Lots of Thinking

Tuesday the temps reached 90. Around 5 pm, I realized I am so over the heat of summer. I'm ready for cooler temps and then the cold that will follow. For one reason. Mosquitoes. They've been just awful all summer long. The boys and I can't step outside the back door without an immediate frontal, side, and rear attack. I'm not exaggerating. It doesn't matter what time of day we try to get out. The mosquitoes are waiting and ready to assault us. I've doused myself in more bug spray the last three months than I have my entire life. The poor doggoes end up with mosquitoes on top of mosquitoes vying for space on their snouts. Taking a walk is miserable for them and me.

For whatever reason, the mosquito problem seems to be relegated to my side of the village. As soon as we get three blocks away, to the east side of the village, the mosquitoes lessen. And two blocks further they all but disappear. There is a creek about a hundred and fifty yards behind the house, which might be part of the problem. There is also just a lot more dense vegetation surrounding my side of the village, creating a shady, moist environment conducive to mosquito habitat. With all the rain we've had the last three months, it's no wonder the mosquitoes set up housekeeping. 

So yeah, bring on the cooler temps. Like this morning. Around 57 degrees. No mosquitoes to bother us on our morning walk. It was glorious.

We are already at the end of week four of the semester. I still haven't unpacked the boxes of books and other stuff in my new office. I'm only on campus twice a week for four hours each day, so I'm simply not spending much time in the office. Not enough to feel compelled to unpack and set up camp. I remember the first time I walked into my old office (wow, this was 21 years ago!), looked around, and was so excited by the prospect of having my own office. I believed that office was proof I had made it. Now? I have a beautiful office with a view of the quad, but I'd much rather be at home, teaching online. The pandemic showed me home is where I want to be.

I've been thinking a lot lately about retirement. I know I have at least five more years ahead of me. Maybe seven. My goal when I bought the house was to have it paid off as quickly as possible. I have a 15 year loan, now down to 14 years and eight months. This past year I was going to add enough to each monthly payment to be done in ten years, but I ended up giving that extra money to one of the kids to help with school. I'd rather the kids borrow from me than take out school loans with interest rates that should be considered criminal. I can still make my ten-year goal if I buckle down, which I can do now that all the big projects with the house are completed. If I really, really buckle down, I might be able to pull off paying the mortgage back in five years. I guess it all depends on if I truly do want to retire then. I'm thinking I do. I'm just not finding the joy in teaching the way I used to.

All the joy in my life is right here at home. 

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