A Much Needed Day Off, With A Pay Off
It was an indulgent day. A well deserved day off, not only for the Veterans, but for the tired-ass teachers. Like me. Who were in conferences yesterday from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. That’s right: twelve hours of fact-to-face interaction with parents. I love parents. I love their children. But, I do not like talking all day and all night. However, lest I further this tangent into the woes of my job, let me get back to the indulgence part.
My husband and I went to Oak Brook to return a J. Jill sweater I’d bought for nine hundred dollars in August only to find it unravel the second day I wore it. Normally, J. Jill sweaters don’t do that, so I sadly brought it back. And while my husband was waiting for me to carry out the return he found a corduroy jacket which I love, and which he coerced me to buy (by saying, “Honey, do you want this?”), and which cost only 30 bucks more than the aforesaid sweater. Sold!
Then, we went off to Brighton because who doesn’t need a brand new red leather lipstick case with a mirror inside the lid? Especially after one’s parents’ dog chewed up her old one last Christmas Eve? Sold, again!
Of course, no trip to Oak Brook is complete without a stop at P.F. Chang’s, my very favorite Chinese restaurant in all the world. We stuffed ourselves with lettuce wraps, and double-pan fried noodles, and tea. Tea! Now, I have found that a smile is all it takes to open untold doors in this world, and so I smile as much as I can whenever I can, and the waitress took an immediate liking to me, bless her heart. So, when I asked her what kind of tea it was, she said, “Revolution Tea, like the war. (Isn’t that Revolutionary? But, never mind.) You can Google it.” Which I did. After she gave me five bags to take home so I have something to drink while I read. Which I’ll do in a few minutes.
However, now I am passing the information on to you. Free of charge, of course. You know you shouldn’t be drinking sodas, because of all the sugar, and artificial flavoring, and coloring, and calories, and I’d been denying all those things drinking merrily away until I found my jeans no longer zip. So, now I’m drinking tea. Lots of it. And my favorite is the Dragon Eye Oolong which I just ordered from amazon.com. But, here’s another link to Revolution Tea in case you want to research the topic further yourself.
Which, I’m sure you do.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
Did you say $900?????
Sarcasm, Les, at the price of things nowadays.
Ah, I should’ve known. My husband has a similar dry wit.
My favorite new tea is Good Earth’s Pomegranate Superfruit Tea (with Green Tea, Pomegranate and Cherry). Mmmmmmm.
an indulgent day. A well deserved day off, not only for the Veterans, but for the tired-ass teachers.
exactly how I felt today. I didn’t do much more than lay on the couch and read. Very indulgent, but since we are having midterm exams and I have none scheduled tomorrow, so I know I can do copious correcting at school tomorrow.
I wanted to sit on the couch! That’s my ideal day off, but it doesn’t sit well with my husband. He gets bored without a plan. So, at least I had some fun going out. I hope you get caught up with your paper corrections~Woo hoo!
You do parent conferences at night? I never remember being offered that option. My husband always had to take off of work if he wanted to come with me. Glad you had a fun day off!
At night and into the wee hours of the morning! I never remember my son’s teachers taking the same amount of time, or giving any consideration, to me. But, things have changed.
I was wondering about the $900, too, until I read the comments.
Oolong tea is one of my favorites. Enjoy!
As you probably already know, I just read that oolong is a great fighter of fat. Not that I’m there yet, but any extra gone is good news to me! And, this stuff is so delicious.
Glad you had a well deserved day off!-
The only problem is I want more of them now that I’ve had a taste of one!
You poor tired-ass teacher! After a day with parents (you don’t have to be nice…as a whole, we are a huge pain), you deserve all of this. When I first saw the picture, I knew immediately where you’d been. I KNOW what that horse means. I’m also digging the Brighton fly-by. I did a Brighton fly-by while my husband was at Tommy Bahamas a few weeks ago, and ended up with not only a pair of new sunglasses, but a new WATCH! Bad girl!
Tea is a wondrous drink, besides wine that is. Glad you had a restful day off.
I’ve been on both sides of the table: as a parent, and as a teacher. Mostly, I want to encourage the parents about their children, and so I dwell on the strengths. We have enough weighing us down. Good job on the Brighton excursion!
