Barkley's home!

Barkley's back home - all went well at the vets! Just the two top canines removed, which is great (was beginning to worry about her lack of teeth at this point!), and the lump on her leg (which went deeper than expected, but all came out and she has 5 stitches). I was up in Orono yesterday and had planned to pick her up on my way home around 6 or 7pm. But I got a phone call saying she was getting "anxious" in the crate and could someone pick her up early. Super Amy to the rescue went and got her, she was apparently sacked out behind the counter at the vets - all was well once they took her out of the crate.

Still a little groggy, and her leg is obviously hurting her, but she's up to her usual tricks and has already growled at the custodian and got treats from the grad students, so all will be well.....:0)

And....to top it off.....as I went through the bag of drugs the vet sent back, there, in a baggie, are her two extracted canines. Slighly gross. Okay, a lot gross. Now what do I do with them?

I need to start running again. Maybe writing that here rather than just talking to myself might make me actually do it. I need exercise. I need stress relief. I need a goal. Tonight might be the time to look up races, maybe a 1/2 marathon should be on the cards this year. I need to start running again....

Weekend!

Well, i've been back just over a week and I think i've finally settled back in (e.g. unpacked) and am getting closer to kicking this cold (though I really wish it would go away faster). Yesterday I woke up and actually felt like I could go outside and rake leaves - it made me realise just how crummy i've been feeling this last few weeks. It's been a slow week, but amazingly i've managed to achieve a lot - taxes, car inspection, filled the oil tank. Next week is going to be a busy one too - Orono twice, diving twice, should start a big proposal, student meetings.

Miss Barkley has to go to the vet this Thursday too. She has to have three teeth removed - broken down to the root....:( - and have a lump on her leg removed. Feeling a little sad about it, was pretty sad when I took her to the vet for surgery last year after she arrived, she just looks so forlorn when I take her in. I know she'll be fine, but still, no fun.

So here's to a new week!

You Tube of Conference!

I actually didn't recognize myself on this video until the image came up. Guess I can't complain too loudly anymore when folks say i'm gone american.....

Duck and roll.....

Enjoy the sunshine....

Lay back in the grass......

Give the back a good scratch........

Look up to see who saw me do it........

Carry on as if nothing happened, with only the mass of leaves stuck in the fur as evidence......

UK Trip

Just got into Maine and wanted to post photos i've been meaning to do over the last week. A whirlwind visit, but great to see family. Have a raging head and chest cold that i'm hoping leaves pretty soon, didn't make travel the funest today. 

Not so little Lucy, now 3 years old (last time I saw her she was 3 months!). Cute as can be, and catching a ride at a morning visit to Birdworld. 

My new niece Emily - 8 months. Sweet girl who loves cuddles and attention, and giving the best smiles. 

My gorgeous nieces! 

And Emily can crawl already! In fact, while I was there, she started pulling herself up and trying to walk. It won't be long, i'm betting by her 10th month, she'll be dashing after her sister. 

Smily girl! 

A trip to the park with Lucy-loo! She's at that stage where she won't smile for the camera, so it's great to catch her here on the swing! 

Cutie pie Lucy - loves to play, give hugs and kisses and show off all her dinosaurs! 

Grant and I took the girls to the aquarium while Claire caught up with things at home one morning. Here's Grant and Emily watching the otters feeding! 

Tried to get a good one of the three of us - but between distractions and Lucy doing fish faces, it was surprisingly hard! 

On my last afternoon in Portsmouth, right before dinner, little Emily fell fast asleep next to me on the sofa. I promise I didn't feed her the beer.....! 

After Portsmouth was London - it was great to see Dad for two evenings, and to hang out with my cousin Nicola one afternoon for a whirlwind walking tour of London! 

The London Aquarium is fantastic - highly recommend it! 

Trafalgar Square - last time i was here it was covered in pigeons! 

An hour around the National Gallery, catching up with my Picasson, Gaugin and Monet. 

There are four plinths in Trafalgar Square (other than the large central Lord Nelson's column) - one holds a statue of King George on a horse, one  of General Napier and one of Major-General Havelok. The last was an empty plinth that is used to show rotating art pieces. This months was the above. I have to say, given the history of Trafalgar, I can't wait to see this particular one rotate off......

A quick trip to Buckingham Palace to see the queen.

But not to stroke the horses! 

The palace! 

The guards! 

And of course, what walking tour wouldn't do Westminster Cathedral - home to many a royal wedding, including some recent ones. 

And topped off with a Discovery Ale with cousin Nicola. A fun day was had! 

In Amsterdam

Well, I had every intention of updating here before I left, but that obviously didn't happen! It's been a hectic few weeks, both getting ready for the International Deep Sea Coral conference, where i'm giving a keynote tomorrow, finishing up a NSF proposal, and dealing with yet more green card madness. The later has been somewhat heartbreaking, as now my card is delayed until July, which means I cannot close on the house, so the seller may elect to put it back on the market instead of waiting for me. I have yet to hear, and needless to say am a little stressed about it.

