I’m in the rocking chair while the boys watch television. The elliptical is broken. I may run outside later but a fierce, cold wind is blowing and I don’t imagine the run will be too relaxing. I’m driving to Chicago in, oh, four hours. T wants to hit the library so we’ll head out in a few minutes. I could use a little quiet.

Last night sucked. M was going out with her friends, but end of the semester paperwork weighed heavily on my mind, so I let the kids play on their own while I sat at the dining room table and graded papers. The computer shut down twice while I worked. I f—king hate that. At least a storm blew through town and brought some interesting weather into Port. Anyway, I managed to grade ten papers, leaving me nineteen left to finish by Tuesday. I knocked out a couple more this morning, so I’m down to seventeen. Not bad. I can handle that. M and the boys are attending a birthday party tomorrow so I’ll have time then. The last few weeks of the semester suck.

After the boys fell asleep I read on the front porch until M arrived home. We talked for a bit. Oh, I also moved the futon on the front porch so I can sleep in the open air. Last night I didn’t sleep well, though. The wind kept the bird feeders and wind chimes moving all night.

I sound a bit bitchy. More later. I don’t want to slip on the journal.