Now What?

This past weekend, we were visited by the magnificent Joan and Frank, who actually traveled from balmy North Carolina to western Pennsylvania (yes, in February) to spend the weekend with us. We spent some time in Pittsburgh, cruising Joan's old hangouts--she lived there 20-some years ago--and enjoyed introducing them to some of our friends at dinner on Saturday. But mostly, we sat around eating and talking endlessly. They're that kind of friends, where 6 or so hours sitting around without a plan passes comfortably, easily, warmly.

Our weekend with Joan and Frank was our last big social activity--not only because they're untoppable and it's nice to go out with a bang, but also because we've been hesitant to make big plans in these last few weeks. There's more work to be done on the house: Sam is redoing the basement bathroom for my parents to use when they visit, and I'm re-painting yet again a dresser that once was my mother's, then mine, and now will be the baby's.

In terms of work, I'm in a strange limbo. My leave was approved, then contradicted (but not necessarily rescinded), then I was asked for an application and documentation, which I submitted last semester, and since then I haven't heard anything. All of this is happening through our HR office, which has little to do with my day-to-day work; if I didn't show up for three weeks, they wouldn't know. Or, really, care, I suppose. But thankfully, my department has been very supportive and consistent: I'm working on research (book review done--check! article--not yet), departmental projects ("Who would like to revise our objectives for the 300-level courses?"), a committee report or two, setting up a public reading for May, working on a "What Do I Do With an English Major?" panel, and doing some advising, and then I'll be on leave after the baby comes for a while and come back later in the spring.

What's odd about it is that all of that work could easily approach full-time, and I've been going in to work pretty much every day, and/or working at home. But none of it requires the kinds of late nights grading and lesson planning that teaching demands constantly--teaching usually organizes my time and is the center around which all these other things are usually fitted (or not, as is more often the case). Just knowing that I might actually have time to finish some of these things, along with getting more of the house unpacked and organized and cleaned, alter curtains, assemble & paint furniture, help Sam a little . . . whew. It's like being able to breathe for the first time in, oh, about a year.