Charles Towne

After wrapping up my time in the NICU I needed to get outta town for a little while and Ben felt the urge as well so we packed up and drove 4 1/2 hours south-to Charleston. I had never been and had been wanting to visit for a while. It didn't disappoint; we came upon great bookstores and lovely architecture as well as beautiful gardens. We wanted to stay in a place close to downtown without having to pay for it and Ben suggested we stay in a hostel, as he had never stayed in an American hostel and has fond memories of sleeping through Europe this way. So we found the "Not-so Hostel" a few blocks from downtown for a mere $50 a night. Well. Apparently $50 doesn't pay for things like hot water and good smells. It was less than ideal but we weren't there very much so we made up for it. Ben took me to a French restaurant where they served the food in Le Creuset dish-ware and it had a good wine and a cozy romantic atmosphere without being pretentious. There were bicycles parked all over town which made me happy. The pictures are: Ben perusing "Blue Bicycle Books,"


Willowy tree in a churchyard



unique and preserved architecture


Ben at Kiawah beach-

and below, our room at Not So Hostel

Gas Leak?

Prostrate in July
Tawny tummies sunnyside
No purr stirs the air

One year down...

Ah, it's great to be done with intern year! Our class celebrated with a weekend at a nearby lake. We rented a house and a boat and it was great to kick back and relax all together. I really like our class-we've had a good year supporting one another and clinking glasses together in celebration of finishing one rotation or another.
We also welcomed a new addition to the class. One of the original "10" had to return home to California as her husband (also a medical-type person) could not find a job after finishing fellowship. So we lost her but gained a resident from UVa to take her place and her calls :)
Ben was able to join around his teaching schedule and came in just in time to fire up the grill. I have a relatively nice transition to 2nd year, starting out in peds clinics, while some of my colleagues had to transition from the relaxing lake to various intensive care units.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mom and Lindsay at Mellow Mushroom. Good pizza, good times, good family.

Going to the Chapel

Rebecca is getting married to a wonderful man who allows her to register for many things in pink. I think he's going to make her very happy. This is how I celebrated with her over the weekend.
Then, I re-took in some of Little Rock's finest sights and doings with the two most darling friends in the world...pottery painting at Firefly...
Dinner at Ciao Baci-where Ben proposed...
And breakfast at Community Bakery where we were joined by Steve, Melissa, and Becca W. all the way from Colorado. I still didn't get to see the finished river bridge or make it back to Christ Church or see Silas, Micah, or Eleanor so it was far from complete but we'll be back in August to see Miss Zellmer become Mrs. Atcherson!!

Angst

Is anyone else deeply disturbed at the sheer volume of press and headline news that one rich blonde girl in jail can make?

Rudy

Meet Rudy. The newest addition to our clan. He was unexpected, that's for sure. Never say to your beloved, "I need change," because you never know what will run up to you on the street. Especially when, by "change," you really meant something like rearranging furniture. It took Sophie a little while to warm up to her new brother but I think she's taken a liking to him and would defend him if need be. Well, actually maybe not as she spent the first day or so being terrified of him. He's probably more likely to defend her. Anyway, Rudy kept me company today at our yard sale as Ben had to work and our neighbors who were supposed to join in had to cancel due to a medical emergency of sorts.

Just In Time

While Ben headed off to Michigan for a Medieval Literature conference, I took off in the opposite direction for a little sun and beach in my sister's new town. Four days later, I with the smallest of tans was taken by Ben, whose skin did not see sun but simply took in more book dust, to the local lake where we had a picnic on a rowboat. It sure was nice. Last weekend we went hiking at Hanging Rock (the "hanging rock" is pictured) and then did the last of the week's runs in preparation for the Virginia Beach marathon in September. Now, there are two slight problems with doing a full marathon: A. I'm doing an intensive care month in September and don't even know if I'll be able to get away and B. My body simply wasn't made for this, no matter how much I try to change its mind. I woke up this morning ready to tackle our yard with gusto and was stopped short with the most gruesome back pain I've had in a while. This, along with my iliotibial band -knee problems, and a new achilles tendon problem makes me think the marathon just may not happen. But we'll keep on, I suppose, until my body can't take any more. Ben's joints and such seem to be intact for now. Below: this is Sophie with our neighbor's pup, Eden. If you scroll back a few blog posts you'll see a similar Christmas picture. My oh my has this dog grown. Sophie's just working on her lateral extension.

Obviously, summer has arrived . . .

