Winter and back in NC

Cross Country Skiing on Roan Mountain

My Family and the igloo

This trip was a nice break from the monotony of Singapore weather, hot, humid, and rainy. It was also really good to be with family over the holiday. And I got my wish for SNOW! I always forget how much fun snow is. I spent lots of time outside just laying and watching the snow fall. I also left right in the middle of a snow storm.

Birthday and Acceptance

So I had a pretty good birthday, Mallory and Josh, her boyfriend, Matthew all came the night before and then on my birthday we went rafting down the river even though it was pretty cold. There was just enough sun to make it warm and not really cold.

Today I checked my email and I was accepted at Nanyang Technological University. They tell me I should wait until I get a letter from them with all the details. I looked online and it said that I had been accepted but it didn't say anything about what I should do if I wanted to accept.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Tallinn University in Estonia, I have have an interview on May 5th. I wasn't accepting to be excepted at NTU. Now I may have a choice and that may be harder than if I had been just accepted to one school.

Back in the U.S.

So, for those of you who do not know, Matthew and I decided that financially we could not stay in China for longer than our two month visa. On the 31st of March at 4:20pm, in Beijing, we got on a plan for Seattle. We both have colds or some horrible respiratory thing which we got in Beijing. I was just hoping that I would not cough, sneeze, or have to blow my nose for long enough that the plane would take off and they would not kick us off because we were too sick and a danger to the other passengers. They did not kick us off. It was a 10 hour flight to Seattle, made longer by the fact that I could not sleep as the little girl in the row in front on me started crying and then puking which was so unpleasant that I watched a second movie. Then, when the movie was over I tried to get some sleep but couldn't. About the time I thought I was going to sleep the little girl started crying again so I started watching another movie. But I didn't have time to finish this one as we were about to land in Seattle. During the descent I thought that my head was going to explode from all of the congestion. I got a really sharp pain under my eye. It was a really long landing. We arrived in Seattle at 12:30pm on the 31st of March. It was strange to get someplace before I even left, but that is what happens when you cross the dateline. After China, U.S. customs was easy. The guy who questioned me about my trip asked me if the government treated me alright. I had to say yes because I didn't really have any interactions with the government. Our only interaction was with the police checking passports and visas in Shan Shi Ping and having to register with them to live at the apartment we rented. So I would say I had a neutral experience with the government as I didn't interact with them. After the questions, Matthew and I collected our bags and went through the second part of customs where they can search your bags if they want to. They didn't, and we rechecked our bags and went to find our next flight to Chicago.

In Seattle, I got a bagel. The most wonderful bagel I think I've ever had. This was mostly because I was really hungry and airplane food is just so bad. Hainan was no exception. The flight to Chicago was a nice short flight and I was able to sleep most of the way. In Chicago we had a short layover before our flight into Charlotte. I slept on the flight to Charlotte again. Matthew and I got off of the plane, got our bags, and headed out to wait for the Ramada Hotel shuttle to come and pick us up. My parents left us a car at the hotel so that we could get back to Bakersville the next morning. They are out of town, which is probably a good thing so that Matthew and I don't expose them to what ever nastiness we picked up in China.

When we got to the hotel it was about 12:30am and I was hungry, but nothing was really open. We went out and ended up eating at a Waffle House. Not the first place you want to eat when you get home but it was food.

The next morning I felt like I had just fallen asleep when the alarm went off to get us out of the hotel by checkout at 11. It was hard to get up and out. I couldn't breath through my nose most of the time and my cough makes it hard to move. We did get packed and out. Matthew was driving and we stopped at the grocery store and got cough syrup and breakfast for Matthew and Sprite for me. On the drive back I called and set up an appointment at the Bakersville Clinic just to make sure I didn't have anything that needed to be treated with anything other than time. Turns out the only appointment they had was at 2pm and we wouldn't have time to go to my house before. So we went straight to the clinic and I waited an hour to see the doctor. When I went in they weighed me. I lost 12 pounds when I was in China. I am going to be doing some serious eating now that the food won't upset my stomach. The doctor said that as I didn't have a fever anymore that I was on the healing side and that if I started running a fever again to call him and if I wasn't getting better by the weekend to call him. I have some kind of respiratory infection but as he doesn't think it is bacterial there isn't any treatment but time.

