On this the 180th day of school and 3 days until retirement I’m looking through the old photo rolls and imagining upcoming trips to California’s national parks.
To the redwood forests and other wild places.
My days of managing young Homo sapiens is coming to an end. If you think I’m wistful or melancholy about it, you’d be wrong.
The photo below is from a blog post in October of 2008 on a trip to Yosemite.
from the blog – September 27, 2017
“lately, i’m remembering my LOA (leaves of absence) with a pang. i miss those days of blissful solitude, morning walks, travels in the spring and fall. monday was my favorite day of the week because it meant everyone in the world except me was at work. except they weren’t and i wasn’t the only one. now i’m back to worshipping fridays and saturdays and sundays. and it looks like i’m in it for the long haul – this work business, i mean. some days it feels like i’m living in a cage.
other days like today i get home and drag everything out back – journal, sketchbook, book book. make a nice pour-over coffee. i can’t get outside fast enough. a flock of green parrots fly overhead squawking, a breeze is blowing, it’s cool. orange sun slanting through the trees. way up in the sky a white jet is heading east.”
A gentle rain fell on Wednesday, landing on the smoke tree and turning the puffs of smoke pink. I took that photo on my way to work.
Evidence of long past art retreats with sister and Pam.
There’s so much to look forward to in my upcoming gap year where I plan to drift and float here and there and everywhere.
I’m celebrating with 2 wonderful former administrators, and some teacher friends again on Friday.
Next time I send you a postcard I’ll be FULLY adrift. Naturally I’ll report my findings and observations on non-working life. See you soon.
