DPP 23: River Tangles

Today my cousin K., who also lives in the greater D. C. area, invited me to join her on a meetup hike along the Potomac river. It was overcast but beautiful. Among other things, we got to see Great Falls just as two kayakers were attempting the rapids!

[Belated] DPP 22: O Glowing Light

On days when I. works and I don't, I usually try to go to the Folger library to read and research. I take the metro, which starts out above ground (at home or near the hospital), and then tunnels its way under Washinton D. C.

Emerging into the sunlight at Capitol South is always a little dazzling, but not just because of the light. I'm often overwhelmed by how lucky I am to have this season of reading and research available to me.

On many days, I linger in the city past closing time (4.45). The metro is marginally cheaper and significantly less crowded at 7.00, and it is often worth having a more leisurely trip. Sometimes I go to the Library of Congress to read additional books. Sometimes I visit a coffee shop or pub and write or grade. On days when the weather is good and I don't have pressing tasks looming over me, sometimes I walk to a more distant metro station, enjoying the city sounds and sights along the way.

Yesterday was a balmy fifty degrees Fahrenheit, so I spent my whole two hours walking, first down by the reflecting pool below the capitol (hence the photo above) and then down the mall and some of the side streets. This city is so beautiful!

DPP 18-21: Four Times the Fun

I've had the wonderful gift of spending four days with my wonderful husband this week, and blogging has been just about the furthest thing from my mind. Here are some photographs:

Among other things, we have sipped coffee together, played games together, gone for walks together, visited the dentist and the optometrist, shopped till we almost dropped, booked almost all our post-Christmas travel, and discovered that the Cici's pizza buffet near our new Lidl [grocery store] will custom-make fresh pizzas for patrons. Pictured above: a neighborhood squirrel, the sunset as we left the optometrist's, the remnants of a coffee date, and our not-quite-albino neighborhood deer, whom we have now seen twice on late-afternoon walks.

No songs tonight; I have a husband to beat at word games before he goes back to night shifts for the long weekend.

DPP 17: Glory, Hallelujah!

Today I graded the last of the more than 600 essays I have graded since September. Grades are submitted, end-of-semester paperwork is complete, and I finally have time to tackle the wonderful stack of books I have been saving for my time of rest. I. has four days off this week, and so do I, and I look forward to having four wonderful, long days to spend together.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Bobby Darin, "Jehovah, Hallelujah!"

DPP 16: By quiet ponds . . .

My old self was an obsessive grader when grading needed to be done.

My new self, albeit perhaps stupidly, believes that grading without breaks for ten or fourteen hours is actually not very healthy.

Thus it was that I left my house today and took a long meandering walk around the neighborhood. You can't see it very well in this picture, but the geese were out and squawking, and the day itself was sunny and bright. I. was at work all day, and I accomplished a lot of grading; tomorrow I should be finished, and there should be much celebrating.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Dee Mullins, "Remember Bethlehem"

[Belated] DPP 15: Party of One

Last night, I's place of employment held a holiday party. Apparently, we missed the "fashionably late" memo, because we were the only attendees for at least the first fifteen minutes. I had a lot of fun meeting many of his new colleagues, though a disadvantage of his current employment is that they can never really have a party all together, because about a dozen of them will always be actually working at any given time.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
No Doubt, "Oi to the World"

DPP 14: To sleep, perchance to dream

Today I administered my last two final examinations of 2017. This wonderful man arose at 4.00 to cook me breakfast, because I had to be at school by 5.30 (the first exam began at 6.00). I convinced him to drive with me to my other school afterwards (where I had a meeting), and then he patiently waited while I graded my last essays at School B. He also slept for the first time since 4.00.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
"Softly the Night is Sleeping."

DPP Day 13: Readin' with Penskes

While not in any way the best photograph I took today, this is certainly the most fun and relevant to my (hitherto unannounced) theme of Life As We Now Live It.

My Tennessee self would never have taken a day to research in the middle of finals. My new self did, today, and had a wonderful time transcribing seventeenth-century poems from my favorite manuscript.

