5-14-17

This is the house we are staying at in Richmond- right near the university library and across the street from the Cathedral.

 THIS is the house my mother AND I grew up in. Mom moved there when she was 13 and moved back home at age 29 to have me. She and I lived there with her parents until I was three and then we visited until I was 24 when both my grandparents had died. It was bittersweet to see it, but I'm glad we could visit the old homestead together.

We had brunch today at a place called Supper. We tried to have brunch at the place called Lunch but it was packed.

5-13-17

Aza went to her "big" graduation ceremony today. This is her cap--- and her boyfriend, whom I have yes to come up with a nickname for. We just keep calling him "A Keeper."

I managed to get this awesome photo after realizing that Dan had all the important women in his life with him. His two daughters, his two sisters, his two mothers, and ME! There has to be a saying out there about how it's the woman who makes a man. Well, all these women have been influencing him for a long long time. His mother, for 54 years... his sisters for almost 50 years.... his daughters for 30 years.... and me (and my mother) for 32 years.

5-12-17

Today was amazing. Aza graduated FIRST in her class, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Phi Alpha, Summa Cum Laude, and class president. She gave a thoughtful, touching speech to an audience of over a thousand people, and didn't talk about herself, but of the strength of her classmate who endured lymphoma, and the community they formed. It was a proud momma moment to the extreme.

Here she is at the podium and below with her proud parents.

And her proud grandparents!

5-11-17

Zara and Dan driving to Virginia.

She did fine.

We picked up Jes from the Charlotte airport and kept driving.

5-10-17

Zara is getting ready to go home to Richmond. She will miss running around the big house, and we will miss her. She doesn't know she is in for a 12 hour car ride.

5-8-17

Today was awful. 

We discovered an infestation of these little buggers-- so small they look like grains of salt. They are mites, and they were all in our trashcan drawer and all over the cabinet. 

We went nuts and I made up a spray with tea tree oil and eucalyptus and we took EVERYTHING from that part of the kitchen outside and washed all the cabinets and drawers and items thoroughly. It took all day to put it all back.

Oh, and I picked up some of my pottery from the studio. Here is a little taste...

5-7-17

I think this is my grandfather and his father. 

I'll have to ask someone who might remember Harry Davis.

We had dinner at Mom's and were looking through old photo albums.

5-6-17

We walked downtown and met up with friends for dinner at Mellow Mushroom. Students and their families were taking photos for graduation. It was a cool evening for May, and it felt so nice outside. 

5-2-17

4-30-17

We flew home today--- Southwest is a cool airline. We had some entertaining characters as flight attendants.

The weather was bad as we were driving south from the airport so we stopped at a Waffle House to wait out the storm.

4-28-17

Breakfast this morning was bagels and lox cream cheese in the little park across the street with the amazingly loud waterfall. Greenacre Park is really a gem.

After dropping off our luggage at my cousin's house, we went to the United Nations. It took over an hour to get in after all kinds of security checks and such, but we got tickets for a tour of the important rooms in the complex.

After the UN, we decided to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was overwhelmingly amazing. I got to see this Monet that I'd had a poster of when I was in college.

4-27-17

My meeting ended and I had no choice but to take the subway back to the hotel. It was pretty far away, and a taxi would have been really expensive. So, I got someone at the meeting to show me how to navigate to the station and buy a ticket. She, however, did not show me how to enter the station, and I pushed the thingy after swiping my ticket, and it wouldn't let me through. A little old homeless lady saw me go back to buy another ticket, and she let me in through the emergency exit. 

We had dinner with my cousins M and J, whom I found during my epic genealogy search last year. They loved Dan, and we really did all get along splendidly. So much to talk about!

4-27-17

Today's meeting was at this place called the Center for Social Innovation. it was a funky, cool space and we had a really delish and healthy lunch there too. 

Somebody had paced these Buddah Booths out in the hallway. So, I took advantage of one. 

It was a busy work day-- lasting from 8:30 - 4:30 or so.

4-26-17

This is my first cousin, PJ. I found him about 6 months ago and started emailing him. We met today for the first time. We seemed to have a lot in common, and got along great. We have the same nose.

Dan and I toured a bunch of famous places like Rockerfeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral. I wanted my picture taken under this sign that shows up in SNL a lot. 

Before turning in, we visited the roof garden and looked out over the city. 

4-25b-17

Landing in Laguardia was not too impressive. We took a taxi to Manhattan, to our hotel-- Pod 51.

The bed had about 3' of space around it on three sides.

The bathroom was about as tiny as you could make one.

We had dinner at Mia's around the corner, splitting a pizza and a salad. That salad was SO good. 

4-25-17

We left this morning for New York. Yesterday I told my students that my life felt as if I'd spilled a box of tacks on the floor, and had to pick them each up. Packing and hitting the road was one tack picked up and put away.

(Found this tack in my shoe this morning. Strange.)

4-24-17

Last class of the semester with my assessment students. It was short-- we went over the study guide, and my student Rocky the Tiger drew this portrait of me on the board.

4-22-17

Mom made a dacquoise for our friend's birthday and boy, was it a treat! We had a nice time at the party, and we all got to sit outside - the weather was so nice. I got to talk to Tee, who gave me a lot of life lessons. She is 90something, and imparted much wisdom. The thinks I remember most are that nobody ever wants advice, and that the only think I have control over in life is my thoughts. 

4-20-17

Soap dishes I'm working on.

4-17-17

Out at the school I'm working at, we had a really successful roller coaster design with a light at the end of the trip.