The first day of school & a 'fun' run

Yes--today, April 14 was the first of my classes for the 2008-9 school year!! The school year runs April - March so today I greeted my ichinensei (10th graders). Here I am at my desk (with bright what behind me?...it was cloudy all day). If my eyes look puffier than usual, it's 'cause I've woken up from bad dreams & haven't slept well the past few nights :(

Then tonight I decided to go on a little fun walk/run to enjoy the late-season cherry trees along a river near my apartment. But, I made the mistake of going at dusk when bats were flying around catching dinner. I hate bats!!! (and for good reason too, they invaded our basement more than once while I was home alone!!) Probably, the bats tonight were minding their own business, but to this paranoid girl, I swear they were coming right for my head! I changed course & went closer to the trees, but then I ran into spider webs...to defend myself from those hitting my face, I ran with my arms out in front of me, all the while still ducking from swooping bats. Ugh. I'm sure I was even more of a spectacle than usual for any passersby! ;)

One positive of going out at dusk was hearing the frogs singing their spring love songs. They sound exactly like those wooden ones with bumpy backs & when you run a wooden stick down its back, it makes 'music'--precisely the sound I used to fall asleep to in my old apartment. Besides running with arms outstretched & ducking from the bats, I enjoyed the outing & it felt very natsukashii (nostalgic). ;)