was really tired the next morning, which was Wednesday but felt like a Monday. What kind of people schedule a holiday for a Tuesday? The rest of the week has felt a bit off. Oh well. Like I said, I really needed the break from work -- the last bit of free time until after the play opens. It was a great day!

Meanwhile, it was Veteran's Day. Did I take the time to call my dad and thank him for serving my country? No, I did not, and I feel badly about that. I am grateful for all those living and who have passed on who defended my country, the people they love, and the freedoms we enjoy. I do my part, too, in my own small way, but I am proud to know many who have and are serving. I hope they enjoyed the day as much as I did.