Back home we unloaded the car and tried to stay awake so we might get used to the time difference. It was really hard to stay awake until it got dark and then when it was dark I started to feel more awake. I watched one of the many movies Matthew and I brought back. When I went to bed I had a hard time sleeping and I woke up at 3 and was really wide awake but I made myself lay there until I fell back asleep. Matthew got up and didn't come back to bed until it was light.

Today was an amazingly beautiful day. Really hot compared to what I'm used to. I spent the day taking it easy and eating food. The daffodils and crocus are blooming and it feels so green here compared to China. Also, after the pollution in China, which I didn't think was that bad in Kunming, the sky looks so blue here.

Now that I am home and have internet access again I will update my blog for the rest of my trip. It may take me a little time, but the rest of my China adventure is coming.

Leaving for China

Tomorrow morning bright and early Matthew and I are heading to the airport for our flight. I'm all packed and I'm starting to feel like 'was it really my idea to go to China for five months?' I'm not sure it was such a good idea now. I know once I get there I will be really happy to be there and it will be really fun. The last couple of days I've spent saying goodbye to people and packing and cleaning my room from the move back home. It has been hard and yesterday I wasn't sure I was going to get it all done. Today I'm feeling better about that aspect but I'm worried about what's going to happen when I get to China. Everyone I know or have talked to who has been to China have had a wonderful time. Saying goodbye makes it really hard to go. I went over to Papa's, my grandfather, today before I left so that I could say good bye when he was really awake. I told him today if he didn't go south, he doesn't like the cold weather, I'd see him when I get back in June. I really don't know if I will though. That is the hard part about going. I just don't know if I'll see him again or not. The time I have spent with him since he has been back in North Carolina has meant so much to me. There are so many things I didn't know about my grandfather and know that I know him better I'm really going to miss him.

Last night it really started snowing so by the time my parents, Jonpaul and I got back from Papa's it was getting think enough it looked like it might be difficult to get to the airport today. This morning I had to get last minute papers for my Rotary scholarship and graduate school application ready. We took Ruff for his walk around the property in the snow. It was nice to get out one last time in the snow.

When my parents and I left they still hadn't plowed the road we live on. When we got to the main road it was pretty much okay. Getting to Matthew's dad's was a bit dicey as his road wasn't plowed and it was icy. Dad made it though. On the way out we had to get out the kitty litter and spread that so we could get traction. We stopped and had a nice dinner at a Japanese place. It was way to much food but it was good. We did make it to the hotel we are staying at for the night. I'm glad we decided not to try and drive it tomorrow morning that would have been questionable as it is supposed to be cold tonight. I just hope that our flight isn't delayed tomorrow morning.

Matthew running to catch up with the car after we got going again.

Moving

Today I finally got moved out of the apartment. I moved out most of my stuff on Monday and Tuesday we moved large stuff of Matthew's. Wednesday we moved small stuff of Matthew's. Thursday we packed up everything else and on Friday we had the walk through. It was a long week. I'm just glad the moving part of it is mostly over. I really liked our apartment but I keep telling myself about all the things I didn't like so I won't be sad about leaving it. Like the paint job, it was horrible. The heating system. The radiators really liked to talk, and not quietly they liked to be heard and mostly in the middle of the night when I wanted to be sleeping. The water pressure was not so good it took about five minutes for the hot water to get to the top floor. That was a pain if you wanted to be fast. The main thing now is getting my room at home organized so it doesn't look like a disaster zone when I leave.

My lovely living room

Thursday I went to the last Rotary meeting I will be going to before I leave. It was good to go and I think that with time I could really get to understand the club. It is hard as most of the members are older men. They don't really know what to think of me, a young woman, and I don't know what to think of them. We are so different. They do have a song which they sing before the meeting starts. That is fun. This week that a song called "Rotary, Rotary" sung to the tune of Edelweiss. I enjoy this part as it reminds me of the Arthur Morgan School, which was the middle school I attended. I think that I have everything ready with my sponsor for my trip to China so that he doesn't get worried about me being gone. At least I sure hope I have everything ready. I need to be ready.

