Now it's Thursday and still foggy on the Palouse. The fog has sat here for at least 2 weeks, maybe three, and I am ready to see the sun. We had a tiny glimpse of blue sky this morning but that window on the world quickly closed and the fog moved back in agian. the trees are all frosted with icicles which occasionally rain down. The weather is supposed to get cold and snowy this weekend. Wonder if that will change the fog?!

I am off to Washington DC tomorrow for 5 days, for meetings with friends and colleagues at NSF (National Science Foundation). I will be staying at the Renaissance Hotel on 9th St NW. I just looked it up and it's very near the Mall and the Capitol. I think I will have Sunday free so I will try to see something special. I am thinking that this time I will go to the Museum of American History - partly because it has just reopened after being closed for 2 years for renovation, and also because of the recent inauguration and increassed interest in things American!

I have to report that I did something today that felt pretty good! I have been trying really hard to not take on any obligations for the summer and so far have turned down quite a few things. I have been saving hard so that I will be able to pay the bills this summer without working. Not sure that I have enough to pay for my planned trip to Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam in May/June or for my trip to Greece in July but hey ...l I filled out a form that said "No thank you, I do not want to teach anything this summer!" It felt pretty good to turn that form in!!!