(More than) Enough Cake

Life continues to be rich and fall here in Enoughsville. This week has been particularly rich with cake and celebrations of all kinds.

On Monday, I baked muffins (apple oatmeal chocolate chip) for my last-ever writing circle with my students. Tuesday, I finished up teaching regular material (numerical projective invariants, in case you're curious), and then went home to bake a chocolate cake that doubled as a pirate ship.

Wednesday, I brought my chocolate pirate ship to our registrar's PeepOrama (peep show?), where we all displayed our own creativity with peeps, in dioramas.  I explained that in my own particular diorama, everything was edible except for the shark.  Well, and arguably the peeps. 

A peep walks the plank,
which is dangerous because there is a
peep-eating shark swimming by.

Both Tuesday night and Wednesday night ended up being late-night baking nights for me. By Thursday, I was a little brain fried, . . .  but I have to say that if I'm pulling late-night hours because of baking cakes, I know my life is overall pretty good.

Peeps in the crow's nest, and an island where
X marks the spot for the buried treasure.

Thursday, I taught my last class.  This is the second time I've taught my last class -- the first time was two years ago, just before I went off into the administration . . . but that chewed me up and spit me back into the classroom for one more round of "last ever".  I do think that this last class was really the last class, though.  

My students chalked my board for me.

One of the mathematicians in our department has started a tradition of clapping a professor out during the last class before retirement, so about midway through that class period the rest of my colleagues and a whole bunch of my former students swamped the room, bringing in ice cream and brownies and cheering.  It was a super lovely way to wrap up my teaching career!

The comment that makes me happiest about what I've done.

And even with all that, the parties of the week were just getting started.  I went straight from my class to a party for the College House I headed up this year, to do a champagne toast to the seniors. 

The cake I made on Wednesday night for our
House's senior celebration on Thursday.

And then there was a sophomore dinner, and on Friday there was a math lunch for the senior majors, and then an All-campus party . . . and there will be more of the celebrations next week, as we pass through Reading Days into finals (and my final grading spree!! Yay!!!) and then commencement.  So I'm feeling well-rounded with all the cake and all the celebration that is filling me up right now.

Nelson called to chat, and he, too, has adventures awaiting.  He's signing up for classes in construction and in audio production.  He's very much enjoying working with his basketball team, and got to give the middle schoolers a pep talk about moving beyond losing one game: he reminded them about getting their heads in a good place by thinking about playing the next game just the way they played in practice.  He's thinking maybe he'll even get to travel with them when they go to Memphis in August.  

My guy is still active in Torah studies and protests and bicycling; he's not traveling much right now, and I am enjoying having him home (when I'm home to enjoy him, that is). 

And that's the news from our family, which continues to be wealthy in our adventures.  May you and yours enjoy this spring and all that it brings.