Eric's longest visit yet!

Eric just left a few hours ago from spending an entire week here! It was great--we hung out with each other and with our friends, celebrated my birthday, did some work around the condo, went to the beach, looked at two subdivisions for house hunting, and watched way too much law & order! It was so fun to have him actually living here, instead of just visiting for a few days. Now that he's gone, the house just feels empty :(

But he will be back in less than a week! Passover starts next Wednesday, so he'll be back sometime on Wednesday, since we're hosting a seder on Wednesday night.

So, some details about our week of fun:

My birthday was on Tuesday, so Tuesday night, Matt, Lan, Steph & Brandon came over and brought cake, yum!

Eric sent flowers too, which was awesome--they were gorgeous!

Then on Wednesday, Eric came to visit! My birthday present from him was this VERY cute dress that we picked out together:

Saturday night we went out for dinner with our friends, and although I was extremely disappointed in the restaurant, it was fun to celebrate with everyone!

Sunday morning, we woke up and I checked Saturday's mail (we were expecting a Netflix delivery!), and found the greatest letter of all time! I PASSED THE BAR!!!!!!!!!! Crazy--I'm still a little shocked and surprised. Oh, and North Carolina released the results over a week early--unheard of! I'm still waiting on my MPRE score to be able to get sworn in, but those results should be back this week or early next week.

Monday, we went to the beach for birthday-day-of-fun! We drove down to Wrightsville Beach, Fort Fisher, and Wilmington for the day, it was a lot of fun! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day:

(Fishing Pier, Wrightsville Beach)

(At the Atlantic!)

(Eric in the Atlantic)

(Beach)

(Aren't we cute?)

(Fort Fisher)

(Fort Fisher)

(Historic Downtown Wilmington, after ice cream :) )

That pretty much sums up the week! Today I registered for the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon, which will be my 8th marathon. Should be fun! I also ordered the greatest toy ever--the Garmin 405! I can't wait to get it (2-4 business days now!)

Tennis, anyone?

So today, I played tennis. Lan, Matt, and their neighbor Anil (am I spelling that right?) and I went to play at the GSK courts, which was a lot of fun. It was about 73 and sunny, so perfect weather for running around outside! And although we lost to Matt & Lan 6-3, 6-2, I think I had a pretty good effort on the day. Apparently tennis is not something I'm a natural at...thanks to lack of hand/eye coordination in sports. But I think with practice, I'll be better at it.

Otherwise, things are status quo here. Eric will be here next weekend for my birthday weekend of fun. I wrote out my training schedule for the Boogie Marathon on June 13, and will start it in earnest tomorrow. This week's plan was just to be consistent. I tweaked long run days so that most of them are actually during the week--I'll run them at Umstead or another not-my-neighborhood place to get some variety; and once I start work, I'll move them to either the evenings or weekends. This week's plan is:

Monday-6 miles

Tuesday-4 miles

Wednesday-5 miles

Thursday-12 miles

Friday-6 miles

Saturday/Sunday: Off

For a total of 33 miles. About an 8 mile jump from what I've been doing the past few weeks, but should be ok since I'm staying there for another three weeks.

Friday was a great day--I spent most of it at Archiver's working on the wedding album. I finished all but one layout of our portraits, and I should be able to finish that layout during the week this week. Yesterday, I ran, then went for dinner at Steph & Brandon's. Steph made pizza, which was awesome--one was eggplant with garlic & cilantro, the other was southwestern--corn, black beans, bbq sauce, and smoked mozzerella. It reminded me again that we need to get a baking stone. They're super useful, and man, they make great pizza!

Tomorrow after my run, I have the world's most exciting day planned. First, oil change and car inspection, then have to take driver's license written test and get my new license, then have to get new tags, since mine expire on Tuesday. Every year I get to thank Georgia for giving me the best birthday gift--a huge bill from the DMV. At least this year I don't have to pay Georgia...just North Carolina. Oy. The day will end with some studying and class. Wow, I lead an exciting life!

Next weekend should be fun. I think part of the weekend will involve playing frisbee of some sort. Apparently there is a story involving Eric and Matt and frisbee golf, but I'm not privy to it yet. Off to watch a movie now, then bed! Happy Spring!

