11-30-10

 

The day started off very normally except for the rain. I didn't want to walk to the bus stop in the rain, so I drove to school. Pretty wimpy of me, but I'm glad I drove, considering. Today is Dan's and my 25th wedding anniversary so I was feeling sunny in spite of the dreary rain.

I was formally observed teaching this morning, which turned out to be fine because I taught a really wonderful lesson and the students were highly engaged. Many of them stayed after class to tell the observer nice things about me (I can only assume...)

However, during a faculty meeting a text came through from Aza. She had been in a car wreck. She was fine. The car was not. Stunned and shocked, I managed to get through the rest of the faculty meeting then rushed home to hold my baby girl.

 

This is the airbag that saved her precious head from the windshield, which was shattered.

 

We spent the evening together. Dan picked up some BBQ for dinner and we huddled together in the rainy night, thankful for 25 years of blessings. I was thankful to have our daughter safe and sound at home with us.

11-27-10 continued

 

And.... so I get a desk to work on in my new basement studio! Now for some electricity so I can plug in my lamp!

11-27-10

 

 

 

 

Today we bought a new desk for my home office. It took a half a day to find it, bring it home, take apart my old "desk", assemble the new one, set it up and organize all my computer equipment, etc. Good results.

11-26-10

 

 

We spent Thanksgiving with my sister in Indiana and arrive home tonight. We missed the first little snow of the season while we were gone. My alma mater won the Iron Bowl today and that was really cool to see on TV. First fire of the season in the wood stove.

11-23-10

 

So, I recovered from my 36 hour incident and made it to school Monday afternoon, then taught today, Tuesday. It was a good class- but my students are so chatty. Now that they've had a taste of teaching in the classroom they're not happy to be back at the university as students. Today Dan had the old stove pipe for our wood stove in the studio replaced. It was full of dangerous creosote. Cool picture of the old pipe lying in the driveway.

11-21-10

 

Last night Dan and I went out to dinner at a new place nearby- The Crossroads- which was really a loud brightly lit sports bar. I had catfish, greens, and black eyed peas. In the middle of the night, I re-experienced the meal in a not-so-pleasant way. Food poisoning, I think. Regardless of what caused it, it was horrible and I spent the day in bed with chills, a fever, nausea, and weakness. ug. Dan's iPad kept me entertained.

11-20-10

 

 

This week I had my students back after a month off- well, not really, but I didn't have to teach them. I taught 50 middle school boys instead. Anyway, my students came back from their practicum and I had class again. It was nice. By the weekend I was ready to organize my life a bit and decided to start with my office at home. Dan gave up two drawers in the filing cabinet and I moved my stuff in after organizing. What a difference. Now I need a desk that is more comfortable to type at than an old kitchen table.

11-14-10

 

OK, if this is the best I can do when the trees are beautiful outside and there are busy things to remember happening all over the house, I'm a pathetic example of a daily photo blogger. I was lying on the couch feeling overwhelmed with everything I have to do, when I took this picture of the doorway in the living room because it just looked beautiful as I was lying there. Today I made a two-page to-do list and went over it with Dan, who gave me some time management advice that was very helpful. I love having an engineer for a husband. Every problem has a practical solution if you just think through it. xxxooo 25 years this month married to a handsome, brilliant, funny, patient, loving, strong, efficient, thoughtful, beautiful man.

11-12-10

 

 

Just some random things I noticed today. A tree ablaze, and my feet on the sidewalk waiting for the bus. I went to a workshop today on distance learning and got some insight into a few fun things like Jing and Prezio. Friday! Weekend!

11-9-10

 

 

One really cool thing about having our own small department is that we can all fit around one table at Mellow Mushroom for our faculty meeting! So after our meeting today we were walking back to our offices and encountered yet another fun fire alarm. No fire, just an alarm.

11-7-10 part 2

 

 

 

 

So here we are at the Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary. First we went to a bird blind, a little shack with a big picture window (tinted so the birds can't see you) looking out onto bird feeder heaven. We saw so many birds coming up really close to the window. It was so special- makes me want to get some bird feeders for our house.

Next we hiked all the trails: red, white, yellow and blue. Saw a nice pond and geodes and fossils and lots of beauty. I wish I'd had a clear view of the river, but it was not on the direct path.

Sunday evening I developed a migraine. Not looking forward to my week ahead. Sometimes I wish I lived out in the woods on a mountain and didn't have the pressure of my job. Maybe I can retire early and have a different life for a while.

11-7-10 part 1

 

 

 

 

Today for our Sunday drive and hike, we chose to first have lunch at Wallace Station, a little place out in the country. It was really good and I definitely want to go back. So then we headed for the Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary. Folks, this is what Kentucky looks like. It's beautiful. If you aren't from around here and you have some notion that Kentucky is some godawful place with hillbillies and chicken and backwards politics, you are misinformed. OK. Maybe you're right. But it's really a special place and I love it here.

11-5-10

 

I took Aza with me to the Kentucky Science Teachers Association meeting today. We went to a workshop on genetics and my graduate student P was in the room so we worked as a team. That's P on the left. No, not the duck-looking model. The other funny looking guy! (jk)

Aza has decided to transfer to the University of Kentucky to finish up her master's degree in science and math education. She starts in January. I'm pretty sure she will continue to live at home, keep her job at Olive Garden part time, and accept a research assistant job at the university. It will be really nice to have her here for another year or more, but she is so busy I rarely see her. It was fun to spend the day with her at KSTA.

11-4-10

 

It's Thursday, the last Thursday of our farm share. We brought home a bounty today but I need a good cabbage recipe. Generally I do not like cabbage unless it is a cole slaw. Any suggestions?

So today it is rainy and dreary and I feel depressed. I look forward to watching Gray's Anatomy tonight and think it's sad that TV is the most exciting thing I have to look forward to in the near future. Either I'm menopausal, low on Vitamin D again, or just plain melancholy. Feeling really overwhelmed and NOT looking forward to working this Saturday again.