THE LONGEST WEEK EVER

Was this week long for anyone else? Initially characterized by the onset of Mercury Retrograde, which took a while for me to remember about, i was in a pissy mood all last Sunday until i remembered what the hell was going on. Simply being around people was irritating. So i went for a long, lovely walk, and read for a while.

That having been said, this week was long. Work was actually pretty good -- i even moved back to my "old" desk space at work, and it is lighter there and feels more like "home." Things that became obvious to me over the course of the week:
1. It looks like i really need glasses. I don't know what it is, but a couple weeks ago, i noticed while i was at the museum that i couldn't read the little words on the plaques next to paintings as well as i could while i was at the Louvre last April. Then this week, shit hit the fan. I can't focus on my computer screen! The muscles around my eyes hurt from moving back and forth and squinting! Looks like i'll have to get a check-up.
2. Someday i'll have to open up a vegetarian restaurant in France. A year ago on April Fools' day, i flew out of Boston for Paris, and MAN was it lovely. Website still to come. While i was there, i noticed a severe lack of vegetarian options on menues. And while i was reading A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle on the train this week, i realized why: at France, you mostly pay one fee for the one meal that's being done that day. It's easier, since they have so many danged courses. Since at least half of the courses involved meat, i never ate at any of the restaurants there other than creperies. Not that there is anything wrong with those, but i missed sitting down at a restaurant and having a whole danged meal. I met plenty of vegetarians while i was there, though, so it occured to me that a vegetarian restaurant in France is just going to have to happen, and it might be by me.
3. I have once again been reminded of why chocolate is so wonderful. Does this really need any explaining? It's a stress reliever. In a similar vein, I LOVE COFFEE.
4. I won't be able to look for a job while i'm trying to enjoy life outside of work and while i'm studying for the GRE's. It's just not feasible. So that has gone on the back burner. Thank god work has been getting better.
5. I am now the proud owner of the cutest ducky stuffed animal that has ever graced the earth.

So, this is Easter Weekend, and i didn't go out hunting for kegs on the Easter Keg Hunt at Hampshire, nor did i hang out in the Luxemburg Gardens like i did last year. But Dan and i made this a wonderful Easter Weekend nevertheless. Yesterday, we did SHIT. It was so nice. We woke up late, sat around, might have made lunch or something, and then we made our way to a pep rally for the Maine Black Bears (who unfortunately lost the NCAA hockey championship to the Denver turkeys, or whatever the hell they're called, but that's what their mascot looks like) because our friend Stef was playing in it! Actually the previous night we were blessed with her presence, and we went out to dinner at the Common Ground Bar and Grill. Good place. It was so great to see her, and she liked our apartment. Anyhow, i have been out of the sports crowd for far too long to seriously get into the pep rally, which was terminally lame, but the band was GREAT. Seriously. And Stef? The pep of the crowd -- the life of the pep, if you will. So cute, she's featured on TV for it. Last night? Matt, his girlfriend Laura, Dan and I finally watched Citizen Kane. What a great film! I can totally see why it became such a seminal text.

Yesterday's laziness was offset by the productivity and movement of today. Today, being Easter and the day of fertility, Dan and i celebrated by going to the Arsenal Mall on Memorial Drive -- all of which was closed (DUH) except for the Home Depot, which we were planning on going to to get potting soil and some new plant pots. I am going to repot my plants! Next, we went grocery shopping, and THEN, we went on a long beautiful walk. I wanted to bring him to the park at the top of Summit Hill that i discovered last week in my travels. It's really easy to miss since all the roads in that area entirely skirt around the base of the hill. I found it through one of the many enjoyable paths in Brookline. Then tonite, i baked! I threw together some dough for some basic white bread, and i kneaded the hell out of it enjoying every violent bit. I tell ya, no bread machine for me. I like to beat up dough. While that was rising i threw together some banana bread, which, other than being oily, came out VERY well. Bread, banana bread, hot in the oven while i sauteed some onions, garlic, and summer squash to go on spaghetti. Mmmm. I felt very happy throwing all this stuff together. Did the bread come out well? MMMMMMMM. One out of one Dan's agree, Lindsay's bread came out well.

Hurray for a wonderful weekend! Let's hope this week goes by quickly, because we'll be going to Maine next weekend!

And let me not forget to mention that Dan, the sweetest ever, got up at 4:30 this morning to make an Easter Egg hunt for me. It was so sweet and i was so excited, i actually did the hunt before i ate my breakfast. He sures knows how to make me smile.