My Bedroom which is no more

Tonight I went to my grandfather's with my parents. It was a nice meal. Papa was more together and it was good to talk with him and actually not have to guess at what he was saying. I'm not very good at guessing as he is often random or it has to do with the Westerns he is watching. I don't really like the Westerns and thus miss what he is referring to sometimes. He knows that I'm leaving and he keeps asking if I'll be back. He says "Is this the last time I'll see you?" He doesn't think he will live until I get back. It is so hard to say if he will or not. One day I think he will and the next I think that he won't. I know that in some ways he really doesn't want to live that long and in others he does. I do realize though that when I leave for China I will be saying Good-bye for the last time most likely.

Last day of work

Today was my last day at work. In some ways it was sad but I can't say that I'm going to miss the job, it'll be the people I miss. Recently it has been really cold at work. I went in the fridge one day and it felt warm. I thought this can't be right but it really was warmer in the fridge than out. I'm not going to miss the cold one bit. When I was getting ready to leave Teel and Tyler told me I couldn't leave yet and they got out the whip cream. Let's just say I needed a shower when Teel was done with me.

It was really a day of good byes. I originally thought it wouldn't be hard to leave, but there are lots of people I have to say good bye to. It was my last violin lesson. I've been taking lessons for a year with Neil and I have really gotten into the habit of having my lesson. I'm going to miss it when I'm in China. I'm not taking my violin as I would be really upset if it was stolen as it was my grandmother's. I'm going to be trying to find one when I'm there. Hopefully it won't be to hard to find as I really want to keep playing.

Matthew and I also had our last Chinese lesson. It was a good lesson as we were reading stories or short little songs. It was nice as I got more of a feel for the language that way. Tonight is Matthew's last night working, he still has day shifts. I think that the night shift was something he really didn't like. I can't say I liked him working it that much but that is over now.

Hair Cut

So I just started feeling like my hair was too long. It has been taking me 10 to 15 minutes to brush. I don't have time to sit there and go through the pain, yes sometimes it hurts, of getting the knots out. My mom cut 10-11 inches off and I thought it was going to be really short but it isn't as short as I thought it would be. I think that because it is really dry it isn't curling as much as normal. It is about shoulder length now and I have to say I really like it. The real reason for cutting my hair on such short notice was because I was getting my visa and I wanted my picture to have hair similar to what it was going to be like in China. I was planning on getting it cut once I got there but I just sped up the process a little.

I went home after I was at the Rotary orientation. It was nice to go. The pond was frozen so we went skating. I haven't been skating on our pond since I was little. I think it was about 10 years ago. I don't really remember though. I thought I was really going to take a face plant or do something stupid like lean back and fall but it came back pretty fast. The ice wasn't that smooth around some of the edges but it was still nice. I forgot how skating can be a work out and even on our little pond it was more than I had anticipated. It was really fun skating. We skated in the morning and it was nice to be able to see what was what. Last night when we were skating I had a slight collision with a branch over hanging the pond.

Me skating on the pond a.k.a. walking on water

Tonight was the holiday party at work. I didn't expect to have a good time but I did. It was nice to see everyone out of uniform and to get to know them better. I guess for me it was a little late as my last day at work is Sunday the 17th. A week from today. I'm pretty excited about going to China.

Rotary Orientation

This Friday and Saturday were the Rotary Orientation for Ambassadorial Scholars, Peace Scholars, and others. Friday I headed out to Winston-Salem. When I got there and was heading to the hotel I found that google maps wanted to send me on a one way street the wrong way. I ended up parking in public parking and walking a block to the hotel and then finding out that there was parking across the street. It did work out for the best but I was a little bit cold and didn't think so at the time.

When I got there I put my stuff in my room and registered with Rotary. I made it with the last people going to lunch. We got a bit turned around. The lunch wasn't that great and I was really hungry but the time half of the presentations were over and it was still 3 hours until dinner. While I didn't get as much from the presentations as I would have liked. I found that there was good information in all of them. What was best for me was meeting the other scholars. I met lots of people who were in the same place as me and it was nice to be able to share with them. I roomed with a girl from the same district. We are the two scholars from the district. She doesn't know where she is going yet. It was nice to talk with her though.

Saturday was more lectures. I thought that some of what was discussed on Saturday was more helpful than what was talked about on Friday. After the lectures I ate a hurried lunch and headed home. My car didn't have heat so it was really cold. It wasn't to bad in Winston-Salem but by the time I got up to the mountains I couldn't feel my feet.

