Semester is ending, advent is starting.

Life continues to be rich and full here in Enoughsville. Even though I'm not teaching classes, nearing the end of the semester gives me that usual sense of rushing and striving to wrap things up.  I'm guessing this feeling arises now partly because the work that my two independent study students are doing is coming to a close, and we all want it to close well.  It's probably also because I'd been pulling together a talk on Salvador Dalí (whose life I didn't know very well before I started the project) and in particular about his painting that illustrates the fourth dimension (which I did actually know well), . . . and figuring out how to give this talk in Spanish in the class I'm auditing.  "Suelos de baldosas": tiled floors.  "Puntos de fuga": vanishing points.  All sorts of things that I didn't know how to say before prepping all of this, but now I do.  Of course, part of the sense of rushing and striving is because my office, where I do research, is sandwiched between colleagues who are teaching and doing regular committee work, and the vibe carries.

What else did I do this week?  I drove my husband away.  More specifically, I drove him to the train station so he could head overseas for a few weeks.  Some snippets from his letters home:

• A month ago, I picked an aisle seat for my first flight from New York JFK to Kuala Lumpur via Istanbul . . .  when the flight attendant announced “Doors closing” no one was moving down the aisles toward the back of the plane. I slid to the middle seat, fastened my seatbelt, and watched for that one last person hustling down the aisle. She never appeared. . . As soon as we soared over water, I lay down, seat belt fastened, and smiled myself to sleep.
• Istanbul Airport has sleeping lounges . . .  A glass wall surrounds the space. Inside the wall fake plants hides the sleepers from view through the translucent walls and give the enclosure a more peaceful feeling. Around the edge of the rows of chairs, there is enough space on the floor to  lie flat. That’s where I slept for a half hour or so off and on throughout the day.
• I just arrived in Malaysia.  I am seeing glitter reindeer and tall purple Christmas trees.

Jeannie, my husband's sister, did a different kind of traveling -- fewer sleeping adventures, and even more connections, although for her, it was connections with people.  She writes,

This was a milestone. I flew back to Boston Thanksgiving weekend to attend my 50th reunion. Thought you may want to share it in the next weekly newsletter.

Thought you may want to share it in the next weekly newsletter.  (Yes, yes, I do!  What a happy looking gathering!)

Kinderling has been torturing her kids with fun stuff.  She says:  

We took C-child to an amusement park today (it was her bday gift from a friend) Her first ride- turtle whirl Bchild was not in a great mood today, as she didn't nap. C-child was not phased by the spinning turtles

Later, we went to Tuba Christmas, which was indoors this year, and therefore not quite as kid-accessible, as you can see Bchild explaining adamantly.   

Tubas!  Christmas carols!  Fingers in your ears!

Speaking of Christmas approaching, it's been good to break out the family advent calendar and get cracking on opening those flaps to reveal the days' activities.

December 1: Tuba X-mas
December 2: Bring up boxes and get out Christmas clothes

Perhaps you are wondering how the Little Cow/Farm Library is going.  (Perhaps you're not wondering, but I'm going to tell you anyway.)  A rain blew through that soaked the cow card someone had left last week.  The colors all ran together.  When the cow card eventually dried out, it looked like a very cool tie-dye cow, and eventually someone took it.   

Rainbow cow beanbag, Tie-dye cow card,
and plain cow beanbag.

Finally, I wanted to share the expected, but still sad, news that our family has said goodbye to the faithful Watson.  Gosling writes, 

Watson passed peacefully by my side this afternoon. He left this world with so much love from those near and far.

About 15 min before the home euthanasia crew arrived, he settled in for a final rest with his mama. As we sat on the bed we had put outside, and I gently stroked his soft head and ears, his eyes closed peacefully and he seemed to tell us he was ready. Thank you to Colin for getting these final special moments on camera. Colin said his goodbyes and let me and Watson have our final talks, kisses, love, hugs, and tears together. And don’t you worry, his final meal included chicken-fil-a nuggets and pupperoni. He left surrounded by so much love from near and far, and a happy full belly.

It's hard to know what to say, so I'll just close with a photo that seems to capture what we're feeling.   In the park near my home the trees have lost all their leaves for the winter, but the rose bushes are still bearing flowers, and they still smell as sweet as when I visited them with friends in June.

And that's the news from our family.  Hugs.