10 April 2020, 6:59 pm - In Which We Make Deer Friends

Today, I completed my comprehensive exams. I am stressed out. Not just by my exams - luckily, I passed my defense, so from here on out, it is just revisions and class. I honestly haven’t done much beyond that except play Sims 3, because I’m frankly exhausted.

Last night, my partner and I took a stroll through the cemetery/park that is directly behind our house. We discussed the funny headstones we passed, hunted for the graves of civil war veterans that I am researching for my work with the local museum, and chatted jovially about the emerging spring plants. It was so pleasant to connect, and to talk about literally anything other than school and the news.

We also saw a couple of deer. We stood completely still and silent, and since it was a breezeless day, nothing made a noise, not even a rustle of leaves. The deer took a few cautionary steps towards us, allowing us to take pictures quietly. Then, the deer darted past us! But they did not go far; they simply stood about 20 yards from us behind a tree and a couple of gravestones. The deer just wanted to watch us, like we watch them. After that, we headed back into our house and made a simple spaghetti dinner, and just enjoyed time together for the rest of the evening. I loved every minute of it.