Shots

Yesterday I went to the Travel Health Clinic of Western North Carolina. I thought that I would be getting two shots but I ended up getting 4. Let me say that again, I GOT FOUR SHOTS. It was not fun. On top of the shots for China I had tetanus updated and I got a shot for H1N1 as China is a little up tight about people entering the country how have a temperature. Don't want to take any chances with it. I also got Japanese Encephalitis and Typhoid. The shot for Typhoid had to be given in a muscle all by itself so they had to give it to me in my butt. Let me tell you I felt like a poor injured bird. My left arm had two shots, my right one and my butt one. They only left me one limb without a shot. After they gave me the shots they asked me to stay 10 to 15 minutes so that if I had an allergic reaction they could epi-pen me. Yet another shot. I didn't need it. Thanks a lot though for the thought. I did feel like I was running a low fever last night. A mild side affect of all the shots. Boy oh boy am I glad I'm traveling.

Today my left arm is still really hurting. I can't lift it or it really hurts. My butt still hurts as well. It was a rough night trying to sleep I couldn't get comfortable. That and I worked at 6:45am. So right about the time I got comfortable and was drifting off the alarm went off. As they know I'm leaving in two weeks they are coming up with all kinds of stuff to give me a hard time about. It isn't very hard early in the morning when I'm still tired and can't form coherent sentences. They don't heat the back at work so it is really cold. It hasn't been above freezing here in 4 or so days. My car's heat only works periodically so I have about 15 minutes of shaking on my way to work. I tell myself I can make it and then I think it is so damn cold I should just stay inside. That's what I did this afternoon. I stayed inside and walked up and down the hallway for exercise. Not very good exercise but at least it was something. There are snow flakes every once in a while. I haven't been able to figure out if it is snowing or if the wind is just blowing the snow from the ground around.

I applied for another job in Kunming today. Although I haven't heard from anyone yet at least I'm getting out there. It is starting to look like I'm really going. Well, our apartment is rented already so we can't stay here so we have to go somewhere. We still need plane tickets and visas but we are making progress. Thus explaining the pain in my ass.

New Year

Unfortunately, I have a cold and didn't feel great. I had to work on the 31st. I got off before midnight. I was exhausted even though they gave me zipfizz. It did help me stay awake, but by the time I worked 9 hours I was ready to go home and go to bed. The event at work had red roses which they used petals on the tables. They had left over Roses so I got to take some home. They are really pretty. I stayed up until 12 said Happy New Year to Matthew and went to sleep. So much for excitement.

Today I went and saw Avatar with my family. It was a much better movie than I had anticipated. I really enjoyed it. We saw the 3-D version. My brothers thought it was like a longer non animated version of Princess Monenoke. After some thought I agree with them. Before the Movie mom and I went and looked at suit cases for me and sheets for her. We were shocked by the price at JC Penny's. $250 for a suit case with not many extras. We ended up going to TJ Maxx and finding everything we needed. I got a pretty blue rolling suit case for the trip to China and my scholarship with Rotary. Side note Matthew and I gave notice for our apartment. We are moving out on the 25th. Hence the suit case for the trip to China. We have been looking for jobs in Kunming without much luck so far.

After the movie we all went to Zen Sushi the Japanese place by The Hop, ice cream, and Urban Burrito. It was a good choice for us as we had a snack before the movie.

Christmas

Last night it started raining. All the snow is melting. We now have a lot of ice on the trees. I'm not sure if that is any better than the snow. At least in Bakersville there wasn't as much ice as there is in Spruce Pine at my Grandfather's.

This morning I woke up and we made pumpkin waffles with honey apple cider syrup. Actually it was a joint effort. My dad did most of the work so I'm not sure I can really take credit for much of the result. However, I did find the recipe. We cooked the waffles while we were waking up my brothers and looking at the Christmas presents. The first waffle stuck to the waffle iron. After a little oil it was good. The apple cider syrup smelled really good. It was really strong. It was surprising on the waffles but it was really good.

