Saturday Morning

Well here it is Saturday morning, just over a week left of the summer before school starts again. Once again time has just flown by. Why does it keep doing that? It had better stop before I get old....

We had a good July though as we took a 10-day cruise out of San Francisco to Alaska. We had never been on a cruise that long before. Quite a bumpy and windy ride going up the coast, but the destination was totally worth it. The scenery up there is completely amazing. We didn't end up seeing a whole ton of wildlife; mostly whales spouting at a far distance, sea otters and occasionally dolphins in the water. On land in ports we did see salmon jumping and bald eagles (up close even at the Raptor Center in Sitka). It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip, despite the engine trouble that made us late into Victoria, Canada.

Now it's time to refocus on work and the fall semester. Well actually, I've been at work the last three weeks now trying to refocus on work. I'd like to report that I've made significant progress there. But I'd only partially be telling the truth. Really it's been a fairly slow and quiet rite of passage at work, awaiting the inevitable return of all those brats. I mean, the faculty and students...

But now it's time to have a somewhat relaxing weekend, the second to last before all hell breaks loose. Today is the Stockbridge annual picnic, so that will provide a chance to go bake in the sun and fatten up on food. Not that I need to fatten up though - the cruise put me up enough, and its going to take awhile to shed off all of that. Oh well, moving right along.

I am proud to report that the marching band music I've been arranging for the fall is all done. So, I have gotten something accomplished this August.