The Last Weekend of October

Well - what do you know? The month of October is practically gone and I feel like it passed way too quickly... Granted; when I look back on the past month, it also seems like it was long. How does that work exactly?

There is no way to sort out how time moves both fast and slow... My weekend started early; our office closed up at 3:00 and I was home by 3:30, where I found my dog being an absolute bum out in the sunshine. He didn't even have the energy (or desire, ha-ha) to get up off his furry bum to come say hello to me - he was much too happy to be lying in the sunshine to be bothered with me.

I'd love to say my Friday night was riveting and exciting - but it definitely wasn't. The luxury of getting off work early meant I could immediately hop on the elliptical and so I got my exercise out of the way and then joined my dog on the deck to start the night's real work: studying! I read and reviewed a few chapters on the deck before it got too chilly and then I took a break to have supper.

I spent most of the rest of the evening poring over my National and Virginia real estate books and reviewing my completed quizzes in hopes that anything that hadn't already taken root inside my head would latch on, ha-ha! Watson was sort of moral support...if you call sleeping on and off in his bed in the corner of the living room being supportive!

Saturday morning, I was up before 7:00...even though I didn't have to be. I know it was nerves because Saturday was the day I had to take the "big" tests at the end of my month long real estate course. All the Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturdays spent sitting in the Blue Ridge Association of Realtors office while the sun was shining and people were out doing Autumnal things; it was all coming to the grand finale. I was a bit panicky all week leading up to the test and came close to having a full on meltdown when our instructor introduced math problems the Tuesday before the big test on Saturday...

For this reason - my parents were kind enough to literally lay hands on me and pray before I headed out the door on Saturday morning. Well...my Mom laid her hand on my head and my Dad kept shifting and wiggling around so much that he ended up pulling my hair and elbowing me...ha-ha!

The class was meant to be a review for the AM portion and testing for the PM portion - and although the instructor asked that we not pose questions as he tried to rapidly review all twenty-two chapters in the National book and then go over ALL of the Virginia book as well. I ordered Rapid Pick-Up from Panera to be ready at 12:05...and well...the road to hell is paved with good intentions, you know? The review (impeded by one person who continued to ask questions...) didn't end until 1:15 and by then; happily my parents had rescued my food from Panera and met me in the parking lot to have lunch...and for me to have a mild panic attack.

I ate my broccoli cheddar soup and tried to get it together enough to be calm...and I returned to take my test; not entirely that much calmer, but with a sort of "just do it" attitude. I was the first person to complete both of my tests and while a part of me was surprised by that...another part wasn't. As long as I can remember, when taking tests I'd choose the answer that seemed most accurate and then later I'd come back and change it - second guessing myself and usually getting the answer wrong - when that answer I first chose was the right answer.

I told myself I'd choose the first answer and stick with it - no going back. You see...in all five quizzes leading up to these tests, I'd done that very thing and missed answers. So, I just started taking that test and didn't look back...and thank goodness I did! I finished the tests, went around the corner and passed them off to my instructor and within three minutes or so - three of the longest and most nerve-wracking minutes of my life - he told me I'd passed both tests! I had to try pretty hard not to scream because I was so excited but I thanked my instructor, accepted the handout for questions best to ask when looking for a broker to work with and the instructor confirmed he'd send my certificate to me in the mail.

I cried on the way home - happy tears, of course - and called my parents and younger sister to share the good news. The rest of the evening was fairly relaxed. I got in my exercise and watched Hocus Pocus while eating my supper and rounded out the night with a few innings of the World Series. It was amazing though because it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders - no studying to do (for now at least) - and the knowledge that all of my time and studying had paid off!

Sunday morning I slept in and it was glorious...sleeping in is always glorious though, right? After lazily sipping coffee, I joined my parents for church at Virginia Hills Church and then we had a celebratory brunch at Regions 117. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy the food and the environment at Regions 117, every single time I eat there the food is absolutely delicious and Sunday was no exception! We shared an order of Apple Cider Donuts and I had the French Toast with Blueberries and Cream Sauce - which was to die for!

It poured all day Sunday...so after church and brunch, I settled in to watch Outlander and then went to the movies. I mean; what else are you supposed to do when it's raining outside? Victoria and Abdul was the movie of choice and it was so very good! After some evening exercise and delicious vegetable beef soup for supper, I watched the newest episode of Poldark before turning in for the night.

The weekend seems like it flew by - but almost all weekend feels that way; at least to me. This week is a three day work week before an extended weekend in Mississippi for my cousin's wedding and catching up with old friends. I can't believe by the time this week is halfway over, it will be November!

This year is flying by and the holiday season is knocking at the door. As fast as I feel like this year has gone, I have no doubt that the rest of the year will speed by ever faster because it seems like once November, Thanksgiving and all things Christmas arrive...time absolutely flies!