Finally done!

What a day!  First, I had to work at the hospital today.  Getting to work on football Saturdays is always an adventure, especially since today was an 11am game and the tailgaters start early.  For those of you unfamiliar to the IC area, the football stadium is across the street from the hospital.  Definitely someone was NOT planning ahead on that one, although the original hospital was probably a block or more away but has grown to be huge over the years.  So, with traffic and pedestrians on football days it always seems to take extra time to get there.  And that's even with V dropping me off a block or so away and me walking in the rest of the way.  The hospital is also on security lockdown to keep rowdy fans out (mainly to keep them from using the restrooms!)  Even leaving can be tricky, depending on the time.
Anyway, I made it home mid afternoon and helped the boys a bit with their outside task that V had set for them.   We had some landscaping block delivered this week and the boys were digging the soil back for setting a new retaining wall beside the back door as well as the hole for the concrete footer for the deck extension.
That job done (well, mostly), we all rushed off to the mall for V's book signing.  He didn't have a line of people there but had people at the table pretty steadily.  My brother stopped by to get his book signed and the pastor of our church was there as well.  The children and I picked out books and used the gift cards we had collected.  We over-shot a bit on our estimate and I ended up having to pay $14 out of pocket.  It's easy to spend $100 on books!  I14 got three new novels (two in a series he's been reading- he got most books since most of the cards were his), K11 got 2 books and J17 and I each picked out one.  I had a hard time picking a book- there were too many choices.  I was looking at some farmstead reference books but didn't see any that thrilled me that I didn't already have.  I don't need another cookbook.  They didn't have any of the herbal references that are on my wish list.  So, I ended up with a novel- a sci-fi/fantasy, end of the world romp with lots of magic and good vs evil stuff:  Darkwar by Glen Cook.  I'm needing some light winter reading so I hope this one is good.  I'm still working on the book I got at the Atlanta airport (Cleopatra) on our way home from Annapolis after I finished the one I had with me (The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents).
After all the book store excitement, V, the boys and I went out to dinner- nothing fancy, just the Chili's out by the mall.  Now I remember why we don't do anything like that often- not that the food wasn't good- it just wasn't GREAT.   J17 drove separately since she has a birthday party for one of her friends this evening so didn't come with us.
At least I had K11 help me chase the chickens into the coop before we left so we didn't have to go out in the dark to close them in.  But, I did forget to leave any lights on at home and we came home to a dark house.  Oh well, no harm done.
Now, I'm tired.  I've got a load of laundry going but it may stay in the washer until morning.  We'll see how long I can stay awake.  This working 6 days straight is draining.  Good thing I've still got 2 days off- tomorrow and Monday and I only have to work three days this week.  Sweet!