Saturday, December 20, 2014
When we became art collectors
I have been a fan of folk art for a long time. Several years ago, I
noticed around pieces around town and the region that were painted by an
artist named Lamar Sorrento. I finally got curious enough to Google him
and found his website.
There's lots of great art for sale there that Andrew and I spent some
time admiring and considering acquiring. Then we contemplated the fact
that he takes orders. We started daydreaming about getting our piece
painted with the subject of our choosing. We ran through several ideas
before Andrew suggested the North Mississippi All-Stars. As soon as he
said it, I knew that would be perfect. They are our favorite band, and
they're steeped in the Memphis music scene, a favorite subject of Mr.
Sorrento's. So Andrew sent him an email and proposed this idea. He
responded and asked us to send him a couple of pictures to get a sense
of what we were looking for. We found a couple on the interwebs and sent
those in. We were then told to hang cool, that he painted fast, and we
would get our painting soon. We had commissioned a piece of art! I felt so highfalutin! About 2 weeks later, he sent us a picture
of the painting and asked us what we thought. We were both delighted
beyond words. We got to go to his residence a couple days later and pick
up our painting. It was even more awesome in person. I got a little
fangirl tongue-tied around this much-admired artist, but he was quite
gracious. We got out of there before I embarrassed myself and headed
straight home to hang our art on the wall. I love it and love being a
nascent art collector.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Filling my time
It is a strange feeling, having this thing called "free time." For so many, many years, I have never known such a sensation. While in college for 16 years, one becomes desensitized to the feeling of always being on the hook for something. Whether it's reading a paper or textbook, studying for classes or, for the love of all things sacred, for comps, preparing for an experiment, running an experiment, breaking down an experiment, analyzing an experiment, writing up an experiment, and preparing a presentation on an experiment, there has never been a shortage of things to do, and I lost the feeling that my time is my own. Now, with all the experiments run, all the dissertation written, all the courses passed, I am getting to know myself again. It is a little daunting, finding something that you enjoy to pass the hours from waking until sleep. That just never used to be a problem. Now, I'm remembering, "Oh yeah! I have time to catch up on my blog," or "Hmm... maybe I will start volunteering my time to something." I assume I will get used to this feeling, but right now, I am a little uneasy with my new found quiescence.
So, what else has been happening? I've been enjoying my job as a delivery driver for Meals in Motion, a multirestaurant delivery service in East Memphis owned by an awesome young couple, Abby and Jackson Huffman. I really like working for them and the job pays a lot better than being an adjunct. Madison came to visit for Thanksgiving break, which was nice, and she's coming back during Christmas break too! We got the carpet replaced in the den and now have lovely laminate wood flooring which is so many times better than that dark green thick carpet. We also got the house interior painted, which was something of a fiasco, but the result is very nice. We've been to a few concerts: the North Mississippi Allstars at Minglewood for the annual Thanksgiving leftovers show and at the new/old cool venue, Lafayette's Music Room, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Shell and Minglewood, and I caught a Minivan show the other night and saw Atmosphere in Little Rock a few weeks ago. In all it's been a pretty good run lately.
So, what else has been happening? I've been enjoying my job as a delivery driver for Meals in Motion, a multirestaurant delivery service in East Memphis owned by an awesome young couple, Abby and Jackson Huffman. I really like working for them and the job pays a lot better than being an adjunct. Madison came to visit for Thanksgiving break, which was nice, and she's coming back during Christmas break too! We got the carpet replaced in the den and now have lovely laminate wood flooring which is so many times better than that dark green thick carpet. We also got the house interior painted, which was something of a fiasco, but the result is very nice. We've been to a few concerts: the North Mississippi Allstars at Minglewood for the annual Thanksgiving leftovers show and at the new/old cool venue, Lafayette's Music Room, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Shell and Minglewood, and I caught a Minivan show the other night and saw Atmosphere in Little Rock a few weeks ago. In all it's been a pretty good run lately.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
That time I met Slug
When Atmosphere announced that they would be stopping in through Little Rock on their most recent tour, I was pretty stoked. I invited my friend D.d. and we made plans to spend the night with Dan and Kim.
I always dork out on the shows I'm most excited about. One time, I made a rum cake to get tickets to Cake. When Atmosphere came to Memphis on their last tour, I made a little care package of Memphis-themed stuff: t-shirts, bumper stickers, key chains, and postcards. But for this show, I wanted to make Slug and Ant something with my own hands. Of course, I had to have a silly spin on it, so I make pet rocks for each of them to commemorate their Little Rock stop.
