11-17-08

So Mittens decided that she wanted to lie on my desk on top of the mouse cord this morning. I was working (trying to) and she kept clicking the mouse and crawling forward and I couldn't move the mouse easily and it was frustrating, but I didn't wanto to move her (she's 19 years old) because she seemed happy.

11-16-08

Today we went on a 5 mile hike up the Monticello Trail- me, Dan, and Aza. It was a beautiful, chilly, windy day and boy, were my legs sore afterwards!

11-15-08

Aza has been so very helpful this weekend. She cleaned all day yesterday. She loves cleaning! She is such a blessing to me. If I hadn't watched her being born with my own two eyes, I'd think she was switched at birth because I hate cleaning. How can a child who looks just like me take after her grandmother so much more than me? Well, today she raked and she painted trim while I was in bed with a migraine all day.

I just figured out that ever since Halloween I've been eating leftover Cow Tails and they contain "modified whey" and I looked it up and it's an MSG alias. Great. No wonder I've been so headachy the last two weeks or more. I really must start exercising again and get these migraines back into remission again.

11-14-08

Today I got a lot of work done. It was a productive day. I took some photos of my collections. This is my rock and shell and pottery collection.

This is Dan's collection of antique toys. We're not sure if they're really antique or not...

And then I took a photo of Frisbee in his chair, and Sophie all puffed up looking like a ghost cat. Aza is here for the weekend and so is Sophie.

11-12-08

Craving coffee, not being able to even drink decaf right now, I went and found a temporary solution. Roastaroma. It's pretty good. I had a hot cup this evening single strength and then another double strength. I'ts hard working at my computer all day (remember- the dissertation-) without a warm yummy drink down here in the cold cave I work in.

11-11-08

You could learn a lot about me from this photo. I like old stuff. I like books. I like to paint. I like chickens. I like Smith Island. I like seashells and rocks and colorful glass bottles. Today 21 years ago, my Nana died. I spent all day thinking about her and miss her still.

11-10-08

This is my scenery most of the day and evening. See if you can find:

An earplug (for when the Kaos comes over to play)
Fingernail buffer (for that nervous tension)
Cool pen that has a highlighter on one end (that I signed the cover letter to Vanderbilt today with) Reading glasses (borrowed from Professor Wormwood)
Cow Tails wrapper (from Halloween)

You score one point for each!

11-6-08

I find it very hard to believe, but an not disappointed that we have not yet had a frost. My garden containers on the back deck are all still pretty and full of flowers. After the first frost they will look like wilted lettuce. Today I helped out in an engineering class for the second time this week, successfully ran a doubly multivariate repeated measures MANOVA, and worked some more on my chapter 4 outline.

11-5-08

I stayed up till 1am and snapped these photos of the TV set sometime after midnight when Obama was giving his acceptance speech. I paid for this late night all day today as it exhausted me. I took a nap in the afternoon and was able to pull through and get some work done.

11-4-08

I voted today. Did you?

Then I stayed up till 1am watching the election coverage and snapped this photo of the TV at 11:06pm. What a moment in history!

11-3-08

I'm thinking about cutting my hair. What do you think? See this picture for the original source of short hair. Thanks to LSJ for lending me her hair!

11-2-08

Happy Birthday Papa. 100 years ago today you were born. I wish you were still around to celebrate it with me. Today I took a walk in your honor and absorbed the beauty of the day. You would have loved this walk. I'd hoped to feel your presence next to me- but not this year. I hope you are at peace and wish I could pick up the phone and call you or drive on over and sit in my old chair and talk with you and really listen to your stories. Really listen. Perhaps tonight I will do just that in my dreams. Thank you for loving me- it made all the difference.

In memory of my grandfather, David Davis born 11-2-1908 in Brooklyn, NY. Died in Richmond, VA 10-28-88, buried on Gwynn's Island in Mathews County, VA. Fisherman, entrepeneur, chef, devoted husband and father and grandfather and great grandfather. Not to mention, funniest person I ever knew and inspiration my whole life through.

1986 Papa and Jes

11-1-08

Little ceramic pumpkins made by my mother-in-law many years ago, still decorate our front porch for Halloween. I was glad nobody kicked them last night. They had little tea lights inside.

Today I overcame my fear of heights and climbed out onto the roof to tape around windows for Dan to paint. It was very scary.

I hung up a bat on our front porch for last night and today took this interesting photo of it silouetted against the fall colors.

10-31-08

Getting ready for Trick or Treat!
Q: Who are you?
A: I'm wearing Aza's dress!
Q: No, really, who are you?
A: I'm wishing she left some red lipstick too!
Q: Seriously, WHO are you???
A: I must be dead because I wouldn't be caught dead in a get up like this!

10-30-08

Today the migraine broke mid-afternoon and I felt well enough to do some dishes, laundry, work on the dissertation, and even baking! I baked spiced blondies. We watched Gray's Anatomy this evening and it turned out to be a great day!

10-29-08

A beautiful fall day. I stayed inside until an after dinner stroll. Took two naps. Did all I could to keep the migraine at bay.

As for this photo: 'nuff said.

10-26-08

This is how big Sophie is now!

We had Sophie for the weekend. It was hard to get a photo of the three animals so Aza had to hold Sophie. It was fun watching her attack Frisbee and Mittens all weekend! The white spot on Dan's chest is either a dust particle or a ghostly orb.

10-26-08

Today I worked in the yard. I raked the back yard and pruned some bushes and it exhausted me. Dan mowed the front lawn and did some patching of wood around windows, preparing to paint the window trim.

The fall colors are really pretty. Not all the trees have turned, but it's starting. The oaks are always the last to turn.

Looking up our newly blackened driveway...
I've been working on data all weekend and I'm SO sick of it! I applied to one more school and have been working on a paper to submit to a journal. Lots going on.

10-25-08

The Three Ds, otherwise knows as Bosnian Kaos. They're over here every weekend and last night was no different. Oh, except for the miracle that is Squirt's laundry. He decided that after two months it was time to do some and he even folded it nicely! Now to see if it ever gets put away...