For Today- April 6

It's been a while since I've done some recording of my daily life. Life is a little melancholy right now, so I'm doing a little bit of escaping from reality via books and the like. 

I'm also on a much-deserved four day weekend, as we did not have a weather-related surprise day off from January to March,  so we desperately needed some time away from each other. Desperately. 

Outside my window... this early part of the spring season is beautiful. For the last two nights, I've slept with the back door open. At night, I open the door, close the screen, and Daisy just sits by the door, watching the outside world pass, as I sit reading. It's a very sweet time.

I am thinking... about a lot and a little, all at the same time. My mind is heavy with decisions and feelings, on top of the everyday life drama and such. Thus, the escape from reality into fiction.

I am thankful for... the four day weekend. I need some quality time with few commitments and excessive reading and napping.

From the kitchen... I am creating a double batch of caramel apple cheesecake bars for tomorrow. It's a lot of work, but it-is-worth-it. Totally.

I am wearing... a black dress tomorrow. I'll write a little bit more about wearing black in April soon.

I am creating... nothing much of anything right now, save the above-mentioned cheesecake bars. I am working on our yearbook right now, so my stress level goes up and down, which also explains my blood pressure going up and down.

I am going... to finally publish this post so I can go clean up the kitchen and get back to the business of reading.

I am reading... Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon, and I cannot...stop...myself... I'm right around halfway through this 500 page book, book one in a series of seven, with the eighth being written. Sigh. I cannot put this down, and am reading it on three different devices: my kindle fire, my kindle (for when the fire runs out of batteries, because I read it late into the night and put the book down only to sleep- forgetting to plug it back in), and my phone (for when I am in the drive through, or waiting in line at the grocery store, and depending on where I left off... at a stoplight. Don't judge.) As I mentioned before, it takes place in Scotland, in the 1700's (sort of) and I find myself sounding out things in Scottish. And sounding ridiculous. I had to force myself to take a break from the book to write this.

I am hearing... silence and sound. I've been craving a bit of both lately. I've been listening to music so much more as of late, through my phone of all things, and need to make a new CD with some new songs soon. I have also been craving silence as I escape to the Scottish Highlands every chance I get, to read more about Claire and Jamie (see above obsession.)

Around the house... there is stuff everywhere, and I need to gather it all up and put it away. Seriously.

One of my favorite things... books and naps and puppies (that are about to turn 9- gasp!) and quiet time and all the things that a quiet spring season brings to mind. And the end of this year is in sight. I cannot wait to send these particular goblins off to fifth grade. 

A few plans for the rest of the week...really more like the rest of the weekend. I have the black dress tomorrow, Celebrating the Resurrection on Sunday, and a doctor's appointment on Monday. Every one of those activities will be followed by a nap. I plan to stay up late every night reading my book, and hope to get my apartment clean once and for all so I can really rest on Monday. Oh yeah, and I've got some papers to grade and a yearbook to finish. 

A picture to share... Daisy is not so sure about all of this time I've been spending with my kindle fire.