I AM Still Alive

Hi All - I am very sorry I have not been posting. It has been very crazy. I have so much to post but no time to do it. Work is OUT OF CONTROL. Every night I am doing much work. Some is because I didn't keep up,. but more is because they keep adding on more and more things for us to do. I am SERIOUSLY thinking about trying to become a social studies teacher next year to avoid some of this work. Teaching is all about the paperwork and it leaves little time for the creativity which I love. The condo is still a mess and it is getting to me - A LOT. I got the microwave and stove, and most of the cabinets are in but a few. The contractor doesn't clean up and it is very frustrating.

On a positive note - my mom, sis in law and best friend threw me a baby shower on Saturday which was unbelievably cool. I will post when someone sends me the pics. It was the greatest. All kinds of great people there.

Pizza Hut Lime

In Trinidad hanging out is called liming. A party is called a lime. So here are some pics of my Pizza Hut Lime. Yes, that is ketchup on pizza - common in Trinidad - also pepper sauce and mustard. Hayden and I planned to go out with Auntie Julie and Michelle. Then we added Lincoln and his wife, Natasha. J and M live close to each other so they met and H, L, N and I drove to meet them. Michelle and Natasha already knew each other. That is how it is in Trinidad. And that is how it is with Michelle - everywhere we go she sees someone she knows.

Tobago Sunset

I grabbed the camera and went into the water. I thought it would be a better shot.

Vacation Pics

Still on vacation, but posting some pictures. These are of the place I stayed in Tobago. There was an orange tree, two mango trees, and a chrry tree beside the pool. It seems I can only upload two pictures at a time so this is it for this post. I will have to do another for the sunset and Pizza Hut "lime."

Cabinets

I am almost all packed for Trinidad. Just thought
I would post the cabinets. They are in, but not IN! They came today. Still resolving wall issues.

A Little Update & and Lot of Stress

The latest (not the greatest) of what is going on. In short - I decided to go with the painters the contractor suggested. I was supposed to get skim coated walls and then paint the colors of my choice. There was a color mishap - my fault - sort of. But the walls are not skim coated and are all patchy and irregular. It was one of those situation where you are so angry/frustrated/stressed that you can't see straight. I still have not resolved it. We will see what happens.

FYI - The color that looks pinkish/brown is NOT the color I wanted. I picked a dark color called October Bronze and a lighter color calleded Honey Pot. I wanted the living room and hall to be Honey Pot, but when I saw how it looked in the kitchen I thought it was too dark for the halls and living room coupled with the Oct Bronze so I called the paint store and asked them to lighten the honey pot, but they lightened the Oct Bronze instead and now it looks pinkish/orange-ish/brown. On a positive note - I do like the color of the bathroom. I wasn't sure but I do like it. Oh - the white color in the living rooom is called Cowslip and that is the baby's room.

Not Much Going On

I figured I would post just in case anyone is out there checking. I love weekends, but somehow they seem so short. I basically have the same routine every weekend. FLY out of work on Friday (we get out 371/2 minutes earlier than M-TH). I pack my laundry and whatever I need for the weekend in my car and drive directly to my mom's. I go to Curves and then to my brother's house to see the kids, brother and sis in law (mom comes after she gets off work). Normally they have pizza on Fridays. This Friday my sis in law tried something new which I thought was good - pizza but made on a whole wheat wrap - tasty! And I am sure less fattening. Sat is back to Curves and then running errands. I don't like to shop in Queens because it is so crowded, parking is difficult (sometimes you have to pay meters :( or worse yet - a parking garage :(:( So I normally just shop on weekends. Sometimes I babysit my niece and nephew (as I am doing right now) which I really enjoy. They are fun to spend time with. Sundays I try to get back to Queens to go to church (but sometimes I just stay on LI). Every other Sunday I have to type up the lessonplans for the week. One of the other 2nd grade teachers and I alternate typing the plans. We plan it out at work, but take turns typing. This week there are only 3 days so I did last week and this week and will not have to do the plans for the week we get back. Then there are my Sunday shows - Extreme Home Makeover, Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters.