Thought Salad

Last week I re-labeled two six packs of Pacifico with my own label called, Back to School Brew. I didn't have any extra time on my hands, I just wanted to make myself laugh. It only took 5 minutes to make the labels out of scratch paper and tape them on. I guess I thought the beer and the extra laugh would come in handy at the start of the year. I felt pretty stressed about going back. To my surprise it is week 2 and it's flown by. My teaching has become intuitive in some ways and I seem to float around observing all the learning that's going on in the classroom. I still have a few Back to School Brews in the fridge. I hear this is one of the last summer-like weekends we can expect so I bet I'll finish the beers in my hammock on Sunday afternoon.

I went on a really great ride the other day (early, before the storm came in). I didn't step off the bike start to finish...a very satisfying ride. I was so psyched -partly because I was listening to a sweet tune on my shuffle, and partly because my bod just felt good, but I rode around the last bend too quickly, hit some gravel and smacked the ground hard on my right side. I put my head between my legs before I could fade to black and waited for my heart rate to slow. I heard a huddle of voices around me asking, "are you ok?" Gus didn't seem to care...he was off in the near-by stream lapping it up. I limped away cursing the injuries and wishing I had some hard alcohol. An oatmeal bath and 800mg of IBU later, I was feeling alright. Now I've got sweet scabs and bruises to show my students which always increases my stock. (I think I started my first year at Realms with similar injuries due to a skateboarding accident!)

I am so looking forward to fall. The smell changes, the light changes, the air is crisp so you throw on a cozy scarf and drink coffee bundled on the front steps in the morning. You kick leaves and collect a few really gorgeous ones. You begin to see your breath when you exhale. I'll make stews and drink wine on Sundays. The weather is cool enough to go on rides mid-day. Yes!

Looking forward to having Nate home. I've missed the man so much.

Jess