So here I am in Amsterdam. Arrived yesterday somewhat later than expected, delays in New York led to me missing my plane in London, so I had a 6 hour wait there yesterday morning. Good so far, though I haven't wandered much, I figure after i've given my talk tomorrow I can go further afield and explore a little.

One of the canals behind my hotel

My wander for some air and lunch today led me to this cute park. The weather is windy and overcast. 

Unfortunately the weird weather has been here too - the cherry blossoms have mostly gone and very few tulips are to be seen.

Delicious food!

And a windmill, one of the few remaining in Amsterdam

Made the paper

Dave came over and showed me some of the video too - pretty cool! A longer update soon, it's been a wild few weeks of immigration hell.

In the garden

This weekend saw temperatures in the high 60's and even 70's for sunday, so I spent much of it in the garden attempting to rake the multiple years worth of leaves from the grass. Spent quite a while on it, yet even in the main areas there is still a layer, and I didn't finish behind the house. At least this way the grass can dry off a little and it will mean I can cut it easier, and the temperatures seem to be staying warm, so I can probably finish that off this week. It felt good to be outside and getting some exercise, i'm still stuck in this rut of the house not being mine yet, so feeling unable to motivate to fully unpack. But being outside doing yard work didn't feel futile, so i'm hoping it's the beginning.  

An awesome find - an eagle/osprey nest right in my back yard (right by the house!). I so hope it's active and can't wait to see who lives there! 

Barkley at the back of the house, and right above her is the nest.

Barkley, sporting her "bear cub" look. Now the dilema - do I shave her this summer or not? I love her long and fuzzy, but think she'll probably get hot. Not to mention the tick issue......hmmmm. 

Hawaii

Back from Hawaii, and a wonderful time was had. Many of the stresses melted away and I do feel much happier with life than when I left. Not all the stress goes away, and there are still some big decisions to make here soon, but this was just what I needed to get my brain into a better place to make those decisions and move forward with work and life. Thank you to Jenny, Doug, Hannah and Sammy for hosting and entertaining me, I miss you guys so much, this was a wonderful visit, but I was a little sad to say goodbye yesterday. 

The visit involved a lot of play time, which was awesome, both with the kiddos and with Jenny and Doug too. The weather was somewhat wild - hail, tornadoes, lots of rain, wind and cooler temperatures than Maine on a couple of days. Just crazy! But considering the cost breakdown of the whole visit (Plane Ticket - $10; Car Parking - $20; Bus Ticket to Boston - $40) I can't complain too much - but did feel sorry for the tourists who had saved up for that Hawaii vacation! 

One of the first stops - the Kahala Hotel for breakfast. First time ever they'd closed off  the outside seating because of the wild rain and wind. Luckily it didn't change the quality of the brunch food....:0)

I love orchids. I should really start to try and grow them. 

In front of the orchid wall at the Kahala Hotel. 

Saturday morning was clear enough to get to the beach - yeah! There was a funeral going on for  one of the original sailors of the Holkulea canoe. I've seen a few Hawaiian funerals in this spot (party like atmosphere, everyone paddles out to a spot to spread ashes in the water, with flowers and leaves to spread too), but this was huge. 

Beautiful Koa wood canoe carrying the ashes out to the Hokulea (sailing boat out in the background). 

Sammy, enjoying some Mountain Dew! 

Hannah and sammy enjoying the sand. Jenny & Doug sure make cute little people! 

Proof that Jenny, Hannah and I did get wet once! It wasn't too bad once in, but was feeling on the edge of being close to the Polar Plunge.....

Ice-cream break with the kiddos! Thanks so much to you four for having me! 

Ice Diving - Day 2!

It's official - I am an ice-diver! This weekend was really so much fun, it reminded me how much I love learning new things and new diving techniques. Next stop - technical diving using decompression stops! 

Actually, i'm lying, next stop is 5 days in Hawaii hanging out with friends and doing NO WORK! 

Loading up the sleds to head out to the dive site. Today's objective was the 2 final dives of the course - 1 look-see dive and 1 dive to learn lost diver techniques. 

Luckily the hole had not frozen shut over night, just some thin brash ice to go through. 

First divers getting in the water. 

On the first dive the instructor let me take my camera, which I was so thrilled about. Here's Phoebe playing with her air bubbles under the ice sheet.

Air trapped in the ice sheet, but as seen from underneath rather than above. 

That's me! The ice above us is about 2 ft. 

If you added air to your suit just right, you could kneel or even stand upside down under the ice.  This is me playing with my bubbles crawling under the ice. 

Still playing with my bubbles, it was pretty hypnotic. 

The dark shape above me is one of our sleds full of gear on top of the ice. 

Phoebe standing upside down under the ice! 

Our air bubbles, trapped under the ice. 

Self portrait.....:0)

At the end of the day, and course, we pushed the ice blocks back into the hole so it would solidify. Then we marked it with tree branches and tape to stop people walking over it until it is nice and solid again. 

And a nice treat on the drive home - a bald eagle hanging out on a snowy lake.