When we got to Little Rock, I was the only one that was really interested in trying to possibly meet Slug. But I had sent Slug a few messages on Twitter, saying I was making the trip from Memphis and that I had made a little gift for him. So I set out solo to the venue to arrive at the venue about 30 minutes before the doors time.
I was only there for a few minutes before Slug walked through the little crowd lined up for the doors to open. As he walked by, I called out, "Slug, I have a little something for you, if you have a minute." He said, "Yes, you do," and stopped and came in to see what I had. I pulled out the pet rock I made for him and the one I made for Ant and described what they each said because it was dark. He laughed and took the rocks and thanked me for them and for making the trip. Then, as he was walking off, he turned back and said, "Lyndsay, right?" I said that was right, but I almost swooned. I could NOT believe he knew my name. I am still a little fan girl crazy over that one.
The crowd for the show was less than half the size of the show at the New Daisy in Memphis. This meant that, by the end, I was up in the front of the crowd and rocking out as hard as possible. I even geeked out enough to make a setlist as the show went along. I posted it here on Setlist.fm, which was my first published setlist.
In addition to a great time at the show, it was fantastic getting to spend time with D.d., Dan, Kim, and their friend, Sara. D.d and I have become pretty good show buddies as of late, which is pretty awesome. Dan wound up getting to go to the show with us, which was a major bonus of the trip. It's always great to spend time with him, and I think he really enjoyed himself at the show. Kim couldn't make it because of work, but she had time to set up two guest rooms for D.d. and me and made sure we were totally comfortable. Their hospitality was really awesome.
Meeting their friend Sara was fun too. She was going through a lot of personal loss and trauma so getting out to a show was a good distraction for her. D.d., Dan, Sara, and I grabbed some dinner and margaritas before the show. After the show, we dropped off Sara, and then D.d., Dan, and I sat up for a bit and shot the breeze. It was a really great night.
In the morning before heading back to Memphis, D.d. and I ventured back into downtown to Little Rock to check out D.d.'s friends' stores. We had to park down at the Clinton Library and ride the trolley back down to the shopping district. It was fun to get the historic tour of downtown. The Freckled Frog and Dandelion were really cute shops in a shared space. The Freckled Frog had crafts and shirts and jewelry. Dandelion was of particular interest to D.d. because it was a herb shop. It a wall lined with shelf after shelf of glass jars full of many fascinating contents. I thought it was cool, and we ran into our friend Suzie working there. In all, it was a fun little side excursion before hitting the road back to Memphis.
I always dork out on the shows I'm most excited about. One time, I made a rum cake to get tickets to Cake. When Atmosphere came to Memphis on their last tour, I made a little care package of Memphis-themed stuff: t-shirts, bumper stickers, key chains, and postcards. But for this show, I wanted to make Slug and Ant something with my own hands. Of course, I had to have a silly spin on it, so I make pet rocks for each of them to commemorate their Little Rock stop.
When we got to Little Rock, I was the only one that was really interested in trying to possibly meet Slug. But I had sent Slug a few messages on Twitter, saying I was making the trip from Memphis and that I had made a little gift for him. So I set out solo to the venue to arrive at the venue about 30 minutes before the doors time.
I was only there for a few minutes before Slug walked through the little crowd lined up for the doors to open. As he walked by, I called out, "Slug, I have a little something for you, if you have a minute." He said, "Yes, you do," and stopped and came in to see what I had. I pulled out the pet rock I made for him and the one I made for Ant and described what they each said because it was dark. He laughed and took the rocks and thanked me for them and for making the trip. Then, as he was walking off, he turned back and said, "Lyndsay, right?" I said that was right, but I almost swooned. I could NOT believe he knew my name. I am still a little fan girl crazy over that one.
The crowd for the show was less than half the size of the show at the New Daisy in Memphis. This meant that, by the end, I was up in the front of the crowd and rocking out as hard as possible. I even geeked out enough to make a setlist as the show went along. I posted it here on Setlist.fm, which was my first published setlist.
In addition to a great time at the show, it was fantastic getting to spend time with D.d., Dan, Kim, and their friend, Sara. D.d and I have become pretty good show buddies as of late, which is pretty awesome. Dan wound up getting to go to the show with us, which was a major bonus of the trip. It's always great to spend time with him, and I think he really enjoyed himself at the show. Kim couldn't make it because of work, but she had time to set up two guest rooms for D.d. and me and made sure we were totally comfortable. Their hospitality was really awesome.
