20160116.0638

Work still continues. A freelance order came in during the day yesterday, which is something of a relief. Evidently, my regular client had misread or forgotten a message sent him, one indicating when I would be back from my many travels. That matter seems to be resolved, now, and I have not been quietly dismissed from working the kind of work that I work so well. I think I am understandably pleased at that, as well as at the emergence of a tutorial client; we met yesterday and negotiated a meeting schedule. I get to prepare formal grammar lessons for one-on-one work, which ought to prove interesting--and profitable, given my hourly tutorial rates. So there is that, too. And another freelance project is ongoing, which should result in a fair payout for me. The household will be greatly improved.

My regular job has not subsided, of course. Yesterday, I taught my gamut of classes, introducing the first major assignment and some of the peripheral work to be done in support of it. (I say "some" because 1) I do not yet know if I will be assigning anything else, and 2) I do not know the whole slate of work that students will have to do to do what I want them to do.) There was some confusion about due dates, but those concerns were allayed. (I explicitly advised taking notes on them, and I post such things to my teaching blog, here.) I also managed to produce an example of how that assignment should be addressed, continuing a pedagogical practice I have found useful for instruction at all levels. The hope that students will benefit from the work done to support them and their progress continues.

I face a longer weekend this weekend; classes do not meet on Monday. I am not the only one for whom this is true, and so my father-in-law and stepmother-in-law (I have said I have a blended family) have come over from the next state east to spend some time at Sherwood Cottage. The Mrs. and I are always glad to have them, of course, and Ms. 8 was delighted to see them. Indeed, after they arrived, she spend a good hour bouncing around among the four of us (father-in-law, stepmother-in-law, the Mrs., and me), shrieking with joy and exclaiming "hug!" as she wrapped her tiny toddler arms as far around each of us as they would go. "Pa-pa," "G'anny," "Mama," and "Da'y" are good words to hear from her smiling face. I count myself fortunate that I get to hear them from her so often as I do.

What we will do today is unclear to me. I do have work to do to ensure that the bills stay paid, and I have a bill to pay sitting on my desk even now, as well as others of which I have been advised by email. The Mrs. has a half-day at her job, too, and the weather does not look like it will be the best for outdoor fun and adventure. We will manage, of course, but I remain uncertain as to the details.