Another Week, Another Update

So...Eric is back to Atlanta today. :( I keep hoping that next time will be the time he gets to stay here for good, but I don't think it will be. This is week 7 of living in North Carolina without him, and while I'm not having trouble filling my time with activities and busy-ness, I wish I didn't have to and we could just live together already!

Rosanne & Marty were here for a visit this weekend, we did all sorts of stuff--dinner at Top of the Hill, the Tobacco Museum, went to a plantation, dinner at Nana's, and some shopping.

Top of the Hill has left our list of go-to restaurants, the service wasn't great, and the food was pretty bad. Note to restaurants where we eat: 1) Rolls should not be a) stale and b) noticeably store-bought. 2) Dense, unflavorful cake should not pretend to be a Blondie. I am a Blondie connoisseur, and will discover this. And I will not be back to your restaurant...Ever.

Nana's was great. We will definitely go back there--Eric and I both had the duck over spetzle with a sweet raisin sauce; it was out of this world delicious! In addition to Ro & Marty, our Penn State friends came too, and everyone had great food (and hopefully a great time!) I did discover that no, I sure don't like beets. Still.

The third restaurant of the weekend was Satisfaction in Durham. Bar atmosphere, but with homemade pizza and ranch dressing...by far the best pizza and best ranch I've had in years (really, best ranch since Pizza Express in Bloomington). Servers were super nice, and it was a nice low-key place to have lunch.

The weather this weekend has been utterly miserable. Poured for four straight days, and didn't get above 45 the whole time. UGH! It's about 60 now, so I'll head out for a run in a little while.

In other news, I'm officially starting my job search today. Eric and I agreed that I would apply for three positions every day until I find something. I've already identified two today, I just have to get my cover letters and resumes together to send out. We're both hoping I find something I love--I went back and forth with a love/hate relationship at my last position, and the emotional stress of the work made it really difficult to get up and actually work many days. It's never a good feeling to feel like you have to change the world, but at the same time knowing nothing you do changes the system--which is the cause of the problems in the first place. So for this round of job hunting (I like to think of it as career path #2), I've done some soul-searching to figure out what I'd like to be doing. This will hopefully provide me (and Eric) with a true work-life balance, and provide me with a much broader base for the work I do--thus lessening the stress load carried, and renewing my love of law and problem solving. So now: need to find a job!

Otherwise, Happy St. Patrick's day! A week from today I'll be another year older (and wiser, thanks to everything we've been through in the last year!) Eric's next visit will be the weekend after my birthday, so 10 sleeps from now. I suppose I'll head out for a run now!

Next Race

Wow, most of my posts have been about running today. Guess that's what's on my mind :)

I printed the application for my next race today. Read the scary/funny disclaimer, and thought I should post it. Probably not for your peace of mind, and probably not to encourage anyone reading to actually come out to the race (except Eric, my aid station!) Here goes...

Waiver and Release

I realize June in North Carolina is hot and humid. Most people and doctors advise against running in heat and humidity. Also, running at night presents special problems such as seeing where you are stepping and watching out for cars. (so far, not bad. here comes the 'uhoh what have i done' part...) I understand that this area has specific hazards such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, polecats, wildcats, and rednecks who like to drink and drive and throw things. (yikes...!) I know that 26 miles can be tough under any conditions but with the possible conditions in this event 26 miles could turn out to be much more of a challenge than I expected. Nevertheless, I like to struggle and really, really want to participate regardless of the expected pain or risk.

(here's the legal mumbo-jumbo part) Therefore, I want everyone to know that I am not being forced to do this event and I agree for myself and any survivors or possible claimants that I may leave behind, to save, release, and keep harmless the Mangum Track Club, its members, the Runners From Hell and any volunteers or sponsors or any other helpers that may be involved with this event from all liability, claims, or demands for damages incurred by participation in this event or any of its parts.

(some more fun...) I assume all responsibility for my participation and certify that I am properly trained, mentally fit, and medically able to participate in this hot, hilly, and possibly night marathon. I agree to use a light after dark. I will not litter. I will not kill snakes....Knowing everything in this waiver has not deterred me from entering this event and my signature below indicates that I have read and agree to all this stuff and still intend to participate. I also promise to have fun.

Mary here: I think this may be the greatest event waiver (or contract generally) that I've ever read. And I'm a lawyer! My jaw dropped after I read it and then read on the web that the only hazard that they have not *yet* seen is a polecat...I thought "what am I getting into!?"

