82!

For whatever inconsequential reason, I came to work this morning with almost no sleep from the night before. It happens. One thing you learn quickly if you’re a teacher is that you are on the next day no matter what your little issues are from the night before. If anything, I work harder at being alert when I am somewhere in zombieland. So you could argue that I am better when I am less good. 

But it made for a hard workday.

In general, I will admit that today had its tricky challenges. Take the ride in. It was Rosie time and a fine ride it should be, with promises of continued summerlike weather. The sun rose behind the orchard, daintily, gently and I was glad to have extra minutes to make the ride more leisurely. The upside of not sleeping is that you’re up and out earlier than usual.





But this morning there is a fog advisory.

Not so bad initially. Pretty. Gentle morning mists are so often balmy and calming out around the farm.





But things got muffled as I came into the city. The fog threw a thick band of wet, densely white air right at the entrance to the isthmus. The lake usually gives a nice view of the skyline. Today, it gave me this.





Well okay. It all disappeared quickly enough. Indeed, if you think yesterday was a record breaking hot day at 78, take note that today we hit 82. 82!

After my last class, I left Rosie in a spot where I thought she may be safe for a day or two and I ran to catch the late afternoon bus to Chicago. I haven’t seen my youngest girl for two months now. A dinner in the city with her and her guy is something to look forward to. She picks a place she knows I’ll love – Giuseppe Tentori’s Fish and Oyster Bar. You get really nostalgic for good seafood when you live in Madison.

I take the El downtown and think to myself how even though I’m south of home, it’s nippier here, by the mighty Lake Michigan. A brisk walk helps. And it’s a lovely walk – right across the river...





...and into the heart of the River North? Or is it the near North? Or west of the Golden Mile? Chicago is difficult to pin down that way.

The food is grand, the evening’s jovial..





...and now we’re home – her home, planning, scheming, talking of the next encounter, maybe up north, maybe over spring break...


Friday is a workday for her and for me too, but I promise myself a solid walk along the lake before returning home to Madison.

Meantime, keep throwing that good weather at me! I’m getting quite used to it.