It’s Monday night, 11:45 PM, and the teaching day is over. I am almost ready for four days of writing and relaxing.

This Sunday’s and Monday’s lessons have been outstanding with tons of progress and energy toward some hefty goals. Tuesday students, I am looking at you to keeping this fine trend going!

A friend has bid farewell to her grandfather, and her children, former students now in their twenties, have gotten to know great-grandparents when so many their age probably never knew theirs. I, too, was so blessed to have known all but one grandparent and all but one of my great-grandparents. I was especially close to my great-grandfather, Garrett Clary, and can appreciate this family’s sense of loss.

For some reason, the body was not cooperative this morning and I listened to it, spending most of the day in bed until it was time to shower and teach. We have rain coming this Wednesday and I suspect I am finding reactions to the front approaching. I’ve noticed this several times before previous weather fronts arrive that it is not only my sinuses that are thrown into a tumble.

At some point in the late morning I heard a commotion going on near the deck and fence to the DP&L easement. Years ago I had put up chicken wire along the wood privacy fence to aid in keeping out intruders. I checked the area and snuggled next to the fence and looking through the chicken wire was a possum. I looked and saw no wounds nor injuries. It didn’t seemed scared by my presence and as I talked to it, the sweet faced thing blinked its eyes and appeared calm. I sat on the deck’s side steps, about six feet from the possum, separated by only the chicken wire. After about fifteen minutes I stepped away and when I returned it had moved on.

I think I shall spend a few minutes on the deck before turning in around 12:15 PM.