Jury Duty

March is a bit rough for me and here are the reasons.

• I don't have much luck in getting assignments online.  I seriously need more assignments  because  hubby and I need to save for our children's tuition  for the next school year.  We also have to save for Ms. Burrito's piano lessons  over at Doquesne University come September.  Not to mention our financial support obligations  back home, sigh.
• Three months after I became a citizen, I got summoned for a jury duty, oh boy.  I wouldn't mind to do it if I have a childcare option for my kids  but since I take care of them  when my husband is at work, it would be so hard.

Being legally drawn to serve as a Petit Juror does not automatically put you on a duty per se , which I am hoping they won't pick me as the  court is  far from our home.  It's like a 30 minute drive  from our city.  You know that I am not comfortable with my driving skill and most importantly, I don't have anyone to  pick up my kids  from school and take care of them after that.
As a juror, your services will be paid at a rate of $40 plus .56 cents per mile round trip from home to  the courthouse.  If I get picked, I have to pay someone to take care of my kids and I don't think that amount would cover the cost.  So either way, it's not in favor with me.  But as a citizen, that's one of my duties  so I will do it if I get picked.

• Here's another reason to my bad luck this month.  My dog jerked the leash from my hand when we took them for a walk and I fell hard on a concrete.  It tore  a good pair of pants, scraped my left hand, and bruised and scraped my knees whew.

I felt like passing out when I fell but I had to toughen  up in front of my kids.  I wanted to cry but I couldn't because I don't my kids to think I am a cry baby lol.  I am upset that I ruined a good pair of pants.  Luckily though, I was wearing my  spandex workout pant  underneath it, it got damaged  but  did not have a hole.  I think that my spandex pant protected my knees from   a bad scrape.  It still scraped it but not bad.  So no walking for our fur babies for now, I can't put  heavy weight  with my left hand coz it hurts so bad.

On the lighter note, my husband got a raise and he got promoted so it's a good thing and our consolation for this month.  Sorry if I would affect you negatively with my personal rant but this is my only avenue in expressing my thoughts.  Wish I have my friends back home to talk to.  I can only wish... Ciao..

Walking to School on an Icy Snow Day

We live very close to  my children's school so even on Winter days, we  walk.  It's a good exercise for all of us.  Sometimes, my husband would drive the kids in the morning when he goes to work but when there is a two-hour delay, we have to walk.  Going home from school though, we always walk everyday.  I can drive but I chose not to, we can benefit more from walking than riding.

I am so glad that my children are used to it that you will never hear them complain about it.  In fact, they enjoy it as we play in the snow on our way home.  Last Thursday was fun because we were walking on top of the snow and every time  our feet would  go down, the crunchy sound of the icy snow was fun for them.