Current Continuation in shiny things

Lately my job is either overwhelmingly busy or overwhelmingly boring-- there doesn't seem to be a middle ground. Today is an Overwhelmingly Boring day. It's suspiciously quiet, and I'm all caught up. Obviously it's Currents Time.

Current State of the Microcosm as in this little world I have to spend my days inhabiting. Quiet. Peaceful. Poor AR has settled down a bit as far as her sick dog, after crying all of last week and most of this one pretty much non-stop, at least when she's been here. Especially surprising as they are having the dog put to sleep this afternoon. I think this is when I'd be crying all day, but she seems to be all cried out. She's been oddly cheery actually, and has had quite a few students come in and phone, and is being shockingly helpful with each one. She's not just sending them all to me or Mr. Organized like she usually does. Maybe working is taking her mind off the poor dog.

Current Always-Important Weather Report Rain, gloom, not-really-freezing as it's a hair under 50 degrees. Tomorrow will bring more rain and gloom and then.... snow. And blizzard winds. All weekend. It really seems like time for the Winter That Never Ends to move on to the other hemisphere. I'm starting to lose hope that's ever going to happen.

Current Anticipation Not spring, of course, since that's apparently never ever arriving, but I do have a good one. I'm going to New York!!! This is quite exciting - I haven't been to New York in ....30 years??? Other than a change-of-planes at LaGuardia once. I'm sure it's been that long. It was when I was married to First Husband and we were living in DC. His sister got married and we took the train up for the wedding. It's shocking how little I remember about it - I think we only spent one night, in his sister's teeny-but-really-cool-because-hellllllooo!! New York City!!!-apartment.

This time it's a Girl's Weekend, and I'm going with my cousins- Cousin E, for all of you who knew her from Open Diary, and her two sisters. We attempted to arrange a Girl's Weekend when she turned 50 (she's the oldest), which was... ummmmmm... nearly six years ago. Cousin MJ, who is the youngest of us, turned 50 last fall. (Obviously we are no longer "girls", but hey, Old Lady Weekend doesn't have quite the same exciting ring to it). Their aunt on their dad's side died last year, and they ended up with a TON of jewelry she'd hoarded/collected over her long life. Individually the pieces weren't valuable, but sold on eBay.... well, they made a shocking amount of money, and decided to use it to finance a fun weekend, because that's something Aunt Mildred would totally approve of. And they invited me along!

So the last weekend in April, we're headed to NYC! I'm flying to Baltimore, then catching a ride with Cousin E to Delaware where the other two live, and then we will drive into the city. Which I'd never ever in a zillion years do myself, but Cousin J is way braver than I am - and has driven into the city before. We're going to see Wicked on Broadway, but so far have no other firm plans. I'm quite excited -- to see New York again, to have a fun trip coming up, and to actually spend quality time with all three cousins- quite the rare event since we all grew up and developed responsibilities. No husbands, no kids!!! I think Cousin MJ especially needs this, as her kids are still pretty young- 7 and 11, I think. Cousin J's are teenagers, and Cousin E's are grown (the "baby" is in grad school). And mine are cats, so I don't need to escape them but it will still be a great getaway. From my...lack of responsibilities.

Current Amusement

This is a little blurry and hard to see, but Ken Fitlike, who some of you probably knew from OD, posted this on my Facebook timeline. It's a lovely pint of beer that he is sipping in Petershead, Scotland... which was brewed in Asheville NC. My home town, 80 miles from here! Asheville HAS in recent years earned the title Beer City USA, but that was still kind of a shock. What a teeny world we live in!