. . . leaving me free to catch up on all the important things elided during the busy Spring semester. Things like taking the Supervillain Personality Quiz. Brandy hasn't yet taken the quiz (something about having to go to work? ), but you'll find my results below, as well as an artist's depiction of me that, though rather inaccurate, still captures something of my fashion sense. I realize that most of my friends are good and tired of tests at this point, but you may find this one less taxing than most. I encourage you to take this self-exploratory journey, and consider sharing with the group what you've learned.

Your results:
You are Dark Phoenix

Dark Phoenix 45% Venom 45% Riddler 44% The Joker 42% Apocalypse 38% Magneto 36% Juggernaut 36% Poison Ivy 36% Dr. Doom 35% Lex Luthor 32% Mystique 32% Catwoman 30% Green Goblin 28% Mr. Freeze 26% Kingpin 26% Two-Face 24%

A prime example of emotional extremes: Passion and fury incarnate.

Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz

Cap'n Ben

Those crazy lit grad students are at it again. Just as Ben's "Hounds of Ulster" intramural basketball team winded down an illustrious season it was time for the "Catchers in the Rye" softball team to gear up and my darling husband is the captain. You can see him there in the chef's hat and apron cooking for the hard-working team. Veteran readers will recognize this get-up as his premier purchases during yard sale season. Softball means spring and hopefully more running for me and cycling for Ben. I'm post call from OB right now and wide awake after having had to attend our residency conference. I think instead of sleeping away this gorgeous day we'll go to Hanging Rock (cuidado: shameless plug to the Lumpkins)-yet another adventurous place for hiking.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today is my grandmother, Beulah Mattie Conger's 98th birthday! I love her dearly and she can sure make a mean breakfast.

This week we were the lucky recipients of a (free??) new couch-it's there on the left. To celebrate the fact that we now have seating for more than 3 guests at a time, we invited folks over for rhubarb pie and coffee and wine. You can see that our new couch can comfortably seat at least 4. Not to worry, the old love seat is still with us and still uncomfortably seats 2.
I say free?? because our neighbors gave it to us and didn't ask for any money. I'm not sure what to do short of taking them to dinner.
I made the pies in my new apron from Kim and served coffee in mugs from Becca. I miss you girls!














And we are also the recipients of a "wee garden gnome" tee-hee. Maybe I've seen "Amelie" too many times but it makes me happy. So, until we have a garden for real he will have a home with our token house plant. In case you're wondering, this plant is a replacement for the previous one that I killed. I'm trying really hard not to kill this one.


Peace be with you all-BLU

Happy Year of the Pig

Today began as a cloudy, blustery day and I began by deliciously sleeping in until 9. It's Saturday and we have heat again; a modern marvel that is not truly appreciated until you move up the dial on the thermostat and nothing happens; at one point last weekend I was wearing both sets of house slippers simultaneously. Once our tank was filled with the precious warming oil again nothing happened with the thermostat. After reaching several handyman websites in a row that stated "for oil heat, it's best to just call someone," Ben did and 1 hour and 15o dollars later our tank responded to the thermostat.
In other news, we finally found a new coffee spot that nearly takes the place of Community Bakery in LR, care of some lovely friends. There are no shortage of such places in this town but I'm picky. This place makes their own hummus and takes the time to put fresh flowers on the tables and has a view of downtown. (we too were initially surprised that W-S has a skyline).
The place is in a part of town referred to as Old Salem - the building at the top caught my eye today; both its shape and appearance of having a beard with the wintry leave-less vines.
I'm more than glad that my intern year is coming to an end; I have 6 weeks of OB, then my long dark tunnel is pretty much over, at least hour-wise.
We're off to a Chinese New Year party--it's the year of the pig and we're gonna work on our dumpling-creating skills and probably hear some of that lovely harsh clanging Chinese opera. -BLU

Dear ol' Golden Rule Days

Today marks day three of classes for me. Our Victorian Novels class was treated this morning with a glimpse into the Rare Books and Manuscripts Room of the WFU library. Having just finished Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco's tale of murder and heresy hysteria centering 'round a 14th century monastic library, as my final guilty pleasure read of winter break, I was of course alert to what dark secrets might be lurking in the shadows of the stacks. But all I found were some early shilling editions of David Copperfield. Oh well. Brandy has been subject to more than enough drama for the both of us, working as she has been in the cancer wards this rotation. For her, the night shift, when for one reason or another, people seem more likely to die. Now at 2 pm she's sleeping--or was, until a moment ago, when her wretched pager sounded yet again. To Brandy's credit, she manages to sound almost magnanimous when groggily directing them to please call the DAY shift--but I'm almost to the point of marching on down to the nurses station and personally delivering a copy of her schedule (around bon-bons or a brick, if necessary).

