11-23-12

 

I met with some old high school friends today for lunch. Good times.

11-22-12

We got our fridge installed today!

This is the Squirt's room-- a nice deep grayish blue. Peaceful.

Our room again, as a contrast.

We got our faucet installed!

11-21-12

 

We chose this green for the girls' room since they both like the color. It's the largest bedroom and will fit a futon as well for extra sleeping capacity.

11-20-12

 

We started painting with our bedroom. It's a nice light/gray tinged blue.

11-19-12

 

The countertops are in!!!
We met with our interior decorator today and picked out all the paint colors for the house. Let the painting begin.

11-17-12

Went to the house this morning and took photos of the tile samples with the cabinets. Photoshopped them across a wall and disliked them all.

The woodworkers finished the cabinet near the dining room. It looks great.

And they finished trim at the ceiling but the ceiling is not flat so there is a slight gap.

I had an upset stomach today so didn't do much. Last night Squirt and Dan and I went to an art show and beer-tasting. I passed on the beer, but had a delicious latte. We went to dinner afterwards and got home late. It was a full day yesterday between Montgomery and all the stores and then the evening activities. Today I'm just not good for much.

11-16-12

 

This week was exhausting. Meetings every evening M-Th. So today I decided to go to Montgomery with Dan to look at tile and carpet. We picked up samples from three stores, and picked up carpet samples too. Along the way home we saw this van which took us by surprise. In Alabama? A weed-flavored lolly pop van???

We got a chuckle when choosing this carpeting. It's pronounced "chicken soft" around these parts.

11-12-12

This is the rug we currently have in our den,  but I may use it in the dining room because I like the colors there. Today starts a very busy week. I taught tonight so it was a long day. Also went to a new dentist this afternoon. My mom recommended him.

11-11-12

25 years ago today my Nana died. I only got to spend the first half of my life with her in it... and I wish I could talk to her and spend time with her still.

Dan is prepping this window in our kitchen for painting.

11-10-12

 

 

11-9-12

Remember this day:

Up at 6:30.
Wore my purple dress and boots.
Drove to the Boys and Girls Club to get my letter.
Came home and made lunch.
Rode my bike to school.
Meeting with faculty and grad student.
Got letter from state department.
Submitted grant with letters of support.
Rode home.
Drove to funeral home in Opelika.
Said goodbye to Miss Carrie, lying peacefully in a flower covered coffin.
Drove to Hobby Lobby for yarn.
Dinner of shrimp casserole with Dan and Mom.
Curled up on couch under a blanket drinking Kombucha and crocheting with my new alpaca yarn, watching Hangover with Dan, I found my peace.

Chrissy, remember this warm feeling.

11-8-12

Dan painted our metal window black. I love it!

The cabinets arrived from the shop!

 Looking fantastic.

11-7-12

Our laundry room is a beautiful shade of blue, and out kitchen is painted a beautiful neutral color. Dan has been working hard on painting.Today he also painted a window and I can share a picture after the tape is removed tomorrow.

11-6-12

I voted today, even though my vote really didn't count. Alabama passed 10 amendments to the state constitution and voted down one---the quest to remove racist language from a law. That's telling.

11-4-12

Little Sister, who used to be called Aunt Baby by my children when she was a tot and they were tween/teens. I left DC today after a good, but tiring stay. It was good to see my stepmom and sister.

11-3-12

I taught my little sister how to crochet today. She caught on fast. We went to a concert this evening at a church nearby. However, I enjoyed listening to Lil Sis play piano more. Jaq made tenderloin and roasted sweet potatoes for dinner. It was spectacular.

11-2-12

My stepmom Jaq picked me up from the city this afternoon for a visit with her and my little sister who is 14. They live in a suburb outside of DC. We had dinner and then went to a Jamaican restaurant to listen to a band. We drank sorrel and ate bread pudding. I was the only white person in the place and it was an unusual feeling at first, I must admit. A really good experience and fun steel drum type island music.

This is Jaq's back yard and two dogs.

11-1-12

I found NSF this morning. We had a full day of proposal debate and discussion. I'm beat! I have 11 proposals to review tonight. Oh boy. Hope to stay awake.

10-31-12

I'm in DC - flew in over the muddy Potomac and the yellow-orange-green trees. Tomorrow I join other academics from around the country to review NSF grant proposals.

Dinner tonight with a couple profs from Utah and one from Idaho.

This is a photo of DCA. We used to come here when Jes was a baby to watch the planes take off- at least I think that's the memory.

10-29-12

We haven't had rain in a while and the critters are fighting over the water in the bird bath. After this fight I filled it up again for them.

