If I were to describe March of 2025 I would use terms like “long”, “dragging”, “spendy” and “unfocused”.

March started with summer camp registration. L will spend two weeks at the reservation, asme as last summer. She loved it last year, and we are doing it again this year. The registration opened March 1st, at 9AM and I was on the website at 9:02AM, with my credit card at the ready. This summer camp was the last piece of our summer.

I finish work on 06/18, then we are going camping 06/24-06/26, then L is in camp from 06/30 till 07/11, then France road trip from 07/13 till 08/16. And then summer is practically over, and I have to get back to work on 08/27 to start the new school year.

March seemed long. It was a busy time at work, with summative evaluations (lots of self-reflection and writing), some problematic student behavior, and, in spite of my word of the year being โ€œfocusโ€, it was hard to focus. I felt scatter brained and worn out. I took two sick days due to upper respiratory situation. I lacked teaching mojo that I usually have and I think that came from the fact that at this time of academic year I may be burning out.

By mid month I felt like I completely ran out of steam and, while I try to not wish time away (thanks KAE) I couldnโ€™t help thinking โ€œI want it to be April alreadyโ€. Also, I am itching to go on our spring break road trip.


In spite of the slog at work, my camera roll has some beautiful reminders of people and places.

~ March 1st marked the start of Ramadan. I went to the Iftar at a friend’s house.

My sister friend H- far right in black

~ St. Patricks’s day brought corned beef and cabbage and green ice cream.

~ Three live theater performances

Kodo at the beginning of March – solo

Irish dancing for St. Patrickโ€™s Day – with my daughter

Dear Evan Hansen musical with T

Another highlight of March was T taking over meal planning. We were struggling with finding new things to eat, sticking to classics like chili and roasted chicken. T decided we need to live on the edge, and he started planning meals, making a menu on the chalk board, and pre-ordering the ingredients. This coming week is our second week. Last week we had lettuce wrapped tacos, green goddess bowl, shrimp curry, chicken caprese salad, and shrimp stir fry.

A man in the kitchen – now thatโ€™s sexy

March was a spendy month. Just this morning T and I pored over Monarch app, gawking at some of the numbers: $2,863 for T’s Subaru maintenance and overdue repairs; groceries $1,383; restaurants $916, and shopping (Amazon mainly) was $634. I shopped for our upcoming road trip (drain stopper, hot pot, Play-doh), for spring concerts, for lunch, and alarm clocks for both of the kids. Both kids also needed new sneakers. A new coffee tumbler after I spilled coffee on myself in my car by using a regular coffee mug, as well as supplements to help me process funk better.

I am not happy with how much money we spent in March but we discussed it, and in April, we want to reign in these two categories: restaurants and shopping. Below is a hall of shame from evil Amazon. Not pictured: three pairs of jeans I bought at Macy’s.


How about you? March highlights and lowlights?


17 responses to “March 2025: good and bad”

  1. Grateful Kae Avatar

    Hahaha, hey, itโ€™s okay! We all have those times where itโ€™s like, ok, NEXT! Lol. For me, Jan and Feb both went quite slowly but March totally flew by. But thatโ€™s because I was getting ready to travel and then traveling for a big chunk of the month- that always makes time feel like a blur for me!

    Which of the 3 Macyโ€™s jeans are you wearing in the pic? Iโ€™m so jealous that you were able to just walk in and buy THREE pairs of pants that fit on the first try?!

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  2. Lisaโ€™s Yarns Avatar
    Lisaโ€™s Yarns

    March was a busy month for me so it went by fast! I had work trips to NYC and DC and our vacation to Mexico which was a blast. There were also a lot of doctor appts and we had to make a decision about whether to have Willโ€™s tonsils taken out in addition to getting his adenoids out and another set of tubes. I lost sleep over this decision but then he got strep for the 3rd time since Thanksgiving and the decision was clear. Then my mom heard him snore twice while they watched him so now I feel really good about that decision.

    Work has been meh. There is so much uncertainty right now thanks to the dumpster fire presidency so itโ€™s hard to have conviction when telling advisors what to doโ€ฆ Iโ€™m exhausted by it and itโ€™s only the end of March and there is no end in sight for the uncertainty.

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  3. karenmeg Avatar

    I agree, a man cooking is the sexiest LOL! My husband is making dinner, he’s still got it after almost 32 years of marriage.

    My daughter and I loved Dear Evan Hansen – so glad you got a chance to see it.

    Oh boy I remember the whole registering for camp thing… nowadays for us it’s trying to get the coveted pickle ball spot – hah!

    I’m glad to see March behind me, looking forward to better weather. We just had a major ice storm this weekend just north of us. You’d think as a Canadian we would be used to the uncertainty of spring weather!

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  4. Melissa Avatar

    You still had a lot of great things in March, so yay to you, living well even when in a funk. You’reo n the home stretch now to summer! I had heaps of good things in March which I shared on my blog, but have been feeling a bit scattered too. I need to get my act in gear and get everything tidied up before we go away at the end of April. I have a list though, so now I just need to do the things.

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  5. Coco Avatar

    You are so advanced in planning the summer! road trip to france sounds fantastic! I haven’t started that yet except the trip to LA for the concert.

    it’s great that T took over the meal planning, I can’t wait for it to happen at our household! man in the kitchen is so sexy! I agree.

    So interesting to see how you spend your variable money!

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    1. Daria Avatar

      Oh Coco, you have had some major life change and you did an amazing job moving your family across the world!! By the way, my husband’s name is Tony too ๐Ÿ™‚

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  6. Writer McWriterson Avatar

    Hall of shame from evil Amazon….you make me laugh because I feel the same way. I hate that we depend on it. DAMMIT.

    I loved the picture of you with your friends. All of you so beautiful.

    Here’s to April. ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿ’œ

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  7. Michelle G. Avatar

    Your March sounds tough – and you got through it! And you even had some fun! Your summer plans sound amazing! I enjoyed seeing your Amazon Hall of Shame….but it’s not shameful at all. But you made me laugh with that name. My March was pretty good. Being semi-retired really did make it more bearable. (It’s usually my least favorite month of the year.) I hope April will be much better for you!

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  8. Maya Avatar

    Love the summer plans, especially the languorous road trip through France. Good things are coming, and you lived a full life in troublesome March!

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  9. Nicole MacPherson Avatar

    Some months are just more spendy! I get it, totally!

    Yay for summer plans, sounds fun!

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  10. J Avatar

    Your road trip through France sounds SO GREAT. I recently read Ina Garten’s memoir, and early in her marriage, she and her husband spent something like 4 months camping in France. I think their budget was $5 a day, but this was the 1960s…

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  11. rachelinwales Avatar

    I think we had somewhat similar experiences of March! I do not wish it away BUT it is not my favourite month. Also I just wrote about how my spending has been kind of OTT for the first quarter of the year so it was nice to come here and see you confess to the same problem.

    I also feel my focus has been really bad this month. Maybe it is just the season.

    Well done on seeing three plays AND sorting summer camp. That is amazing!

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    1. Daria Avatar

      Oh yes, totally similar. I’m happy to say goodbye to that month. Not my favorite.

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  12. Tobia | craftaliciousme Avatar

    Oh this summer plans. That will be exciting. You are so good in getting that all prepared and planned and booked. I have not done anything in the travel department. Last year I didnt and we didn’t go on vacation. Not good.

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  14. San Avatar

    Money was also flying out the window last month, I hope April will be better for both of us. I love that T took over the meal planning and prepping. Woohoo!

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