Meeting their friend Sara was fun too. She was going through a lot of personal loss and trauma so getting out to a show was a good distraction for her. D.d., Dan, Sara, and I grabbed some dinner and margaritas before the show. After the show, we dropped off Sara, and then D.d., Dan, and I sat up for a bit and shot the breeze. It was a really great night.
In the morning before heading back to Memphis, D.d. and I ventured back into downtown to Little Rock to check out D.d.'s friends' stores. We had to park down at the Clinton Library and ride the trolley back down to the shopping district. It was fun to get the historic tour of downtown. The Freckled Frog and Dandelion were really cute shops in a shared space. The Freckled Frog had crafts and shirts and jewelry. Dandelion was of particular interest to D.d. because it was a herb shop. It a wall lined with shelf after shelf of glass jars full of many fascinating contents. I thought it was cool, and we ran into our friend Suzie working there. In all, it was a fun little side excursion before hitting the road back to Memphis.
 |
| The granite one was for Ant, and the schist one was for Slug. |
Saturday, November 1, 2014
10 Year Annivesary Party
Andrew and I had a most wonderful celebration for our 10 year anniversary. We planned it for months in advance and had a lovely turnout of loved ones and a grand time was had by all.
We started out by booking the houses for Labor Day weekend in Gulf Shores from when we got married. The wedding weekend, we stayed in the one bedroom Heron's Nest by the water while our friends stayed in the 5 bedroom house next door called The Pointe of View. We pretty much replicated that set up for our anniversary but with a different set of friends at the house. Also, Andrew and I stayed for a week while the rest of the crew was there for the holiday weekend.
When dreaming up the menu for the event, Andrew and I eventually settled on doing a pig roast. That sounded like a great idea, but it presented many logistical challenges. First, where does one get a whole pig to roast? As it turned out, Andrew is friends with a small pork producer, who raises heritage breed Ossabaw hogs. But we just needed a little guy. Sherri and Bill had just the one, a little 4 month old male of about 60 pounds that had been missed when they were castrating.
Andrew had always wanted to take part in the harvest and fabrication of an animal, and the pig presented the perfect opportunity. So one Sunday in late August, we went out to the farm and saw all the animals. They had a bunch of chicken and ducks. But they also had a drove of pigs of all sizes, from 400 pound mamas that looked like Smart Cars to a wee little baby one the size of a small housecat, and everything between. They were foraging in a fenced wooded area in the back of the farm when we approached on the Kubotas.
I felt a mixture of excitement and dread as I surveyed the scene and tried to spy which one we would be taking home. Sherri pointed him out, nosing in the mud. In a very matter of fact fashion, Bill got his handgun and stood a few feet in front of him and shot him in the head. The first shot didn't do the trick, so he fired off two more to be certain. Then he grabbed his knife and slit his throat so all the blood could pump out while his heart was still going. After bleeding him for a few minutes, we loaded him into the back of one of the Kubotas and headed up to the processing barn. Sherri was chatty on the ride to the barn, but I felt contemplative and solemn. A life was taken so that I could eat. That happens all the time, but we are so removed from the process that it's a little disturbing to see it happen in front of you. Anyway, I decided to stop thinking of the pig as "him" and instead think of it as "pork."
At the processing barn, there was a giant pot of water over a huge burner on a low boil situated next to a long steel table. Andrew and Bill lowered in the back end as the pig was too big to fit all the way in at once. They pulled the pig out of the water and put it on the table. Then they took knives and scraped off the thick black bristly hair. It came off pretty easily where the pig was well scalded. Then they dipped in the front half and went to work scraping some more. That step took quite a bit longer than I would have expected. Bill finally got impatient and got a flame thrower and burnt off the rest of the remaining hair in a pretty dramatic fashion. Sherri showed me their house when the actual disemboweling took place, so I missed that step. Andrew said it all came out in a sack just like both of our theoretical knowledge said it would.
The cooler we brought for the pig was woefully inadequate, so we said our goodbyes and thanked Sherri and Bill and set out for home via Walmart for a big cooler and a lot of ice. When we got the pig home, Andrew made a brine out of all kinds of tasty herbs and spices and put that in the cooler with the ice. We brined the pig for a week before heading down to the beach and roasting it.
