12-4-13

 

Dan has been undertaking a big project this week- painting the window pane frames with black oil paint. Meticulous work that can only be done after properly getting the windows to open, sanding the old paint down, and taping. It's going to look beautiful.

12-3-13

I had to drive to Prattville to observe a student teacher today. It takes about 90 minutes go get there. The drive there was fine, and the observation was fine. I took a photo of this sign on her wall that I liked. But the drive home was hard because I was tired and had to keep slapping my face. Giving up caffeine is not easy when I need some to drive :(

12-2-13

I did not take these photos. Root sent them to me in a text message. He and Jes went and found the house my grandmother had grown up in. 730 Napoleon Avenue, New Orleans. Look at that beautiful house. I'm glad it is still well taken care of!

I taught my technology class this evening. The last meeting of the semester. Students presented their final projects then high tailed it out of there. I hope I get good reviews from that class. It was a big class and I didn't really bond with all of them, and that usually impacts my evaluation scores. But they took a post test and the learning curve was VERY steep over the course of the semester. At least I know they learned a lot.

12-1-13

We left Lake Arthur this morning and drove to New Orleans to pick up Squirt who had spent the night with Jes and Root. We had brunch together. Just look at that beautiful couple. The drive home seemed so very long with the stopover in New Orleans. We got home late, exhausted.

11-30-13

Happy anniversary Dan. Hope you appreciated the Auburn second I gave you and the crawfish mudhole dessert!

11-29-13

Buddy makes a Ricardo Louis catch in Grandma's yard.

11-28-13

Thanksgiving!

11-27-13

We arrived in Louisiana for the big reunion!

11-26-13

11-24-13

Today I worked on a grant proposal. Mom came over to cook Thanksgiving pies since her kitchen isn't done. It smells like a holiday in here!

11-23-13

I had energy today! Dan and I went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of pots and potting soil. We also went to an estate sale and got a cute little bird bath. I potted all these plants! Most were in tiny plastic pots from a gift Sta had given me for my birthday two months ago. My but they had grown.

11-22-13

We drove to Atlanta to check out the purple Honda Fit. I liked it! We bought it!

I named it Murph after my childhood friend who loved purple and coined the phrase, "life is purple." Murph died a few years ago and I like to think she's my guardian angel now.

11-21-13

Me in bed getting ready for my big day. I went to school at 11:30 and had meetings with about seven different students all afternoon. I wheeled around in my office chair all day. Taught class from 5-8. Long day. Came home with a bad headache!

11-20-13

Today Dan went and settled the claim on the car. I asked him to rescue the mix CD that Jes had made for me. It's my beloved collection.

11-19-13

The back yard is done. Today I went and got my hair highlighted. Then I went to talk with a lawyer about my accident. Learned some good advice.

11-18-13

I taught tonight but spent the day working from home (Read: Bed). I went to work for meetings with students at 3:00. Class went well. I stayed the whole time- until 8:00.

11-17-13

Yesterday I rested my brain. Today I rested my leg and worked on a manuscript. Jes helped me write part of a grant proposal. I have put off grading until the morning.

We stopped by Mom's and saw that the sink frame is in. I don't know how the Storyman is going to finish this by Friday. The ceiling looks good.

11-16-13

Yesterday I had a migraine so bad I went and got a two hour massage and took a Maxalt. It was better by evening. Today we drove over to see the poor car and it was sad to see it so forlorn and abandoned. I love that car. We looked at some new cars but my heart just wasn't in it.

My leg was feeling better but I stubbed my foot on a stump out back and now it's bad again.

Mom came over tonight and we watched the end of the AU UGA game together. Boy, were we excited! Dan was actually there.

11-13-13

The landscaping crew has done amazing things with our front and side yard. The house is visible now!

I went to the doctor today because of my leg and my aphasia. He said I have post concussion syndrome and soft tissue damage to my leg.

