Labor Day Weekend

It all begins now--the schedule I've followed since 1975 when I first began teaching in Duluth. A life regulated by bells, by assignments, by student activities, by assessments. I put on a watch again, plan my appointments so they fall "after school," and subconsciously inventory food available and evening meals for the week.

How to prepare for this gearing up? This weekend we prepared 10 pints of dilly beans, defrosted the small refrigerator, changed the oil on the car, froze corn from Biseks, and before the end of the day, I hope to have jars of jalapeño pepper jam made. I hung curtains in mom's apartment, and joyfully am harvesting tomatoes from the 6 plants I'd gotten from Kara last spring. A bumper crop!

This morning the air suddenly turned crisp (well--just 52), but it was enough to cause mist to rise from the lake. SUCH a relief after sweating it out on 3rd floor in the old school building during teacher workshop. I've left the windows open a bit--and am looking forward to a cool room tomorrow when I enter.


Will this be my last year? I'm really quite unsure. Not teaching the college English class will free up so much of my time, I'm hoping. Other challenges arise--another year of adventures!