Next, once we got to the beach, we faced another logistical challenge: creating a barbeque pit. Andrew got cinderblocks, rebar, chicken wire, and some other supplies at the hardware store and built the smoking pit on the driveway between the two houses. We were a little nervous that we could anger the neighbors with excessive smoke or that we might get in trouble with house rental agency. I checked to make sure there weren't any sort of prohibitions against an open cooking fire and that we didn't need any permits from the city. In all, it worked out fine. It wasn't too smokey. The worst problem we had was the scent attracted a weird rabid-looking fox to come too close to people during the day to investigate the meat smell. It was run off, and the neighbors helpfully offered to shoot it if necessary, so that was effectively handled.
Serving the pig was the final logistical challenge we conquered. Andrew spent the day cooking the pig, beginning with waking up at 5 am with Wayne to get the fire going and put the pig on to smoke, and then spending all day mopping it with spiced vinegar to keep it moist and flipping it periodically to make sure it cooked evenly. It was perfectly done at 5pm when it was time to serve it to our hungry guests, but how and where? We wound up just putting in on top of the wrought iron patio table on the porch outside and Andrew carved it up right there. It was a smashing success.
Aside from the pig saga, the whole weekend was an amazing celebration of love and family and friends. We got to Gulf Shores on Friday afternoon, and all night our friends trickled in from near and far. By Saturday morning the house was full. We had 12 people, in no particular order: Rachel and my nephews, Noah and Micah, and Emily and her two kids, Eva and Graeme, all in from Louisville, and Memphis was represented by Seth and Wesley, John and his daughter Emma, and Wayne and Theresa.
We had rented two houses, like we had done we got married. The Heron's Nest is a tiny one bedroom right on the lagoon, and that's where Andrew and I stayed. The Pointe of View is right next door and is huge with 5 bedrooms and several really nice porches and was perfect for our guests. Saturday we spent hanging out and getting ready for the actual party on Sunday.
I had the most fun hanging out with the kids. I took them out on the kayaks we rented for people to play with, and the kids loved it. I supervised them while the mamas took breaks or saw to other tasks or played along too. I couldn't have had more fun. I took them into the water every chance we got, pretty much at least twice a day. Mostly we played in the lagoon, but a few times we walked the two blocks over to the ocean. The first time we did, the waves were really big so we didn't stay that long. The other couple of times, the waves were more mild and we played in them and build sand castles and flew kites and had grand times.
Sunday was mostly playing and hanging out until it got to be party time. We knocked out the last of the food prep and set everything out, everyone got into some nicer clothes, and I set up a little display of stuff from our wedding, a photo album, the cake topper, and the framed wedding invitation on which everyone who attend signed the mat. Then the non-house guests began arriving. In addition to the crew at the house, we were joined by Grandma and Aunt Bonnie from Kentucky and Aunt Debbie from North Carolina who joined them in Kentucky and they drove down together a few days before us and were staying in a condo on the beach, and, from Memphis, Vicki, Kate, Jose, and our nephew, Clayton, and niece, Lina, who were staying in another condo by the beach. We were also joined by our dear friend Serena who lives "in the neighborhood" over in Pensacola.
We ate and visited and played with the kids and had a great time. In addition to the roast pig, we had boiled Royal Red skrimps, baked beans, deviled eggs, vinegar potato salad, and pound cake with grilled pineapple for dessert. I made a big pitcher of sangria that was pretty popular and a virgin version for the kids. We also served Dark and Stormy's, especially to myself.
After everyone ate and hung out for awhile and my family left, I couldn't resist getting all the kids out in the water. We splashed and played and had a big time. It was fun to see Clayton playing with my other pals. Lina wasn't really interested in the water but had fun playing in the sand. I couldn't have had more fun. Andrew came out and joined me and everyone hung out at the water's edge.
That night, after the kids were in bed, the adults had some yummy libations and party favors and enjoyed an after party outside on the deck. I had borrowed Cards Against Humanity and was pretty sure that it would be just the thing to play to get everyone involved. I was correct, and we had a blast. It is such a silly game, and it's great to play with people who don't know one another very well. We all stayed up long enough to get goofy and have lots of fun.
People started heading back the next day. But Rachel and Emily and the kids wound up staying until Wednesday, which was absolutely awesome. During the rest of our week, we visited with the Memphis clan and went to the beach with the kids but mostly just relaxed. We disassembled the barbeque pit and cleaned up the evidence of our activities. I did a little kayaking on the lagoon several times. It was a peaceful vacation overall, and our party was an amazing way to commemorate being married for 10 years.