At least Eric will be with the other spectators at the only aid station drinking beer and eating BBQ while I'm out dodging poisonous snakes and large mountain cats in the dark!

If you're wondering, and think the course sounds like fun (no more than a mile of flat in each 10-mile loop...), feel free to join me! It's the Boogie Marathon, in Ellerbe, North Carolina. June 13, 2009 at 6pm. Packet pickup is at 5, and registration is open until they have 75 participants in the marathon, and about that number in the 50-miler (or May 23, whichever is first). Last year 46 people finished the marathon. MAYBE I'LL PLACE!!! My current marathon time would put me 8th overall in the women's group...and who knows for age group! Maybe it will be my first AG win :) (So there!)

Nice post from another runner...

My online running acquaintance, gnu, posted this in her blog today:

_________________________________________________________________

In talking with other runners, I have learned that I am one of the lucky ones. Not everyone has the support of their non-running friends and family. Therefore, today I just wanted to dedicate some space in my blog to all of the non-runners who are supportive of their non-runner.

To all of you who might:

Stick up for a runner who always leaves the party early...
Schedule your party around a training plan so you know your runner can stay out late...
Change around your weekend plans to accommodate training...
Plan your vacation around racing or training...
Refrain from rolling your eyes at the pile of shoes...
Make pancakes for your runner while she's in the shower after a long run...
Attend every race, even if they aren't as exciting for you as they are for your runner...
Ask your runner about training even though you know she'll go on and on...
Act impressed by the above conversation every time...
Watch in shock and awe at the amount of food your runner can put away but never comment...
Put "the kit" including gatorade, body glide, chapstick, tissues, water, etc in the car and drive the long run route backwards to make sure your runner is okay...
Drive your runner some weird distance away so she can run home again...
Be patient with your runner when weekend naps become more frequent...
And make a hundred other sacrifices big and small...

I just want to say thank you :)

_____________________________________________________________

I thought it was extra-appropriate, since Eric is my non-runner. He's always supportive, even when I drive him a little nuts!

Last day without daylight savings time!

And it's been nice! It was 80F here today, with only a few wispy clouds in the sky. When I left home this morning it was just cool enough for a sweatshirt (with flip-flops of course, it was going to be 80 already!) When I got out of my exam at 11:15, it was blazing! Wonderful :)

I went for a good run today. Slow, but good, about four miles. Some observations:

• Dogwoods are in bloom. They smell delicious! And it's better they bloom now so I can run through them instead of when the bees are out next month!
• Daffodils are blooming again too. I was really worried that the snow on Sunday/Monday would kill them for good, but I think they were just pretending to be wilted and dead :) Tricky buggers!
• I wore a tank top on my run today, and I have a tan line to show for it.

I also took a few minutes to make up our once-a-month-cooking menu for the next 6 weeks (8 possibly, this is a lot of food!). Here it is. Some are sides only (potatoes, etc), but see what you think!

• Oriental Mini Meatloaves with Honey Garlic Sauce
• Pizza Bagel Bites
• Chicken Thighs with Lime and Honey
• Make-Ahead Chimichangas
• Spiced Citrus Chicken
• Veggie-Stuffed Pasta Shells
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Two-Cheese Pasta and Broccoli Casserole
• Pineapple Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Calzones
• Sweet Salsa Chicken
• Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Pesto

All good, I think. I'm sure Eric would prefer more red meat and less chicken, but he can make his opinion known when he moves here for good! :) (I actually told him the menu and he likes it...but I know how much he likes steak and other beef products).

So tonight after I have a shower and a snack, I'll head out and shop for the day of cooking, and when I get home from that I'll get everything ready to cook. I also need to bake a loaf or two of bread tonight--I'm going to try this recipe for Honey of an Oatmeal Bread along with this recipe for homemade Pita Bread. Hmm. Maybe I should find a recipe for homemade hummus if I'm making pitas...

Anyway, tomorrow I don't know for sure what's going on. I'm contemplating going to the beach, so as not to waste another 80 degree day. Although, I could use another run, probably a long one this time, and if I stayed here, I could start on the cooking, order some photos, and unpack more. I don't know. But whatever I do, it will be fun, since my stressful weeks are over!

