There are times in life when you just have to slow down and breathe.
A lot has been happening and a lot more is yet to come... but I am trying very hard to maintain a sense of perspective, a sense that things ahead can be bolstered by things behind and around me. There is a lot to be said for good personal space right now.
At the moment, Crash is employed, I am working successfully on my PhD and all is reasonably well with the world. Applying for scholarships, applying for grants... and was lucky enough to win a fellowship for next year. And the semester is over - that long, long semester with so very, very much going on! Now I need to think about AP exams and a course I want to take in Michigan and ... comps.
Oh yes, and comps. I really want to get through comps before the semester starts again in the Fall. I have a plan, I intend to stick to it, and I want to get from point A to point B with a minimum of fear and fuss. I want to go in confidently and know what I need to know to get out of whatever pickle they put me in. This is my goal. I have one adviser who is giving me fits... but other than that, I feel as though the preparation is going exceptionally well, and I know where I am going with it.
I love teaching... and feel the semester went incredibly well... I just wish I hadn't caught pneumonia right at the end. Blah. Really hard to try and project a lecture when I don't have the lung capacity - or the voice - to do it. But, my students did well, and I am so glad for them. They were a joy. I plan to teach first half American history in the Fall, so it will be brand new lesson prep... lots to do for it... and lots to learn for it. But it will be exciting and fun. I can't wait!
The roses are growing and blooming. We're through first flush - and they were just beautiful this time. I spent yesterday deadheading and must have trimmed back 500 rose heads. Wow. But there is a ton of new growth and I expect another flush in about a week. Just gorgeous. Then I mowed the front and side yard today. First time I have been able to do that in ... well ... years. I haven't felt well enough to do it for a very, very long time, and I had to take it slowly, but I did it. (YAY ME!) The front yard looks much better!! And I notice we have LOTS of black-eyed Susans coming up, though in patches, not in a huge row like I wanted, so I am going to have to do something about that (lots of seeds... lots and lots and lots of seeds!) The ivy in the old wheelbarrow survived the winter and is just going gangbusters - I am so glad - it looks fabulous in that old thing, and I think I'll put something vibrant in there with it for the summer. Lots of weeding to be done. Lots and lots. But that's always the case. I'm losing some rose bushes... but I think it's time to redo some of those beds anyway. Something more hardy needs to go in there. Maybe some more Yellow Submarines! I *love* that variety of rose!!
Had a new back door put on the house last month. Or maybe it was earlier this month. I can't remember. It needed it, anyway - the installer was shocked to find that the old door was - literally - held on by ONE screw, was sagging - and was the wrong size door for the sash anyway. @@ Go figure. Lowe's did a really good job with their installation services, by the way. Recommend them highly. The door we have now is just gorgeous. I feel as though it's on the wrong house! LOL
Have the neatest program... haven't installed it yet, but I have it, anyway. It's a program to translate VHS tapes into DVDs via my laptop. I'll let you know how well it works. Looks good, anyway. I've heard good things about it, and I have an entire cabinet FILLED with VHS tapes I want to get rid of (as in give to people who can use them - retirement homes, etc)... I can't wait. Yeah. In all the spare time I have. LOL
Jenny Goober is still with us, though she doesn't get up from her bed to come to the door when I come home very often anymore. As long as she knows it's just me... she's fine with it and stays in the back of the house on her bed. If anyone is with me, though, she's right at the gate, checking everything out. Silly girl. And she's just as goofy as ever. I love her to pieces, the silly Jenny Goober.
Hobbes is doing very well with his diabetes. And the rest of the kitties are great as well... if I remember once I am done writing this, I will put up a pic of Tug I took this morning; Tugboat does a "cute" pose whenever he wants to have lots of attention and his belly rubbed ... and I actually caught it with my cell phone this morning. So funny.
So, meanwhile, since yesterday morning (I had to turn in grades yesterday and was up until 4 a.m. doing so), I have been trying (vainly) to catch up on sleep. Last night was kind of funny; at 7:30 I had my last memory of the world, sitting in this chair doing heaven knows what - I think I had the remote in my hand. Next thing I know it's 5:30 a.m. and I'm needing the potty and the dog's needing out and Hobbes is needing fed. Huh?? I crawled out of bed, took care of these things, had a pear, heard Crash's alarm go off and snuggled back in with him for a few minutes while he got used to the idea of morning. Then I fell back asleep until this morning's doctor's appointment (I had a doc appointment yesterday, too, to add insult to injury!). Took another nap this afternoon for about half an hour and never heard the alarm... Crash woke me up and got me going again - I had a cocktail party to attend. Now? I am ready for the tub, I think. LOL
More than that, though, I am looking forward to Crash coming home safe and sound. He's at church at a board meeting. Looks as though he may be board president for one more year due to some unusual circumstances. I truly was looking forward to him being off board, but in this case, I don't mind him rising to the occasion.
Well, I think I am all lettered out. Hope you are all well. No promises anymore about blogging; you see where it gets me.
Laura











Recent Comments