This post is not so much about travel as the reason I travel. Because many days are long and hard. But soon, I’ll be soaking up the sun. Come on, Spring Break!

My day started, as most days do, at 5 am. I got up, checked mail, read some news, played Words With Friends, and threw on some sweatpants to walk the dog. We walked for about 20 minutes. Then I fed her and gave her morning fish oil pills to her. I got out Madeline’s medicine, made some coffee, and headed upstairs to my home office. I do a German lesson every day, so I knocked that out while I drank my coffee.

Next I got ready, then about 7 am I hopped on the bus for downtown. I had to report to the City-County Building by 8 am for jury service. I made it by about 7:45 and was stuck there until about 10:30, when they let everyone go. The three jury trials scheduled for today were all called off. Two settled, and apparently one guy failed to show. Thanks, buddy! Thankfully, I was able to clear out some work email while I waited.

After release I headed to the office and pounded out about eleven things on my to-do list while listening to legislative hearings from Wednesday. At 3 pm it was time to leave work and pick up Madeline from school. I dropped her at dance then headed to Starbucks to work for 2 1/2 hours until Ellie finished lacrosse practice. I was listening to legislative hearings that whole time.

From Starbucks, I headed to Ellie’s school to pick her up. While I sat in the pickup line waiting for practice to end, I listened to some more of the hearing. From lacrosse pickup, we went straight to the dance studio to get M. You guessed it; I watched more of a hearing while we waited there.

When dance ended, we finally got to go home, where Andy had made dinner. After eating and cleaning up, I retreated to my office upstairs where I turned on the hearing again. The last one was six hours long! While I watched, I folded three loads of laundry that had been sitting for days (maybe weeks in one case!).

At this point it’s 10:18. That hearing is almost over – 30 minutes left. And then I’ll fall into bed.

I need a vacation!