The tenday of "vacation" for me started with consistent testing of my ability growth with psionic practice. I went out and found the heaviest rock in the yard, probably only 8 pounds or so. The air outside was heavy the the promise of precipitation. The sky was filled with grey, and a gloomy overcast strangled the weak winter sunlight. Shivering slightly at the chill, I returned inside then lifted the rock into the air, drawing vertical figure eights alternated with infinity symbols to make a four-lobed pattern. I kept that up for as long as I could and then switched to lighter rocks while I recovered my energy. After the initial practice was completed, I scrubbed up the floorboards in the kitchen next, sluicing the water out the back door with a squeegee made of telekinesis, being careful to keep large amounts of water from coming near the hatch that led to the root cellar. That was much more pleasant that cleaning it by hand, but just as tiring on my energy, so I made a snack of day old bread and some hard cheese, warmed with a low intensity continual heat channelling. Basically, everything I did was using psionics, save for moving myself around the house, or any of the things I was doing in the backyard garden area, like pumping the water for the cleaning.

By noon, my head was getting a bit fuzzy and my energy reserves were running on constantly empty, so I took a break and splurged on lunch at Garthon’s pub. Although small ale was available, even low alcohol drinks didn't seem like a way to focus on mental tasks, so I opted for water with the meal. The sliced roast was excellent, with a tangy sauce and cheesy spiced potatoes on the side. I wasn't a big fan of the squash medley on the side, but it was a fall vegetable, and there was enough butter on it to make it palatable. I wished for more garleek, but I wasn't feeling like cooking my own food, so I was happy enough with what I ordered.

After lunch, I did a quick trip to Heinrig's to check up on the store, and get some candied fruits.

"Good to see you, Grint. Perhaps you and your parents can join us for a meal on Nineday?"

"I hope so sir, I know we have the family feast planned for Yearturn on Tenday, but I don't think we have plans for Nineday."

"Great. We'll plan on you making it, unless you let us know otherwise then." Heinrig shook my hand and gave me a letter from his wife.

"Glad you stopped in, Wil's heard back from the Omni, it's all arranged as she said, and this is your introduction as her hand selected first Scholar for the Wilfrick Pleichston Research Endowment."

"Thank you! I'm excited to be heading back to the Omni!"

The remainder of the conversation was unremarkable since I was absorbed in the confirmation that I'd be heading back to Holmberg City and working with "magic" full time.

In a bit of a daze, I made my next stop by the bakery for two fresh loaves and some older cheap bread to make some bread and herb pudding, which my family in my former world called stuffing, and a couple to serve as trenchers under the roast.

Once I made it home again, I added extra logs to the stove and opened the damper and the air intake to heat up the oven area to cooking temperatures. As the oven warmed, the weather outside turned from grey and oppressive to a light snow and graupel mix, the flakes floating down while the little snowballs made a light pattering sound on the windows. I rubbed down the roast with spices and dried herbs, even going so far as to cut some deep slices into the meat to stuff with the mixtures.

I chopped up the bread into rough cubes and seasoned that as well, placing it in a pot for later. I'd add water and toss it in the oven for an hour near the end of the roasting time. It would help keep the roast moist as the water evaporated and cool down the oven to let the inside of the roast finish cooking while not burning the outside. I did miss thermostatically controlled ovens.

Most of the work for supper completed, I set about doing more chore-practice. Dusting the house with my new air sieve method to keep down on the sneezes, and get the actual dust out of the house instead of just moving it back into the air. There was a lot of dust in the attic, enough that I went back down for a bucket to hold it. Once that was done, I was relatively filthy, so I warmed up a large kettle of water, which got me somewhat cleaner as I had to venture into the cold to pump the water. I put the roast in the oven and then proceeded with my clothes, running the wringer, and cleaning the bathing room once I was done. Then the water was hot enough for my bath. I put a good measure of the hot water from the kettle into the pot of bread pudding, then placed it in the oven and filled the bathing tub.

I startled awake in the tub a bit later. The water was cold, and I heard my parents returning home. I got my wrinkled self out of the tub and wisely wafted my towel over to me using telekinesis. No treacherous floor slipping today!

Once I was dressed and decent, I emptied the tub and headed back to my room to hang up my clothing to dry.

"Grint?"

"Yeah, mom?"

"Is that a roast I smell?"

"Yeah, mom."

"Did you get … oh… nevermind, I see the trenchers. Thank you!"

"Yeah, mom."

"Smarta…" her voice trailed off.

"Better than a dumba…" I replied playfully as I walked into the room.

"True, but not very polite."

"Well, I got good news, so I wanted to celebrate a bit early. First, we've been invited to a Yearturn feast on Nineday with the Halgershiens. Second, I've been appointed to the Scholar position at the Omni, so it's all been worked out the way Wilhena thought it would go."

My mom was less enthused than I'd hoped, but then again, I was leaving the nest for a second time, so I can see how that might be sad for her. I'd never had to face that myself.

"Anyway, the roast should be done, and there's savory bread pudding, too."

We settled in to a companionable meal and even played several game of chequers using telekinesis afterwards. It was a good day.