 

Today I had a meeting at noon, another one at 5, and taught at 6. I'm wondering if I will be going to DC on Wednesday or not due to the hurricane.

10-28-12

Sunday. Mom and I went to see the work at the house. Here is the view from the living room to the kitchen.

And the picture you've been waiting for... the limestone floor!

This is the half wall that will have the range on one side and a bar on the other.
Mom and I went shopping this evening at the mall and she bought me a pair of shoes. Afterwards we went to eat dinner at Hamilton's and Squirt rode his bike downtown to meet us.

10-27-12

This is the train that goes through town every hour or two. I live a couple blocks from the tracks right now and hear the whistle all the time. In our new house I shouldn't hear it at all.

Today I worked via email with an interior designer in South Carolina who is helping us with colors. We have decided to use this vase as a color theme for the kitchen.

10-24-12

 

Today was Wednesday Writing Day. That means I stayed home all day and wrote. I wrote two reviews for NSF proposals, wrote the second draft of a paper I'm submitting next week, and wrote the second draft of a grant proposal I'm submitting next week.

I also COOKED DINNER AGAIN (that makes the 11th time since moving here).
And I took this picture for one of my writing pieces.

Tomorrow the electrician is drilling the hole in the wall outside my office at noon so that Squirt can install my DOOR TWEETER!!!!!
Photos coming soon. It's spectacular. Everyone will want one. I'm so proud of my son. You can start placing your orders tomorrow. Yes, you too can tweet to your door. I know a few twitter-bugs who would like this feature.

10-23-12

Today I felt like myself again after a four day migraine and the pit of darkness.
Rode my bike to school for a meeting at 10, worked until 3:30 on my promotion documents, then attended a faculty meeting and met with a student. Got home a little after 5pm and COOKED DINNER!
Afterwards, we went to check on the house and look at some paint samples.
I explored the attic.
I found the above photograph framed.

We will reveal the floor in a few days after some painting is done.
Lots of changes can take place now that the walls are all ready to paint.
It's gonna be a cool house.
The previous owner said to me at the closing, "Be happy there" and I think I will.

10-20-12

 

 

 

 

 

 We had to get there early, we were told. 7:30 we were told. That seemed crazy so we got there at 8. Found a great place to park... and got to eat some biscuits and syrup right away. Saw the whole shootin shebang. By 10 we had seen enough and headed home passing by THREE MILES of stopped cars on highway 14 just hoping to get to Loachapoka for a taste of syrup.


 Afterwards we checked on the house. The floor is done, but covered in plastic. I then spent the rest of the day in bed with migraine day #2.

 

10-19-12

Someone privately asked me how I was doing and my answer was not 100% positive. I thought my reply summed it up pretty well. Here it is:

It's nothing with the university or the job. I think it's just hard moving and starting over with a social life and support system. Nobody is ever at school and it's lonely. The departments are divided by floor and nobody knows other department people. There are no college wide faculty meetings and chances to see people. It's a lonely, almost deserted 5th floor in a 9 floor high rise, the tallest building in town. A town so small there are no antique stores and only one organic grocery and a block of downtown. It's quiet sleeping at night, very Romney conservative, with lots of racial disparity that makes me fume. Poor schools 5 miles from wealthy schools. I didn't remember just how poor it is here. That translates into a different kind of landscape when very few have money to spend, and they go to Atlanta to spend it. No furniture stores. No bakerys. One coffee shop. One. I'm having adjustment issues- thought being home would eliminate my chronic depression, but no. It followed me and I can't even treat it with retail therapy! Sorry- I have a migraine today and am extra crabby.

Adjustment issues. I wonder when they will end. Please, Chrissy, get adjusted. Remember what fulfilled you before. Remember the places and spaces and people and things that helped you feel peace before you moved here. What were they?

Aza
Flowers in the back yard
Artwork on the walls
A kitchen I loved
Neighbors to talk to
A co-op down the street with organics
Friends at work
Texting Miss March during faculty meetings
Dr. Phred walking by my office to check on me
I'm crying and can't go on remembering.

10-17-12

Life must be OK because I'm crocheting again.This is going to be a crazy scarf made from leftovers in my stash and a variety of stitches I've learned over the past year.It represents the craziness of this past year for sure.Last year about this time I was applying for a job at Auburn on a lark, just to see what it would feel like if I got an offer, just to play with the idea. Perhaps "curiosity killed the cat" should be my mantra, because my curiosity about going-home-again has been a difficult adventure. I keep hoping that just around the corner it will all make sense, I will feel the peace I crave, and I won't regret this move as much.