The day has come...

Hi all!

It has been a wonderful week back at home, and tomorrow morning I leave for NYC!  As some of you know, it was my original plan to be in NYC for the entire summer, but then these other wonderful opportunities arose and so it became the plan for the last third of the summer.  I have a sublet next to my friend Caroline, with whom I've been friends since my senior year of high school.  She is such a great person, and having great success in her career.  I'm looking forward to spending 3 weeks in Da Bronx, living like a New Yorker and not like a tourist.  I have a book called "Cheap bastard's NYC" and I am going to try to do things in there like free museums, ushering for theatres, and hoping to get it to see at least one late night TV show.  I finally looked at my finances, and although I have to tighten my belt, I'm making it work!  I shall be basically starting over at the end of the summer, but I guess that was the point, wasn't it?

In the week I've been home, I've loved sleeping in my own bed and sitting on my chaise lounge, and watering my garden, and spending time with Nichole, and actually getting to look at my purchases from LA and Spain and Portugal.  I love the things I bought- I had to be mindful of packing them the entire time, so everything is small, but lovely.  This week I have also- copied all my recital music, paid property taxes, done every piece of laundry, made Nichole's avocado dish, made a trifle, made eggs, and made crescent rolls (I'm eating one right now!).  I have returned a pair of hiking boots, bought some new books at Goodwill, watched 6 movies from the library (OMG, have you every heard heard of Owl and the Sparrow? It was very good!  A Vietnamese movie about a child flower seller.  Broken Flowers with Bill Murray was very good, and I laughed out loud by myself a few times.  To me, that is a measure of a truly funny movie.  I also watched Capote, which is very good).  I finished "Dead Man Walking"--

"My parents never acted mean to black people, even though they never questioned the system of racial discrimination that permeated every aspect of life.  Daddy, an attorney, represented a slew of black clients, charging them five dollars for his services, and he helped several families buy property and, eventually, own their own homes.  It would take me a long time to understand how systems inflict pain and hardship in people's lives and to learn that being kind in an unjust system is not enough."  (p.7)

"We must persuade the American people that government killings are too costly for us, not only financially, but--more important--morally.  The death penalty costs too muchAllowing our government to kill citizens compromises the deepest moral values upon which this country was conceived: the inviolable dignity of human persons."  (p. 197)

I skimmed through Rob Lowe's new autobiography and am currently skimming Frank Langella's new tell-all (he was a naughty boy, let me tell you!).

I have gone for walks with Nichole and Sierra, I have watched the opening of the Olympic games and some of the competitions yesterday.  I have taken care of some school business, and caught up on the mail, I have read some of my many, many magazines, and I have been asked to be the Vice Chair of the Chancellor's Search committee.  I have had two research meetings and will have to have one more today.  I have finally unpacked!  Today I must pack again, take care of my indoor plants, get my music to Barbara my pianist, do some cleaning, and then tomorrow will be here!  Can't wait

Oh, and today it is RAINING!  We need it so badly.

Nancy and Ike

Nancy's Arabians

Davies Center is demolished on campus!

Progress of the new Education Building

Haas Parking Lot IP

Trifle!  With homemade cake and custard! Raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries

Yum!

Sox the cat (also known as Noodle) biting my glasses off!

Sox/Noodle drinking Fanta

Crescent Rolls!

Spain and Portugal- more photos

Self-portrait in Lisbon

  

I can't get over how beautiful the Camino was.  Here are some more photos--the colors, the expanse, the differences in landscape, the flora, the people, the butterflies and birds. Heaven.

Lazy Days

Hi all-

After a summer of excitement, professional and personal development, and globetrotting, the last few days have been slow and relaxed.  Seems like I'm not doing much, but I think that's exactly what I needed.  I'm resting, but feeling guilty about it of course.  That is something I need to work on.

Tall Ships in the harbor in Lisbon, July 2012
(Picture by brother in law of tour guide)

I'm heading to NYC on Monday so am slowly getting ready for that.  But, before I can truly do that I need to unpack and reorganize everything from LA and Europe.  There are lots of piles and suitcases laying around!   I made a dent in it last night, getting all the clothes folded, sorted, and in some semblance of being put away.  I organized stacks of books (OK, I admit it, I have a book problem) and started sorting receipts, papers, mementos, souvenirs, travel supplies, etc.  There is still much to do but at least it doesn't seem hopeless now.

