Academic Relief

Today I am practicing not teaching

classes and finals are officially over

next week

I am cleaning my kitchen as it gets dirty

not when I run out of dishes

I’m getting my dryer repaired because I am home and can make an appointment

no more trips to the laundromat with a carload of damp clothes

then doing laundry when there is only one load not 12 loads

and I still have clean clothes to wear

I pruned my bamboo this morning

got my mail before the postman took it back to the post office

am still in my pajamas and slippers

drinking fresh coffee instead of one or even two day old and stale (moldy?)

cooked breakfast instead of fast food

(and washed the dishes)

The pile of unread books and magazines

will begin to disappear

and I look forward to day trips

to the bookstores in town

I have read most of NY Times

the day it comes out

not a week late or a month late

and I brushed the cats

fed the raccoons

and watched the stress leave