How wonderful to see friends after a year apart. We keep in touch via email, but that doesn't come close to our camaraderie in person. They have been traveling all over the world and I am delighted to hear them chat about France and other countries where they have discovered new friends.
Yesterday we wandered about at the most robust farmer's market - they had everything and then some! We explored a delightful antique store seeking buttons for making cards, took in the lakeshore castles both by land and by water, and bought some flowers at a nursery. Today, we attend an outdoor church service, then have an amazing repast at a local bakery restaurant. Eggs Benedict a la excellence.
We return to the condo and sit lazily on the deck watching boats go by, children play, and people water skiing and tubing in the cool lake. What a restful day. We chat about this that and the other thing, catching up, laughing, enjoying each others' company. Even Zoe, her royal highness the dog, gets into the act.
How far removed from the academic world of comps and orals, concerts and libraries, striving to accomplish something. So much better to take a cruise on the Lake with Cap'n Bob, to feel the refreshing spray of water coming up over the bow (and be grateful I am not sitting on the front deck being drenched everytime we hit a boat wake or a swell).
These are the important things - just enjoying life with others. Sitting back and watching the gorgeous hues of pink and purple as the sun rotates toward the west, painting a trail of beauty in its wake. Watching the parent birds come and go, feeding their babies in their nest under the eaves. Enjoying the new vines twining about the deck rails, tendrils stretching in the spacious new abode. Playing a board game, sipping a cool drink, being glad I am not out there tubing in the chill of evening.
This is what God created the world for. Enjoyment. All his imaginative splendor at our disposal. My heart wells with gratitude that God didn't limit our world to black and white in the interest of not overwhelming us. Still, I can't help thinking that greater and more wonderful things await in heaven, things we just couldn't possibly absorb yet. We shall see.
Meanwhile, off to bed for sweet deep sleep after a most relaxing day.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Visiting Friends
I leave the campus as soon as I am done with my orals. I climb into the gigantic rental SUV and head to Mequon to gas up and grab lunch. Then I head south. I know it is the 4th of July weekend, but I am hoping that I am early enough to avoid the major traffic. I am not even a half hour away when Tom-Tom informs me that there are traffic delays ahead. At least 2 hours worth. Should he reroute me? I say yes.
I find myself on the older lakeshore 4 lane rather than the express way. I am moving at about 50 mph. Once again Tom intervenes with a report that there are delays ahead, meaning that I won't arrive at my destination until after midnight. What??? This is a 4 hour drive. It is 2 pm. Surely the traffic can't be that bad. I accept his reroute. And the next one. And the next one. I find myself driving through little Chicago suburbs with no idea at all where I am or where I am going or how long I will be. I stop at a gas station to fill up again.
Things go from bad to worse. I am crawling along at about 10 mph, stopping at so many red lights I am convinced I will never find my way out of the city. I try to get Tom to take me back to the expressway. Even if it is a parking lot, at least I know where I am going! Tom flakes in and out, losing signal, taking so much time to come back online that I miss turns. I am beside myself. The final straw comes when I find myself literally in downtown Chicago - Main Street where Saks and all the upscale stores - are smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic.
I throw Tom in the back and watch for signs to the expressway. I will fix this mess myself. There is construction, taxis, buses, detours, rerouting, pedestrians, traffic cops and a million other crazy things. I see the sign I need. It has taken me almost an hour to drive about 5 blocks. I have escaped numerous accidents by grace. I wedge my car into the proper lane, praying that the detour signs won't prevent me from getting back on track. Fortunately, when I finally get where I need to be, I can see that the construction is just past the entrance ramp. It takes forever to get to the ramp, but at long last, I am there and though travel is slow, 40 mph is way better than the half mile per hour I had been doing.
I replug Tom, and the first thing he said was "Traffic delay ahead. Reroute?" I shout a resounding "NO!", but Tom won't listen. He keeps trying to direct me off the expressway. I stand my ground. As I pass every single exit, he would insist that I take the next one. I finally turn him off and reboot. Suddenly he is on board with the expressway. I had lost much time. And according to the radio, the expressway behind me was indeed a parking lot. Maybe Tom did get me through. But I have to say, I sure don't want to repeat that scenario! Now I remember why I always stayed on campus on Friday and left at the crack of dawn on Saturday. I finally manage to arrive at my friends' place about 8 or 9 at night, and fall into welcoming arms. Yeah! Let's not do that again anytime soon.