Yesterday I potted around the house in the morning, almost finishing the book "Dead Man Walking"- I tell you, if you haven't read it, it will make you rethink the death penalty.   Went to the chiropractor (big old crunches that time!), and then for a massage with Holly.  She is brutal, but that is what I need.  I'm still sore today, but she definitely found "the spots" I'll tell you what.  Big tip for Holly!  Then to school to work on an evaluation, miscellaneous email and small projects, and getting my recital music organized.  I've got to get it to Barbara, my pianist, now and then get to practicing.  Guess I know what I need to do in NYC.  Came home for a dinner of LOTS of chips and salsa (YUM!) and then called Mom, went to Goodwill to look at books (5 books for $16- can't beat it!  See, I do have a book problem.  But I really needed those books......) and to Target for some essentials including crescent rolls rolled up in a can (you know, the kind that pop when you open them).  After so many croissants in Portugal and Spain--YUMMMMMM--I have decided that I need them here as well.  Got home at 9:30 and had one of my late night energy kicks in which I did the above described organizing and cleaning.  Then I watched "The Other Boleyn Girl"--not the best movie in the world but good acting and a wonderful, horrible true story (obviously).  Went to bed at 2:30 after yelling at two different Dish employees who will not under any circumstances allow me to change the name on the Dish account at my house.  The first guy was just rude, but the second guy was doing his best and following company policy.  Let me tell you (like I told them) that Dish just lost my business for their ridiculous policies.

Grrrrrrr.

Slept in today, washed the sheets and hung them out to dry--in this weather they were probably dry in 5 minutes, washed the dishes, made eggs (those of you who know me well know that this is momentous.  I also bought a cookbook at Goodwill last night.  Whu?)  Then business over email, made sun tea (yup, made a second thing!), and working on the computer while lying in my pajamas on my fainting couch.  Oh yes, I have a fainting couch.

 Purchased at auction in May with Nancy and Dustin.  So lovely and so comfortable! That auction was amazing- I got a rosemaled table and a Chinese silk screen, along with many other wonderful items I didn't know I needed until I saw them :)

Tonight I am going for dinner at Nichole and Ted's--gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you say avocado and havarti!--and then we're going to Ted's softball game.  They have only won one game, but apparently they are much better than the ill-fated team I played on three summers ago (aptly named "Eau and Ten.")

Christa and me--since we're smiling, it is probably before a game, not after

 Before that I need to mail a gift and something my mom forgot here, go to Younkers and buy some more silverware and maybe some red stoneware, and possibly pay property taxes.  I have a few things I am avoiding doing (year end report for the NYC trip for one, some NOA work, and balancing the check book :(   ) but hey, I'm not leaving for five more days :)

OK, off to do errands.  Later gators-

Updated later that evening: the sandwiches were amazing!  Ted's team won the game, and we got to play with their doggie Sierra.

Home again, watched the movie "Once"--have you seen this movie?  It is SO good, and it is about music!

Now I'm watching "the new" Pride and Prejudice.  So far, meh.  Getting tired though.


Tomorrow must pay property taxes, meet with the costume designer for the opera, and other miscellaneous things.  Night night!

Spain and Portugal photos! Finally!

Hi all!

I've got most of my pictures on the computer now- later I'll go back and add pictures to each of the entries, but for now I'll post a few favorites here so you can see the Camino.

Lovely hand painted tiles in Lisbon

Port winery in Porto

Fado house in Lisbon

Mom at Sintra

Ann Taylor hat made it all the way to the end of the trip!  Kind of got disheveled in the rain towards the end of the trip but remained serviceable!

The colors of Portugal and Spain were breathtaking

Tuna in Santiago!

The Countryside through which the Camino runs

Day one, "the way"

Arrival in Santiago, looking (and feeling) slightly worse for the wear.  But standing.

Splendid Santiago de Compostella

Kathy, Luisa, and Mom listening to Tuna in Santiago

Path less traveled

Grape vines on granite pillars

Mom trekking through a village town

Follow the arrows and you'll find your way to Santiago

Delicate beauty everywhere you look

 Hotel, day one of the Camino