The Life of Pi and Holden Caulfield…

I’m not sure, but the teenager may slowly be moving into another genre.

He finished Night.

Under duress, I must add.

He finished it nonetheless.

Turns out one of his classmates had already read it, so that it gave it a bit of “cache,” other than just a reading requirement imposed by his mom.

Now he has to read Maus…


which he says he's not into, even though it’s a graphic novel.

Then again, if a classmate recommended it, he’d be all over it.

He did ask though for The Catcher in the Rye,


but I’m embarrassed to admit that the “reason” he asked for it: because it was mentioned on “South Park.”

Yes. My son has started to watch South Park.

Animal Farm is on the list because one of his classmates told him “you absolutely must read Animal Farm” and the Legal Dude added 1984 to the pile.

I’m not sure if he’s moving away from the likes of Darren Shan and the Demonata series, but one can only hope he’s starting to venture forth and expand his horizons.

Oh yeah, The Life of Pi is the book he chose to read and discuss at school.


Yesterday the teachers “hawked” their chosen "reading fare" for breakout reading groups.

The kids got to name their top three choices.

The teenager got his first pick, The Life of Pi.

Should be interesting…

Windy

[Clipart]

While walking cross campus this morning, the wind was literally “whistling” around my head and ears.

I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

Wind whistling around the house and the corner of a building, yes, but never around my head.

As I was listening to WPR radio in my car after class (and feeling very depressed about my just taken Psych exam), Grady Kirkpatrick, of Morning Music, came on with the weather report:

“A High Wind Advisory with potential wind gusts of up to 70 MPR“!!!

It’s another one of those days.

Hang on tight to the car door, otherwise the wind will whip it open and slam it into whatever is next to it, or yank your arm from its socket if you happen to be holding the door handle.

I’ve already learned the hard way.

This morning…

We had our second exam in Developmental Psychology.

I had hoped to ace the exam.

I studied SO hard.

Additionally, a fair amount of the material was a review of practical life experiences (like emotional development) and material I’ve learned in my Language acquisition class.

So I don’t know why I had such a hard time with this exam.

I KNEW the material, just not the way she asked it!

Which, I guess means, I really don’t learn the material.

Sigh…I thought I’d finally “re-learned” how to study.

I was feeling pretty good about it.

I guess I haven’t though, since I need to learn how to answer questions in a more expansive manner…backwards, forwards and upside down.

Sigh…

Too much…

A person can only take so much.

The Cowgirls played hard but lost to BYU this evening with a final score of 64 to 69.

The ladies were up and down this evening, but in the end, BYU out played the lady pokes.

I’m glad we went, though. A record 7,100+ tickets were sold for this evening’s game.

When we got home, I learned another of my final four picks, Syracuse, lost to Butler.

And now Kansas State, yet another final four picks, is struggling in double OT against Xavier.

At least Kentucky, my pick for the championship, seems to be beating Cornell.

Geese…

Women’s NIT 2010

This evening the Legal Dude and I braved snow, wind, ice and cold to get to the Cowgirls game against Texas Tech.

The stadium isn’t far from our house; really within walking distance.



But with today’s weather…



we drove half way and then walked, which really wasn’t bad at all except for the ice.

We're glad we went.

We had great seats…



and the game turned out to be a real nail biter, going into overtime.

The Cowgirls took the lead and held it for the first 20 minutes, but by half time, things had turned around…



and not in our favor.

Pistol Pete is always there, having a good time.



I hear Pistol Pete is a student job and that three students share the duties.



I just might have to apply, except I’d probably topple over with that huge head.



The Texas Tech ladies were all super aggressive defensively and for most of the game out D'd our team, except for the last 10 minutes when the Cowgirls decided they’d had enough and went for the gold.

That's when the game went into overtime...



with the UWYO ladies finally showing the Texans what Wyoming is all about…



and the crowd went wild!

These fellas were directly across the arena from us...



The Cowgirls host the winner of the BYU/Arizona State game in the third round this coming Thursday.

We plan to be there, regardless of the weather.

Spring Storm

I was warned about it, and now I’m experiencing it.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until midnight MDT tonight.

Actually, it’s more of a “snain” shower, with gusts up to 28 mph and a wind chill of 16.

This morning was the first time I wore my winter jacket since Chicago last December, and only because it was the only thing in my car with a hood.

With the wet “snain” falling, I needed to cover my head while walking across campus.

