Rambling Thoughts

May 30, 2011


Rambling Thoughts During This Mini Vacation

     Yesterday was the third day I’ve had without  going to work, although I'm not quite finished at school, as we have two and one half days more with students this week, then final staff meeting and staff party.  The hourglass is nearly empty.  We had a lot to do the past days, running errands, going to a movie, and visiting my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter for a few hours, helping them with some lawn work (mostly though, playing with Ingrid).   In between errands, I’ve been doing those last minute school tasks, like wrapping goodbye gifts and writing thank you notes. 

Yesterday, we hung out mostly, so I put ingredients for a stew in a slow cooker, and I’ve kept busy on the mission of cleaning out things-first drawers, then some closets, etc.  I found no surprises, (or money), but did fill another box for give-aways & a bag of things for various people at school.  My mantra is use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.  It’s an old World War II saying, when many had to live that way in order to help the war effort.  It’s interesting how today there is much talk that supports that saying; we’ve come to believe that doing what we can to waste less is a good thing for the planet.

 School ending gives me such energy for home things.  It’s almost the same feeling when spring fever hits, and I yearn to be outside, in the garden, without a coat!  It is bittersweet to say goodbye to continuing students who are leaving for good, but we all feel the pull of summer, the almost visceral need to do something different, whether it’s to stay at home, go on vacation, or just take a few hours every day in the garden, tending the new growth. 

So today, I puttered, I cleaned, and I sat on the patio a while, and while there, a gift came by.  A hawk flew in, and landed on one of our fence posts.  Guess he was hanging out too, although probably for dinner.  He didn’t stay long, but it was a great thing to see.  I didn’t have a camera, and if I’d moved, he too would have taken off.  So, he’s just in my mind’s eye, a beautiful thing, making his way in this almost-summer world, just like I am.