Spring break, how I am going to miss you! I cannot think of a better week. Quiet, relaxed, open. It was seriously great. For me anyway. The weather definitely did not have cooperate. The week started out well with warm weather and sun, but by Thursday we were facing snow and ice. Of course, I am sure the weather will be nice once the kids are back in school.

I know Holly missed dance, even if she didn’t miss going to school. Connor too enjoyed his time away from school. They both slept a lot; I think Connor did not get up before noon all week. They both spent time with friends too and just relaxed. This was exactly what I hoped they would do given how busy they are the rest of the year.

Things are winding down for Jim as he ended his second-to-last week of work at his current company. He had his farewell event Thursday night. Of course, it was in the middle of that ice/snowstorm so attendance was not quite as robust as it could have been. Still, Jim was honored by who did attend – VPs, directors, some VIPs in the company, etc. I think he is honestly surprised by how many people have reached out to say how much they are going to miss him, yet I know he underestimates how much he has influenced others. I can only hope that others feel that way about me some day.

This quiet week allowed me to write reviews and try to get ahead on scheduling posts. For this week, I kept to my regular postings, What Are You Reading? and What’s for Dinner. I also posted reviews for Daughter of Smoke & Bone and The Name of the Star. Both are excellent books and met the #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks manifesto.

This was a rough week for me emotionally. I shared my thoughts on Wednesday in my post, In Which I Get Angry. It was cathartic for me to write it, and yet, it was not enough. This week, I will be writing letters to every state and federal person who is supposed to be representing me. On April 17th and later in November, I will be using my voice to vote for a person who best represents my beliefs on this issue. The response I got from you on my post shows me that you are every bit as angry as I am, so I urge you to do the same. Write letters. Call. And most importantly, vote. Get others to do the same. Let’s see if we can finally make a difference and make some much-needed changes.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday, whether you celebrate Easter or not. The Shannons will be spending a quiet day at home. We got all of the chores and errands done yesterday, so we essentially have the day to relax and do whatever we want. Holly has some homework to finish. I have a few reviews to write, and Connor wants to get in more driving practice. There will be reading. There will be music. There will probably be naps and walks, not necessarily in that order. It is a free day, one of the last ones we have left until around July 4th, so the plan is to make the most of it.

Have a wonderful day and an even better week, everyone. I hope to see you back here next week!