8-27-09

Today was my first day teaching. To celebrate, Dan and I went out for BBQ dinner at our favorite sammich place. This is their t-shirt. Not sure I should get one.... but the dinner was delish. Afterwards we watched a very interesting Czech movie called "Something like Happiness."

8-26-09

Tomatoes! When we moved in there were four little barely distinguisable tomato plants which are now providing us with a plethora of small cherry tomatoes. Yum!!!

8-25-09

This is our new rain barrel called 'The Lily' because you can grow something in the top. We are going to grow mint so it won't escape and take over the yard, and use the water to keep the nice flowers alive during dry spells. It holds like 60 gallons or so.

8-24-09

Spent whole day volunteering with FUSION, an organization that gets students out into the community. We had something like 1300 students volunteer in dozens of organizations.

8-23-09

We have new flowers blooming in the yard. Autumn crocuses they are called. I'm so GLAD that Dan is home. We took Frisbee for his nightly walk/run and I got some cool photos of him running toward me. Here's one.

And on our walk I got a really colorful photo of this yellow flower. Black eyed susan or something. Today we did Farmers Market and Library. Cooked sausages on the grill and had zucchini with dill and sourcream for dinner. I'm sleepy and volunteer tomorrow with an organization at the University. Should be fun.

8-22-09

Dan came home from Colorado today and he brought me a gift. A rooster with a bell! I had to pick him up from the airport at 1am so really he got home tomorrow but whatever.

8-21-09

A day of meetings. I rode home on my bike, ate a sammich, savored some
icecream and put my feet up for a change.

8-20-09

This is smiling Squirt in his dorm room in Colorado. No, I'm not there. Dan took this photo. Dan also took the one of Jes on a hike they did, a very dangerous hike I only heard about after they returned, thankfully.

No, I'm not in Colorado. Today I spent at a new faculty meeting for the university. Afterwards I went to a reception to meet the President of the University. It was at the Faculty Club, very posh. I had a good time but have been fighting a migraine since 4am.

Fountain in the garden at the Faculty Club.

8-19-09

No meetings today. I spent the morning putting a box together for the squirt- clothes, skateboard, x-box, etc. and mailed it off to Colorado. Worked in my office all afternoon. One accomplishment was completing the shell collection box.

8-18-09

College of Education Retreat today. Here are the six math/science education female faculty. We don't look so geeky, do we? Retreat/meeting lasted all day.

8-16-09

Happy birthday little sister Sakura! Today Mom and HH and I went to an art show/sale. I bought a couple things for the garden. One is a glass mushroom and the other is a glass lilly that I'm supposed to feed butterflies with. you fill it with sugar water. I doubt I'll have the discipline, but it looks pretty.

Some white hostas are blooming and they are very pretty and smell nice.

Mom leaves in the morning. Tomorrow is my first day officially on the job.

8-15-09

Today Mom and HH and I went to an antique show. When we got back Squirt and Dan were getting his stuff ready for the flight to Colorado. His suitcase was too heavy- so he had to take out some stuff. We all drove to the airport together and it was so hard to say goodbye. I gave him lots of advice before he left. Hope he takes some of it. I won't see him again until Christmas. Today I looked and my nest was literally empty.

8-14-09

Aza left this morning. It was sad.

My mom arrived today with our family friend HH. She brought me gifts- this chicken dish cloth, a chicken thing you hang on the wall for dried flowers, and a stained glass thing for the window in the sun room. We had a wonderful dinner- me, Dan, Squirt, Mom, and HH. My favorite part of the meal was the corn salad.

8-13-09

Today Aza and I went shopping. We got some school clothes and picked up this frame from a used furniture store for a song. I matted and framed a painting I'd done of the field where we lived in Virginia. Squirt started doing his laundry today. As I suspected he had about three loads.

8-12-09

Contest: Name this botanical feature. Go ahead. Guess.

So, we had a Popsicle Party tonight and invited all our new neighbor friends. We had 21 people show up including a bunch of adorable little kids. Here's a shot one guest took of us four. So nice to have a photo of us together. We had dinner afterwards at Winchell's. It was a GOOD day!

8-11-09

The kids woke up early this morning and we went out for a tour of campus. Here they are in my office testing out my desk chair.

After the campus tour, we went home and picked up Dan and did some sightseeing. First we checked out Keeneland and then we went on a tour of the Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery. No cell phones were allowed and my camera lens is still stuck so I had to sneak a photo with my iPhone, which was against the rules. Tonight if the weather holds out we are going to the Bluegrass Jamboree with the kids.

8-10-09

The only photo I have to show for a fantastic day is this one of Sophie the cat at the top of our stairs. You can see Aza's legs in the bedroom door. Squirt and Aza arrived safely aroung 5:30pm just before our dinner party which was at 6pm. We had 14 people eating chicken etouffee, shrimp New Orleans, spinach salad, etc.. with homemade fudge sauce on ice cream for dessert. A good time was had by all even though Squirt slept through most of the festivities. It is SO good to have them home.

8-9-09

Dang! I didn't take a single picture today. Too busy cookin' in the kitchen. Here's the picture in so many words: I'm wearing the Guinness apron Aza brought me back from Ireland. I'm making chicken etouffee and that takes lots of chopping onions, peppers and celery, picking chicken, making a stock, etc. Getting ready for the homecoming tomorrow! Oh, and I bought a new pair of shoes. I'll take a photo of the shoes and post it later. Cute shoes!

8-8-09

The Tomato Festival! We got to sample about 20 varieties of tomatoes, both hybrid and heriloom. This was my favorite by far. So much flavor and great texture. I could have eaten the whole plate.

I cleaned today while Dan went to Louisville to see his Uncle who had a car in a show there. This evening we went to see the fireworks from the arboretum. It's Fan Day at the stadium and the fireworks were loud and bright and spectacular. Two more days and I get to see Aza and Squirt. It's been over 6 weeks since I've seen them. The longest it's ever been.

8-7-09

My camera lens is jammed. Something happened to the little button that makes the pins go down so you can turn the lens and take it off. So what's stuck on there now is the macro lens. I finished the twin bedroom decor today and could only take partial pictures of what I had done. The main thing was hanging my Nana's quilt, which I did. Also hung an old mirror over the fireplace, a crosstitch and the bunny painting. Here is the quilt next to the bed.
Tonight we walked to a new BBQ restaurant nearby, came home and watched "All the King's Men" on DVD and ate chocolate bourbon balls.

8-6-09

Today I had my photo taken for the university directory. A professional photographer came to my office with the most awesome Nikon digital slr and flash setup. The picture of the day will be this photo once I have access to it!

Just got it!