We made through some really difficult times and have shared the greatest joys together. I am so very lucky to have someone who loves me and understands me and wants to do right by me. He makes me feel as special and as loved as when we first got together. We have a truly special relationship and it was great to celebrate it with our loved ones.
We started out by booking the houses for Labor Day weekend in Gulf Shores from when we got married. The wedding weekend, we stayed in the one bedroom Heron's Nest by the water while our friends stayed in the 5 bedroom house next door called The Pointe of View. We pretty much replicated that set up for our anniversary but with a different set of friends at the house. Also, Andrew and I stayed for a week while the rest of the crew was there for the holiday weekend.
When dreaming up the menu for the event, Andrew and I eventually settled on doing a pig roast. That sounded like a great idea, but it presented many logistical challenges. First, where does one get a whole pig to roast? As it turned out, Andrew is friends with a small pork producer, who raises heritage breed Ossabaw hogs. But we just needed a little guy. Sherri and Bill had just the one, a little 4 month old male of about 60 pounds that had been missed when they were castrating.
Andrew had always wanted to take part in the harvest and fabrication of an animal, and the pig presented the perfect opportunity. So one Sunday in late August, we went out to the farm and saw all the animals. They had a bunch of chicken and ducks. But they also had a drove of pigs of all sizes, from 400 pound mamas that looked like Smart Cars to a wee little baby one the size of a small housecat, and everything between. They were foraging in a fenced wooded area in the back of the farm when we approached on the Kubotas.
I felt a mixture of excitement and dread as I surveyed the scene and tried to spy which one we would be taking home. Sherri pointed him out, nosing in the mud. In a very matter of fact fashion, Bill got his handgun and stood a few feet in front of him and shot him in the head. The first shot didn't do the trick, so he fired off two more to be certain. Then he grabbed his knife and slit his throat so all the blood could pump out while his heart was still going. After bleeding him for a few minutes, we loaded him into the back of one of the Kubotas and headed up to the processing barn. Sherri was chatty on the ride to the barn, but I felt contemplative and solemn. A life was taken so that I could eat. That happens all the time, but we are so removed from the process that it's a little disturbing to see it happen in front of you. Anyway, I decided to stop thinking of the pig as "him" and instead think of it as "pork."
At the processing barn, there was a giant pot of water over a huge burner on a low boil situated next to a long steel table. Andrew and Bill lowered in the back end as the pig was too big to fit all the way in at once. They pulled the pig out of the water and put it on the table. Then they took knives and scraped off the thick black bristly hair. It came off pretty easily where the pig was well scalded. Then they dipped in the front half and went to work scraping some more. That step took quite a bit longer than I would have expected. Bill finally got impatient and got a flame thrower and burnt off the rest of the remaining hair in a pretty dramatic fashion. Sherri showed me their house when the actual disemboweling took place, so I missed that step. Andrew said it all came out in a sack just like both of our theoretical knowledge said it would.
The cooler we brought for the pig was woefully inadequate, so we said our goodbyes and thanked Sherri and Bill and set out for home via Walmart for a big cooler and a lot of ice. When we got the pig home, Andrew made a brine out of all kinds of tasty herbs and spices and put that in the cooler with the ice. We brined the pig for a week before heading down to the beach and roasting it.
Next, once we got to the beach, we faced another logistical challenge: creating a barbeque pit. Andrew got cinderblocks, rebar, chicken wire, and some other supplies at the hardware store and built the smoking pit on the driveway between the two houses. We were a little nervous that we could anger the neighbors with excessive smoke or that we might get in trouble with house rental agency. I checked to make sure there weren't any sort of prohibitions against an open cooking fire and that we didn't need any permits from the city. In all, it worked out fine. It wasn't too smokey. The worst problem we had was the scent attracted a weird rabid-looking fox to come too close to people during the day to investigate the meat smell. It was run off, and the neighbors helpfully offered to shoot it if necessary, so that was effectively handled.
Serving the pig was the final logistical challenge we conquered. Andrew spent the day cooking the pig, beginning with waking up at 5 am with Wayne to get the fire going and put the pig on to smoke, and then spending all day mopping it with spiced vinegar to keep it moist and flipping it periodically to make sure it cooked evenly. It was perfectly done at 5pm when it was time to serve it to our hungry guests, but how and where? We wound up just putting in on top of the wrought iron patio table on the porch outside and Andrew carved it up right there. It was a smashing success.