On the way to the Folger Shakespeare Library, I had to pause between two of the Library of Congress buildings. I. and I have developed a wonderful marital tradition related to Penske trucks and kissing, and this is my evidence for the day that I saw one. In news more relevant and tasteful, this is a good photograph for its very simplicity. Every time I walk down this street, I am dazzled by the blessings that have come at this time in my life. What a gift it is to be able to visit the Folger collections on a weekly basis, and to have the leisure to do research again!

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Luther Vandross, "The Mistletoe Jam."

[Belated] DPP 12: Swing Low, Sweet Chair

Last evening, I had a chance to sit in our most comfortable chair and catch up with a good friend from Tennessee. The bustle of my day (grading and shopping) dissipated, and, though I had to cut the conversation short because it turned out that I was exhausted, I had a wonderful time! I am glad that the best parts of our years in Tennessee--the wonderful people we met--can still be part of our lives even after we have moved.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
"Gesu Bambino"

DPP 11: All They Want for Christmas is an "A" in English

Behold, O readers of my blog, half of my remaining grading.

Today I held my final exams at College B. On campus by 6.15, I had my first exam at 8.00, then sprinted across campus (with half of the folders pictured above) for a 10.15 exam with my second class. By 12.30, I had settled in in the adjunct room for a long afternoon of grading. The end is in sight, but there are a lot of essays and portfolios to wade through in the meantime.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
The Killers, "Don't Shoot Me, Santa!"

DPP 10: All in a Good Day's Rest

Today was quiet. I. and I attended church, bumbled around doing chores, and did lots of small and useful things. We also talked a lot, and I. made me both delicious coffee (in the morning) and delicious eggnog (in the afternoon, and pictured above). Today was special because we spent it together, even doing the mundane, and because we took the time to stop and talk and to celebrate the leisure of a weekend together.

Non-traditional song of the day:
Straight No Chaser, "Who Spiked the Eggnog?"

DPP 09: Someday My Snow Will Come

I love snow.

Today it was supposed to snow from 1.00 a.m. on, but it did not actually start until 9.00. I. and I had coffee and watched the snow fall from our office window for a long time. I can barely remember the last time he had both days off on a weekend, so this was a wonderful treat.

In the early afternoon, the snow still wasn't really sticking on the roads, so we went for a walk in the neighborhood. It was beautiful!!! We took our "long" loop and stopped for a (very) late lunch on the way home.

What a wonderful, beautiful, restful day it has been!


Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Tony Bennett, "Tell Her That It's Snowing"

[Belated] DPP 08: I blog of clothes and a man

The colors are off in this one because I took it late last night by the light of several Tungsten bulbs. My husband does not normally look this yellow.

Yesterday I taught and graded all day. It was my last day of regular teaching for the year, and all I have left is four final exams and a lot more grading. Last week I graded over 80 papers and numerous small assignments. Next week, I will have more than 120 papers to grade, if one includes final exam essays.

My handsome husband needed a new suit this year. We went to a local shop wherein the salesman got him to try not only a pink shirt, but a purple tie! I think the end result looks pretty dapper.


Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
The Weather Girls, "Dear Santa (Bring Me a Man)"

DPP 07: Wake and See a Shining (Book) Light

Today was my last day of classes at College A. It was bittersweet. I left the classrooms before my students, asking them to fill out teacher evaluations and then depart at their leisure. I don't like this--not because I inherently fear evaluations, but because I want the last day of class to be a day of celebrating my students' accomplishments, and to leave them alone in a classroom with scantron forms feels strangely anticlimactic.

The morning, however, was beautiful (as 'twas on Tuesday). Here's a view of the library, taken from almost the same spot as that from which my Tuesday photo was taken, though (obviously) facing another direction.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Kurt Elling, "Cool Yule"

DPP 06: On the Lakefront

Yesterday you got to see part of my campus commute at College A. Today, this is a shot of the lake from College B, albeit a shot with irregular framing. I have determined, from my extensive knowledge of the three community colleges at which I have now taught, that somewhere, on some accreditation document, in the tiniest of tiny letters, must be a phrase that asks, "Do the grounds of the intended community college include a potential or actual large body of water, preferably one that does or shall contain a fountain?" Two is not a trend, but three is suggestive. (Also, at my former now-abandoned job as an essay tutor, I read dozens of freshman composition essays in which students were asked to describe their campus lakes and/or fountains).

