Busy Days

I realize I haven't blogged in ages.  I think about it all the time, but there's always some excuse.  I wanted a picture but it's on Tom's phone.  I don't have anything "important" to say.  I'm too busy to do it.  But if I keep making excuses, you all will stop reading!  And there is plenty to say, with and without pictures.  I'm also never going to not be "too busy."  That's just how I am.  Always busy.  And, really, I always have something to say.

So a little about my typical (busy) days.

A Moka

Days start around 6:30, and Tom and I usually have coffee and breakfast together.  Coffee is made in a "moka," a small Italian coffee pot.  It is usually delicious.  We have found that we never remember the coffee (or the wine, or the cheese) that is really good when we go to the grocery store, so there is lots of trial and error.  We now have a list on the fridge to write the "best" brands of things.  That should help.

Tom walks with me to my office (less than 5 min) and then he goes on a birding walk.  Once he saw something really good and came back to get me.  Luckily, things are relaxed enough in my office that I can leave for 10 min to see a bird, or have a cup of coffee, or retrieve the cell phone or notebook that I've left at home.

I'm in the office by 8.  I teach one or two 55 minute classes a day, depending on what day in the 8-day cycle it is.  I like the 8-day tumbling block, even though I know it would give most teachers nightmares. At 11, everyone stops for coffee break.  Teachers, Admin Staff, and students all get 20 min off.  It's a nice time to get out of the office and see everyone, but depending on how many people you need to see (or need to see you) it can be a bit hectic.

Lunch in Mensa (I think that's Italian for cafeteria) starts at 12:45, and it's best to get there before the last class ends at 1:20 so you don't have to fight with the students for a spot in line.  The food is quite good, for a cafeteria.

Val Rosandra,
one of our hikes

Activities start at 2:30.  One day a week I have Italian class with other teachers.  Another day is social service, when I drive a HUGE van with 6 students up to a botanical garden where we remove invasive species (http://www.giardinobotanicocarsiana.it/en/giardino.html)  Another day is yearbook meetings, and every other Friday is hiking.  That's my favorite, because  if you have to work on a Friday, you might as well be hiking.  And we hike in (or to) Slovenia.  How often do you just run off to another country for an afternoon hike?!?

Usually I'm home by 5 or 6 (sometimes there is an hour or two of work to do in the office after activities) and one of us makes dinner.  The only alternative to making dinner is getting a pizza to go from the shop in town.  It's pretty good pizza but we miss having lots of food options nearby.

That is my typical work day.  We are settling in nicely and I like having some sort of routine.  I miss my trips to the gym and the freedom of having a car to run out for whatever I "need" (chocolate, ice cream, take out) but overall, we are happy here.