Life updates

Well, now that I am fully settled in my new job and new location, it has been a while since I last updated.  That doesn't mean a lot hasn't happened, though.  So, I guess I'll hit the highlights!

1. Conference in St. Louis

I went to my first official international conference as a representative of my new university.  It was non-stop between meeting with our international partners, going to dinners and drinks with companies we're associated with, and trying to catch up with friends and colleagues from around the world.

Since I was so close to home, I added on a week of vacation with my mom.  It was nice being back in Missouri - I got to spend time with family, and had several days to just relax and go to the zoo.

2. Glissette's adoptiversary

On July 30th, Glissette had been with me for a year.  I celebrated by making her a smorgasbord meal with all of her favorites - biscuits, shrimp, edamame, carrot, apple, cruller, and lots more.  She was so excited she couldn't decide which to choose!  Ok, I'll be honest, she got to the biscuit first and decided that must be the best offering, so she stayed by it and ate to her heart's content, then I set the other yummies around her.

I also bought a toy barn that the girls seem to love :-).

3. I moved

I bought a house.  I figure I'll be here a while, and I wanted something more permanent than my apartment.  It was a great place to live for my first year here, but I love my house.  The house is all mine, and I can paint and decorate anyway I want.  I'm still decorating/unpacking, but I promise myself I will have it all done by Thanksgiving.

4. My mom visited

And we did a lot of shopping.  I purchased a sofa, a bedroom set, and a dining room table.  I should have it all by Thanksgiving - thus my self-imposed deadline for being settled.

My plans for the short visit got a little muddled.  My mother decided to paint one of my walls, and our beach day got postponed until the next time she visits.  I do enjoy my fancy wall, though!  And we did get to go to inland NC for the furniture shopping, so we got out of the house a bit.

5. I was bitten by a cat

I've been volunteering with a cat rescue group - they have cats up for adoption at Petsmart, and basically I go in and clean their cages and get some of my kitty cuddly time.  Last week, however, one of the cats was fed up with being caged, and in my attempts to get her out from underneath the cages she bit me near the cuticle on my pinkie.  Normally their cats are calm, but she was just fed up.  I didn't really do anything to provoke her other than put my hand near her...  I didn't realize cat bites could be so bad.  By the following morning, my pinkie was swollen, red, and in a lot of pain.  I went to urgent care and have been on a round of antibiotics since.  I'm glad I acted when I did, since after looking online I've learned cat bites can get bad fast!  I grew up with cats, but don't recall ever getting really bitten before - guess there has to be a first for everything.  And don't worry, this cutie wasn't the biter :-).

6. Lavender's Adoptiversary

November 11 Lavender had her adoptiversary celebration. She celebrated with edamame, pumpkin spice doughnuts, cranberries, pomegranate, feta, and pumpkin seeds.  She too couldn't decide what was best, and settled on the edamame first.

7. Thanksgiving at Virginia Beach

For Thanksgiving I decided to spend the long weekend in Virginia Beach.  Mainly the trip was to relax and get away, and a view of the morning ocean was perfect.

I arrived on Thanksgiving, and found an Irish pub nearby that was serving a turkey dinner, so I was able to eat mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey, and pumpkin pie - all without the mess of cleaning up!

Black Friday I actually did a quadruple feature - I went to the Virginia aquarium in the morning and ended my visit with the 'Under the Sea' imax film, then I went to a theater and saw Frozen, Delivery Man, and Catching Fire.  I remember doing multiple films the day after Thanksgiving with my family while growing up, so it is nice to continue that tradition.

Saturday I did a bit of shopping and took advantage of the drive-through lights along the beach.

8. I have furniture!

Not quite received by Thanksgiving, but a week late isn't bad.  Drawers and a sofa and a real table, I love it!

9. In other news

The need to travel is in me.  Why is it so darn expensive to get back over to Europe?  Or even Canada?  I would love to see other places of the world, but France is calling my name.  I am trying to be patient - it seems my escape plan will not take effect until sometime next summer.  But I will make it happen!  France, here I come!