3-31-17

Getting ready for an all-day professional development tomorrow-- I think I made just enough soda socks.

Zara was interested in them too.

3-30-17

FIRST NIGHT OF POTTERY!!!!!

3-29-17

Update on the magic orchid that just knows what to do! 

My students and I messed around with more penguin stuff today. I love Wednesdays when we get to mess around with curriculum ideas.

3-28-17

My dad was in town this week. We did some searching in the library for some family history in Demopolis Alabama. Meanwhile, Mom got back some more DNA stuff. See the orange dots? That's where her father's parents are likely from.

We had family in Marengo, Alabama (below)

3-26-17

Getting ready for pottery classes to start up soon... I finished these two bird houses in advance.

3-22-17

Painted penguins this morning getting ready for my 9am meeting with my two students to work on the Baby Animals grant.

The painted penguins change colors when they get warm. 

Still feeling great.

3-21-17

Pottery class started up tonight!!!!

I went crazy and made 10 things.

Meeting this afternoon with a grad student, we played with our new thermochromatic pigments.

3-20-17

Full day back at work. Morning at Burns evaluating curriculum. Afternoon meetings. Evening class. I gave out brownie points for answering technical questions. It was a great day. I felt great, full of energy. 

3-19-17

We went to Dauphin Island today and walked around Ft. Morgan waiting for the ferry to take us there.

 The ferry was fun. This was an happy accident of a photo taken from the ferry.
I think I should use it on my curriculum instead of the other one.

 We saw this large container ship headed up into Mobile bay.

This is a lion fish- an invasive species. We went to the estuarium and it was SO cool!

3-18-17

We are staying in a 1 bedroom condo in a large building. This is the view from our balcony.

Beach view.

Tonight I cooked red snapper in shallots and garlic. Last night I cooked shrimp. Yes! 

3-17-17

We played Yahtzee. I lost.

 I camped out on the sand and fell asleep with enough sunscreen to keep me safe for all three hours I lay there soaking up sun and making Vitamin D. It was so awesome. Cold wind, but intermediate radiation feelings.

I don't look so good in this picture. I think I look better than this. 

But I'm happy and that's important.

3-16-17

AHHHHHHHHHH

WE ARE AT GULF SHORES......

RELAXXXXXXXX

Since seeing the neurologist in Birmingham yesterday, I decided to add on one more medication that the neuro in Montgomery prescribed. It's called Baclofen. So far it's working. 

3-13-17

It's Monday of spring break and it feels great. 

I planted these snapdragons last fall and they looked green but small all winter. Now they are really happy! 

These vinca (wait, it is it vinca)? were cuttings from last summer and I put them in water and they took root. I'm going to plant them outside soon.

Things are growing and blooming. 

3-12-17

This is Kirby Hudgins in 1920, my great grandmother's only brother. I've had this large framed photo of him for decades now and I'm determined to find his descendants so I can give it to them. Below is a photo of his blind daughter. He also had a son they called Pie.

I sure wish someone had photos of my ancestors and wanted to send them to me.

I had a lot of energy and focus today and think it's because of spring break.

3-11-17

Someone bought the house across the street and they are remodeling!

No more renters! 

Mom called me and said she found this little dog in her back yard. She bought it into her house, called me, and I went right over. Sweet girl. I checked all the lost and found websites and came up empty handed. Then I posted a photo of her on Facebook and made it public. By the time I got home, I got a message---- someone recognized her and notified her person, who was ecstatic! She was back with her Mommy within an hour.

Our orchid is blooming. It's ALIVE! 

Today was the first Saturday of spring break.

3-9-17

And we have a flower!

I had a conference at Sanford Middle School and tutored a student in lesson planning. I had a headache facepain thing going on. 

3-8-17

I went to choir practice to practice my songs with the choir. Andrew was wearing this funny scarf. I texted my Saudi student who said it said Sun and Moon. I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling at choir practice.

3-7-17

My orchid is fixin' to bloom.

This orchid is like an animal crawling out of its pot and daring to bloom when it gets little love from anyone. 

I love it. 

3-6-17

I gave a midterm exam today. Spent the time doing some knitting, some grading. It was a busy day.
1. I drove to Valley and observed a class (30 minute drive).
2. I drove to Phenix City (40 minutes more) and observed a class.
3. I drove back (45 minutes) and went straight to meetings at school.
4. I taught a class from 6-9 and gave this midterm.

3-5-17

Do you know what this means? That I did ART today?

It means I'm coming out from under the weight of depression and pain and starting to live again.

I'm starting to remember myself.

I doodled while watching some videos for work:

3-4-17

Saturday and I felt fine!

I worked and knitted and just BREATHED and relaxed.

Mom came over and brought us a big thing of fruit all cut up :)

Yay Mom!

3-3-17

I feel better but decide to stay home all day anyway and just recover from nearly two weeks of constant (near constant) pain. My grad students carry on without me because they say I "raised them up well."

Above are two getting ready for a project on Monday.

One sweet grad student brought me a present...

3-2-17

The doctor says to double my dose of K.
I do it.
The pain starts to decrease.

3-1-17

It hurts to wear these. I'm in bed with my pain enveloping my head so much. I managed to get through an afternoon of meetings then crawled home to bed. 

Oh dear. 

2-27-17

I drove out to Burns for our research but on the way back my face was hurting so the rest of the day was sunk. I got a friend to teach my class.