I am SO glad that you had a wonderful day off Bellezza and it sounds like it was indeed a nice day off
You deserve it!! And I’m glad you got to indulge a little bit! I’m so with you on the tea at PF Changs. I’m in love with it. Whenever we go, my meal is not complete until I’ve had a pot of the Dragon Eye Oolong. Isn’t it incredible? I love the little cups and the pot that they serve it in 
And the lettuce wraps!! Oh God the lettuce wraps!
And now it’s perfectly obvious why we’re friends: we like exactly the same things. I could eat (and drink) the whole meal all over again right now.
That sounds like a heavenly day, especially the Revolution Tea! Thanks for the link btw. I love finding out about new teas.
My younger sister is a teacher and I hear you on the long days – she enjoys the teaching but not so much the hours and hours of meetings. Glad you had a day off to recuperate!
Melanie, so, sadly it’s not much different in Canada, eh? My heart longs to teach…the meetings? Not so much.
I also wondered about the $900- glad I wasn’t the only one
I am a huge fan of P. F. Chang’s eggplant and chicken dish. I also enjoy Oak Brook mall. How funny would it be if we were there once the same day and didn’t even know it?!
Aarti, I had no idea you lived in the same vicinity! It would be a riot to run into you!
It sounds like you had a glorious day! Good for you. Mmmm … tea. One of my favorite ways to relax.
That, and a dab of perfume, right?
can we trade husbands?
On some days, sure!
It nagged and nagged and finally I remembered – it was oh! who posted a photo of the horses at the St. Louis (??) P.F. Chang’s, asking “Where am I?” She might have been traveling at the time, but I think it was StL.
I’ve never eaten at one, but all this talk is making me think it needs to go on the “someday” list.
Have you seen the cover of the latest New Yorker? They might have taken your wonderful photo of the sunlight yellow trees, added a hand-in-hand couple and printed. I thought of your photo immediately when I saw it.
Glad your day was so enjoyable.
My mother used to subscribe to The New Yorker, but I haven’t read it in years. That magazine is always so intellectually stimulating, and here I dwell so often in the land of children’s literature. You really would love a P.F. Chang’s if once you indulge. I didn’t know they were a chain, but they are a worthy one as you can tell from all the comments.
Sounds like a beautifully indulgent day. I cant think of anything better than discovering a tea that you like and getting to take some home – it’s so nice to have tea in your own favourite place. Thanks for the tip -I’ll see if I can find it here.
I’m anothern of those “$900?!?!?” people. I had to read through the comments just to be sure you weren’t serious!
I’ve never been to P.F. Changs, but there’s one of them in a local shopping center (near Borders!); maybe I’ll convince my mom to take me there someday – I think she said it was just “alright” (or something along those lines).
It’s probably because we don’t drink tea at my house…
Yep. Had to look twice at that 900 number. Thank heavens for comments
You definitely earned your spectacular day off; parents can be such pains (hanging head in shame here), even when we mean well–which is, I think you’re doing a great job with my kid, what else is going on?
Have never been to PF Chang’s, a surprising lack in this area of mall Nirvana. But, CS gave me a whole year of tea…green jasmine pearl, black pearl, white tea, roobois. Ahhhh.
Mmmm… PF Chang’s… My daughter and I discovered how wonderful that place is a couple years ago. Am still in bliss!
Oh, geez, I thought for a minute that you were a totally different person than I thought when I saw that $900. Thank goodness Les asked. I would have just gone around with my jaw on the floor all day.
BTW, the teachers didn’t get the day off, here, so we were only 2/3 of a family at home while Kiddo slaved away (or, more likely, slept through) at school. There is something hinky going on in our school system. Pray my son will pass all his classes so we can put these days behind us in a few months.
Bookfool, you know I wouldn’t spend nine hundred dollars on anything, even assuming I had it to spend!
You do know who I am! I will so be praying that your son passes all his classes…there’s never a happier moment (for me, anyway) than putting those high school days behind. Far, far, far behind. Blessings.
I should have known better! $900. I thought, “WHAT?” No, Bellezza . . .
Yep. I’m looking forward to being an empty-nester. I never thought I’d say it, but the stress of dealing with the lack of communication in the schools has been enough for two lifetimes. I’ll miss the kiddo when he goes away, though. Fortunately, he’ll be pretty close to home. Yay. Thanks for the prayers.