January 1, 2010
Greetings to a New Year! The sun is shining, but it is bitterly cold outside, so much that I’m cuddled up on the couch with the lap desk and netbook. I should, of course, be grading the projects that are sitting to my side; however, I’m attempting to upload a new profile picture to my Facebook and doing a bit of journaling. Tucker is curled up on the couch next to me, so peaceful that I don’t think my conscience will be able to disturb him in order to retrieve my Snuggie. Lucy is snoring at my feet, which will keep me from putting up the legs of the recliner so I can be totally comfortable once I eventually get to grading. Sophie is curled up in front of the French doors. All are sleeping, and the sense of peace makes the quietness of the house less lonely. I have flipped on the Rose Bowl Parade in order to have some noise in the background; plus, I want to see the horses.
Speaking of horses, I need to brave the cold later this morning and figure out why Angel was in the yard. The fence doesn’t appear to be broken anywhere, but she was outside of it this morning. At least she didn’t go far, and was more than willing to run back in when she saw me standing at the gate with a bucket of grain. Maybe she went through the middle of the two strands, in which case, I’ll need to get out and install a middle strand sometime soon. I think I have the materials around the barn somewhere, but it would be nice to complete that task in above-freezing temperatures (which are not forecast any time soon).
I still have the coolers out on the deck from Christmas last week, and the birds have managed to strew seed all over them, so my peace is constantly disturbed by the sound of the woodpeckers gathering seed off the top of the plastic coolers – it sounds as if someone is knocking on the door. At least the dogs know the difference and are not leaping into their customary visitor cacophony of greetings each time we hear a tap-tap at the door. The cowbirds are back this morning for the year. This is the first time I’ve seen them this winter season, and their arrival heralds the inevitable departure of my pretty cardinals.
So, I’m going to put the computer aside now and embark on grading the portfolio projects. I have 34 or so done, and 77 some left (with 3 days to get them finished). I’m actually in pretty good shape to not have to force myself to do them all the day before I go back to work. I’d love to get a majority of them finished today, so I can take the grades to the library tomorrow and get the quarter averages figured. Of course, since Monday is a guest speaker in the morning and no official plans in the afternoon, I’m wondering if I can sneak back to my classroom after lunch and get ready for the upcoming semester – I haven’t really even thought about lesson plans, and it’s getting to that point in the program.
Books Read:
The Moon Looked Down by Dorothy Garlock
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