For those of you who don’t follow the innerworkings of Congress, let me just say that last week was a bitch.  

For four nights in a row, we went past midnight with votes and debate on a resolution to continue funding the government through the rest of this fiscal year.  We considered somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 (!!!) amendments dealing with everything from a $450 million fighter plane engine to subsidies for the mohair industry.  And we tried mightily to juggle a legislative process that was gratifying, mind numbing and anxiety inducing all at the same time.  

I am completely exhausted.  

In fact, by midnight Friday, I was thinking that maybe a Roman style triumvirate or a benevolent monarchy sounded like a better idea than a representative democracy.  I kid, I kid.  Well, I mostly kid.

The most punishing part of the whole week was listening to visitor after visitor talk about how beautiful the weather was outside.  As if there was a snowball’s chance in Hades that I was going to be able to go outside.  But every Tweet, Facebook status update and news report felt the need to remind me that the weather outside my cubicle was practically perfect in every way and that I was missing it.  Bastards.

It was like finding out there was a 90-percent-off sale at Barney’s the day after you cut up all of your credit cards.  Brutal.

Anyway, as a result of this parliamentary Vulcan mind meld, I’m taking some time off.  I’ll be back on Wednesday to discuss shoes, bags and beauty products, but first, I need to get the sound of a banging gavel out of my head.  I fear, I’ll be having nightmares about Rep. Moore-Capito and Rep. Bishop ruling my amendments out of order.

What can I say?  Even in my dreams I’m a wonk.

I’m going to be embracing some much needed R&R.  So enjoy your long weekend, and don’t overdo it at the President’s Day Sales.  Because the credit card companies can find you even when the Mob can’t.

xoxo

Belle