I scheduled a haircut for Thursday. I'm going to the Aveda Institute--where haircuts are only $19! Although...last time I went to Aveda (in Atlanta), I cried in the parking lot b/c I hated my color. Eric was able to convince me it wasn't that bad, but since he's not here this time around, I'm only going for a cut. Color is a little too daring for me this week! The school is in Chapel Hill, so it will be nice to see Franklin Street without the snow, like was there earlier this week when we were there! I also scheduled a blood donation for March 20, and signed up for Scrap Mania for that day also. I can't wait!

Speaking of scheduling, Eric will be so proud. I have stopped using my paper planner! All the appointments that got scheduled today were electronic, using ical. I'm a little nervous about it, but figure once I sync my itouch (as soon as I find the cord, rolling eyes!), then I'll have my up-to-date schedule at my fingertips! I wonder if I could set it to sync wirelessly...that would be useful!

Off to get stuff done now! Class starts again on Monday night (Capital Transactions), so I need to make the best of my weekend!

Stressful weeks are almost gone...

The bar is over, and my corporate tax final is over...which means all that's left is finishing up my independent study paper outline and taking the MPRE on Saturday. All manageable. Whew!

It will be nice to take some time off from having a crazy life! I'm going to start back working at the CAC next week with a project or two, and will also start seriously looking for a job at some point next week. My to-do list is getting funner, at least! Left for this week/next week are:

• School registration/financial aid stuff
• Car registration/new driver's license
• Do taxes and FAFSA
• Finish unpacking
• Scrapbook :)
• Put together a training plan for the rest of the year (and the four marathons coming up between now and January!)
• Go for some runs

That's it! All fun or interesting things, for the most part! Can't wait to get started on them!

Today holds a few hours of working on my outline, and then running a few errands (Target, grocery, specialty pet food store). We've decided to change the cats' food to something healthier for them. So despite the added cost, we're hoping it helps with barf issues. Then watching a movie tonight--my first netflix dvd is supposed to be delivered this afternoon!

Car Troubles...

So Monday night, Eric goes out to his car to unload some things he brought up with him, and to get the car ready for the early-morning drive back to Atlanta on Tuesday. He came back up without anything, to tell me that his car won't unlock. (Keep in mind, it hadn't gotten about 30 here in days, and there was snow everywhere, etc). Turns out his locks had frozen shut on both doors of his car!

We called AAA, and the guy who answered said they couldn't do anything, we would need to drive to WalMart and get some silicone spray to unstick them. (Good thing we had a second car...or driving anywhere wouldn't have happened! I think this guy was an idiot--he also told Eric that unfreezing locks wasn't an included AAA service. Sorry, but if they can unlock doors, they should be able to open locks...). So we went to WalMart. Let me just say, the people working at WalMart at midnight don't know anything about anything. We (on our own) figured out what to use, and then asked a guy working there what his opinion was, and he told us to get de-icer that was labeled "for engines." Huh. Didn't know our engine was iced over. Just thought it was the locks. Whatever.

So we head back to the condo, where Eric spends a few minutes trying to squeeze the teeny spray nozzle into the key hole, and squirting spray like crazy into the locks. Nothing.

Plan B: Heat up the car key and see if that does the trick. Eric found a lighter, and tried this. Nothing.

Plan C: Call AAA back and tell them that we tried what they suggested, we still can't get into the car (seriously, if we had an extension cord to use with a blow dryer or something, this step would have been unnecessary. But come on, we live in a condo, just moved, and it's 1am--we don't want to go back to the store to get an extension cord. Plus we have AAA--we should be able to get them to do something with our money!)

Plan C...well it started off well. Eric got a different girl on the phone, and she offered to send someone out. Great. Well, she calls back a half hour later and tells us the first people won't be able to make it, but they're sending someone else. Get a call from people #2, give them directions, they don't show. AAA calls to make sure they came, we say no, they send a third company out. They're supposed to be there by 3:15 (in the morning). 3:15, nobody has come yet. 4:15, Eric gets a call asking for directions. 4:45, they finally show up. (Keep in mind, until 3:15, Eric was sleeping on the couch, and I was still awake so I'd hear the phone. At 3:15, we both went to bed.) 4:50, Eric comes in and tells me he's going to the store, since the guy couldn't do anything (and despite a specific request by Eric for them to bring an extension cord, they don't--and they have nothing to de-ice the locks with).

5:15, Eric comes home from the store (with an extension cord) and goes back to bed. He was supposed to leave at 4:30 to get back to Tech in time for his noon meeting, obviously this isn't happening now! We wake up about 10, and Eric goes downstairs only to find that his car is parked in the sun and the locks have unfrozen on their own.