Aside from the pig saga, the whole weekend was an amazing celebration of love and family and friends. We got to Gulf Shores on Friday afternoon, and all night our friends trickled in from near and far. By Saturday morning the house was full. We had 12 people, in no particular order: Rachel and my nephews, Noah and Micah, and Emily and her two kids, Eva and Graeme, all in from Louisville, and Memphis was represented by Seth and Wesley, John and his daughter Emma, and Wayne and Theresa.
We had rented two houses, like we had done we got married. The Heron's Nest is a tiny one bedroom right on the lagoon, and that's where Andrew and I stayed. The Pointe of View is right next door and is huge with 5 bedrooms and several really nice porches and was perfect for our guests. Saturday we spent hanging out and getting ready for the actual party on Sunday.
I had the most fun hanging out with the kids. I took them out on the kayaks we rented for people to play with, and the kids loved it. I supervised them while the mamas took breaks or saw to other tasks or played along too. I couldn't have had more fun. I took them into the water every chance we got, pretty much at least twice a day. Mostly we played in the lagoon, but a few times we walked the two blocks over to the ocean. The first time we did, the waves were really big so we didn't stay that long. The other couple of times, the waves were more mild and we played in them and build sand castles and flew kites and had grand times.
Sunday was mostly playing and hanging out until it got to be party time. We knocked out the last of the food prep and set everything out, everyone got into some nicer clothes, and I set up a little display of stuff from our wedding, a photo album, the cake topper, and the framed wedding invitation on which everyone who attend signed the mat. Then the non-house guests began arriving. In addition to the crew at the house, we were joined by Grandma and Aunt Bonnie from Kentucky and Aunt Debbie from North Carolina who joined them in Kentucky and they drove down together a few days before us and were staying in a condo on the beach, and, from Memphis, Vicki, Kate, Jose, and our nephew, Clayton, and niece, Lina, who were staying in another condo by the beach. We were also joined by our dear friend Serena who lives "in the neighborhood" over in Pensacola.
We ate and visited and played with the kids and had a great time. In addition to the roast pig, we had boiled Royal Red skrimps, baked beans, deviled eggs, vinegar potato salad, and pound cake with grilled pineapple for dessert. I made a big pitcher of sangria that was pretty popular and a virgin version for the kids. We also served Dark and Stormy's, especially to myself.
After everyone ate and hung out for awhile and my family left, I couldn't resist getting all the kids out in the water. We splashed and played and had a big time. It was fun to see Clayton playing with my other pals. Lina wasn't really interested in the water but had fun playing in the sand. I couldn't have had more fun. Andrew came out and joined me and everyone hung out at the water's edge.
That night, after the kids were in bed, the adults had some yummy libations and party favors and enjoyed an after party outside on the deck. I had borrowed Cards Against Humanity and was pretty sure that it would be just the thing to play to get everyone involved. I was correct, and we had a blast. It is such a silly game, and it's great to play with people who don't know one another very well. We all stayed up long enough to get goofy and have lots of fun.
People started heading back the next day. But Rachel and Emily and the kids wound up staying until Wednesday, which was absolutely awesome. During the rest of our week, we visited with the Memphis clan and went to the beach with the kids but mostly just relaxed. We disassembled the barbeque pit and cleaned up the evidence of our activities. I did a little kayaking on the lagoon several times. It was a peaceful vacation overall, and our party was an amazing way to commemorate being married for 10 years.
We made through some really difficult times and have shared the greatest joys together. I am so very lucky to have someone who loves me and understands me and wants to do right by me. He makes me feel as special and as loved as when we first got together. We have a truly special relationship and it was great to celebrate it with our loved ones.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
2014 Catch Up
January
A lot of emotional and mental energy was expended by Team Saunders in the month of January. Madison turned 17 at the end of the month (whoa, right?!).
February
I went to Shpongle at Minglewood. Andrew and I went to Restaurant Iris for Valentine's Day. I got sick afterward for no apparent reason and puked up my whole meal, mostly in Andrew's new car - not my finest moment.
March
Maddi and I went camping with Melody at Arkabutla Lake at the beginning of the month. We started homeschooling Madison. Andrew, Madison, and I took Clayton to the zoo and had a great time! I watched a lot of basketball during March Madness. I went to The Glitch Mob at Minglewood and hung out with my pal D.d. I started my daily photo project back again; it had been on hiatus since the end of last year. For spring break, we went to Monteagle and met Rachel and the boys. Emily and her kids came for part of the trip too. We had a great time.
