I am back on the bike after a long trip to Texas and a visit from a bike-less sister. I can’t believe how much it affected me to be off the bike. I haven’t felt quite right, and my timing has been off; it is as if I have been in the twilight zone. I’ve lost focus as my eyes have been trained away from that relationship that my bike and I have with the world.

So this afternoon I happily jumped on my bike to head to school to copy syllabi and go to a meeting before classes start tomorrow. I’m still figuring out the best route to school, and today took Prytania to Nashville and then over on Freret. I love Prytania. This street is well paved for much of it, and it’s a breeze, especially when Rhoda’s having chain problems. I stopped at Prytania and, I think, Robert to snap this picture of a termite tenting. These tents are usually red and white and more clearly circus-themed, something I really love about the tent if you’ve got to do it. This one is happily in Cal colors, my alma mater. Termites are a huge problem here. I had an infestation at the beginning of the summer and my neighbors advised me to turn off my lights to keep them away. Sometimes you’ve got to heed nature; it’s got your number. But you can’t give it your house. So you tent. I wonder, when I see these, why they look so festive as they prepare for mass death. How do they get them to fit houses of such disparate sizes? Who climbs that little ladder, and where are they going? These tents are all over this city. This is a place under siege. It’s hard for me to imaging that this little project will save us from the winged pest, but I’m willing to go along. For now.