Pumpkin Waffle with Apple cider syrup

We opened the presents which had arrived. Much of what was mailed had not arrived yet as it was delayed because of all the snow we got. I think my mom was a little distressed by the idea but it doesn't really bother me. It just means that Christmas will happen a little later this year.

Leaving Bakersville for Spruce Pine the rivers were really full. If we get much more rain we will probably flood. The river running under our bridge was really high and the water was pooling in the field. The closer to Spruce Pine we got the more ice was on the trees. By the time we got to my grandfather's road we were seeing downed power lines and trees. The power was out at my grandfathers which had made the cooking take much longer. Luckily there is a generator so that cooking could still happen. Even with the generator cooking wasn't happening until we arrived for some reason so we didn't eat until 2pm. I think it was pretty late for my grandfather but it was fine as we didn't eat breakfast until until late this morning.

The river in Bakersville with the Christmas tree decorations and melting snow

The ice on the trees is really pretty. Before I was dragged in to cut potatoes I went and took pictures of the ice. My camera didn't want to focus on the tree limbs. Jonpaul got some good pictures of the texture of the ice. With the rain it isn't as nice outside but when the rain slows down it is really nice to walk around outside.

Ice on the bush outside with read berries.

Lunch was turkey almost like a Thanksgiving dinner. Lillie, my cousin's daughter, thought it was a Thanksgiving dinner. Or at least that is what she said. With the four little kids it is hard to have everyone sit through a meal. I think the kids are a bit much for Papa. The little kids sang Rodolph the Red Nose Reindeer to him before lunch. He gets really emotional and it made him cry a little. Lillie keeps making Erik wear a holly crown it is pretty funny. He is so tall and she keeps making him put it back on. In some ways it is sweet but I'm really glad she didn't take it into her head to make me wear it. I think Erik is dealing with it really well.

Ice patterns

Erik in his holly crown he has a beard now!

After lunch we all felt really tired. Carol spent the with Papa last night so she was exhausted. Most of us just sat around and listened to the ice falling from the trees outside. It was a really pretty sound. Ruff got lots of treats from little kids so he is really happy. We have to stay with Papa until 10 tonight so it feels like a really long day. Papa is watching westerns so that's what I have been doing when I haven't been wandering around trying to find something to do. I wanted to try and play chess. I've never really played so I thought Jonpaul could teach me but there isn't a board here and Jonpaul has been playing Eve most of the time. Because lunch was late we didn't have dinner until really late around 8pm. All I know is that it has been nice to hang out with the cousins. Their little kids are a bit wild. My mom loves it.

All the little kids have head off to bed and my grandfather is on his way as well. Soon I will also be all tucked up in my bed.

Two or One?

My family has been bothering me about when I'm going to come back to Bakersville so today I packed up and headed home. Now I'm wondering why I came back as I could just as easily be in Asheville doing the same thing. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This morning I lay in bed for a long time. I finally got up and had a bagel for breakfast. Matthew got home late this morning from work. We read some in our book on Chinese culture and history. We decided to go and give notice on our apartment today. I guess this is motivation for us to find jobs in China and buy plain tickets. Part of me really wanted to give notice and the other part of me feels like I leaving my home. I've come to think of my apartment as home. It feels like it is mine. I don't know if I will have that for a while. In China a won't have my books or my orchids. I know that I will make it mine but it feels funny giving notice before I really have solid plans yet. Something that bothers me is that to show our apartment they only have to give us 2 hours notice. That means that Matthew and I have to be neater than we normally are. I guess that is like good luck, it is going to be a mess.

I thought I was going to leave Asheville at noon but then when I realized my parents and brothers weren't going to be home until much later I decided to stay and collect things from my apartment to bring home. It was a good thing for me to do as now I have less stuff to do later, and it was just laying around anyway. The drive back was interesting. I had to drop some books off at the library so I went down Merrimon avenue and I almost got hit but I truck pulling on. It looked like it was driven by a little kid. That frustrated me. Then I got behind a really slow car on the way into Burnsville and then when they turned off there was another slow car that I followed all the way to Spruce Pine. It was really good timing on my part as my family got home right after I did. Ruff is a mighty hunter and he has a war wound from the last opossum he killed. We don't encourage him to kill them but he really hates them and goes for them.

