RIP, KTW

I was so sorry to hear that Kathryn Tucker Windham passed. What an amazing Alabamian and beautiful lady.

I first encountered Ms. Windham in fourth grade when I had the flu. I was stuck in bed for almost a week, and I plowed through the 13 Ghosts and Jeffrey series, enchanted by her descriptions and spooked (in a fun way) by the idea of ghosts roaming around the Southern states.

Jason and I had the privilege of getting to know her when we worked at Alabama Public Radio. He knew her much better than I did, editing her stories and interviewing her for her spots on air.

I mostly admired her from a distance, but I will forever cherish her willingness to support public radio (to listen and not give, as she said, was "just plumb tacky"), her recipe for apricot bread, and her everyday sort of stories that meant so much more to us than just the everyday. She leaves quite a legacy.

Go Rangers!

While Dad was here, we hit up a Rangers game. Exciting finish...coming from behind to win in the 9th.

In my ideal summer, I would be at the ballpark each and every night. So relaxing!

Isn't there a SchoolHouse Rock for that?

One of the things we were excited to learn about the new place is the opportunity to recycle. I've wanted to do this for awhile, but, I confess, it's just been too difficult to gather the recycles (separately in our small place), then haul them to a place that takes them.

But when the recycle bin is just in the garage, that's a lot easier!

However, I have a question for all you current recyclers. How do you collect your recyclables?

Ours are supposed to be unbagged, which presents a problem with what to do with them in the kitchen.

Every time I empty a bottle of ginger ale, for example, do I have to haul it out to the garage? Am I just being lazy? Or is there a better gathering system?

One down...

I finished my first summer class, an i-term--Organizational Behavior and Analysis.

The professor referred to it as bootcamp. Indeed--18 days, four tests, almost 500 pages of reading.

But it was, hands down, the most practical bootcamp...er, class...that I've taken so far. Management skills, motivations behind behavior, still lots of theories and models, but all great stuff that I can put to use in what I do every single day.

Whew! Now for a week's break where I try to cram in all the fun reading I can before diving into the next two.

Summer Vacay!

So, I only have a week between my i-term class finishing and my next two summer classes starting, but it feels a little bit like a vacation. Therefore, reading, blogging, watching House and Stargate, and unpacking are all on the list! (Pleasures are simple these days.)

Anyway, to commence with the blogging, there have been some almost-summer lovelies popping up lately...


Remember this guy?






And, in the winter?




Look at him now!




Wow--greenery explosion!





I'll try to post some updates on the house soon. It's coming along. My dad came to visit on Memorial Day weekend and brought us an abundance of furniture (thanks, Dad!) as well as his many years of homeownership expertise. We learned that we still have a lot to learn.

But we have curtains and a grill, and Fred seems to like his new room. Life is good.