We’ve been on vacation all week. The first half didn’t feel like vacation, because I used a lot of my free time to make sure I was ready for class on Wednesday.

Class? Thanks for asking. I think it went well. The students seem bright and ready to rock ‘n’ roll. I’m excited to be working with them. We lost a few, so it’s a small group, but that’s better for me and for them. More attention for everyone! Less grading for Lori!

But since then, we’ve been doing some Chicago-y things. Library, Kuma’s Corner for burgers and beer, then yesterday we went downtown and tromped about. Ate at the Weber Grill (restaurant), something Greg has always wanted to do. Walked a fair bit of Michigan Avenue. Saw/heard some Jazz Festival, looked around the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park and the Chicago Architecture Foundation shop and miniature display of the city. Came home just in time for our dog to wiggle her butt off. More walking, with dog. Then collapse.

At some point I decided it was less work to make something for dinner than it was to order something (huh?) so I went and made an approximation of bim mi bap. Not a very good approximation, but with the rice and egg combo I was looking for, with some fat mushrooms in between. Spent the rest of the evening watching a recorded episode of MasterChef I’d missed (friend of a friend is still in the running) and reading something for class that turned out not to be helpful at all.

Today we took Ursa to the puppy park to mingle and chase a tennis ball and in just a little while we’ll meet our friends Meghan and Ryan (we call them the Schleagans, but that’s not their name). Taking the CTA brown line (which is a treat in itself, much prettier stuff to look at than the blue) downtown to catch one of those Untouchables Tours. Technically, the tour is a write-off. Research for one of my projects.

Sunday and Monday…I have no idea. I’d like to read some more, write some more, get some things done in re: to the class’s next meeting. Or I might sit around and watch a lot of DVDs. It is vacation, after all, so I’ll just do whatever I want to.