It seems we have actually found someone who wants to live in our house for the next year.  Our potential person, a fellow faculty member from the English department, wants to think about things for a few days before finalizing the arrangement.  I hope this works.  It comforts me to know that a responsible and caring individual will be living here and loving the animals we cherish.  It’s going to free me up, not only logistically, but also emotionally, to go back and forth to Asia or Africa or wherever assured that the details of life back home are well managed.

S. says it scares her how well things are falling into place.  Yet it sure as hell doesn’t scare me.  I think this is meant to be, and I have faith in the universe to arrange the nuts and bolts accordingly. 

By the way, yesterday’s office painting party proved a great success.  The entire process lasted approximately 4 hours, but now the walls appear a welcoming and calming green–woodland valley haze to be exact.  I’m glad to have completed that project and to now be working in an environment I had a hand in shaping.

I don’t know that I have much more to share–except to mention that I am still not looking forward to a long semester of grading papers.  Regardless, things get going with an “All Staff” meeting on Monday.  Classes begin on Wednesday.  In the midst of all of this, I remind myself that this semester is bound to be better than last.  My schedule in and of itself is far superior since my classes end each afternoon by one.

So, all in all our Asian adventure is getting off to a good beginning.  S. probably won’t go to Bangkok till the end of February.  That means a mere two month separation before I am able to leave the states around the first week of May.  It seems we’re building a bit of momentum–movement in the right direction.  I’m excited.