Back to School: Week 7

Gracie reflects

It's now safe to say that my presence at school with Gracie is "normal."  This means that the highlights of our week at school together are rather dull, so we will turn to other highlights of the week.  There were lots of them!

The most beautiful fall ever!

With two face to face (on campus/F2F) classes, two hours of compulsory time in the department's writing center, and 100+ minutes times three spent in the car going to and coming back from White Bear Lake each week, three online classes and the weekly Webinars I hold with those students, all the papers and assignments to go through from all those people, plus Gracie's walks and grooming etc. does not leave us with much extra time.  This week, however, the weather was too beautiful to ignore.   So Gracie and I stole time we didn't really have and the highligts for this week are the things we did instead of what we usually do which is answer student questions posted in Discussion or sent in an e-mail messages, plan classes and Webinars, all the stuff previously mentioned, and correct papers non-stop like that woman in the fairy tale locked in shed where she was commanded to spin gold out of straw.

Highlights of Week 7: 





The Monster lurks.


1. Going to a movie--Moneyball-- with Nate and Bruce (and Brad Pitt) was highlight number one.  I had popcorn, and Gracie had her dinner.  Then we all went back to Nate's apartment for sandwiches--subs, really. Gracie sat on the couch...but don't tell Nate's girlfriend, who was out of town Monday, about that.
2. Taking not one but two long bike rides around Lakes Harriet, Calhoun, and Isles was highlight number two +.  It was at Isles that we spotted the roving dinosaur that last fall was in Lake Harriet.  We were so excited we had to stop and try to capture it...in a picture.  Here you see the beast hiding in the weeds with downtown Minneapolis in the background.





Gracie rides


3. One day we shot home from the campus earlier than usual.  Of course, we put in our office hours and spent our time in the writing center and taught our class.  But we are not being chased out of the office that we are so graciously allowed to use by other part-timers this fall as we were all of last year and so have been staying a bit longer to try to stay on top of all that straw that must be spun.  This day we didn't though.  Instead we hurried home to ride our bike to Lake Calhoun for a walk and lunch with Bruce and his cousin Idy.  Idy had not met Gracie before, but no one would have known that by the enthusiastic way Gracie greeted Idy.  We ate at the Tin Fish, which was scheduled to close for the season today--but how can they as the 80 degree weather persists?  Thanks to that 80 degree weather, the Tin Fish was not out of chowder like they usually are by two in the afternoon.  Ahhh.  When we returned to our locked bikes, we were greeted by a couple with two miniature dachshunds.  The couple was very interested in Gracie's bike riding arrangement.  I expect to see the four of them zinging around the lake in a similar rig next time we manage to get away.
4. Friday I now call Fried Day because it really is too exhausting and by the end of it, both Gracie and I are fried.  We have to be on campus by 10:30 a.m. (four hours later than usual but with a three hour class planned and in the can); in the writing center by 11:00 a.m.; and in front of students from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.  They don't always leave right away.  We often end up staying until 4:30 p.m. or later.  Then there is the rush hour traffic mingled with the heading-up-north traffic.  We are lucky to get home by 6:30 p.m. 



Early morning is spectacular

5. Saturday, to atone, we got up at 3:30 a.m. and got to work grading student work and doing site maintenance for Week 8.  At 6:30 a.m., I got this picture of the sunrise.  At 7:45 a.m., I put Gracie in her kennel box and went to the YMCA for the Saturday morning Body Flow class.  Of course, Gracie and I had to take a long walk when I got home.  Then back to work until 4:20 p.m. when we went to Zach's to pick him up to go to Bruce's cousin Joni and her husband Steve's farm outside of Prescott, WI.  What a beautiful place that is.  And what a perfect opportunity there for Gracie to practice her dog to dog etiquette, which is admittedly a bit rusty.  After some early growling and lunging, however, Gracie went into tolerance mode.  I suspect she wanted to run around like the other dogs, but I kept her leashed to me, as the good service dog she is.

Today--Sunday--we were up again before dawn and back at the computer.  I think I am nearly up-to-date.  None too soon either as two classes are turning in papers tonight (electronically) and one class will be turning in papers Tuesday night and another class Thursday morning--hard copy, the only one that comes in that way and a sort of treat for me as I get to write on those papers with a green ballpoint.  Then one more class turns in their papers Saturday night before 11:59 p.m.  Though the weather this week was wonderful, Gracie and I are hoping the weather this coming week is not quite so inviting.  As I relate the story of the week past, I realize that what has been sacrificed is my sleep (since Gracie works in her naps while I'm grading, peddling, driving, etc.) Maybe we'll go to bed early tonight.  Say good night, Gracie!

Good night