With Ground Hog's Day and Marti Gras almost upon us ... This is where Jesus rises from the dead, and comes out of the tomb, and if he sees his shadow, then there is 6 more weeks of Lent. All things temporal are quickly merging in my mind. It was but weeks ago when our Y'all Log (we're in Texas ya know) burnt itself out and we wrapped up the 12 Days of Christmas and then rung in the New Year. By the way - Yule Y'all!
Inga flew home mid-December amidst one of our few rainy days this past year. Enjoyed the holiday with us and did a bit of visiting of old friends locally, but stayed connected with friends back in Oregon via social media. Classes for the Winter Quarter began January 9, but she opted to return on the 4th; having finished having all the fun she could expect to have around our house. She was met at the Portland airport by her boyfriend Sean (who always brings her irises - her favorite), and they drove back to Eugene together. Reports are that she is now enjoying classes mostly focusing on her major in Planning & Public Policy Management (3PM), and they are stimulating - except for one. But she is coming off an A- in dreaded Quantitative Methods pre-req, so there is momentum there.
After running the numbers from picking Grant up at the University of Missouri and returning him last Thanksgiving, I concluded that my time, hotel and driving expenses were part of a great adventure, but not economic. So, with the bottom line in mind, we suggested he find a ride back to Texas with some of the many Texas Exes heading back this way for Christmas. He lined up a seat in the Volvo station wagon of Alison who was driving back to Austin. But Grant's final final was not until Thursday afternoon, and Alison was restless to get on the road by Thursday morning. Grant ended up bumming a ride to St. Louis the next morning from a friend and getting dropped at Lambert Field where Southwest Airlines got him a few bags of free peanuts and then home to Love Field on Friday night.
Grant lingered around home on Christmas break as long as he could, but arranged to ride with Alison on the return trip Sunday 1/15. I dropped him off at a rendezvous point 25 miles up the road in McKinney. It was the home of a fellow traveler also heading back to Mizzou. I was informed during the final stages of packing that Grant would be riding with three young ladies. I thought, "Four passengers. This could be a real tight and cozy 10 hour ride". With surprising forethought the two of us decided to bring along our car-top luggage carrier - just in case it needed to be mounted on Alison's car. Alison showed up a bit late with another passenger and all of their multitudinous co-ed luggage. The girls all oohed and awed over each other's new hand bags each received for Christmas. Grant stood on the street feeling left out, not having a single Gucchi item, just an old back back and a medium sized suitcase. With the three girls, the one Mom plus Grant and me standing outside the car looking hard at the small space available and hoping it might work. The Mom and the girls then began pulling clothing and items out of assorted hampers, bags, chests and softside luggage and jamming the fabric into all available interstices. I offered the car top carrier, but the gals were hard at it, stuffing and squishing stuff into every pore space, so my offer was waved off. With new hand bags in under their feet and Grant's backpack in his lap, the Volvo departed for a second term at Mizzou.
I have heard nothing about the journey back to school from Grant. Perhaps, that tells me a lot.
Inga, once settled into her digs across from the University of Oregon, decided a new mattress was in order. So, with comfort in mind, she now is getting sleep on a newly delivered mattress. Nights are now uninterrupted by bone-rubbing, lumpy thinness of a cheap trundle bed. Life is getting better.
Grant called this week telling us he, his suitemate Carson and friend "Jersey" (guess where he is from?) were looking over apartment options for next year. The had found a really nice place a mile from campus. Was $450/mo rent OK? Sue detected in his voice a bit of pride in taking the step to move out into his own place, mixed with a bit of apprehension that the price was unaffordable and their choice might yet be rejected by parental purse strings. He was going to let us know on Monday what the deal was. We heard nothing, so Mom called him. Turns out Carson's Mom thought they could do better price-wise; so they go hunting again this weekend.
As the kids have all flown away, we watch and listen to their chirps beyond the old nest. We are pleased to see them making good choices, good friends and learning to fly and land on a bed of their own choosing.
Inga flew home mid-December amidst one of our few rainy days this past year. Enjoyed the holiday with us and did a bit of visiting of old friends locally, but stayed connected with friends back in Oregon via social media. Classes for the Winter Quarter began January 9, but she opted to return on the 4th; having finished having all the fun she could expect to have around our house. She was met at the Portland airport by her boyfriend Sean (who always brings her irises - her favorite), and they drove back to Eugene together. Reports are that she is now enjoying classes mostly focusing on her major in Planning & Public Policy Management (3PM), and they are stimulating - except for one. But she is coming off an A- in dreaded Quantitative Methods pre-req, so there is momentum there.
After running the numbers from picking Grant up at the University of Missouri and returning him last Thanksgiving, I concluded that my time, hotel and driving expenses were part of a great adventure, but not economic. So, with the bottom line in mind, we suggested he find a ride back to Texas with some of the many Texas Exes heading back this way for Christmas. He lined up a seat in the Volvo station wagon of Alison who was driving back to Austin. But Grant's final final was not until Thursday afternoon, and Alison was restless to get on the road by Thursday morning. Grant ended up bumming a ride to St. Louis the next morning from a friend and getting dropped at Lambert Field where Southwest Airlines got him a few bags of free peanuts and then home to Love Field on Friday night.
Grant lingered around home on Christmas break as long as he could, but arranged to ride with Alison on the return trip Sunday 1/15. I dropped him off at a rendezvous point 25 miles up the road in McKinney. It was the home of a fellow traveler also heading back to Mizzou. I was informed during the final stages of packing that Grant would be riding with three young ladies. I thought, "Four passengers. This could be a real tight and cozy 10 hour ride". With surprising forethought the two of us decided to bring along our car-top luggage carrier - just in case it needed to be mounted on Alison's car. Alison showed up a bit late with another passenger and all of their multitudinous co-ed luggage. The girls all oohed and awed over each other's new hand bags each received for Christmas. Grant stood on the street feeling left out, not having a single Gucchi item, just an old back back and a medium sized suitcase. With the three girls, the one Mom plus Grant and me standing outside the car looking hard at the small space available and hoping it might work. The Mom and the girls then began pulling clothing and items out of assorted hampers, bags, chests and softside luggage and jamming the fabric into all available interstices. I offered the car top carrier, but the gals were hard at it, stuffing and squishing stuff into every pore space, so my offer was waved off. With new hand bags in under their feet and Grant's backpack in his lap, the Volvo departed for a second term at Mizzou.
I have heard nothing about the journey back to school from Grant. Perhaps, that tells me a lot.
Inga, once settled into her digs across from the University of Oregon, decided a new mattress was in order. So, with comfort in mind, she now is getting sleep on a newly delivered mattress. Nights are now uninterrupted by bone-rubbing, lumpy thinness of a cheap trundle bed. Life is getting better.
Grant called this week telling us he, his suitemate Carson and friend "Jersey" (guess where he is from?) were looking over apartment options for next year. The had found a really nice place a mile from campus. Was $450/mo rent OK? Sue detected in his voice a bit of pride in taking the step to move out into his own place, mixed with a bit of apprehension that the price was unaffordable and their choice might yet be rejected by parental purse strings. He was going to let us know on Monday what the deal was. We heard nothing, so Mom called him. Turns out Carson's Mom thought they could do better price-wise; so they go hunting again this weekend.
As the kids have all flown away, we watch and listen to their chirps beyond the old nest. We are pleased to see them making good choices, good friends and learning to fly and land on a bed of their own choosing.
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