Lesson of the night: Patience, apparently. Leaving Durham at 4am is never a good idea, this just showed us why. But at least we got to sleep in together for one more day before he left to go back to Atlanta!

Chapel Hill

So Monday, March 2, Eric and I drove into Chapel Hill together for the first time.

For those of you who don't know:

• Chapel Hill was founded in 1793.
• UNC was chartered in the Constitution of 1776.

It had snowed Sunday night, so the drive in (about 15 minutes) was beautiful--snow-covered trees, roads, everything. We parked near Franklin Street, and decided to take a walk around campus before having a late lunch. It was freezing outside, so both of us were bundled up in our coats, hats, scarves, gloves, two pairs of socks, etc. We walked all the way across campus, saw the building that Eric will be working in, and headed back to Franklin Street. We checked out some of the shops, including UNC gear shops, and then headed for lunch.

We had a really nice, relaxed lunch at Top of the Hill restaurant, which is actually at the top of Chapel Hill, and overlooks everything around. The food was superb, and the beer was great too! I had a grilled veggie pannini with sweet potato fries, and Eric had the cheeseburger with beer-battered french fries. We both had the white ale, which was perfect!

This was a nice way to spend the day together after a busy weekend with friends.

Eric came to visit!

So today is the second day since Eric left Durham to go back to Atlanta.

He got here last Thursday night/Friday morning (it was about 2am). I was so happy to see him! I hate that we can only see each other every other week or so until he's done at Tech. Which means I was even happier that he came late Thursday instead of Friday after work like he'd been planning to. We slept in on Friday, did a little housework, ran some errands, and then had Matt & Lan over for dinner and wii Friday night. It was lots of fun, and I learned the lesson that I don't need ziti for 20 when there are only 4 of us eating. Oops. At least we have two extra casseroles in the freezer now!

Saturday we started off with a workout (30-day shred, by Jillian Michaels). It kicked both of our butts, and we were only on Level 1, Day 1! After that, we met Matt & Lan at Neo China for dim sum, which was delicious! I couldn't eat a lot of the food (pork/shrimp issues here), but what I had was just as good as I remembered from the last time we went! We're considering taking Eric's parents there when they come to visit next week.

Saturday night was Brandon's 30's birthday party. It was great! Steph hosted, and had a wine tasting for their friends. We tasted some great, and not-so-great wines from around the world. Cory, from Sanguine Addictions, was there to educate us...it was lots of fun!

Our favorites:

• 2008 Messias Santolo, Vinho Verde (Portugal).
• 2006 Carro, Tinto (Spain/Murcia/Yecla).
• 2007 Kaiken, Malbec (Argentina/Mendoza).
• 2007 Hey Mambo, Sultry Red (California).

We liked, but didn't love:

• 2007 Huber, Gruner Veltliner (Austria).
• 2007 Santa Barbara, Chardonnay (California/Santa Barbara).
• 2007 Chateau de Segries, Cotes du Rhone (France/Southern Rhone Valley).

We probably wouldn't try again:

• 2005 Crinella, Russian River Sauvignon Blanc (California/Sonoma/Russian River).
• 2006 Latour, Pinot Noir "Valmoissine" (France/Languedoc).

Overall, it was a really fun time. It was lots of fun to try different wines that we'd never tried before, and even more fun to spend several hours with friends--old and new. (And I finally met Martha! But that's a story for another day!)

Sunday we hung out all day, and went to see Slumdog Millionaire. Really good movie. Eric LOVED it, I thought it was good. Matt went with us, and we think he liked it too. Sunday night it snowed! We got about 3-4" accumulated, and even today there's still some on the ground.

Monday we went to Chapel Hill, but that gets its own post. Monday night we had an adventure too, but that also gets its own post! Eric ended up leaving about 11am Tuesday to head back to Atlanta. Thankfully the snow had melted there, so he was able to get back and work for a little while Tuesday afternoon/evening.

Eric comes to Durham tomorrow!

Yay, only one more day until Eric comes to Durham! Not for good, but hopefully that won't be too far off. :) That will make me a happy wife.