The teenager’s class is supposed to travel to Denver tomorrow morning, where it’s also snowing, to visit the Museum of Science and Nature.

I’m not feeling good about it, but what do you do?

The Director has a 7th grade boy in the teenager’s class, so I’m trusting her to make the right decision.

I just saw on the news that the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom in D.C.

My understanding is that it will be late June before the flora starts to bloom here.

My boys are having a hard time with this weather.

The teenager got depressed when he woke up and saw the snow.

I don’t understand.

"Everyone" told us, it would be just like this….

Wyoming Travler's Aide

On Friday, I wrote about the winter weather advisory in Denver and Wyoming and the Legal Dude’s drive from the Denver airport to Laramie later that night.

I wanted to mention the assistance that the WYDOT provides to residents, year round, via the 511 travel information service.



WYDOT 511 provides minute to minute updates on road surface conditions, travel advisories, road closures (both temporary and seasonal), current weather conditions (blowing snow, fog, poor visibility) and short-term weather forecasts.

Or you can go online and see road conditions and road surfaces---the latter can be pretty difficult to see at night.

These are photos from the web cam for this evening, which looks pretty clear...



Unfortunately, the weather, especially at the Summit (which is over 8,000 ft and 15 minutes outside of Laramie) can change quickly.



Just wanted to say give a shout-out to the WYDOT web cams for the help on Friday night, which kept me from pacing.

Instead, I was glued to the web cams...

Getting ready for Pesach…

Passover begins next Monday, at sundown.

We’ll be going to the community Seder Monday night.

I decided to get an early start this year and so cooked up a couple of chickens for the matzo ball soup, which we’ll be eating pretty much every day during Pesach.



The Legal Dude will make a brisket next weekend.

I decided to make the Pesach rolls early, just in case they don’t turn out, with the whole altitude thing going on.



I misread the recipe when making the first batch and didn’t add all the water, which actually turned out okay since high altitude baking calls for a reduction in liquid.

The second batch I did add all the water and they were a tad lose before baking, but baked nice and soft inside.



I’ll be making more this week, that is, provided I can find more matzo meal.

Now back to watching the Health Care Vote...

Spring break…

is over and boy, was it ever a lazy time.

I did get lots of reading done and the teenager and I stayed up way too late and watched tv, read or spent time on the computer.

We missed the Legal Dude, but it was a nice bonding time with the teenager, who was even lazier.

I did get my craft room cleaned, which took a day and then some, and then I got to craft, something I haven’t done since the holidays.

I made these…



I call them Frontier Lace and tomorrow I’ll take them to Ms. Etta’s, the shop that sells handcrafted items made by local Wyoming woman.



Tomorrow, it’s back to reality…

March Madness…

NCAA men's tournament

Washington Post

I love March and the NCAA Tournament.

I love seeing which of my picks keep going and going and going.

My big mistake, thus far, has been the Hoyas, but I wasn’t silly enough to have them going all the way.

I did, however, have them going two more rounds, losing to Kansas in the elite 8.

There's going to be a lot of boob tube watching the next few weeks.

My biggest kick, though, is kicking the Legal Dude's b-tt when it comes to picks.

Believe me, it's happened before, and not just once!

[He'll deny it though, of course.]

Is travel REALLY necessary

Today is a good day to talk about the one reason I am not so crazy about living here.

A winter storm warning is in effect.

A dangerous driving alert has been flashing across the bottom of the T.V. screen (on TWC) for the past ten minutes with precautions about blowing snow, high winds and poor visibility.

The alert also encourages travelers to have extra flashlights, food and blankets in the car, which is something the locals recommend keeping in the car at all times anyway.

Now normally, neither one of these is a big deal, except that today, the Legal Dude is in Salt Lake City and flying back into DIA late tonight.

On a good day, I’m never crazy about the two-hour drive to DIA, which makes for a long travel day. (This has been one of my most difficult adjustments, since National is a mere 12–15 minute drive from our house on Utah Street.)

During inclement weather, driving across the Wyoming plains and through the mountains makes for white knuckle driving, and a lot of pacing for those waiting at home.

If anything sends me packing form this town, it will be this; unless of course, I can get used to it, which I see as a necessity...'casue traveling is just too much fun and yes, it really is necessary.

Huh?

Found this…



on our front lawn where this...


huge pile of snow has been for the past three months but after today, looks like this...


thanks to the near 60 temps we had today and all those weeks of me diligently chipping away at it every day.

