What Is And What Should Never Be

Craig's program this year is by research (no taught classes) so the typical schedule of terms and breaks doesn't really apply. Instead he has three major papers, then the dissertation, and our lives revolve around these due dates. Nov 13, Jan 22, Mar 19, Aug 8. My plan was to take a trip after each of these papers and way to celebrate and get some adventure in. We managed to get in a quick November trip to London. (We'll see what we can do for the others--life is filling up fast though!) The week before the trip was a tense week of paper writing, then I got sick right before the trip, then I don't really know where the days went after that, and I haven't posted on the blog, or exercised, or spent much time with friends since. So I'm grateful we got to sneak in 48 hours in London. Here's what we did: Neither of us had been before so we spent Thursday just wandering around seeing the big sights. What I've learned about myself though is that when I

If you ever get a chance to visit Scotland, go in October. Sometimes I get on an instagram kick, so if photo updates are your jam, follow me: @_meekjs

I stopped reading books sometime last year. Between the trials and tears of submitting Craig's school applications and the 2016 election season, I was feeling depressed and overwhelmed and not motivated to read anything except for the depressing and overwhelming news. And while panic and outrage still hits me over the state of the nation just about every day, my overall mood is tons better since this summer, and particularly since the move. Thanks to this, regular long bus rides, and a book group with new friends, I'm happy to report that I'm reading some again. Easy but interesting books that have brought me enjoyment and renewed enthusiasm about this terrible and wonderful world. Here's what I read in August, September, and October. Gifted to me by my Scottish senior pastor in DC. Interesting angle on Scottish history. Read on the Paris trip; related to the author's joys and pains of moving to a new country. Murder and hi

Last weekend I went to Paris to meet up with family and actually meet my cousins. One of the best parts of living here is that this can be a normal sentence! Hopefully we can take advantage of how close we are to the rest of Europe and see all sorts of places. Friday I explored alone... starting on one side of the Seine, then walking across and up to the Musee L'Orangerie to see Monet's Water Lillies... then down through the Jardin des Tuileries ... down and over to Musee Picasso... then back across the Seine to Notre Dame... and into Jardin du Luxembourg. Saturday I explored with the fam. We started at Notre Dame and wandered our way down to the Lourve and up into the Eiffel Tower. There was so much along the path for kids to play on and explore. My cousins are awesome by the way, and it was fun to see my aunt and uncle too, and my grandma who is such a good traveller/travel buddy. In sunny and cloudy weather, the white buildings lined with iron and ivy were very charmin