We had to come to Papa's tonight to cook dinner. It is kind of sad being here. My Grandfather thinks that there are two cats in his house and he only has one. The other cat looks exactly like his cat but it isn't his cat. In some ways I would really rather not come. My dad is really stressed out my mom gets emotional and my brothers and I try and understand what my grandfather is saying. I don't understand him and he can hear me or understand me. When I went to ask Carol if she wanted dinner, she yelled at me. I then asked her if she wanted help and she yelled at me again. Now, why did I come home? I'm asking myself this over and over again. I'm not talking with my brothers they are on their computers. When I did talk to Erik it was because he was complaining about how he still doesn't have his luggage. That is really a bummer but why he hasn't borrowed clothes from my dad is beyond me. I view my mom's closet as an extension of mine when I'm home, not that I like most of her clothes. Erik has a beard now which is really strange. He looks funny. He is supposed to be my little brother which means he shouldn't have a beard.

Because Carol yelled at me and I don't really see the point in being here I'm wondering why I came home today. I should have stayed in Asheville and gotten more stuff done there. I really need to find a job in China and I know that if I keep searching I will find it. I like being able to talk with Matthew about what I find. All I have now is the sound of cards filling across the screen as my dad plays spider solitaire on the TV. I think we will be going home soon though which is nice. I have a cold bed and a cold room waiting for me. I'm just wondering how long I'm going to make once all of the family arrives. My aunt, Carol will remain in a tissy as long as her kids are here it is a bummer for all of us that she gets so out of sorts when they come to visit. She cares for them but it seems like she doesn't know how to express it in a positive way.

BJ just came up and stuck his face in my face. He rubbed my nose. It is kind of terrifying at the same time it is kind of nice. I know that his history suggests that he might bight my nose off at any moment though. Poor kitty has a bad reputation. I have to say though that he has worked himself up to it and he kind of deserves it. Well I've said way more than I should and way less than I could.

Snowed in

This morning Matthew and I went for a walk around the block. It was hard work walking though almost a food of snow. I measured it and we have about 10 inches. That is a lot for Asheville. All the trees are covered in snow and it is like a winter wonderland.

Today I thought I would be able to get out. I was hoping that I wouldn't be able to though. Work called and asked if I could come in. I thought I would be able to get my car out but it was not happening. I tried for 45 minutes and it just wasn't happening. So I called and said that I couldn't come in. At which point I was ready for a day off. But no. One of my co workers lives by me and I cold ride in with her. So I walked to her place and it took us an hour and a half to get to work at which point I just wanted a nap and to go home. This is the point at which they told me I would end up staying the night. I would have been alright with that if I had been prepared to do so before I left me apartment but I was not ready to stay the night. I ended up working three hours and going home. I don't think they were happy with me at work but I needed a warning.

My car stuck in the snow. It looks much better all covered in snow.

I spent a nice afternoon with Matthew. We cooked sweet potatoes and kidney beans and nappy cabbage. I like Nappy cabbage much more than I would have imagined. It was a relaxing night. It started snowing again, a light flurry I can watch against the street light.

SNOW SNOW!!!

So it is snowing and snowing today. Work called me and told me that I didn't have to come as the event was canceled. I really enjoy the snow. Today it is big fluffy flacks. Matthew and I went for a walk outside and all the trees were covered in snow. It was a really pretty walk. On the walk we saw a crow it was dancing on the snow and when we walked up it flew away. It was really pretty when it flew away into the white of the snow.

So I can't really take a picture very well when I'm in it. It is the best I got though.

I didn't think we were going to get the 10 inches that they said we were going to but now it looks like we will get it. The snow on the porch outside is getting really deep. The pile on top of the table outside looks like an large snow angle food cake. I haven't seen this much snow in a long time. Erik was supposed to fly in today but all the flights into Asheville were canceled due to the weather. Asheville doesn't have the ability to deal with snow. The snow on the roof next door is starting to fall off and I can hear it falling off and thudding on the ground it is a sound I haven't heard since I lived in Michigan. When I lived there I didn't like the snow after the first snow but here I love the snow as I know that it will melt in no time at all. I guess when the sky and the ground are the same color for months it gets old but when it is only for a couple days it is exciting. Well I'm waiting for tomorrow to see how much we have. It's supposed to stop by the morning.

