What I forgot to mention with all the other musings on numbers in my blog on Monday is that my mother turned 83 on Monday. She seems to be doing well, but says she is slowing down a bit and may have to stop driving soon!

I just returned from a quick trip to Oregon to talk with some colleagues there about a grant. As always, its was a productive visit, and exciting to brainstorm some possible activities.

Flying back this evening the plane passed over Mount Hood in all its snowy splendor, and then the Palouse at sunset. It is amazing to see the enormity of the rolling hills, wheatfields, farms, and shadows in the setting sun. Quite a vista.

It's nice to be home again. At the same time, before I sat down to watch a movie this evening, I made a list of things to do. i came up with 11 non-trivial things. That's a usual, normal state of affairs. I guess I will hit the ground running in the morning trying to cross things off my list.

All of a sudden, the holidays are looming, the semester is almost over, and we will be heading to Montana and then Utah for the holidays. and of course I am not ready yet!

a bit of unrelated trivia, excpet that I am watching another Kate Winslet movie tonight. Mama V and Kate Winslet were born in the same town! But Kate is 6 years younger!