At any rate, this is my second physical college of this semester. While I interviewed here first, I turned down the first class I was offered, but was asked to step in for a teacher who needed to step down for the semester due to health concerns. I had a lot of concerns. Stepping in for another teacher mid-semester is probably the biggest challenge I have ever faced in my teaching career, but I have really enjoyed the classes, and they took the complete overhaul of the syllabus, class, and teacher in good stride. (If truth be told, they had had two weeks of cancelled classes and random substitutes before I was cleared to teach, so I think they may have just been grateful to have any permanent person in the room once I started!)

Friday is my last actual class at this campus, and Monday is their exam. It has been a fun, if slightly crazy, semester.

NOn-traditional Christmas song fo the day:
Sue Keller, "My Reindeer Don't Like to Fly"

DPP 05: Morning Has (Almost) Broken

I'm pretty sure that I landed one of my current jobs almost exclusively because, at the end of the interview, when the adjunct dean said, "How do you feel about morning classes?" I replied, "Oh! I love mornings."

. . . and that is how I ended up teaching freshman composition at 7:00 a.m.

I actually love teaching early in the morning. The sunrise is just beginning (most days), but the lights are still on along the college pathways. I am fresh and alert and have not been bogged down by the stresses of life. My coffee is fresh. My day is just beginning.

I have always loved morning classes, much (I think) to my students' general dismay. Add to the mix that when we moved to Northern Virginia I stepped out in faith, hoping to adjunct for any local school, and that this was the first class I was offered by any of the local colleges, and you will end up with the fact that Tuesday mornings are almost incontrovertibly beautiful to me. Today was one such morning, though I do not think that the photograph does it justice.


Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
The Hit Crew, "We Wanna See Santa do the Mambo."

[Belated] DPP 04: Candles in the Night

Last night, I did not photo blog; rather, I went to bed.
Last night, I did not grade past 9 p.m.; instead, I went to bed.

Something I am practising in this season of my life is rest. I know that most of the people who participate in the DPP are moms who don't have the luxury of going to bed at 9 p.m. For years, I stayed up to do one more project, or to grade one more stack of papers.

This semester, even with dreadful, ominous deadlines looming, I have been intentionally making a practice of going on walks (yes, even when there is grading to be done!) and going to bed (again, even when there is grading to be done!). Sometimes it is hard to sleep, because I lie awake contemplating the work that does need to be done, but I am practising prioritizing health and rest and family and time with the people I love. It is a practice I should have adopted long, long ago.


Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Norah Jones, "Peace."
(*not originally a Christmas song, but it has appeared on at least one Christmas album).

[Belated] DPP 03: Ice, Ice Skating

Back in 2006, my best friend flew across the country to spend Thanksgiving with my family. I drove around the DC beltway to pick him up, and (because you never know with DC traffic) arrived at Dulles airport more than two hours ahead of his flight. Having figured out the airport to my satisfaction, I drove back down the road and got off at a random exit, whereupon I situated myself in a cozy little Panera a block or two away from the main road. From the window of the Panera, I could watch ice skaters glide merrily around a pedestrian-based town center. I graded papers and wrote a (really awful) parody of "The Night Before Christmas" that described travelling during the holidays. I enjoyed a leisurely afternoon of beauty and restful anticipation. My friend eventually landed (bearing two loaves of fresh-baked herb break in his knapsack), and I retrieved him from the airport. 

As far as I know, that was my first encounter with Reston, although I did not yet know it was Reston.

Eleven years later, I live with the same best friend just about a mile away from that same town center. For all of December, Reston Town Centre is transformed with beautiful white lights, and the square itself is full of ice skaters (on real ice!) until well into the night. Yesterday my parents visited (also the reason that this post is a day late), so I took them for tea and then we strolled around the town centre as dusk fell.

It is beautiful here.


Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Ariana Grande, "Winter Things."

DPP 02: Bread for All, and to All a Good Night!

