Sometimes it is simply nice to have time. There are always chores and projects, but Thanksgiving was a day without stress. It was just the two of us and it was wonderful. We’d planned what we wanted to eat, and happily stuffed ourselves with pheasant cooked in cream sauce, Grandma’s noodles, homemade stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, and cherry pie with ice-cream.

I put up the Christmas lights on the apple tree outside our bedroom window and could hardly wait until dusk for them to come on! I put the lights on the house too. We also enjoyed having some good friends down and catching up! (Thanks Ev, Sheila, Nick, and Emma) And we also headed up north to see some friends and work on motors, where I am fascinated by turning lathes and things measured in 15 thousandths.

My online students were fairly active too, but without the pressure of a normal school

Indian knows what he wants for Christmas, and all the time!

week, this too was a place to breathe. I really love to meet them in my live ‘office’ to be able to interact and help with assignment questions. I met one very cute kitten and a little brother with a thick Alabama accent.

I want to be sure to carry this breath with me through to the end of the semester and into all our Christmas celebrations. I’m looking forward to time with family and friends, long walks down country roads, a few rides, and lots of cookie baking.