Goodbye for now, Nashville

After the awesome birthday party at Robert's last night, we made my last two stops in Memphis for photographs of New Deal schools, braved the morning traffic for a stop at Starbuck's for a latte and scone, and headed south for home...2 hours later, we were about 20 miles from Nashville, thanks to construction traffic.

Ever the adventurer, I said, "Just think of all we are seeing that we would never see if not for this!"  I like to quote Louis L'Amour in times like these, and add:

The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.  Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.

 One actually needs another pronoid to be traveling with you to appreciate that.

But, we are home now, the "end of the trail" for now, and with much for which to be grateful on this trail.

Nashville Birthday Party

 We spent last night and today in Nashville, for me to work on some research on the way home.  Rand's friend told us we had to go down on Broadway to Robert's Western World and listen to the band.  They play the old songs--you know, those by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings.  We are not much on the night life for quite some while now, but hey, it was my birthday and we were in Nashville.

 In addition to the music, they are famous for the fried "baloney" sandwiches.  We both ate fried baloney growing up, in sandwiches, and sometimes for breakfast, so Rand had to try one.  I asked "How is it?"  Like fried baloney.

 We did enjoy the band, and I was impressed at how many people came out to celebrate my birthday with me!

The Medicare Renegade

In the Great Smoky Mountains

 Three days in the Great Smoky Mountains. Pure bliss.  

Kitty Update

 This is my favorite time in kittyhood, when they get big enough, strong enough, and curious enough to start investigating their world and playing.  Mom can get a little annoyed, but she mostly does what cat mothers do--ignore them, push them off her face, or get up and herd them back, standing between them and danger.  In between, she cleans them, feeds them, and takes naps with them.  Sounds like a good plan, doesn't it?

 They are currently in the "let's climb up on something and jump off" stage...

 ...preferably, jump off onto another kitty...

...easily distracted by a new exploration option...

 ...or dead leaves...

 ...and loving this new idea of eating something called "kitten food"...

Welcome home from Texas present

  Shortly before J and I left for Texas, I had a little bit of a meltdown during cooking.  Our old vent hood was a combination microwave/vent hood, and it had worked neither as microwave or vent hood for a couple of years.  I don't think I have to tell you what searing a steak in a cast iron skillet without a vent hood does.  A tiff ensued regarding the smoke produced by said searing.  I turned off the burner and moved the skillet, and said fine, I was done cooking--"not my fault there is no vent hood!"  The stand-off lasted for 2 weeks, and then I left for Texas. Well, another two weeks later, Welcome Home!

 It was wonderful to sear meat, with the ability to suck out the necessary resulting smoke and heat.  (A good sear means a very hot skillet, and reduce the heat once both sides have been quickly seared.)  Not only the vent, but the accompanying light was very welcomed--the better to see the oil spatters on the stove top!  That is my fresh rosemary sprinkled across the top--yes, another of those "no skill required" to grow in a pot, but pretty, smells wonderful, and delightful on chicken with tomatoes and mushrooms.

Nary a meltdown or ensuing argument since the return home.  Sometimes, a strike is a good thing.

Dueling Monitors

 I have been glued to the computer screens this week, analyzing data.  My first draft of results and discussion is due....tomorrow!  I have been glad of two things this week: that the University of Texas at Arlington required us to take a full semester course dedicated to qualitative research, and that I have dual monitors, which is so efficient when one needs several documents open at the same time.  It is good to be married to a computer genius.  I used to secretly snicker at R and J (the son who is also a computer genius) for having 2, 3, 5, or more monitors.  If I had a bigger desk, I would get a third one! I am almost done with all the coding, trending, patterning, aggregation, meaning-making, interpretation, triangulating, fact-checking, reviewing, reflexivity, linking and so on and so on and so on, and ready to start writing up the results (what the data tells me/us) and the discussion (what it means and what we need to do with it).  I love playing in the midst of words, trying to make sense of them.

I took a little break to sit out on the porch and watch the kitties play (new pics coming soon!) and then prepare dinner.  Lamb chops with wilted power greens and home-made from scratch basil pesto with fettuccine, made from the basil I grow--yeah, I know it is not that hard to grow basil, but it is the closest I come to gardening, and fresh grated parmesan cheese.  I love to eat pretty food.

Baby's breath for breakfast