Amaryllis

These are pictures of my Amaryllis which I've been taking as it has been opening this post is going to be mostly pics. I am posting them from oldest to newest so that as you scroll down the page you can see the flower opening.

Amaryllis 12/8 just starting to peek out of the bud.

Amaryllis 12/9 just starting to open

Amaryllis 12/10 morning

Amaryllis 12/10 night

Amaryllis 12/11

Amaryllis 12/12

Amaryllis 12/12 different angle

Amaryllis 12/13

Amaryllis 12/14

Amaryllis 12/14 different angle

Amaryllis 12/15

Amaryllis 12/16

Osteopath

This morning I woke up with sore neck and a corresponding headache. I called up my mom and she gave me the osteopath's phone number. He is a friend of theirs. I got lucky and there was a cancellation and I was able to go today. I didn't think I would be able to drive as my head was really hurting me, so Matthew drove. I was amazed by how much him cracking my neck helped. I think that the combination of playing violin and working for Dining Innovations is stressing out my body and I'm not able to deal with it. As a result I end up getting a sore lower back and my neck cramps up on the left side and my head kills me. I just want to lay in bed and not move. When I left the osteopath's I didn't have a headache and I was feeling much better.

My violin lesson which I was going to skip was good, I learned how to play Summertime.I know a different version than my teacher so there are some differences in how it could be played. I really excited about the music I'm playing currently.

It was rainy all day and windy. Just before the sun set though it cleared up and the the sun was shining on the hill across from my balcony. The sky was still really dark and I could see clouds blowing back in. It is dark now and cloudy again. I have to say I'm grateful for the little bit of sun I did get to see today.

New World Chili

New World Chili with pumpkin

As I didn't get to carve my pumpkin I decided I would cook it. I've looked up some recipes and found one for new world chili, which has pumpkin in it. It took me a long time to cut up all of the ingredients and when I was done the underside of my right thumb nail was burning. I thought maybe it was onion or garlic that was hurting my thumb but when I stuck it in my mouth it was hot and then like a light bulb going off I knew it was the jalapeno peppers I had cut up for the chili. I washed my hands for the third time and it still burned. Even as I write this I can still feel the fire under my thumb nail.

Chocolate Chip and Cherry Cookies

As I had already spent a lot of time in the kitchen, and I needed to watch the chili, I decided to make some really yummy chocolate chip cookies. I added dried cherries and they are amazing. I'm really quit proud of myself. It was just a normal chocolate chip recipe and I made it something special. They smell so good. They look lovely too.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was at my grandfather's in Spruce Pine this year. It was odd not being at my parents house. With my grandfather back in North Carolina we are spending much more time with him. It is hard sometimes to spend time with him as he is not really as aware of his surroundings as he used to be. Sometimes though he notices things that no one would notice. Yesterday he asked why we were all wearing socks and not our shoes? In not as many words. Why would he notice something like that and not so many other things. Sometimes I think that it would almost be better if I wasn't there as I look like my grandmother. Particularly with my hair long as I wear it in a bun and that is how she wore her hair.

The dinner/lunch was good. We cooked way to much food. Well, I should say, my parents cooked way to much food. I'm not complaining though. As always I ate way to much. After lunch Ruff, who we brought along, wanted to go for a walk so Jonpaul, Tadayoshi and I walked him down the driveway. Tadayoshi, my cousin, arrived late to the lunch. Currently he has not figured out how to be polite or make himself pleasant company. Everything is about him. I wouldn't mind if he was more interesting but he is the typical college student. It was so cold outside we didn't walk far as we really needed more layers.

The Mushroom on the tree

Mom and dad thought it would be nice to hike some of the trails that are by my grandparents. Carol joined us which was nice. We walked one that goes to the Spruce Pine mineral museum. It was really chilly and we had to borrow coats from the house. I wore a jacket of my grandmothers and Jonpaul got a coat of Papa's. That really helped make the hike pleasant. A little way down the trail we saw a mushroom hanging from a tree. It was like little tendrils growing down. We made it to the end of the trail and decided that we would like to get warm so we walked back on the Parkway as it was faster than wandering through the woods. When we got back everyone headed home except for my family. We stayed for dinner with Papa as it was our night to stay with him. Mom, Jonpaul, and I went home after dinner. When we got home it was snowing. The first snow which I've seen this year. It didn't last very long or stick to the ground. Mom and I worked on drilling my books and getting them ready to photograph.

