Two Week's Time

,I seemed to have lost track of time. I was shocked when I realized that I have not posted here in nearly two weeks. Like most of us when we fall short of our goals I have tried to figure out what went wrong; what the heck have I been doing for all this time? What makes this whole situation even more curious is that I have been at home the entire time, except on the days I teach, because Weber has been without his contacts during these two weeks in preparation for cataract surgery and has not been able to drive. As I have reflected on these past couple of weeks, I realize that I have accomplished a few things. The fact that I have done so in a leisurely way is so uncommon for me that I have the feeling that I have not done much when the truth is that I really have. Calm feels really nice!

What I Have Done Over the Past Two Weeks

• Though I have not written a blog post, I have done some writing for some projects whose identities are not yet ready to be disclosed. If and when they are, I will gladly share them with all of you.

• I have walked to and from school. The morning walk is a fabulous way to start the day. The temperatures are cool, relatively speaking, the birds are singing, and I get a little exercise. The afternoon walk home is not quite as pleasant but it is certainly not unbearable.

• Through the miracle of Netflix we watched several Michael Moore films, all of which were eye-opening, maddening, powerful, and very well done. We also watched a documentary titled, “America’s Most Hated Family.” This chronicled the doings of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. I don’t recommend this film to anyone who has high blood pressure, a heart condition or anger management issues. It will make your heart hurt, your blood boil, and trigger even the slightest inclination toward a fit of rage. Because we could not go anywhere to get ice cream, chocolate, alcohol or anything else to calm our souls after watching this, we opted to watch something much less controversial, something focused on the process of creation rather than destruction. “Between the Folds” is an amazing documentary on the many facets of origami - everything from its beauty as an amazing art form to how it is used as a teaching tool in classrooms across the world.

• I unpacked a few more boxes, probably not as many as I could have or should have. But, every little bit helps, right? Please say “yes”!

• Adidas and I have taken our individual obsessions and formed a meaningful symbiotic relationship. He is an compulsive shedder and I have become a compulsive sweeper. This may be where 99% of my time has gone during my days at home. The upshot here is that all things considered, the house is pretty darn clean right now. And watching Clean House on the Style channel makes me want to keep it that way. Many facets of my life may make for a hit reality TV show; Clean House is definitely one that I don’t want to be on!

• I did not do much laundry. When you don’t leave the house, the dress code reads, “Same shirt. Different day.” And, several other articles of clothing are, lets just say, unnecessary.

• We did all of the daily New York Times crossword puzzles - even Friday. I have not decided whether is comforting or disturbing to have come to the point where we can do a successful mind meld with Will Shortz.

• FYI - Amazon.com sells my new favorite cookies. (I am getting my money’s worth from my Amazon Prime membership.) The UPS man is my new best friend. He brings my cookies that Amazon sells and he brings coffee too! This is just a public service announcement. I did n ot spend time ordering these things. The truth is that it takes very little, probably too little,time to order just about anything online - especially books. Enough said.

• I knit, therefore I have one sock. I need two socks. I needed two socks a month ago. I did not knit enough.

• We also spent time watching our garden grow. Though we have yet to see tomatoes or cucumbers, the okra and jalapenos are doing great. We also picked our first crooked neck squash. I have to admit hat this was very exciting. It was so exciting that Weber took a picture of our first squash.

With that we give thanks for the fruits of our garden, the fruits of our time, and the fruits of our imagination!