You know it's time for a vacation...

when you have exchanges like this while standing in the lunch buffet line with the big boss at work.

BB: "So, are these fajitas or something?"
Me: "It's, like, a taco bar, dude."
BB deadpans: "It's. Like. A. Taco. Bar. Dude."
Me, not unkindly: "That's what I said!"

The exchange continues.

Me: "Don't worry, sometimes I'm nice."
BB: "Oh really? I'd like to see that!"
Me: "Someday...stay tuned."

Yeah. Then, a couple days later BB introduces me to a new faculty member, referring to him jokingly as "a new baby faculty." I turn to NF and say, "Aw, baby faculty, how cute. Woodja! Woodja!"

Clearly I see career advancement in my future! Don't you? Em and I had recently talked about needing to find a new wild card to invite to my parties (we always seem to have one, but none are in the picture now), but it turns out that I'm the wild card of my own life.

Anyway, France is really calling to me, only now I'm referring to it as Frahnce for some reason in my most pretentious voice. I leave in just a couple of days, and I'm working on packing early for once. I'm changing some of my procrastinating ways. Maybe I'm growing up. I've always been a bit of a late bloomer. I'm also taking a baby computer with me on the trip, so I hope to have time to blog on our adventures.

I adore the girls I tutor. Sometimes, at the end of the day at work, I'm tired and sort of dread having to go to the center. But, from the moment I arrive I'm happy to be there, and the time zips by. I've had really good sessions with the students lately, and both are excited about my trip. One shared with me that she wants to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and has told her dad he will have to take her there someday. I think I'll need to bring them back something Eiffel Towery.

Yesterday was lovely. For the first part of the day, I babysat two of my favorite kids (four and one and a half), and I had a blast with them. Spending time with little ones engages your brain in a different way, and I forget how much I love that. We played outside for a long time, and they just made me smile so much. It was great getting to catch up with my good friend, too, when the kids went down for a nap.

Last night, I got together for a fun gossip and Flight of the Conchords evening with girlfriends. We chatted for hours. Before heading over, I stopped at the new Trader Joe's in Ballard. I like it lots! It's much more spacious than the one on Roosevelt, and I gotta tell ya there were many hot men shopping there last night. Homina. It was a totally enjoyable experience. Then, I had a funny conversation with the checker as he rang up my various snack items.

Checker (in a certain tone of voice that hinted at trouble): "So, have you tried this spinach dip before?"
Me: "No. Why? Is it not good? Should I put it back?"
C: "Well, honestly, I don't like it. But, give it a try, and if you don't like it, bring it back. We'll exchange it for something else." He then launches into a mini-rant about the lack of good dip at TJs.
Me: "Um, ok. Well, I'm taking it to a get together..."
C: "Oh! Well. Let's just take this off then." Summons over a manager to remove the item from my bill.
Me: "Thanks for saving me from bringing something bad."
C: "I believe that's what would be called a party foul."
Me: "Yeah, generally I try to avoid being a dud."

C ended up tossing the dip into my bag so I could "try it to make up my own mind," but he cautioned me with the warning, "but don't take it to the party." Since I was heading directly to my friend's, I did bring it with me and left it in her fridge. So now I'll have to find out from her how bad it really is. Sigh.

I can't believe tonight is the finales of Big Love and FotC already! Boo. They've been excellent.

Talk to you all from Frahnce!