Science (non) Fiction

Update (for Dad)

So my dad is in Africa (at an orphanage about an hour outside Nairobi), and he may be able to check the internet a bit more often that we can (or at least I can) reach him by phone. So I will try to keep this a bit more updated with the goings-on in my life, at least so Dad can stay up-to-date.

Mom and I spent the weekend together (Dad’s gone, clearly, and Matthew just moved to CA) – I drove home Friday night, we had dinner with one of our favorite people (Valerie!) and then leisurely drove up to Mars Hill Saturday morning (well, actually afternoon), stopping at antique stores and crafts shops along the way. We toured the (beautiful) B&B where we were staying (Dad, it’s that huge white house next to the Baptist church right off campus – just up the street from the Deli) and then drove around campus, noting all the improvements and incredible new buildings going up, and around town. We ate at a newish ‘casual dining’ place on Main Street, and retired early to our lovely suite of rooms upstairs and read. We slept in (well, I did, at least) and had a very nice breakfast before checking out and heading to church at the UMC church (where I went my last few years in college) – it was nice to see some of the same faces, even though a lot of people were out of town. We did get to meet up with my favorite biology prof from college and we took her out to lunch in Weaverville and got to chat about the college and students and possible jobs (*much fingernail biting*). Very good times.

It was a great weekend, though coming back was a bit of a shock, like we’d been away for much longer that a day or two. I did go on a nice long walk with Beth when I got back into town (after stopping off at the lab of course) – we walked around Ardmore (TONS of houses for sale!) and caught up on the crazy-ness going on in each of our lives. To come from MHC, where we’ve been talking about the possibilities of me teaching there in the near future, to go back to Winston, where I already feel so settled and comfortable and established (sometimes), it was all a bit … jarring. Anyway, I’ve got a lot to think/pray about, and talking with Dan sometime in the very near future. (We did, for the first time in a while, talk about a date for me graduating sometime in the near future – I think I’ll be shooting for early fall, with the knowledge that I can push that off a bit farther into the fall if need be – I’ve really got to get my second paper underway then…)

Let’s see… what else… I finished Life of Pi by my book club discussion – very interesting read, but I’ll save my thoughts for after the discussion, which should be really good, I think. I’ve started The Boleyn Inheritance (Philippa Gregory again), which continues the story of Henry the VIII’s 3rd and 4th wives (I think) – good and entertaining so far, as I expected – she’s a really good story-teller, and I’m already interested in the time period, so I’ve been quickly absorbed. (It’s a bit confusing at times, because I read Innocent Traitor a few weeks ago, which is about what happens after Henry dies and his son takes the throne and immediately after. So this is jumping back in history a bit. hehe)

Well, I’ve got a busy week ahead of me – I promise I’ll write more later on. I love you, Dad!