Blink, blink

So summer happened, as I imagine it did for you. It was lovely and not particularly long.

Ireland in June. Everyone should try it. Take someone with you who is a confident driver. That was kind of important. Husband was a total pro. Fear not if you picture eating in Ireland to be a long string of meals starring overcooked meats. I managed to eat delicious, fantastic, meatless meals the whole 10 days. We wandered castles and countryside churches and enormous libraries and city streets mdd beautiful by history and architecture and time and cobblestones and modernity all within the same view. My skin was awesome (at the expense of my hair). Sometimes it rained. Mainly it sunned. It was coolish-warmish perfect. (Go, I’m saying.)

I read some books. Still sitting in my brain is “The Professor and the Madman” about the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary. With help from an insane (and brilliant) guy. Also “We Were Liars” which made me want to sit down with Ms. E. Lockhart and hug her and cry and listen to her wisdom. Hard stuff, interesting twistiness, spare writing.

A little bit of writing. That feels good. I love writing, remember? I’m starting to remember.

I finished my teaching license requirements, so I’m For Real now. That’s kind of awesome, I must say.

I climbed a mountain. The pretty one outside my kitchen window. It took nine hours and sixteen miles and my calfs were shredded the next day. I walked down stairs like this, “Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.” (I think that’s how many stairs I have.)

I spent time with people I love. Friends and relatives and lots and lots and lots of time with the family that lives in my house. I really like these people.

It was a good summer, and now we’re a week back to school. I rather like these people, too. I have great classes (well, they’re full of great kids, anyway – the greatness of the actual class might remain to be seen) and there’s LOTS for me to learn this year. I enjoy learning. This should be great.

Yesterday I took a walk and wore a long-sleeved shirt. When the clouds cleared off my mountain, I saw snow on it. Snow. Where two weeks ago I’d stood and gotten sunburned. Fall is in the air. A few trees are changing. This part never, ever lasts long enough around here. I’ll blink again and it will be deep winter. So I’m propping my eyes open, trying to soak it all up – not to blink it away.