Okay, I want to be a Baa-Chick.
If Hedgehog Guy ever asked to buy that many LEDs for some crazy idea with the Beefpile Clan, I would certainly raise an eyebrow until he brought me home the Mona Lisa in sheep.
March 26, 2009
March 19, 2009
Rodent update
A fair number of people remarked on the notice that I have a mouse co-habitant, so I thought an update was in order. I think the mouse is smarter than me.
While I admit that this doesn't take much, it is a bit disturbing. First, it successfully avoided the "live" traps while grabbing the goodies. Second, it hasn't even touched the "kill" traps, in like 4 weeks. I have only been sure it has been back once since setting the kill traps, and they are hair spring triggers that will take your finger off in an eye-blink. So I think it is too smart for me. Or else it doesn't like peanut butter and raisins.
While I admit that this doesn't take much, it is a bit disturbing. First, it successfully avoided the "live" traps while grabbing the goodies. Second, it hasn't even touched the "kill" traps, in like 4 weeks. I have only been sure it has been back once since setting the kill traps, and they are hair spring triggers that will take your finger off in an eye-blink. So I think it is too smart for me. Or else it doesn't like peanut butter and raisins.
March 14, 2009
March 06, 2009
Hedgehog Guy's Defense
So I realized that have not written about Hedgehog Guy's big day.
Wednesday, February 18th started off cold and rainy with snow flurries mixed in (a bit like last night here!). Fortunately, it was not a bad omen for the defense! We lunched at a new restaurant on Main Street with Hedgehog Mom and Pop and then dropped off Hedgehog Guy at the lab while the rest of us grabbed the last few yummies for the audience to munch on while Hedgehog Guy gave his presentation.
Then it was time for the big presentation. Hedgehog Guy had really stressed about it, but he had a full room of listeners and did a great job. Only one "uhm" that I counted!
The next step was for Hedgehog Guy's committee to question him in a closed session, so Jason's closest friends who had driven in for the event along with Hedgehog parents and I waited in the hall outside the room, nervously awaiting the outcome. I think I was most nervous when he came out for a few minutes and said it had been really hard and had to go back in. But it turned out fine! He says he definately felt like he defended his dissertation and earned his PhD!
Then it was all fun and games - Hedgehog Guy got to pop the traditional bottle of champagne and serve a fabulous cake that one of his labmates made. We also got treated to some wine and cheese in the lab by Hedgehog Guy's boss - it was a big day for him too! Afterwards we all headed to a local tavern, Deer Park, for some nachos and beer. But half of everyone left before the nachos got there, and we all ended up with more heartburn! Almost seems fitting... We are all so proud of him. Thank you to Chris, Richard, Damien, and Kurt. You guys are an inspiration to us and made this process look too easy!
Wednesday, February 18th started off cold and rainy with snow flurries mixed in (a bit like last night here!). Fortunately, it was not a bad omen for the defense! We lunched at a new restaurant on Main Street with Hedgehog Mom and Pop and then dropped off Hedgehog Guy at the lab while the rest of us grabbed the last few yummies for the audience to munch on while Hedgehog Guy gave his presentation.
Then it was time for the big presentation. Hedgehog Guy had really stressed about it, but he had a full room of listeners and did a great job. Only one "uhm" that I counted!
The next step was for Hedgehog Guy's committee to question him in a closed session, so Jason's closest friends who had driven in for the event along with Hedgehog parents and I waited in the hall outside the room, nervously awaiting the outcome. I think I was most nervous when he came out for a few minutes and said it had been really hard and had to go back in. But it turned out fine! He says he definately felt like he defended his dissertation and earned his PhD!
Then it was all fun and games - Hedgehog Guy got to pop the traditional bottle of champagne and serve a fabulous cake that one of his labmates made. We also got treated to some wine and cheese in the lab by Hedgehog Guy's boss - it was a big day for him too! Afterwards we all headed to a local tavern, Deer Park, for some nachos and beer. But half of everyone left before the nachos got there, and we all ended up with more heartburn! Almost seems fitting... We are all so proud of him. Thank you to Chris, Richard, Damien, and Kurt. You guys are an inspiration to us and made this process look too easy!
