Oh hallelujah, the kids go back to school today.

Mind you, I love my kids. But having them not in school for an extended 17 days of Christmas break is schedule wrecking for those of us work from home.

A friend, who is a teacher and fishing guide in his off time, explained it to me over the holiday break. School administrators and teacher prefer ending long breaks on early in the week so kids have a whole week to readjust their schedule.

Today, they are heading back.

That may put an end, at least for awhile, of getting up at 4 a.m. to have a few hours of peace and quiet to hammer out some writing.

To be honest, I think the kids are ready to go back, too.

With a relatively mild morning around 20 degrees (destined to get much milder this week), I stretched out an extended ramble. I was surprised how much snow was left in patches, especially by the taller grass and brush.

Even so, I did not see a bit of wildlife. I mean nada, nothing, zero, zilch.

Not even a songbird. Didn't even hear the Canada geese on the lake to the west. And there is still a decent hole they have been swimming open. I checked yesterday. No doves. Not even a single squirrel in back in town.

The ice is holding up well on the town pond. More ice fishermen were out yesterday or last night by the new holes drilled. The ice will change or be gone by the weekend, I suspect.

I am not sure another dry hot winter like last year is in any way a good thing.

All in all, a mellow morning, perfectly suited to the holiest of days.

Time to readjust.