few more days

I head for home (my home) in a couple days. Thank goodness it looks like the weather is going to be clear for my travels this year.

Christmas was fairly quiet, a little topsy-turvy because of bad weather (we got 6 inches of snow Christmas Eve afternoon). I think because of that - because things weren't quite the same as sometimes they have been, I was a little sad when the holiday was over (normally I am not really sad, per se, but maybe a little wistful).

The tree is gone. My mom and I took the decorations off yesterday and hauled the (now dry and crispy - this tree was obviously cut too early) tree out to the curb, the city's chipper crew came and got it this morning.

I have some boxes to pack - books received for Christmas, and a big bulky-weight sweater kit, and probably some of my turtlenecks to make room for other things coming back in the suitcase.

I guess I'm ready to come back to work. I've been dreaming about working on research (I think partly because I'm already trying to think what my summer research will be - not teaching this summer, so I need to use the time on some kind of larger research project).

As always, there's some sad happening over break. The much-loved former organist of my parents' church (he had been there over 50 years until his retirement about 10 years ago) passed away. The memorial service is tomorrow. Always things change.

I will miss my family but I guess I'm looking forward to getting back home.