This weekend has been absolutely lovely — I can’t believe it’s Sunday evening already and I have to ready myself for the start of my first summer teaching job. At least I made the most of my last two days of vacation.

After I got home from the race yesterday I took a luxuriously long nap and then got ready to go out to dinner. When the guy came to pick me up he brought me this potted sweet basil plant:

Not only is basil one of my favorite all time smells, but I have been sitting around wishing I had a basil plant for practically ever. Much, much better than bringing me flowers, I say. I am making pizza tonight and what will be sitting proudly atop it? Basil, that’s what.

We had dinner and then proceeded to subject ourselves to the film version of The Lovely Bones, which I cannot in good faith reccommend that any of you view. Tucci gets the creep factor dead on, for sure, but the rest of the film’s narrative seemed poorly connected and fraught with over-used visual symbolism. The book was intriguing (although the prose is a bit too precious in places, I find), but the movie leaves a lot to be desired. Susan Sarandon as the drunk grandma was the highlight of the entire production. At least I had someone with whom to snark about it.

Today included a trip to a local cafe that is part of a plant nursery and local organic fruit and vegetable market. I bought some of the most delicious local peaches after having a great lunch.

Afterward, a lazy afternoon and some Bull Durham? Perfection. Currently I am waiting for my pizza dough to rise and planning the first day of class for tomorrow. I just need to figure out what to wear.

It seems that Summer: Part I is coming to a close — there will be fewer lazy days like today in store for me and a lot more teaching, grading, reading, and, well, you know, work. The best part of that is that I’ll soon start getting paid. Bring it on, Summer: Part II, The One Where I Get to Shop Again!