Hawk's Bill

Matthew and I came up to Bakersville last night. We had dinner at my Grandfather's as my parents are caregivers some nights of the week. It was really foggy when we were driving. I probably should have followed the advice of the sign for the Parkway and used a different route but I didn't. I thought that it wouldn't get any worse but when we were leaving it was even more foggy than when we arrived.

Today mom headed over to Papa's in the morning and Jonpaul and dad went to get Jonpaul his driver's license. He got it. My little brother has his driver's license.

At noon we set out on the Parkway for Hawk's Bill. It was really sunny and as we were driving I could see Hawk's Bill from the overlooks and it looked sunny and nice but right before we got to the road that goes up we drove into the clouds. The clouds were really cool. On one side it was cloudy and the other side was sunny. We hiked up in the clouds and when we got to the top the clouds were blowing over the top. We sat and watched the clouds blowing over. I always thought it would feel wet against my skin. It didn't. I could see the cloud coming at us like a solid object and then I was inside it, breathing in the chilly air. I'm upset that my camera was in the car with dead batteries but that is what happens when you have old rechargeable batteries that don't stay charged. My brother and dad took pictures on their cell phones so maybe I'll get some of them.

Clouds blowing over the top of Hawk's Bill

It was a nice hike and it was nice getting out with my family although hiking up made me realize just how lazy I've been recently. I need to get out hiking more and not spend as much time sleeping after work. The early mornings really wear me out and I don't go out and do as much as I would like to. After the hike I was really tired and couldn't do much more than sit in the kitchen and drink hot cider.

Firethorn

I have been drawn into the world of fiction, my thoughts over flow with the story. I just finished reading Firethorn by Sarah Micklem. The world was different and yet similar to enough that I could imagine visiting and seeing the plants I read about. I am a reader drawn in from the first word and I follow every step not questioning even though the text may stumble and if I do question it is more for myself my desire to know more, to become the character which I am reading. Firethorn was easy to love even though she was a tough person in the book. I read and read and still I want the book to continue as the end wasn't really an ending. I have the next book and am waiting to pick it up, yet I want the first book to continue I'm not ready for a second yet. I have to wait for the story to drift out of my mind and stop pestering me before I start the next book.

Firethorn is light fantasy. Not the fantasy where you have to try and believe in dragons and time travel, which I have nothing against. I like this kind of fantasy because it is easy to read without questions. Firethorn the main character in the book has been given a gifts by the god of fire, Ardor, after she survives eating the fruit of the firethorn. When she returns from her time in the Kingswood she finds that the kingdom is going to war, and when the troops come through the town she is spotted for her red hair by one of the Blood, descendant of the Gods, and he takes her for his lover, but instead of leaving her in the town he takes her with him. Most of the novel takes place on the Marchfield while they are waiting to go to war across the sea. As there is little physical movement and they never get to war in the story, the book could have easily dragged but it didn't. I did start to feel impatient and want them to leave for war but I never was sorry as the more I read the more I got to know the characters and the more I want to read the next in the series, Wildfire. I have to say that I was really drawn to the cover of Wildfire and would probably not have read Firethorn if I hadn't realized it was a series. I am not sorry that I did though and would recommend the novel. I do think it will appeal more to female readers as it is in first person and Firethorn is not a female character who would easily be liked by male readers.

Saturday I went to the library and picked out books and then I started reading. Sunday it was rainy so I read, I took a break and went to a movie with my parents, we saw Julie and Julia, I really enjoyed the movie. It made me wish I was eating good French food instead of the pizza I had in front of me. Brew and View theater was cold and even though I had hot chocolate my nose and feet were freezing by the time the movie was over. After the movie Mom, Dad, Jonpaul, and I went and got way to much desert at Greenlife. It was good. I needed a break from reading and it was good to see my family.

Today even though it wasn't raining it was gray out and it seems as though winter is really coming and the snow will soon follow. I'm like a little child waiting for the first snow to fall so I can stand glued to the window and watch the flakes fall, like it is the first snow I've seen. It hasn't come yet but the air smells different and I can feel it coming. I'm waiting.