One Month Down

Coffee tasted really good tonight.

I have thought of each evening this week as a retreat. Ken has been out of town, and I have brought home no work. Dinners have been simple and the only sounds in the house have been the ones I make. I have watched three movies, one each night; the only one worth mentioning is Buck, a documentary about Buck Brannaman, the real-life horse whisperer. I needed something uplifting and that movie fit the bill perfectly.

I am making progress with students at school. I have been able to assign classwork and projects that have brought up just about every student's grades [many were failing]. Most days are manageable, though there is at least one day a week that everything goes haywire and I just hang on until 2:15. There is no "down time" with students, not a minute that I can let down my guard or not be on my toes. There is no easy banter, though students seem to have more respect for me now that they know I'm staying and will work with them to be successful.

It is exhausting.

I am tired. I feel tired and I look tired and I act tired. I have been in bed each night by 10:30, which is really really early for me. I have been sleeping through until 5:30, which is really really early for me but it's when I need to wake up to have time to "wake up" before I leave the house at 6:30.

Last weekend I started lobbying, again, for a king-size bed. I've wanted one for many years, but there wasn't space in any room in the old house. So we bought a nice bed. We are on our second mattress and box spring, and I still like the bed, but I sleep so much better when I have personal space. Ken has always taken the suggestion personally, but it's not anything against him ~ it's that I need room to sleep. He conceded last weekend that if it's something I really want, I should start bed shopping. After three full nights' sleep this week, it's time to invest in a bigger bed. I have also noticed that I sleep better when we stay in a hotel with a king-size bed. It's time....

I woke up this morning to an inch of snow on the ground and my car. I considered putting it in the garage last evening, until I remembered that the motorcycle is now parked in my spot. Yes, we had weather warm enough for Ken to go for a ride already. Then temps dropped into the 20's and 30's. There was hail today on my drive home, and we may get more precipitation tonight.

One month down. Ten weeks to go....

It's time for bed.