Different Kind of Busy

Well, my semester is over, and the summer one hasn't yet begun, but I'm still running around, just with different things.

First I'll explain "pot luck."  That's a kind of get-together in which each family that comes brings something to eat that gets put out on a buffet table.  In the olden days (like the 1970s) everyone would make something that she was known to make well (yes, it almost always was a woman who cooked).  I had an aunt that would bring her crab-meat salad and another who would bring her homemade pickles and barbequed venison in a crock pot.  These days, most people don't bother to cook.  They'll grab Kentucky Fried Chicken or a container of cookies from the supermarket bakery.  When they do cook, it will often be something like a brownie mix with something added (such as M & Ms or nuts).  Also, men sometimes make things now.

Pot lucks are done for office parties, family get-togethers, and club get-togethers (and I'm sure many other times).  It gives people the chance to eat together relatively cheaply, and for those who still cook, a chance to show off a recipe.  I imagine there are pot lucks in Australia, but they have a different name.  I doubt Americans were the only ones clever enough to come up with this way to eat together cheaply.

I finished my final exam a week ago.  I had to work in the office a bit last week, and then I tried to get a lot of things caught up.  I did some gardening.  I've got a number of zinnia and bean seeds planted, and I've weeded a few areas of my garden.  I've also put in some summer squash seeds, but I'll probably try starting the plants from seeds, too, to assure I get a crop.  The chickens sort of dug up where I planted.  I'm harvesting a few pea pods every day, and I just eat them raw right out of the pod.  I've also got some radishes, red romaine, kale, and Swiss chard ready to eat.

For the second time ever, I went on a field trip at the kids' school.  I went during the day (so it didn't interfere with watching K before or after school) to J's field trip last Friday to the Virginia Historical Society.  It was quite interesting. 

Last Thursday evening, I went to the Pinning Ceremony (nursing graduation) for the semester that just graduated.  I passed out programs and served cake.

I more-or-less cleaned my closet, and now I can shut the door again.  I am also slowly working on getting my bedroom cleaned up.  I really let things get away badly when school got so busy.

N had a field trip last Friday, too.  He had lunch at a nice hotel with his sewing class (they are also learning manners).  He had to dress up in a tie and jacket.  I borrowed the jacket from a friend of mine, and I dropped it off at the dry cleaners this morning.  This is N dressed up for his luncheon.

I had to take the monthly report to the post office today.  It is due at corporate tomorrow, and I overnighted it (I always do).  Mr. K hadn't given me a certain piece of data until this weekend so I couldn't send it any earlier.

Last Friday J had to be dropped off at a Girl Scout fund raiser of running a concession stand at a dance recital.  She worked for four hours and loved it.  She wanted to work Saturday, too, but Saturday was the local parade.  We went there instead.  N sold barbeque there with his Boy Scout troop.  The girls and I went to look around and watch the parade.

I've been taking N to school for the past 3 even-dated mornings of school for math practice.  I forgot to take him today, and he wasn't about to remind me.  He has one more review left in two days, and I'll try not to forget it. 

I feel like I'm running in all directions at once.  I put off so many things to work on school.  I'ver got one more week until my next term begins, but I'm not taking nursing classes so I shouldn't be quite so busy.

I did sign the kids up for the swim team.  N's training begins today after school.  I think they're just working on strength-building this week and won't actually get in the pool.  I'm guessing they'll all hate it, but I'm hoping they'll come out of the summer much stronger swimmers.

I think we're having a Boy Scout pot luck in another week.  I'll try to come up with some recipe to make.  If I can find the time, I prefer to try to cook something than to just buy it.   Last year I made a homemade chocolate cheesecake, but it was such a hot day I should have brought ice to keep it on until serving time.  If I had a lot of ambition, I could try to make many, many dinner rolls.  That would probably go over well.  I do prefer to do desserts, though.  I know we are having left over barbeque from the sale at the parade provided by the troop.

I think I'll wash my sheets.  It has been great to have enough time to keep my sheets as clean as I'd like to (sad but true).