April
We went to visit Kentucky at the beginning of the month. Madison did not return with us, having abruptly decided to move back to her dad's in Indiana. I went with Melissa to the Rhodes Observatory and checked out some cool astronomical sights, which was a great experience. I had never looked through a telescope before, and the views of the moon and Jupiter and its moons were amazing. I also went meteor watching with my pal Nichole on her mushroom farm in Mississippi. Aunt Sally and Uncle Billy came to visit from New York, and we all went to a Grizzlies playoff game which was really cool even though we lost. I finished my final semester of teaching.
May
Music Fest was amazing this year. There was no rain, and we kicked it with a great crew of old friends all weekend. We saw a bunch of great music and generally had an awesome time. I went meteor watching and snagged a photo of one! I had a second manuscript accepted for publication, this time to the first journal that I tried. Then I went to Portland for the annual Society of Wetland Scientists national meeting to present a poster. All my funding sources ran out of money, so since I was totally self-funded, I decided to make the most of my time in Oregon and did nothing at the conference besides my secretarial duties for the South Central Chapter and presenting my poster. The rest of the time, I went to Mount St. Helens, saw a bunch of waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge, went to the coast and saw tide pools and a Pacific sunset, and explored a bit of downtown Portland's public art. I stayed with Andrew's best friend, JP, and his girlfriend, Laurel. It was great to see JP and to get to know Laurel. I had a fabulous time. When I got back from Portland, there was a historic new meteor shower I went to check out. It wasn't spectacular, but it was cool to be a part of. Now I have a ton of work to do if I am ever going to graduate!!! I have been getting my experimental setup all together while waiting for the plants to start growing. Now that they are, it is the time for lots of action.
A lot of emotional and mental energy was expended by Team Saunders in the month of January. Madison turned 17 at the end of the month (whoa, right?!).
February
I went to Shpongle at Minglewood. Andrew and I went to Restaurant Iris for Valentine's Day. I got sick afterward for no apparent reason and puked up my whole meal, mostly in Andrew's new car - not my finest moment.
March
Maddi and I went camping with Melody at Arkabutla Lake at the beginning of the month. We started homeschooling Madison. Andrew, Madison, and I took Clayton to the zoo and had a great time! I watched a lot of basketball during March Madness. I went to The Glitch Mob at Minglewood and hung out with my pal D.d. I started my daily photo project back again; it had been on hiatus since the end of last year. For spring break, we went to Monteagle and met Rachel and the boys. Emily and her kids came for part of the trip too. We had a great time.
April
We went to visit Kentucky at the beginning of the month. Madison did not return with us, having abruptly decided to move back to her dad's in Indiana. I went with Melissa to the Rhodes Observatory and checked out some cool astronomical sights, which was a great experience. I had never looked through a telescope before, and the views of the moon and Jupiter and its moons were amazing. I also went meteor watching with my pal Nichole on her mushroom farm in Mississippi. Aunt Sally and Uncle Billy came to visit from New York, and we all went to a Grizzlies playoff game which was really cool even though we lost. I finished my final semester of teaching.
May
Music Fest was amazing this year. There was no rain, and we kicked it with a great crew of old friends all weekend. We saw a bunch of great music and generally had an awesome time. I went meteor watching and snagged a photo of one! I had a second manuscript accepted for publication, this time to the first journal that I tried. Then I went to Portland for the annual Society of Wetland Scientists national meeting to present a poster. All my funding sources ran out of money, so since I was totally self-funded, I decided to make the most of my time in Oregon and did nothing at the conference besides my secretarial duties for the South Central Chapter and presenting my poster. The rest of the time, I went to Mount St. Helens, saw a bunch of waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge, went to the coast and saw tide pools and a Pacific sunset, and explored a bit of downtown Portland's public art. I stayed with Andrew's best friend, JP, and his girlfriend, Laurel. It was great to see JP and to get to know Laurel. I had a fabulous time. When I got back from Portland, there was a historic new meteor shower I went to check out. It wasn't spectacular, but it was cool to be a part of. Now I have a ton of work to do if I am ever going to graduate!!! I have been getting my experimental setup all together while waiting for the plants to start growing. Now that they are, it is the time for lots of action.
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