September heat

Today is the second day of September, and later today, we're expected to have a heat index of over 100 degrees. Yowza. We're also expecting storms and then a cold front, so it will begin to feel more like the early stages of fall. I've been noticing trees along the highway that are showing slight golden edges. If we get a good cold snap, that will speed up the color change.

I'm teaching four classes in the same room in the same building. The first couple of days, we were too warm. Yesterday I was too cool. I never know what to wear, so I layer, even knowing that the jacket I've brought will be hanging on the back of the chair most of the time.

Classes are going well thus far. I'm almost never in my office, though. Being in this other building (near Starbucks, fortunately) means I even try to hold my office hours there. I feel very much as if I am not a part of the faculty day-to-day drama, and that's not so bad. I do get tired of trying to work when certain rather verbose and loud faculty members stand in the hall and chit-chat for long periods of time.

This was my first week of the semester having to be apart from my husband and cat. I must say, the cat seemed happier I was home than the husband did. Despite my messages to him, he appeared clueless that I was coming home yesterday. He had not been out of the house all day. The trash cans were still at the roadside. He had not gotten the mail in. The door to the garage from the house was still locked. He had not made coffee or planned supper. He hadn't washed his hair, either, so before we could go out to eat, I had to wait for his little hygiene rituals. I was starving, having eaten only a banana and a cup of yogurt all day. Simon, on the other hand, was loving, attentive, and wouldn't leave me alone. If only I could teach the cat to make coffee and start supper....

My eyes are getting so bad that I can barely read my computer screen. We figured out that Control ++ would enlarge the text, but it's temporary. Every time I change to a new document, I have to start all over again. It's a proven fact that as we age, we have more trouble reading the color blue, yet so much on a computer screen is blue. Don't these designers do any research whatsoever? For instance, here on Blogger, the Edit Posts, Compose, View Blog, etc. commands are all in blue. Preview is in light blue, even harder to read. Link is in blue. It's dumb and thoughtless on their part.

The biggest excitement of the week was the fire in the apartment building. It had been a long day. It was the first day of classes, and I also had to grocery shop. So I got back to the apartment, put away my groceries, sat down and had a salad, and had my aching feet propped up. Then I heard commotion outside and someone said something about calling 9-1-1. It sounded like I ought to check it out, so I went to the door, opened it, and there was a big firetruck and a big fireman. He gestured for me to exit, so I did not even return for my phone or to turn off the tv. We residents were herded across the street while black smoke billowed from the upstairs. Apparently the female resident in Apartment 5 had somehow set her mattress on fire. We have a clause in our lease that says absolutely no smoking inside the apartments, but mattresses don't spontaneously combust. Four firetrucks, three or more police cars, and every gawker in Big Rapids were present at the scene. The minister from the church behind the building came over and offered sanctuary. (She's a young little thing, looking sort of like she might be lesbian. I liked her.)

After a couple of hours, the firefighters had drug the mattress out onto the front lawn, and we were allowed to go back in. I did not sleep well that night, imagining that I smelled smoke every time I turned over. The area around the building still stinks, mainly because they put the mattress remains into the dumpster behind the building, and they weren't picked up until yesterday morning. Additionally, maintenance has done some repainting on my little porch area with the world's stinkiest paint. If paint could spoil and get sour, that's what it would smell like.

Fortunately, I have a long weekend because of Labor Day. I will have to return to Big Rapids Monday afternoon, but at least it will be cooler by then. We've got a little front coming through.

It's almost time for the noon news, so more another day.