First Day of Vacation!

For today (Monday, that is) being the first day of our summer vacation, I was certainly busy. I rose earlier than I usually do during vacation so I could have time to work on a project or two of my own.

It was a lovely day ... but hot. The thermometer hovered around 100 degrees from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. I spent my morning prayer and Bible reading on the front porch, then watered the flower beds before sorting and starting the laundry. At least half an hour was taken by cleaning out the front flower bed as the snapdragons just started blooming but the bed was littered with stiff browned oak leaves. My email box was cleaned out, the bills paid, thank you notes and birthday cards written and sent, and six chapters of Numbers read as I fell sadly behind in my Bible Book Club readings last month. I also took care of some MECAC business by updating the blog and answering the phone very often to pre-register children for the "Taste of Art" summer program that our art council is holding next week. I helped E do dishes as she has cut her finger quite badly after Keith sharpened the knives this weekend. BIG difference (especially while cutting tomatoes).

The phone seemed to never stop ringing today. I gained two new tutoring students for the fall. I learned that our cable could be out for an hour or two today or tomorrow. I had a long chat with my dear friend from middle school -- we were both in Mr. Stan's English and History classes in eighth grade; I had called last week to alert her to the date and time of his memorial, but she and her family were out of town -- and had traveled north to San Francisco rather than southward to San Diego. A talk with Sheri caught us up on the items we needed to check with each other before purchasing materials for next year [GROAN! I'm so NOT in the mood to think about materials for next year when I still have this year's work to grade and submit ASAP). I found out that my chiropractor's wife is back in the hospital (but forgot to send an e-mail to Lake Murray -- something to do tomorrow -- or today as I'm composing this piece of writing after 3:00 AM) and needs prayer. I can't remember a few of the other calls, but as we're used to one or perhaps two calls a day, eight was a departure from the norm, and none were "junk" calls. Wow.

I started grading one research paper but became distracted when dinner was laid on the table -- stuffed peppers! Well-worth the distraction. So I'll have to get grading big-time tomorrow as the grades for the graduating seniors are due post-haste. I also have to add up the final grades for the Class Day class and grade their MLA research papers ASAP.

But today was a really great day. I could putter about, caring for my kids, my house, my garden. I could spend a loooooong time on morning devotions with no one to interrupt me (not too often, anyway). And I also prayed the Noon Office, the Vespers Office, and the Night Office throughout the day. And so went the first day of summer vacation ... and may all days be this productive and this relaxing.