What Ana Does

 Since I found a post with Leah's college hunting, I suppose I have to mention Alice's college hunt.  For Spring Break we drove around New England with a list of schools that varied in size, location and style. Starting in UConn, URI, BU and ending in Amherst.  Alice doesn't have a major in mind, but likely something in liberal arts, so we're looking for more of a campus fit than an area of study. Leah was easy, she was looking for film and film only.  It was a really fun road trip. And the tours were interesting, but also extremely freezing cold in Boston.  She really liked URI (YES, where Dave and I met) because it was mid-sized, not in a huge city but a smaller suburb but still close enough to a city. Perfect. And this is exactly what we were hoping to learn.  Success! 

Another trip around the sun and I'm ready!  My 40s ruled! My kids grew up. We moved back to the east coast. We lived in friggin PARIS. I made a career change. We adopted our adorable dogs, including my best friend Pepper. We killed it  So yes, I'm ready for my 50s. BRING. IT. ON.  Here's 10 things about Jessica at 50: I read A LOT. And mostly romances. And I love it.  I love to travel. My days are empty unless I'm planning for our next trip.  My kids are my favorite people. How did I get so lucky to have two of the greatest young women who call me Mom? Who knows.  My hubby of 20+ year is also darn amazing. Again, not sure how I got so lucky as I am still very much in love with that guy. He's just the best.  I have to mention my bestie Pepper, too. She follows me around, jumps in my lap every chance she gets. And protects me against every and all perceived threats. Bestie.  I'm still very much an introvert who doesn't like calling offices, has a so...

 I joined a Romance Book Club at the end of last year. And then I joined a second one that I learned about at the first one.  So now, I'm in 2. Two book clubs.  For me, who has been reading Romance for the last, oh, 20 years, and not having an outlet to really discuss or dissect what I read, these meetings are like opening the flood gates. And I've realized how absolutely nuts I am.  The experience and depth of knowledge I've gained from reading sooo many books over such a long time, I am beyond crazy when I talk about these books to these two groups that: a) seem to skew young, like 20s and 30s and b) haven't read all that much.  I was quiet at first, hoping to figure out group dynamics, etc. But then ... books are brought up that I've read years and years ago -- and it jogs my memory and I get so so so excited that I can't contain the glee.  Like, "oh gosh Lick really is the best rock romance I've read and how absolutely perfect is that drunk-Las-Veg...

The Pantry, the little room off the kitchen, was a big selling point when we toured this house. It was full of cabinets and had a door on it that was ideal for storing platers and appliances, and tossing things I didn't want people to see while hosting.  But, it was also an afterthought to the owners. The cabinets were shoe-horned in, the floor was still an ancient linoleum and the counter was clearly just remnants from another job, which was clear due to a big crack in one piece. But it had a door, so it was livable.   I laid out the vinyl floor tiles when we first moved in five years ago. But they've since started to wiggle around on the floor. So a decision needed to be made, do I replace the moving tile pieces, or do we go for the renovation we've been putting off thanks to bigger projects.  This pantry should have been done with the rest of the kitchen , but budgets got tight, so it became a phase 2. Well ... it was time to tackle it because another vinyl tile j...