In other news:

1--The bar is over, yay. I'm very worried about how I did, especially after the afternoon MBE section yesterday. But it's in someone else's hands now. I did the best I could under the circumstances (working 50-60 hour weeks until Jan. 31, then packing up our house and moving to a new state and getting settled...all without my husband being around for most of it). If I didn't pass, I'll have a much better plan going into July's exam.

2--My final for corporate tax is next week. I need to get going with studying, but am taking a bit of a break from studying until later this evening. I've spent the morning getting caught up on e-mails, reading blogs, straightening up the house, doing laundry, making a shopping list (Target, grocery & Barnes & Noble on the agenda in a few minutes), and generally hanging out. Feels good to have put my bar/bri and PMBR books in the guest closet, where they will stay at least until the first week of May.

3--My big fall marathon decision has been made! Marine Corps Marathon is a race I have wanted to run since my first year running Chicago, but I've always decided to run Chicago instead (they're always two weekends apart). This year, there are a couple of things working in MCM's favor.

A) Driving distance! Arlington is only about 5 hours from us, instead of a 2.5 hour plane ride and a lot of train time into the city and back.

B) Team LUNGevity has a team for this race now!!! I am SO excited to be able to fundraise for the LUNGevity foundation again this year. They are really the major charity that Eric and I support, as their sole purpose is funding lung cancer research, and the money they raise is matched, dollar-for-dollar, by other foundations, so that for each dollar we give or raise for them, they fund at least $2 in research grants at major universities and cancer centers across the country.

C) At least one of my online running friends is coming from Canada for the race! As many of you know, I'm an active member of Running Mania, an online running community...that's based in Canada. So I have lots of virtual running friends, but have only met about five (Tori, Rob, Andy, David & Kimberly...am I missing anyone?) in real life. So, Andy is coming to MCM, and I'm expecting that a few others will, since there always seems to be a good maniac representation at major races, both in the US and Canada every year. It will be great to catch up with him and the others that come down!

D) Finally, as all of you know, my little brother is a Marine. I'm so proud of him for serving our country both in Iraq and other stations around the world. He's been on inactive duty for a few years, and I think it's time we all say thanks to other Marines (those whom we know and those who will be in Arlington for the race) for their service. This race is a great opportunity to do that--tons of military personnel and their families come out for this race every year, and the course is lined with Marines.

That's it for now! Next week after my final is over, I'm going to start looking for employment, even though the bar results don't come back for quite some time. I hope I'll at least be able to get a feel for what the market here is like.

UGH the cats need to stop throwing up. Snowflake is at it again now. We've decided to change their food to this starting next week to see if it helps with the whole barf thing.

Poor, Poor, Burnt Tiger Tail

Well, poor, poor, burt Tiger Tail is an appropriate name for this...since our condo smells like burnt tail right now. Poor Tiger learned his lesson about swishing his tail too close to a candle today! He singed about 4" on the backside of his little tail :( At least I noticed when I did, I don't think he had noticed yet, poor guy!

Otherwise, the bar is 60% done. 12 essays done, 200 multiple choice to go tomorrow. Off to bed in a little bit so I can wake up early for a last look at the outlines. Eric is coming to visit on Friday for a long time! Yay! Here's hoping for at least a week, if not until the next weekend, that would be great! I'm so ready for him to be here full-time. Living alone is really boring and not much fun. (Don't get me wrong, I love the cat time, and the ability to study all day and entertain myself...but geez, I would love some company once in a while!)

Busy morning

So today I decided to test-drive to the new places I have to go this week for bar-related activities.  First stop was a law firm in downtown Raleigh for my bar interview on Monday at 10.  Took about 30 minutes to get there.  If you blink, you totally miss downtown here!  I think there are three skyscrapers.  Very odd, coming from Atlanta, San Diego, Chicago...  It was also odd that 40 going into downtown (that's Interstate 40, btw) only has two lanes most of the way.  What is that?!  Crazy, I think.  Even Louisville (other small city I can think of) has three all the way through, if not 4 in places.  I'm getting worried that I should leave at 8 for my 10am interview Monday!  With 2 lanes, traffic has to back up all the way to Greensboro, right?  

From there, I drove over to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.  This is where the bar will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Today they were having a flea market and a cat show.  I didn't go in, just drove past the entrance for parking this week and turned around.  Looks to be about 20 minutes (without traffic) from our house.  

