Looking Back and Forward

Nellie, this cat above, sleeps a lot in her old age. In general, cats sleep a lot. Nellie sleeps even more-- lately on the red wicker chair in the bay window of the kitchen. While the weather was beautiful and springy, she was found outside in the sun a little more. When I was reading outside on the deck yesterday afternoon, Nellie caught a lizard, killed it, and ate it. I saw part and heard the rest. Even though I have rescued my share of birds and other small animals/reptiles/insects from the grips of many cats in my day, this time, something in me said, "good for her."

We are in the midst of making sure everything is ready for school and work tomorrow-- lunches or lunch money, back packs, lesson plans, and after-school plans. The tax documents are in an envelope ready for mailing. The laundry is folded and put away (until the next time). School uniforms are laid out--and shoes and socks. My husband read "Harry Potter" to the children early in the afternoon because he already had work commitments to take him away from the usual bedtime reading. Things are getting back to normal.

It is hard to not want to stay in spring break mode because it was such a good week of rest and renewal. While everything on my list did not get checked off, several things did. I feel good about what we did and did not do over the past week. Homework in the afternoons was exchanged for playing and late bike rides (a certain 6-year-old learned to ride his bike during the week)! I had started sleeping past 5:30 am. Our time was easier and more spontaneous.

Everyone seemed a little moody today knowing that the future brings more busyness, stress, and homework. But, we still have Easter break ahead even though the week before Easter will be one of the busiest of the year. . . and then summer swimming soon enough after that. And, I have more photos to take, more reflections to make, more blogs to write, more lessons to plan, more yarn to knit, more cloth to sew, more books to read, more walks to take, and more bread to bake. Life goes on. The Japaneses maple returns to glory.