For a great many people, this week is currently spring break. Of course, for me, it's just another week. But it feels like spring break, which is a Very Good Thing.

Yesterday Avadore, Rice, a friend from Belgium and I headed north, dropped the kid at his grandparent's and the guys and I had a great time shopping. We ate lunch at what can be described as a yuppy burger joint. They not only have unusual burgers and other sandwiches, but pasta, salads, and appetizers involving things like brie and mussles. I had a jerk seasoned chicken sandwich with bleu cheese and chilis and a salad with spring greens, cranberries, red onions, bleu cheese and a sweet balsalmic vinegrette. It was an amazing lunch.

The Belgian friend wanted to go shopping for electronics and other such things, so we spent a lot of time at places like Best Buy and Circuit City. We also hit some toy stores so our friend could look for gifts for his son. We were right by a great bookstore, but he wasn't terribly interested in any English language books, so we skipped that. We're headed back up north next weekend, so maybe I'll have an opportunity to check out the bookstore then.

For dinner we went to a local place that's a combination brewery/restaurant. They brew about seven of their own beers and serve really good food. Because I'll be going on Rice's gluten-free diet soon (due to the impending birth of kid number 2), I had the snow crab and prawn alfredo with garlic bread. (Must fill up on wheat products now.) Now, in other parts of the world, garlic bread like this may be fairly common, but I'm from Idaho where garlic bread is usually slathered in butter and topped with garlic powder or garlic salt. Parmesan and parsley may be involved. This garlic bread was sourdough bathed in butter with roasted garlic cloves embedded within the sourdough. It was utterly amazing. I can't tell you how much it rocked.

We also bought some beautiful, huge bagels. They're really excellent. (See previous entry.)

Today we had pancakes for breakfast and had a relaxing morning. About 12:50 I picked up Avi (like an idiot) and messed up my already only semi-functional stomach muscles and ended up in bed for most of the rest of the day. Very important lesson -- when 8 plus months pregnant, don't try to pick up and haul around a 3 year old.

In any event, as a result of my "injury", Rice made most of dinner. He made some great tacos. I used my new little food processor to make a sort of chutney/salsa out of peppers, onion, lots of garlic, tomatoes and lime juice. It was a most excellent dinner.

So that's the relaxing weekend and beginning of "vacation". Feeling much better now, stomach still a bit tender, but happy enough to do the stairs this evening.

And tomorrow there will be writing! Woo hoo! I must be a lot healthier; I'm excited about writing and other things I care about again.