I find myself on the older lakeshore 4 lane rather than the express way. I am moving at about 50 mph. Once again Tom intervenes with a report that there are delays ahead, meaning that I won't arrive at my destination until after midnight. What??? This is a 4 hour drive. It is 2 pm. Surely the traffic can't be that bad. I accept his reroute. And the next one. And the next one. I find myself driving through little Chicago suburbs with no idea at all where I am or where I am going or how long I will be. I stop at a gas station to fill up again.
Things go from bad to worse. I am crawling along at about 10 mph, stopping at so many red lights I am convinced I will never find my way out of the city. I try to get Tom to take me back to the expressway. Even if it is a parking lot, at least I know where I am going! Tom flakes in and out, losing signal, taking so much time to come back online that I miss turns. I am beside myself. The final straw comes when I find myself literally in downtown Chicago - Main Street where Saks and all the upscale stores - are smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic.
I throw Tom in the back and watch for signs to the expressway. I will fix this mess myself. There is construction, taxis, buses, detours, rerouting, pedestrians, traffic cops and a million other crazy things. I see the sign I need. It has taken me almost an hour to drive about 5 blocks. I have escaped numerous accidents by grace. I wedge my car into the proper lane, praying that the detour signs won't prevent me from getting back on track. Fortunately, when I finally get where I need to be, I can see that the construction is just past the entrance ramp. It takes forever to get to the ramp, but at long last, I am there and though travel is slow, 40 mph is way better than the half mile per hour I had been doing.
I replug Tom, and the first thing he said was "Traffic delay ahead. Reroute?" I shout a resounding "NO!", but Tom won't listen. He keeps trying to direct me off the expressway. I stand my ground. As I pass every single exit, he would insist that I take the next one. I finally turn him off and reboot. Suddenly he is on board with the expressway. I had lost much time. And according to the radio, the expressway behind me was indeed a parking lot. Maybe Tom did get me through. But I have to say, I sure don't want to repeat that scenario! Now I remember why I always stayed on campus on Friday and left at the crack of dawn on Saturday. I finally manage to arrive at my friends' place about 8 or 9 at night, and fall into welcoming arms. Yeah! Let's not do that again anytime soon.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The Oral Exam
Three serious faculty people face me across the massive wooden table. I am in the "hot seat." I have studied up for the areas where I know I didn't do as much as needed on the written exam. I hope I am ready.
First round. I do answer his questions to his satisfaction. Whew! We have a pleasant conversation. I am more at ease.
Second round. More questions, covering several areas. I am able to answer them to her satisfaction though I stumble a bit trying to think of a score example. I finally latch onto one that works. Whew! Still OK.
Third round. We clear up a couple of little things, its going well. Then the killer question. Naming Luther's hymns for the parts of the Ordinary in the Mass. Yikes. I gulp. I draw a blank. I stumble around a bit. I have to finally admit that I just don't know. I see myself falling down in flaming defeat. Oh, no. I did look at this, but the names of the hymns just don't seem to match the use in the service. I can't bring it back no matter how hard I try to visualize the paper I studied from.
They ask me to step from the room to deliberate. I move down the hall, staring unseeing out a window. Time ticks by. More time. I am getting worried. I may fail because of the hymn question. I am truly concerned. At long last, they call me back. A smile breaks out and I am given the thumbs up! I am so relieved. We shake hands all around. And I determine to study up on Luther's hymns. Really. Even if I'm not a Lutheran.
All that remains before I get my diploma is to finish the dissertation corrections and get that on deposit. It has been a long, long road. I am almost there.
First round. I do answer his questions to his satisfaction. Whew! We have a pleasant conversation. I am more at ease.
Second round. More questions, covering several areas. I am able to answer them to her satisfaction though I stumble a bit trying to think of a score example. I finally latch onto one that works. Whew! Still OK.
Third round. We clear up a couple of little things, its going well. Then the killer question. Naming Luther's hymns for the parts of the Ordinary in the Mass. Yikes. I gulp. I draw a blank. I stumble around a bit. I have to finally admit that I just don't know. I see myself falling down in flaming defeat. Oh, no. I did look at this, but the names of the hymns just don't seem to match the use in the service. I can't bring it back no matter how hard I try to visualize the paper I studied from.
They ask me to step from the room to deliberate. I move down the hall, staring unseeing out a window. Time ticks by. More time. I am getting worried. I may fail because of the hymn question. I am truly concerned. At long last, they call me back. A smile breaks out and I am given the thumbs up! I am so relieved. We shake hands all around. And I determine to study up on Luther's hymns. Really. Even if I'm not a Lutheran.
All that remains before I get my diploma is to finish the dissertation corrections and get that on deposit. It has been a long, long road. I am almost there.
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