March 05, 2009
Moving update
Hooray! All our stuff is here - it feels like home!
The moving company called on Monday morning and "our" van had arrived late Sunday night. Hedgehog Guy and I drove down to the border that afternoon and got the shipment cleared through customs. We learned in this process that as temporary workers, we didn't need the big long, itemized inventory that we had labored over. It took a lot of restraint not to slap my hand to my forehead and only mutter "oh, really..." when we heard that. But the van was cleared, and our stuff only 30 miles or so from the house.
Tuesday was nerve-wracking as we tried to hire some semi-professional moving help because we knew we couldn't get the couch and dressers in without assistance. Our dilemma was that we only knew that the truck was coming in a 2 hour window on Wednesday morning. But we didn't want to either pay people to sit and wait for the truck or have the truck arrive without anyone to help us (because we would only have an hour to unload everything). Hedgehog Guy finally arranged for 2 paid helpers and 3 of my lady labmates to come at about 10:30am in hopes that the truck wouldn't come before then, but very soon afterwards. Neither of us slept Tuesday night as we were constantly worried that the noises we were hearing were the moving van arriving early!
Wednesday came and our help arrived promptly at 10:30 as did the truck! We got it all unloaded in about 45 minutes, to the delight of the truck driver and my friends. None of the stuff was broken, only a few dents in the kitchen island/butcher block, and one scoff on the front of my dresser (nothing a another layer of varnish later in life won't fix). We lost a fair bit of finish off the top of the good ole' IKEA entertainment center, but nothing a nice runner doesn't cover. No broken pictures or glasses (yet), and only a couple small tears in the boxspring and on one piece of the couch. No missing boxes, nothing appears to have really moved much on the trip, just "settled". I feel like all our stuff is really ours now, it isn't new and can't claim to look unused anymore!
The computers work, as does the microwave and coffee maker. I even made bread right away in the bread maker. What a great way to christen a home - with fresh bread. The house feels really different with stuff in all the space now. I'm actually looking forward to going home and relaxing tonight.
The moving company called on Monday morning and "our" van had arrived late Sunday night. Hedgehog Guy and I drove down to the border that afternoon and got the shipment cleared through customs. We learned in this process that as temporary workers, we didn't need the big long, itemized inventory that we had labored over. It took a lot of restraint not to slap my hand to my forehead and only mutter "oh, really..." when we heard that. But the van was cleared, and our stuff only 30 miles or so from the house.
Tuesday was nerve-wracking as we tried to hire some semi-professional moving help because we knew we couldn't get the couch and dressers in without assistance. Our dilemma was that we only knew that the truck was coming in a 2 hour window on Wednesday morning. But we didn't want to either pay people to sit and wait for the truck or have the truck arrive without anyone to help us (because we would only have an hour to unload everything). Hedgehog Guy finally arranged for 2 paid helpers and 3 of my lady labmates to come at about 10:30am in hopes that the truck wouldn't come before then, but very soon afterwards. Neither of us slept Tuesday night as we were constantly worried that the noises we were hearing were the moving van arriving early!
Wednesday came and our help arrived promptly at 10:30 as did the truck! We got it all unloaded in about 45 minutes, to the delight of the truck driver and my friends. None of the stuff was broken, only a few dents in the kitchen island/butcher block, and one scoff on the front of my dresser (nothing a another layer of varnish later in life won't fix). We lost a fair bit of finish off the top of the good ole' IKEA entertainment center, but nothing a nice runner doesn't cover. No broken pictures or glasses (yet), and only a couple small tears in the boxspring and on one piece of the couch. No missing boxes, nothing appears to have really moved much on the trip, just "settled". I feel like all our stuff is really ours now, it isn't new and can't claim to look unused anymore!
The computers work, as does the microwave and coffee maker. I even made bread right away in the bread maker. What a great way to christen a home - with fresh bread. The house feels really different with stuff in all the space now. I'm actually looking forward to going home and relaxing tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)