This is my last day of invigilating (proctoring) exams--hurrah! I would be even more relieved if I didn't have to start marking essay exams tomorrow. Aaagh! They're due on Monday, so it may be a very tough weekend indeed--it's a big stack to get through! By Tuesday, I should be drained but very relieved to be done with end-of-term work--and ready to start working on my two funding applications (for research travel to Vienna), finish up the rewrite on my article, and maybe even--who knows? it's possible--get back to work on my thesis?

The good news is that yesterday I wrote another eight pages of my Eszterhaza novel in our coffee-writing hour before work. That's pretty amazing for me, since I average about three pages a day when I'm lucky. I'm starting to get neurotic worries--if I'm enjoying writing it this much, can it really be any good?--but I'm trying to quash them as much as possible. And Patrick keeps saying nice things about the novel, which is always reassuring. :)

This morning I had to start a new chapter, so I did the traditional routine of staring at my notebook, nibbling at the end of my pen, staring into space, writing big looping questions down, like, "What does happen in this chapter, anyway?" and "Why is it important?", despaired, gave up, and then ended up writing two and a half pages in the last twenty minutes of the session. So, pretty normal, all in all.

Now Nika's staring at me beseechingly--she really wants to go back to bed, but I won't let her, since she'll have to stay in her crate all afternoon while I invigilate--and I'm working up the energy to take her out on a big walk. Maybe I can be energetic enough for both of us...ah, who am I kidding? Once we hit the fields and see another dog, she'll be spinning ahead in dizzying circles while I just slog gamely after her, trying to keep up.

Should be fun anyway.