A discombobulating break

Back from break and all morning I've been confused. Today feels like Monday but I went hiking on Monday and we can't have two Mondays in the same week, so I've lost track somewhere. Let's review: Saturday, house-cleaning and midterm-grading; Sunday, church, driving in the rain, visiting; Monday, hiking, hummus, and Katharine Hepburn; Tuesday--what happened to Tuesday? On the road, driving home, taking the dog for a long walk and trying to catch a glimpse of the green heron squawking down by our creek. That would make today Wednesday.

For weeks I've been postponing tasks and telling myself I would do them over four-day break, but to do it all I would have needed four months. A four-day break is just long enough to offer a taste of life outside of campus and make me hungry for more, but it's never long enough to satisfy that hunger. Except for grading--I'm perfectly satisfied with the amount of grading I did over break and I really don't hunger for any more right now.

Now I'm back to work and wondering why I'm feeling so Mondayish on what can only be a Wednesday. On Monday I hiked with my daughter in a forest that felt enchanted, full of venerable trees that looked as if they could talk to us and stepping-stones designed for the feet of giants. For a brief moment we wandered into a timeless realm where anything could happen, but now we're back in the land of disenchantment and I don't know what day it is or what I did yesterday or what I'm doing tomorrow. Stand still, time! I need to catch up!