I think I know what spent cartridges feel and look like, and this one is heavy and closed on both ends and feels like it still has ammo in it.

It has "Winchester" etched on the metal side.

I took a quick look-see on the Internet and I’m thinking, because it has a number "8" on it, that it either might be bird shot or for skeet shooting, which makes this very interesting…


lots of feathers and a carcass strewn across our front lawn. There was more of it yesterday, before the wind blew it away.

I initially thought one of the neighborhood foxes got to a bird, but now I’m re-thinking that.

Several sites on the Internet suggest calling the local police to dispose of ammo, advice I think I’ll follow.

NPR---a matter of perspective

Have I mentioned before just how many people from Wyoming, and Laramie, call in to NPR?

I’m sure, back in Northern VA, listening to NPR and hearing people call in from Wyoming probably pinged against some synapse, but never really registered.

Now, it seems, that at least once a day, someone, somewhere in Wyoming is calling in to Morning Edition, Talk of the Nation, Science Friday, The BBC News Hour, etc.

Goes to show that it’s all just a matter of perspective…our own individual perspective that is!

Memory Lapse

Seven and ½ months ago, we left Arlington to make our way to Laramie.

Seven months ago, today, we took possession of what we now call home.

Recently, I have a hard time remembering my “pre-Laramie” existence.

I remember our friends, of course (and miss them terribly), and our house (but don’t think about it much anymore), and the teenager growing up, and school and work, etc.

Somehow, though, it feels as though I’ve lived here for a lot longer than seven months.

Now and then, I must admit, I do have an occasional bad spell.

Like last month, when I wrote to a friend that I was feeling a bit adrift, between two worlds and just a tad schizophrenic.

It was the 6-month mark and I wasn’t thinking about our house much anymore, and I'd stopped calling VA "back home" and we were getting to know new people, but still missing old friends.

I told her that when it was all new and different, it was like being on a temporary adventure, even though I knew it was for long term.

I told her that the longer I'm here, the more I can see myself staying here, for awhile at least, and then I’d wonder: who am I, where am I going and where do I belong?

She in turn told me that my feelings were natural and that there is a time when it stops being a new adventure and one has to settle into the reality of what has occurred.

Somehow, her words helped. I’m not sure if I’m there yet, where reality sets in, but I must be pretty close.

I realized months ago that I wasn’t in a dream, that I wouldn’t wake up and find myself in my bed, back on Utah Street, but rather that "this is in fact it," our new life.

Sometimes I’m still amazed that we did it, the Legal Dude and I, two middle-aged fogies who somehow managed to make a huge life change when we can’t even decide on plans for the weekend.

The Legal Dude has been back, to D.C., thrice now. He’s gotten to see friends, be in his office and eat at familiar restaurants.

I’ve yet to go back, and wonder what it will be like when I return for a visit in June.

Will it feel strange? Will I cry? Will I remember my life there?

Will I remember there that my life now, is back here, in Laramie?

You are NOT invited...

First we were invited...

and then the invite was rescinded...

In case you can't read the teenager's scrawl, here is what it reads...

"Mom and Dad

Please don't come

They can't keep me here"

Needless to say, I went and had a jolly good time. However, I completely forgot to take my little Nikon...too bad.

I was initially worried that I might be a little embarassed by the teenager's "house," but it was fine.

While not as totally creative and awesome as some, it was on par with many.

And the teenager had a good time, even though he'll say he didn't.

I think he also enjoyed explaining about his house, how he measured, etc.

I know I was proud of him.

I also went for the teachers, who work so hard with the kids and deserve a lot of credit for it.

A nice night and a good time was had by all...

My town: A walking photo tour...

I couldn't get back to sleep after the Legal Dude took off at 3:30 am for an early morning flight to D.C. So after the sun came up, I drove downtown to take some photos for a "walking photo tour."

I was surprised by all the cars on the streets so early in the morning and couldn't get the shots I wanted.

Banks, hair salons and bars seem to be the three most prominent businesses in Laramie.

Mile for mile, I bet Laramie has more hair salons than North Arlington.

Citrus Salon is where I take my hair.


I chanced upon it shortly after moving here and I’ve been happy ever since.

The inside is small and old, but they’ve created a rustic, almost grunge, cool and funky atmosphere with paint and fabric.

Again, mile for mile I bet Laramie has more bars than North Arlington.



