skipping peanutbutter cups

Thanksgiving was really wonderful! I drove up to PA on Wednesday morning, braving bad weather and horrible traffic, but I made it. After I arrived Eliz and I went to market. I love the Lancaster market, we found some lovely cheese, flowers, yogurt, a little pepper plant, and pumpkin spice fudge. After doing our shpoing we had tea with Rebecca at the ever so lovely Pemberely Tea Shop. I had a rooibos herb blend that was delightful! After tea Eliz and I stopped at a house her friend is housesitting and cut some fresh lavender and rosemary.

When we arrived back at the guest house I was encouraged to choose a room to sleep in. I have slept in rooms 3 and 4 before so I went with room 2, Eliz suggested that we try out the bed to make sure it was comfortable and we ended up taking a little nap.

After the nap we consulted the paper and Jen to decide what to do that evening. We eventually decided to go to Senorita Burrita for dinner and then see the movie Christmas with the Kranks. The movie was better than I expected, but I wasn't expecting much.

Thursday morning we woke up early and got to work on our part of the big dinner. I made cranberry sauce, with fresh local cranberries. Eliz made a wonderful shitake mushroom gravy, stuffed mushrooms, and we collaborated on a fantastic salad. It was wild greens with english walnuts, pomegranate seeds, homemade balsalmic vinagrette and your choice of blue cheese, chevre, and sun-dried tomato cheedar.

Then we arrived at the Swope's. Jo, Eliz's mom, is super cute and Jen looks just like her. We chatted and then Allen, Eliz's dad, came down. We set the table and worked in the kitchen. Then Grandma and Grandpa arrived and they were very cute. Grandpa plays the contrabass clarinet and we talked music for a good while. Dinner was really good and I was so stuffed afterwards. We girls worked on dishes and left the old folks to talk. After pie I called Wendy and my family to wish them all a good Thanksgiving.

Then we decided to go to Hershey Candy Lane we raided the coat closet and came out very bundled up. We arrived and immediately bought really good cookies. Then we wandered around the park and we met a nice Hershey bar who gave us a hug, there were also these window displays from the 20's that we were a bit scared of, some were really ugly. We hurried back to Chocolate World before they closed and as we left the lights a Reece's Penutbutter Cup grabbed Eliz and I by the hand and skipped with us to the exit.

Chocolate world was fun but when we got off the ride all the shops had closed and we never got our hot chocolate.

Friday we had a lovely time eating leftovers and working on the soap project.

Thank you Swopes for having me and thank you family and thank you Wendy.

this bitch likes to stitch

I did some shopping at work last night. I bought the new book, Stitch 'n Bitch Nation, I also picked up some little notions. The book has a pattern that I think Ang and Nat will like for Christmas.

Why do I have such a hard time figuring out what to give my family for Christmas and when it comes to Wendy and Fiona I can constantly think of things I would love to give them.

I just bought a $45 score, to the Paert Te Deum, I have to use it for a project and none of the schools around here have the score so I had to buy it. I also have the recording on it's way, it seems like a lot of money but it's a great piece of music.

again with the culture

I didn't make it to the opera the other day, but that's ok. I'm not really much of a Copland fan. I did, however, really enjoy the art gallery his ability to capture the texture of fabric is amazing!

Yesterday one of my classes was treated to a live performance. Violin and piano music from and inspired by Latin Americans in Paris in the early 20th century. The Ravel Tzigane was incredible! Right after that Julie and I saw the chamber singers sing, we did this mostly because we want to join. It wasn't bad. I really enjoyed the Britten Rejoice in the Lamb, but what bizarre text. I have my audition tomorrow. Eek!

I only have one more paper to write this week. That makes me really happy!

culture at last?

If my group project doesn't take 4 hours like it did last time I will go to the National Gallery of Art today to see the Gerard ter Borch collection. I'm going to try to stay for the lecture and music performance that follow. I just need to make it back to campus in time to see the Tender Land at 8 pm. I haven't done many things like this since I've been here. Only when Wendy visited.

I found out, after I bought my plane ticket home, that I don't have any finals during their scheduled time. So I guess I will fill that week with work and museums.

Yesterday was Grandma's 87th birthday. She got a cell phone. She rocks!
I hope that I'm half as amazing as she is when I get older.

day 1

today was my first day at yarn shop. The people there are generally nice. I was hoping for the instruction to be a little more clear, I don't generally have trouble motivating myself to work but especially on the first day it would have been nice for someone to let mw know about when I could take a break and if there are timecards.

grades

About 2 weeks ago I wasn't sure if I should be in school. Things were rough, I felt that I had been out too long to comfortably transition into student mode again. That is when I had a couple of C's. This school doesn't have the grade D, so when you know that a C is barely passing it gets a little desperate. Fortunately the midterm that I was sure that I failed was a B-/C+. Under normal circumstances that isn't good but I was happy that it wasn't an F. Another project that I wasn't sure about was an A. Then today the research midterm was handed back. I was a little nervous but this too was an A. So I guess things aren't as bad as I think they are.

I still don't really feel like I fit here, DC is a hard place to get used to for a West Coast girl. But now I fell like I might actually make it out of here with both degrees , with out losing my mind. Now if only I can work on my social life. I really need to meet new people. The girls in the dorm are fine and the guys on the other side are cool, generally. But they are getting on my nerves with the petty drama. One would think that by the time we are in our mid-twenties this sort of thing would not happen. I guess that is just wishful thinking on my part.