We spent five hectic weeks in Europe. Although we've been to the continent many times, there were always new places to see and discover. We had fun, a whole lot. Everyday, we went sightseeing and everyday we saw someplace new. I don't think I'll ever get tired of traveling to the continent. It is so beautiful! We're home now battling a very bad case of jetlag but we're managing. It's a good thing I still have some time left before I return to work. I am hoping to be fully recovered from the time difference by then. The first thing I did upon our return was to eat Chinese food. I really missed eating in my favorite Chinese restaurant and to be honest, I've been back three times either to dine in or get food to go. I've also returned to the gym to work out. While I did gain a few pounds from eating a lot of delicious pastries, I really have been gaining weight in the last year. Now I need to control the increase and eat less sweets and fried foods. I saw my doctor last week and he told me that while the 10,000 plus steps I make everyday is good, I need to do more to make myself stronger. Lastly, I've been decluttering my home. I have to say though, it is tough to get rid of stuff. In the process of cleaning out my closets, I went through my collection of shoes. I have yet to wear some while I've worn others just a few times. It saddens me that some of the pairs I bought, particularly the very expensive ones that were made in Europe have given me blisters on my feet. The leather is so hard. I thought the shoes were of very good quality. Perhaps I simply need to wear them more to soften the leather. I surely hope so.

Just this morning I checked the calendar on my I phone and had a big shock. Next week is the last week of July and I literally have a few days to enjoy my break. I was pretty glum when I reported for the first week of last school year. It though went pretty fast. Here's hoping 2026-2027 will be too.