We haven’t had the opportunity to frequent any of the bars, primarily 'cause we’re not into the drinking scene but also because we're not into hanging with the younger college set---not that we have anything against the college set, other than that it would make us feel really, really old.



We are hoping to check out the Front Street Lounge sometime soon though.


It’s owned and operated by Sweet Melissa’s, the vegetarian restaurant right next door, which I find to be a rather interesting mix.

We hear it’s a nice place---perhaps a nice venue for the “older set” to sit, chat and catch up.

We have been here though…


to Laramie’s one and only wine bar, which is a pretty cool place, especially the upstairs, although it’s always been empty when we've been there so we’re hoping it manages to stay in business.

Laramie also has quite a few “drive-through” liquor stores, which I find pretty amazing, in a college town!

What ARE they thinking?

But on to my favorite shops…

The quilt shop, where they sell some really cool fabrics, including western themes and patterns that I find myself warming to.

The shop next to it has some cute western themed tchotchkes.



The owner of this bead shop, alas, is looking to sell. I hope the store doesn't close down.



Some day soon, I plan to take some knitting and crocheting lessons at the Cowgirl Yarn Shop. In the meantime, I’m content to look and oh and ah.



Ms. Etta’s is a contingency shop for local artisans and where I market and sell some of my cards and crafts!

I do have to pay a monthly “rental” fee but I find it's an easy and non-intimidating venue to market and sell my wares.



This shop needs no introduction...



Good or bad, there are no big box Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores here in Laramie, just two books stores (alas, a third shop recently closed) and one used bookstore.

/

One of the two Coal Creek Coffee shops, where I meet friends for coffee…

and were one can also sip wine, beer and Italian hot toddies, which we did on a recent Sunday evening with friends.

Now these last two shops might not look like much from the outside, but behind these glass doors....there's some pretty cool food stuff---Whole Food’s-esque and organic items, all a bit pricey but a lovely to option to have.

Thanks for taking this little walking tour of my little town.

Sad to say, tomorrow I might just have more photos.

High Altitude Adjustments…

I’ve made five cakes since moving from sea level (or “1” as elevation at the Potomac River is designated) to over 7,000 feet.

All five recipes were from the “Cake Doctor” cookbook, in which all of her recipes begin with a boxed cake mix as the base.

The first four cakes, which I’ve documented in previous posts, turned out beautifully, as did this recent coffee cake...



from Ina Garten’s Parties cookbook.

I made it for my new gal pals who stopped in for morning coffee last week.

I’ve yet to make a cake from scratch.

This week I’ll be making Passover rolls, from Matzo meal, and I have no idea how they will turn out.

I’ll be using my father-in-law’s recipe, which in some respects reminds me of Pâte à choux.

Also, at some point (and clearly after Passover), I’d like to try a yeast bread recipe, but I’ve heard tell that bread and rolls can be difficult at high altitudes.

Recently I saw these bags of “High Altitude” flour at the Safeway and not knowing better, thought…hmm.


[Walmart Website]

I have since found this comment on several of the high altitude baking sites…

“The name confuses everyone. Many people living in Gunnison, CO (where I assume the writer is from) at an altitude of 7,700 feet (2,346 meters) above sea level, think the flour is good to use at high altitudes. Actually, it's no better than any other flour at high altitudes.

The "Hungarian" part of the name comes from the process used to mill the flour, which was developed in Hungary in the 1800's. The process was brought to Colorado by J.K. Mullen in 1875 and is still used today. The flour is milled from hard wheat from Colorado, the Dakotas, and Montana, so the "high altitude" refers to where the grain is grown."

Oh well. Onward and forward in my reading about high altitude baking…

Spring? What Spring...

Recently we’ve enjoyed some really lovely Spring like weather, interspersed with the cold, wind and the snow.

Yesterday, the birds were chirping and with the typical Wyoming sunshine, it was just another beautiful day.

This morning I heard on TWC that we have a 70% chance of snow today and a 50% chance of snow overnight.

Thus far, however, nothing has yet fallen from the sky.

This week is supposed to be warmer again with temps. in the high 40s.

The locals have warned us though that Sister Spring likes to tease Laramie residents all the way into May, and possibly even into June.

So while all you folk living at, or near, sea level are enjoying the daffodils and crocuses that appear this time of the year, my spring is limited to this…



what I have inside.



At least they sell cut flowers here...