2-28-09

We had so much trouble getting home, it was almost like a comedy
except we weren't laughing. Delayed flights, no supper, migraine,
arrival in Richmond at 2 am, getting stopped by state trooper at
2:30am on deserted highway for going 72, then arriving home at last at
4am to find dog pee on the hardwood floor. I thought I would be
writing all day but have hardly left the bed.

2-27-09

Today we had the day to ourselves and the first thing we did was go on
a tour of the Ben & Jerry's factory. They wouldn't allow pictures
inside. They had an accident with the ice cream and it was all over.
Pretty funny until one kid on the tour barfed.

This is the Ben and Jerry's Bus

Then we went to visit Richmond, Vermont where there is a Round Church.

And Montpelier, the capital of Vermont.

This is Church Street in Burlington, a larger version of our downtown mall.

2-26-09

Here I am in Burlington, Vermont for my interview at the University of Vermont. Beautiful campus, beautiful town.
This is the north view from the Old Mill Tower. You can see the tower that has "bells" that "chime". They are actually loud speakers.

This is the east view from the Old Mill Tower. On the right you can see the Waterman Building which houses the College of Education.

This is a view of Lake Champlain from the education school. Interview going great!

2-25-09

This is the bed and breakfast where we stayed in Burlington, Vermont.
This evening was dinner and a meeting with the search committee. We
ate at a French bistro on Church Street which is their version of the
downtown mall but bigger and better in some ways.

2-23-09

I flew home today. Left early in the morning. Mom made me toast and coffee and gave me a nectarine for the drive to the Atlanta airport. Her crew came to work and Jason moved these beautiful flowers from the kitchen to the foyer. I said goodbye and hit the road. Came home exhausted and slept... ate... played around... and now am getting ready for bed. Tomorrow I have to prepare for my Vermont interview.

2-22-09

My sisters left today. I would have left too but I messed up my ticket and had to stay an extra day. No problem. These are orchids that K and J gave Mom. Beautiful.

2-21-09

Happy birthday, Mom. You look great and we sure enjoyed your party!

2-20-09

Today Mom turned 75. My sisters and I met at the Atlanta airport and rented a car and drove "home." Here is K in her old bedroom reading one of her high school yearbooks. It's so wonderful to be with my sisters back home again.

2-17-09

Just goofing off with the camera and a switch. Quiz: Is the switch in the "on" or "off" position? OK, Aza, I'm counting on you.....

2-16-09

It's February, and you know what THAT means... Girl Scout Cookies! I think I ate a whole box of Thin Mints while finishing up my dissertation.

2-15-09

First sign of spring- forsythia blooming in Charlottesville. I spotted it today while on a walk near Grounds. The groundhog must have predicted that spring was right around the corner!

2-14-09

The best chocolate in the world is made right here and my sweet husband bought us a huge box of it for Valentines' Day. We are going to savor them together. Earl Gray is the best flavor. It's the striped one. He hand picked all our favorite dark chocolates. I made shrimp and grits with greens for dinner- mmmm it was a delicious day.

2-13-09

Happy Birthday Squirt! 18 years old today.
This is my blooming flower. My college roommate gave me the bulb several years ago and I finally got it to bloom again.

2-11-09

Leaving Stillwater this afternoon.... I really liked this place. It grew on me. I really wouldn't mind having a job here. The downtown is very quaint and looks like Auburn 30 years ago.
The countryside has its own charm. Still, reminds me of rural south Alabama. I take two flights and land home late Wednesday night...Spent the day traveling... I sat next to man on the plane from OKC to ATL who took up half my seat in addition to his own, which was not cool. Made it home exhausted and was pleased to see all the additional swarms of ants who had decided to move in while I was a way.

2-10-09

The morning started off alright. I was up early and tried to capture the peacefulness of the morning through my hotel window. I had a busy day ahead with a lecture and a class to teach along with meals and interviews.

By the afternoon, we had hail, lightning, driving rain, sirens, children huddled in basements,
and a tornado touchdown marked the end of an otherwise good day of interviewing.

2-9-09

Here I am in Stillwater, Oklahoma. This place really surprised me. The town is cute, the campus is beautiful, and the education building in particular is spectacular. Everyone is so nice.

This is Willard Hall, the education building. It's so nice, people have weddings in it. There is a "living room" full of beautiful furniture and antiques for students to hang out in. I can tell that alumni love this place and give back to it when they leave.

Oklahoma State University-a very pretty campus in a very cute town that reminds me of Auburn in its heyday 30 years ago . This is the library and the lawn is called Willard Lawn, I think.

2-8-09

Stacey picked me up from the airport in Oklahoma City and the first thing we did was go to the laundomat to dry clothes. What fun.

Then we went to the grocery store and I spotted fry oil for sale in Norman, OK. We passed up the tempation to purchase some. I took her out for dinner in the evening to celebrate her birthday week.

2-6-09

Today was lovely. I was calm for the first time in weeks. "Margin" my old doctor called it. He always said I needed to make margins in my life for things like nice walks and naps and long dinners. Well, I worked this morning getting ready for my trip tomorrow to Oklahoma for another job interview, and I worked part of the afternoon too, but it was at a nice slow pace- not feeling that rushed and panicked feeling I've been living with the past month. I'm looking forward to my trip. I've got the job talk done, the lesson I'm doing done, and I turned in the revised Chapter 4 on Friday. There is still a great deal of work to do, but this is a bit of calm.

Can you find the moon? It's in there.

2-5-09

Ewwwww!!!!! Yuck!!!!! I have ants!!!!! I HATE ants!!!!

2-3-09

I took the time today to capture the last little bit of snow left from our brief snow shower. It looks like a flower on the azalea bush! Today I thought about my friend Martha, who died a year ago today. Her photo is still smiling down on me as I work each day.

2-2-09

Had to rearrange my desk today to account for two computers running simultaneously and an extension at the left for paper piles. This is crazy. I've never sat so long in my life. 9-9 most days. Good thing I have a nice chair, thanks to my dear husband!

2-1-09

Today was all about cell phones. I donated the old Motorola on the left to a woman on Freecycle who needed it for her daughter. It was 5.5 years old and not worth much. I SOLD the middle one through eBay because it is only 6 months old and I had to pay a fee to break my contract with Alltel so I could receive the GIFT on the right from my mom, my new iPhone. Also, today I found out that someone on Freecycle is going to give me a phone that should work with AT&T so Squirt can have a phone because he LOST his brand new one he got for Christmas two weeks ago. Crazy Squirt.

Dan dragged me away from my dissertation long enough to go for a walk today. Here are a couple iPhone pictures. The old coal tower near the tracks downtown, a creepy place. Then I spotted a snake coming out a crack in the sidewalk. Dan thought it was a baby copperhead. Creepy again. Anyway, tomorrow I have a meeting with my advisor about my dissertation. It's coming along. Coming along.

1-31-09

My friend Moonie made this for me. Isn't it wonderful? I think it sums up the first month of 2009 quite well. Beautiful work of art. She claims it's easy... but I think she's brilliant. (She had some help from www.wordle.com)

1-30-09

Just FreeCycled this desk that Aza had all through middle and high school. Her room is looking like a guest room now. So sad. It's hard to see them grow up and move away. It happens to us all, I know, but it's hard. We put all her things in a box. A box. Where did the time go???? Where did my three babies go???

1-28-09 evening

We use my iPhone to check the weather at every town in front of us, and it looks like once we get to Huntington it will improve. We plow on. The snow turns to sleet, the sleet turns to rain, then the sky clears and by sunset we are nearing home on dry land. 10 hours. The trip home was a harrowing 10 hours. I hope it was worth it.

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