As of late, I suppose…

Well school finally (thankfully) started back up again. I’m really focusing on working in my community and with my counterpart teachers. They’re making valiant efforts towards becoming better teachers, which I am thankful for, and can see them doing a little more every day. My students still remain my constant source of happiness. If it’s not the first graders screaming “HELLO” at me as I walk into the school yard, it’s my sixth graders reading Let’s Go Home, Little Bearto each other and enjoying the story. I also smile to myself when a second grader answers their phone in the middle of class, says “alo?”, snaps it shut after a short conversation with their mother, sighs in a very grown-up way, and shakes their head as we resume our lesson.

I’ve been enjoying the warmer weather. Though there wasn’t much of a winter this year, I’m still finding solace in the bottom of my sleeping bag and innumerable blankets. With my sweet sleep cycles, I’ve been reinvesting my time in all the music I used to listen to on a regular basis. My days at the radio station have ended and with that, the continuous access to new tunes. Regardless, I’ve blown the figurative dust off of the older albums, podcasts of Dead shows, and have taken fondly to my jazz collection and classical jams. Miles, Parker, Coltrane, and Chopin.

I saw the photos taken at my uncle’s wedding. Made me miss home. But I’ll have time for that when it comes. His big move to Oregon makes going back home all the more sweet.

The gas at my house was out for eight days. Yes, I counted. This meant no stove use and no hot water. I resorted to dry shampoo, smelling like, well me, and taking bucket baths in cold water. But it got the job done. Taking running back up was a great excuse to get into the bathroom, and come out with wet hair as my host mom stared at my with wide eyes and a look of utter bewilderment. Friday was a day of relief when the gas clicked on–I’ve been abusing it to the point of just standing around the sink as steam rises. And though I took full advantage of it on Friday, I think I’ll go for another round tonight.

Buds have sprung from the rose bush in my front yard and one outside the kitchen window. Drinking up the sun, warmer temperatures, and clean rain. I think I’ll take the hint from the flowers on this one and enjoy the extra minutes of sunlight.