End of term

The semester ended today, and frankly, it ended not a day too soon.  Tempers were frayed, patience was thin, and frankly, it was just time.  It is not unlike what I tell my students.  Everyone could get an A in their class (well, except probably that math class) if they didn't have to balance kids, rent, work, school, pneumonia, and your cat having puppies.  Work would be great and easy and more manageable if we didn't have to manage, well, manage life, too.  So it is good that the term is ended.

Since I had my 40 hours in by about 10AM yesterday, I snuck out a bit early.  I felt bad for about 20 seconds or so.  Then I went home.  And simply goofed off.  I put together a workbench and a saw and fine tuned it as best as I could.  I started a mound of laundry that was threatening to take over my bedroom.  And I ran, something that I haven't been that religious about.  In fact, I probably have been to church more often or the same amount of times as I have run in the past few weeks.  Here's to improving one or both of those stats, though I am guessing it will be the running...

And I cooked dinner.  I haven't cooked hardly at all, and I missed the process and the result of that.  So tonight I ate well.  Though I ran three miles, I am not sure that it evened out.  I stared out with an exceptional chèvre cheese.  I forgot bread of any sort, though--it was good but might have been better had it not been on Ritz crackers!  I know.  I apologized to the cheese.  Then I had some olives, stuffed with with blue cheese or garlic.  Then I made risotto with several kinds of mushrooms and broccoli florets and then I made tarragon chicken--chicken breasts lightly browned in butter, a little bit of garlic and lots of tarragon.  Did I mention tarragon?  A whole package of fresh tarragon was used.  Then I baked it til the skin was crisp and brown.  A semi ok Pinot Grigio was incorporated into the risotto (and my tummy).  All in all, it was a pretty good meal.

The next few days will be interesting.  Change is good and change happens, but then there are those moments when changes and differences from a previous life smack you and hit you upside the head.  I think of a year ago, and have to say "wow."  Not all are negative changes, but most are very  challenging right now.  Who knows?  It will keep me running and probably cooking.  There are a couple great movies which will provide an escape or two, and a friend or two who will provide relief, comic and otherwise.  And besides, it is almost Christmas!  How bad can it be?

Stay warm!