I spent most of today proctoring a rather substantial exam in a very heavily regulated environment, so I wasn't able to photograph my daytime activities. Then I joined some new friends and extended family members for a wonderful meal and time of catching up. I now have two cousins within a half-hour drive, and I am very much appreciating having family members in closer quarters.

Breaking bread with people--figuratively but also literally--is something that has been special to me for a long time (and I did take bread to dinner, but 'twas not the loaf pictured above). Long before I. and I were even dating, I tasted slices of his herb bread and told him that it was obviously worth marrying for! After we were married, the bread-baking dwindled for a while as he became busier, but it has picked up again since our latest move--I think I. makes a fresh loaf every week or two, and they are generally full of herbs and flavor. The loaf pictured above was a triumphant, delicious success, and the slices I cut (and subsequently ate) were a wonderful finale to a rich and happy evening.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Emmylou Harris, "Light of the Stable."

DPP 01: Walking with Sunshine

I'm back for the December Photo Project again! This year, I'll be focusing (literally) on some of the things I love the most about our new adventure in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolis. 

One thing I love about our new home is that it is so easy to go for walks. There is a path from our complex that leads into literally miles of beautiful walking paths that wind around the entire neighborhood. I. and I have probably explored ten miles of these, in total. I am pretty sure that we have more than ten times that many miles remaining.

This is from the walk to our nearest grocery store, and the beginning (or end, depending on one's direction) of a five-mile loop that I love to walk when I have the two hours to spare:

Today was a beautiful, sunny, brisk fall day, and the sunlight on the trees and paths and leaves was just stunning. I am so grateful to have this near me, and to have the time (and the willpower) to take walks again.

Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Bon Jovi, "I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas."

Resting in Reston

I barely noticed this summer that June turned to July, and July to August (and, now, August to September). My former colleagues (and some former students) shared back-to-school photos on Facebook, and I scrolled past them in a blur. That is no longer my life. I am happy for them, but I do not miss it.

The past eighty days have been a wonderful time of rest. I have had only two jobs this summer, both part-time, and I have done all sorts of selfish, luxurious things with my wealth of remaining time. I have slept past 4.00 in the morning (sometimes even as late as 8). I have cooked meals I have always wanted to learn to cook. I have read books for pleasure just because they looked interesting in the library! I have, most importantly, sat and had coffee dates in which I. and I just talked.

I haven't taken many photos this summer, but I did grab my camera one day before I. and I went on a walk around the neighborhood, so I'll share this little snap:

One of the things I love about our new life is that we have easy access to walking and biking paths.  This bench by a pond is not more than a mile from our home. Sometimes turtles crawl out to sun themselves on one of the dead logs that juts out into the pond. Even in the city, we are surrounded by nature, but, especially in the city, we finally have time to enjoy nature together again.

Moving Boxes

We have left Tennessee.

I wanted to write a reflective post about the time we spent there, but I haven't managed to find the distance that would allow me to do that fairly yet. Suffice to say that the 1400 days in which we resided in Tennessee were an experience, and that we gained some wonderful friends in the process.

A quick update:

I. graduated from nursing school in December. They hooded him and he shook hands with lots of people. Then he was allowed to sign up for the national nursing exam, which he (of course) passed with ease.

In late December, I. was offered employment at a very good hospital in Northern Virginia. He accepted and started work in mid-February.

I finished my contract in Tennessee in May, and then we (and my mom and some friends) fit most of the contents of our house into a moving van and took everything to our new home.

We now live in Northern Virginia, reasonably close to Washington, DC (hello, Library of Congress and Folger Shakespeare Library!) and very close to Dulles Airport (its much cheaper in the suburbs). After four months apart, I. and I are thrilled to be able to see one another every day, and we are also enjoying the return to city life.

So far, we've taken nearly a dozen walks together, attended two street festivals, eaten at least five kinds of international food, and shopped at three separate international grocery stores. Most of all, I am enjoying the time off; though I will be job-hunting in the very near future, one of the biggest blessings of this move has been the time I now have to cook, clean, and slowly catch up on the emails I've been ignoring during four years of crazy work. (If you live in Oklahoma and are reading this, you are at the top of my list).

Stay posted! I may also, finally, have time to blog again!