We joined friends on Friday night and went to Newport High School’s presentation of Les Misérables. Anya had friends in the cast and crew. For a high school production, they did very well with some very strong performances and just a few set glitches on their opening night. This is such a powerful story of the struggles and yearnings of life with one of the most amazing representations of redemption, such that, even a high school rendition can move me to tears.
Anya asked for homemade biscuits for Saturday breakfast. I obliged.
We had a great breakfast together. We laughed so much that I think I’ll have to make biscuits more often!
I dropped Anya at the invitational track meet in the morning. As it is an invitational, everyone is responsible for their own transportation. Anya was one of 3 pole vaulters on her track team who have cleared the required minimum height (plus one more who is recovering from a gymnastics injury). I returned at 12:30 pm for the scheduled 1:00 pm girls pole vaulting which didn’t start until 3:45 pm! I read some African women’s hermeneutics as the hours passed. Fortunately, the weather was better than what was forecasted.
It was a disappointing event for Anya. Due to the late start and over 34 girls vaulting, they started at Anya’s personal record without an opportunity to do much warm up with so many competitors. But at least she had an opportunity to compete amidst the excitement of an invitational. (There were over 340 boys running the 1600 meters divided into 7 heats!)
Since my work permit won’t be looked at until October, I have to figure out what to do with my beginning steps for packing. Previously, I was going to do most of the packing in May for a June 1 crate shipment, in order to arrive on August 1 (or so). So, I put a blue tape guide in the corner of the living room to mark the size of the shipping crate. But now, I’m wondering if I start to put things back and live with them for another couple months!
I ordered the milk crates for shipping books. Then I have a hit-the-ground-running bookshelf too, despite the college dorm room motif.
The good news is that as long as Anya is in the country–regardless of the visa she’s on–she can attend school. So, she has two offers to stay a couple months with a host family from future colleagues of mine. What a wonderful community! We still have to figure out if this will work or if it will complicate the transition to a residency permit later.
Sunday mornings for me are often reading the paper with a cup of chai tea and then a long, brisk walk. We have wonderful green belts in our neighborhood. There is a stand of Western Red Ceders (my favorite indigenous tree) close to home, but also the Wewona Park that is so woodsy, it seems like a trail in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains not in the city limits of Bellevue. There’s a few blocks of residential area on the way home, so I get to walk by the panoply of changing spring flowers. Here’s my favorite from this morning.
My days of botany courses at the University of Minnesota come to mind, but columbine isn’t one of the indigenous plants I recall having to memorize the genus and species. I still remember that lilac is syringa vulgaris of the oleaceae family. At one home, the huge lilac bush was so close to the street that the lilac smell was in the air. It is my favorite flower smell.
I met two women from Brundi in church this morning. Its always intriguing to learn a bit of their stories and realize that our paths cross for a moment.
I made Thai pork burgers with a cucumber salad for lunch, which Anya really liked the lime and lemongrass. Then, Anya went to a friends house to study physics, and I took a Sunday afternoon nap. Afterwards, it was time to get serious about packing for Norway, as I leave on Tuesday morning.
I have developed several preparation lists depending upon the continent. So, its time to pack things up and figure out what needs to be done on the last day–tomorrow. I’m not sure what all I’ll need for clothing. I know there will be two events on two different days for the dissertation, so I need two professional outfits. (But in Norway, I won’t be culturally required to wear skirts or dresses! Whoo hoo!) I’m hoping to climb Dalsnuten, which is just over 1000 feet with wonderful views. So, I pack some hiking clothes, including rain pants. The international church worship on Sunday can be casual as well as meeting Knut at my school. I think I’m packing with a few more options than I may need, but I have the space.
The hard part will be figuring out what books to bring to fill the weight limit for my last days of preparation for the trial lecture and defense. I will be able to send some books on to Uppsala, as I have two colleagues coming from Sweden for my defense. (Oh, what bag will I bring to send with the books?) But then, will I need those books for the revisions of the dissertation to prepare it for printing? Ugh!
Off to finish my dissertation Eratta sheet tonight.
With blessings, med vänsignelser (svenska), kwa heri (Kiswahili),
Beth