Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

This weekend was supposed to be grade papers weekend. I was going to get started early yesterday as I have quite a few papers that need attention. So what have I been doing? Avoiding anything related to work by brewing up another batch of kombucha (the first batch was okay--a little too vinegary for me--so I'm hoping this batch works out better). making yogurt (love knowing the only ingredients are whole milk from grass-fed cows and cultures). simmering beef bone broth on the stove (and burning the palm of my hand by grabbing hold of the cast iron skillet used to brown the bones in the oven before transferring them to the stock pot. My little, "I'm so stupid! I'm so stupid!" dance around the kitchen as I'm holding my hand brought Hubby running and turning on the cold water at the sink for me). making homemade granola (which smells so good as it is heating in the oven). sweeping and mopping and dusting and laundry and dishes (yes, even cleaning ho...

For the kids anyway. Not for me. But since I have several personal days I need to use before the end of the semester, I went ahead and took one so I could stay home, too. I'm glad I did. While the plan was to sit here and work all day, getting these papers read, responded to, and ready to return on Thursday, I still haven't started. I've been doing everything but sitting here working. I'm not so different from my students. Just as they put things off, so do I. Just as they don't feel guilty about procrastinating, neither do I. The work will get done. Just as it has in all the semesters I've been reading and responding to papers. Instead of working, I read an article about staying motivated in Runner's World . I helped guide my husband through a lasagna recipe; said lasagna is now filling the home with a most delicious aroma. I spent twenty minutes at 11 mph on the bike then twenty minutes at 5 mph on the treadmill, increasing the incline until I reached 10% ...