Look at this before and after…

11-12-13

This is called Tree Forming. It's beautiful.

This morning my new friend Fit came over with a decaf mocha for me. I stayed in bed all day. My student Weather Girl brought us dinner. Chili, cornbread, applesauce cake.

My leg started to hurt today.

11-11-13

Today was wrecking day. First we wrecked the shed. It's gone. Ding Dong the shed is dead.

Then I went to work. On my way I wrecked my car. My cute car. It wasn't my fault. I'm ok. Went to the ER in an ambulance. Aches and pains, but it could have been much worse.

My cute car is totaled.

Then this evening the landscape crew cut down shrubs.

Wrecking Day.

On this day 26 years ago my Nana left this world. She still visits now and again though. I felt her presence today when I walked away from a head on t-bone collision that ripped the entire front of my car off, spun it around 180 degrees, knocked the glasses off my face and the windshield wipers out of place.

11-10-13

This is the old rusty shed next to our house. Love it? It's a beauty, isn't it?

I told Dan I'd help him take it down this afternoon. So we moved everything out, found new homes for all the tools and bikes, and started dismantling the rusty metal.

We got the roof off and one wall before it got too dark to see. My mom stopped by to see us, and we went inside and had brie and apples. Tomorrow we will finish it. I told Dan and my mom that I was going to Freecycle the rusty metal. They thought I was crazy, but I have a track record! I found a taker this evening. It's going to be hauled away tomorrow. 

11-9-13

For the past week or so I've been knitting boot cuffs. The first one was too big so it's now a hat. This is the second attempt and it fits just fine. I'm knitting the other one now. Oh, stop thinking boot cuffs are silly. I like them! 

Today I graded papers.

11-8-13

My mom came over tonight just to have a glass of wine and watch TV. We had recorded "her shows" for her while she was gone, so we got to watch them. I showed her this owl I'd found in the attic in my Trunk. She thinks I did it as a child. I think I'll frame it and put it in my office at work.

11-7-13

Tonight I taught and my students all brought performance assessments. It was like activity day! This was where you take potato juice and soak paper in it, then put the paper in H2O2 and time how long it takes to get all bubbly and rise. It was a great class and I think the students all enjoyed putting the activities together and learning from them.

11-6-13

We flew home today. The Richmond airport was so familiar feeling. I think I have a similar picture I took when I was 16 on a visit to see my grandparents. There's just something about one's birthplace that sticks, you know?

11-5-13

Election Day in Charlottesville means Alumnae Lunch! I got to visit my old school and see the things that stayed the same, and those that did not. The dead shelf still has my dead stuff on it. Seriously-- after 9 years of being gone my same dead stuff is on that shelf.

Same tables in the multipurpose room. More computers though...

And Ursula the bear is still there to welcome all. 

11-4-13

All day immersion back at UVA where I learned how to use a die cutting printer and a 3D printer. Lunch with my old adviser from 1986-1992 and then again 2004-2009. I was a great day.

I haven't had a migraine in like three weeks. Amazing. Here are my experimental procedures: morning yoga, only one cup of tea per day, Past Tense essential oil from DoTerra, magnesium oil on feet at night and one small daily dollop of bioidentical progesterone cream.

11-3-13

What can I say? A four mile hike in the woods with Dan and Aza was great therapy today.

11-2-13

This is my grandparents' house in Richmond, Virginia where I lived for the first three years of my life. I'm here today on what is the 105th anniversary of my grandfather's birth. You called me home, Papa. I always remember you.

We left Richmond and headed to Charlottesville on a very familiar road. Descending Pantops towards the Rivanna I could see the Blue Ridge.

We got to Aza's adorable apartment!

The sky, the leaves, all so beautiful.

Next? Pizza on the Downtown Mall at Christian's Pizza. Mmmmm. Dan insisted on dessert, so-

We had to go to Chaps!

Sweet ice cream, sweet Aza.

Lovely lovely grown up little girl.