Epiphany

Eden and Sophie are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Magi. (or wondering why the once beautiful Christmas tree is now waiting on the curb for pick up) either way, it's strong in the tradition of the Epiphany season.

May I commend to your attention . . .

Well, we had Thanksgiving. And it was good. Brandy cooked a masterful dinner, her family came to call, and Ben feverishly wrote papers between helpings of Turkey.

We consumed; we overconsumed; we reapt the consequences.

With the last of the Turkey bones fed to the pooch, it was time to ready our home for its first Utterian Christmas. Very cozy indeed.

We're in full American Holiday mode--visions of sugarplums and fancy bike accessories are a'dance in me head.



Last week, after a medical conference in Ashville (and a stay at a very nice Bed & Breakfast that Brandy wants to buy) . . .



. . . we headed down a'Little Rock way for early Christmas festivities with clans Ussery, Fankhauser, Utter, and Lumpkin. We tasted of the hospitality of each house, and had a grand time, which we sincerely hope was shared by all.



Babies Silas and Eleanor received baby type stuff, and Joel received his annual drubbing at MarioKart 64. See ya, Sukka'!
(Joel is bound to protest that, in fact, HE administered the drubbing. You, gentle reader, are under no compulsion whatsoever to believe him).


Our excellent friends Melody and Matt Lumpkin, mommy* and chaplain extraordinarire, respectively, not only did us the great kindness of putting up with putting us up for a recent overnight in Little Rock, but are also contributing to this site, which features daily meditations on the Advent.

Tell 'em Ben sent you, or just quietly start your day by sipping slowly on what they have to say.

*of Eleanor, seen here regarding her Chinese flag blanky with an affection that suggests she has never actually wrapped herself in that government's parenting warmth.

Caption Contest

I suppose I'm opening myself up to a certain risk of ridicule, but who am I to be stopped by such a thing? Winner gets a kiss and a piggy-back ride from us All-Americans.

Some Good Thanksgiving Poems

Whether you are thankful today because things are good, or because, as Garrison Keillor put it, things could be worse, here are a few good poems to help voice the sentiment.

i thank You God for most this amazing
by e e cummings

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)



Pied Beauty
Gerard Manley Hopkins


GLORY be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough; 5
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change: 10
Praise him.


The Wild Rose
Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart.

Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose blooming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,

and once again I am blessed, choosing
again what I chose before.

-by Wendell Berry, for his wife

Farewell to the White Rabbit

Isn't it odd how we baffled bereaved immediately begin casting about in memory to establish each our own connection with the dead, as if to justify our grief? As if the loss of one such as Dr. Greer was not its own justification.

I never had a class with Tom, but I still have notes to a delightful Pew lecture on Whitman he presented one afternoon at the home of the Doctors Sonheim. I saw tears in his eyes as he presided over the lovely wedding of my friends Tiffany and Randy, and again at Tiffany's funeral just one year later.

He was my confidante as I planned first one and then another trip to China. Even before he knew me well at all, he remembered from some brief early chat my enthusiasm for all things Chinese, and thoughtfully tapped me to assist in meeting and chauffeuring visiting faculty members from Beijing University. He even invited me along to a send-off breakfast with them at Old Walt's, where, in his eagerness to express his appreciation for the parting gift of some floral tea, he accidentally schlooped a chrysanthemum petal up his nostril.

It does not come naturally to a young student to realize the demands on a professor's time and attention, nor did Tom ever attempt to make the point himself on those couple of occasions when I managed to find him in, and we sat in his dark cool office, hung with what seemed several lifetimes of Sino-souvenirs and gifts, and traded stories of travel in our favorite land across the sea. He seemed to take an almost boyish delight in pleasures and adventures not his own; doubtless one of the very qualities that made him a great reader and teacher of literature. It was Tom who encouraged me not to worry so much about plumping my resume immediately after college, to go to beautiful Yantai for a year and work at the university there on the coast of the Yellow Sea.

I thanked him then for the advice, and I have yet to regret having followed it. But I regret deeply the hole in our little OBU family, and the loss too of one who was an enthusiastic emissary to countless international students and professors, both at home and abroad. A professor at Yantai University who had been the beneficiary of Tom's hospitality during a visit to Arkansas put it very nicely. "Please tell Dr. Greer 'Nin hao' from me. Tell him he is always welcome in China, and in my home. He is a very lovely man."

Indeed.