Spring Break

It really seemed like every single family in our city left for the week of spring break! Nearly all of The Banana’s friends and most of Mr. TOF’s friends were vacationing in tropical destinations, and many of my students as well. I don’t ever remember a break when so many people left for so many interesting trips all at once, and it seemed a little weird since we were having such a warm, easy winter. Also, usually when people go far away places, they seem to do it during our February break. I don’t blame them. If there is a month to vacation away from Northern Minnesota, I think February is the time. But this was not February break. It was April break, and a late one at that.

Needless to say, my kidlets had spring break envy. We didn’t have big plans. On the first Sunday of spring break The Banana created a tropical viewfinder at the kids activity table in church, because she was dreaming of surfing in Hawaii.

We did not go to Hawaii, but on Wednesday, when I wasn’t teaching, The Banana (extremely bored by this point since there was no one to do anything with) convinced me to go get a pedicure with her. She even made the appointment (but I had to pay the bill!!!!!). It was my first pedicure ever, and while I was reluctant to the extreme, I did enjoy it in the end. It took me quite a bit of time to manage to relax into the relaxing experience, but I got there. I liked the foot soaking and massage part best. I never paint my toenails or fingernails, but my toes are currently a lovely deep purple. They’ve mostly been hiding out inside my socks, though, since it hasn’t been overly warm outside or inside.

After the pedicure The Banana watched Peanut Maximus while I took Mr. TOF to Barnes and Nobles so we both could spend our Christmas gift cards. I found several excellent volumes of poetry. Then Mr. TOF watched Peanut Maximus while The Banana and I drove down to the high school and parked the car to walk three or four miles on the Lakewalk to our favorite restaurant. We ate pasta and then walked back, which was fun and good exercise. It was perfect walking weather: forty degrees with a gentle brisk breeze.

On Friday we took a whirlwind trip to North Dakota to pick up our meat that had been waiting in my mom’s freezer. We briefly got to see Grandma Kathy along the way, and then spent the night at Grandma Robbie’s house. Peanut Maximus was a surprisingly good traveler thanks to lots of interaction from his big brother in the car, and he was a big fan of the wide open spaces on the farm to run around. In fact, he dragged a snow shovel all over the farmyard.

We drove back home later in the day on Saturday so we would have Sunday to prepare for the upcoming week.