A New Year

But out with the old was fun, too--and by that I mean that I had a lovely and relaxing winter break. We got a snowstorm the day after I got home, and I spent the entirely of it in front of the fire, reading. So nice...

El Nino in some La Nina weather

Sangre de Cristo Sunset

My mother and I baked a ton for Christmas--we try to avoid giving people things anymore. I feel like foodstuffs are generally put to better use. We made granola, pumpkin break, Mexican wedding cookies, and oatmeal raisin cookies.

The snow was all gone by Christmas--that whole week was unusually warm. But by New Year's it was really cold, with lows below zero a few times. But a few days later it was warm enough to feel to hot running in leggings and a fleece. Climate change is real.

Most of the time on my break was delightfully lazy--I slept enough, and did so little that I felt a bit guilty. I read three books for fun, and watched movies, and drank copious amounts of tea. I saw family and friends--all the things that feel really good.

Now I am back. It snowed two feet last night. Walking to class this morning (no, it was not cancelled...) was a rather post-apocalyptic experience, with everyone walking in the street like zombies because the sidewalks had not been shoveled. After class, I went sledding with a friend on purloined (not by us) dining hall trays. By then, the sun was about to come out, and it was beautiful, the wind whipping up bits of snow, cars on the road the exception rather than the norm. Walking back to central campus, the sidewalks were swarmed with crews wielding shovels and snowblowers.

I am trying to figure out what classes I am taking, trying to find the best way to finish up this time at Yale. It seems strange to me that it is almost over, but also very right. I am sure I will feel some nostalgia at some point, maybe in April, but for right now, I am relieved, and very much looking forward to being done. So close--but I want to enjoy this semester, too!