The Return

 

Back from New Orleans.   Crossing my fingers that I didn't contract the virus down there.  

I can worry about the virus, or I can keep calm and carry on.  

Highlights from the trip: EVERYTHING.

#1 Son is doing great and so is Rachel.  June and HeMan seemed to remember us and gave us a good bit of positive attention. 

We saw pelicans and swans and ibises and wood ducks and cranes and masses of swallows swarming over the bayou boardwalk.  

Now we're home.  Ready to re-commit to the education of American's youth. 

The Trip

 We have a trip planned to New Orleans next week.  We've cancelled so many trips this year.  I am choosing to go to New Orleans.  We can be outside most of the time with the nice weather.  We can take drives and walk along levees.  We can talk with Quinn and Rachel from a distance of six feet. We're going.  You just need to accept it and please stop telling me that I shouldn't go.

The Switcheroo?

 Did you ever wake up and get dressed and then feel like you don't want to be wearing what you put on, but you're not sure you have time to change, so you keep wondering and the time keeps getting shorter and you're not sure what you're going to do?

The Clouds

 Marjory Wentworth wrote a poem about how how Billy Collins writes poems.  

She says that it's important to look at the smallest things.

We read Wentworth's poem and then we read Collins' poem called Student of Clouds.  It's about the artist John Constable who was great at painting clouds.  If you don't believe me, check it out.

Every Wednesday, we create Lynda Barry inspired self portraits.  Yesterday, we drew ourselves as clouds.  

We spend an important amount of time doodling and noodling around in Thirdland.

The Hating Day

 I hate Mike Pompeo.

The Election

 This is a joyful time.  

There are things to be nervous about, but for right now, I'm going to celebrate the President Elect and the new VP and the dancing in the streets and the people smiling and the happy crying and the camaraderie and the big rush of relief I feel with every breath.

The Woodpecker

 A Downy Woodpecker spends considerable time pecking holes into the side of our house.  3 holes so far.  He does it all day long. We run out and scare him off and then he comes back and pecks again.  It's freaking annoying.

It's also annoying waiting for election results.  Last night I could not sleep.  I try to stay optimistic, but 4 more years of this nonsense and I'll just go over the edge. 

In conclusion, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it probably would have been better if I was required to work at my job today.  I had fantasies of working on a paper and cleaning my house and taking a slog but mostly I'm walking around feeling annoyed with the world.  Election results should start being shared in about 4 hours.  I'm going to be patient and binge watch some reality television.