Finally, I drove to my favorite place so far in Raleigh, and someplace I had been dying to go since my last visit 4 weeks ago...Archivers! :) :) :)  This was their make & take weekend, so I made two cute cards, and got some cut studded stickers to match our honeymoon papers (for free), plus some cardstock in a nice almost-neon green (free).  Then, shopping the sales I got 5 yards of velvet scalloped ribbon in bright yellow (also for honeymoon pages) for half off, and I found some cute cardstock title cards for 25 cents each.  Good finds today!  I signed up for my first Scrap Mania here, on March 13.  Table 4, which is otherwise empty right now.  It seems that their Saturday nights fill up far in advance, but their Fridays seem pretty tame.  After Eric gets here for good, I won't be able to do Fridays anymore since we'll be synagogue shopping, but it will be nice to have a whole day and night at the store, it will be my first in about seven weeks.  Much needed by that point!

On my way home, I stopped at PetSmart to buy some necessities for the cats.  Today they got cat wipes, which are like baby wipes, but fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic.  This was to wipe off the little spots on their necks where I put their flea treatment (that they keep licking, which is the cause of all the vomit over the last two days).  I also got them some new flea treatment, which is all-natural and purportedly "gentle." Hah, I'll believe it when they stop throwing up after they get the treatments!  I also picked up some sparkle balls and catnip poufs for Tiger, along with a little tin of Pit'r Pat, in fish flavor.  Apparently, these little fish-shaped things are supposed to freshen a cat's breath.  They resemble cat altoids, really.  Except they smell like fish, bleh.  So far, Tiger loves them, and Snowflake tried to eat hers and gave up.  Then Tiger took it upon himself to eat 1/2 the little container of them.  Chowed down like it was dinnertime!  I guess he does like them.  He also tolerated the mom-bath better than Snowflake.  

Back to studying...got a lot to learn!

How many times can two cats vomit in a day???

So far, we're at 9 times.  After the four yesterday.  All on white carpet, all orange in color.  Hope our landlord doesn't read this blog, because damn, Resolve sure doesn't work as well as it's supposed to.  I'm at the point that I just want to lock them in the (tiled) bathroom until they stop.  They didn't vomit at all the first 2.5 weeks that we've been here, and all of a sudden, barf city.  I can't wait for Eric to get here, I already told him I'm never cleaning up any more barf until I die after this week!

My run today didn't even help my foul mood.  Although it was a fair run, easier pace than my last, which helped.  Forgot my inhaler again, but don't know if it would have done much good since I was only out for 5k.  I wish I could just escape my life right now.  Run away, have the bar be over, have my final and the MPRE and my outline be taken/turned in, and just spend a few weeks at the beach.  That would help out pretty well, I think.  Oh, and having a great job to come back to would help too.  I miss being in the office with all of my work friends lately.  So even though I still work there, it's getting old not being in the office.  I'm sure it will be better once Eric moves up here for good, but right now it's not such a good week.

One Week from Today

The Bar will be OVER for now!!! Just thinking about it makes me SO HAPPY.  I've about had it with studying, even though I don't know even close to what I need to yet.  But as Eric says, I will get through it and move on.  For now, I have to do the best I can until it's over.  

Have to say, my tax final seems like chump change in comparison to this 22-subject monstrosity.  What's a little §§ 351, 357, 361 compared to con, crim, crim pro, evidence, property, nc property, sales, torts, agency, partnership, civ pro, commercial paper, corps, equity, family, mortgages, suretyships, liens, professional responsibility, secured transactions, trusts and wills?  Seriously, and the MPRE seems like a little waft of a fairy tail nonsense thrown in for good measure.  Sure, take a 2.5 hour exam on ethics and co-mingling client funds after taking two bars, 3 master's level finals, and oh, the same test three years ago? Sure, why not.  For good measure, right?

Also, the 2009 homebuyer tax credit was signed into law today by our new great President.  $8000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers who close before December 1, 2009.  No pay-back over 15 years, just credit on the 2009 return with possibility of a huge refund as a result.  Buying a house just jumped to second place on our life-event to-do list this year.  The only thing on top of it is...get a job.  Funny how those go together.  I told Eric I was going to look for a job VERY HARD as soon as bar/final/mpre are over so we can buy a house.  So that I will.  Look VERY HARD for a job.  Just have to get through the next 7 sleeps first.  

Now, back to studying.   A night full of sales, suretyships & liens is fun for everyone!  Although for some reason, the cats are avoiding the subjects...