Life, Living and Love

Today is Ken's birthday and what a day it has been!

While he's been hard at work in the digital salt mines, I've been downstairs working on my first ever gluten-free brownie ice cream cake. We've seen clouds, rain and hail, and as if on cue, the sun's out just in time for dinner on the porch.

There have been phone calls, emails and a zillion facebook posts. The day has been filled with sweetness. I've learned more from this amazing man about life, living, love, honesty, integrity and courage than from any human on the planet.

 Happy Birthday sweetie. May there be many, many, many more! 

You've hardly changed a bit.

Relevant

I mean to post more regularly, really I do...

Recently I had the closure I didn't know I needed in the form of a reception honoring this year's Ivory Tower retirees. It was lovely. There was nice wine, tasty snacks and lots of good people. I put on my big girl pants, went all by myself, and even managed to hold it together (although not without some significant hand-holding by my sweet friend C).

Now that it's over I can honestly say I'm really glad I went BUT it wasn't without its weirdness.  In fact it was just a little too much like attending your own funeral. I'm glad I was there to hear all the sweet things folks said about my teaching, how they'll miss me, and how I influenced them way, way, way back in the day when they were students. I didn't know I needed that so thank you.

There were questions I expected..."So, are you at the shop like, all the time now?" and "OMG, when did you stop coloring your hair?".  And some I didn't..."So how DO you fill your days?".

The folks who answer the question "How are you?" by reciting their resumes, still do and they still gossip about their colleagues who are standing only a few feet away. Several people confided that they wished they could leave too and that they thought I had decided exit just in knick of time. I didn't inquire why. I listened to one resume-reciter wax on and on about how busy she was this summer, how she was working the entire time and how difficult it is to "remain relevant" as a full professor. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but it certainly has me thinking after the fact.

The Rites of Spring

Taking winter coats to the cleaners

Hanging sheets on the line to dry

Chasing carpenter ants

 

Washing wicker, painting metal porch furniture

Getting ready for the first FLEA

Excavating the garage

 

Watching every day for the first asparagus

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the porch

Sleeping with the windows open 

Rhubarb, Lily of the Valley, Bleeding Heart

Daffodil, Hyacinth, Squill

Forget-Me-Nots

 

Planting peas and lettuce

Washing windows

Sighing...a lot

It's only now that I realize this past winter was a little hard on me. I didn't mind the cold, the heavy gray skies and that it snowed almost every day for six months. No, what got to me this winter was the fact that I was rarely outside. I realize now that the daily walk from my East Jesus parking spot to my office every day was actually good for something. It got me outside and all winter long. Okay, duly noted. Next year I'll do winter a little differently.

I've removed myself from almost all of the official college email lists and I'm pretty sure I don't see the ivory tower in my rear view mirror any more. I've got only a vague notion of where we are in the academic calendar these days. I know that Slope Day was yesterday because I saw it mentioned on Facebook and that Ithaca College graduation takes place during the first FOUND FLEA. But that's it. Now if I could just get myself moved out of my office...the thought of leaving a big FREE sign on the door and telling folks to take what they want is seriously tempting.