Spring in the air

...well, I would, but I'd probably hurt my knee.

Today was the first Saturday when it began to feel as if we might survive the winter after all. I haven't been crazy about the winter; I love snow, but not cold, and there's been far, far more of the latter than the former. This winter has made me reconsider where I really want to retire one day.

But today was sunny, with a high in the mid-40s Fahrenheit, the ballplayers are working out in Florida and Arizona, and it feels like spring is just around the corner and halfway up the next block. The high is supposed to be 50 by midweek. I'm sure the cold weather's not gone completely, but I think I won't renew my health club membership next month; I'll just go back to running outside, which is as God and Abibe Bikila intended.

Speaking of which, that which we laughingly call St. Paul Cross Country chugs along. I lost one of my four ducklings, as the principal's son decided after one outing that he'd prefer screen golf, but I gained one on Friday. There's no telling if the kids will keep at it or not; to tell the truth, I'm not sure why they want to do it at all, with no competition and no "fun". But I'm grateful for each day we go out. There are a surprising number of faculty members who run: Lauren, Nick, Susan, Nikki Puckett (the new art teacher) and maybe Chris, in addition to me; that's half the staff. (And the way I run, half-staff is appropriate. Ba-dum-dum.) Several of them have said they'll come out and run with us sometime.

As for the job, the less said the better... the (A day) Periods 1-2-3-4 and (B day) Period 5 class, followed by 5 1/2 hours of free time, is wearing me down in every way. Only Zach and I have five preps and only I have a day with no free period. Bleeeeeurgh. But June is coming, and with it, a school-paid round trip back to the States. It will have been two years since I've been "home". Now if I only knew where to go...

Meanwhile, maybe spring hasn't sprung, but the crank on the jack-in-the-box is beginning to move.