JOURNAL: October 11, 2006

We’re enjoying a stretch of Indian summer days here in southern New England. Yesterday, once again, it became quite warm as the hours passed. There was a stillness and torpor in the air that I associate more with mid-August than mid-October. Teaching was extra-difficult in these sultry conditions. The kids’ heads must have seemed especially heavy, because almost all of them were drooping down toward the tables, often held up only by their arms. Around 2:00, my room was muggy and oppressive, and my English lessons, I’m afraid, brought no relief whatsoever. Luckily for both me and the students, the school day came to an end, and many of us were able to get outside to enjoy the sunshine and pleasant breezes. The soccer and field hockey players raced up and down the field in their games, and I went to the park for a restful stroll and some reading. I sat on a bench enjoying a chapter in To Kill a Mockingbird as the sun drifted down among the trees.