What a lovely decadent day! I did NOTHING! other than eat, read, and eat some more! What a treat. I found this book review at the NYTimes today. Sounds interesting and I think I will add it to my ever-lengthening list of books worth reading!

http://nytimes.com/2009/03/17/books/17kaku.html?8dpc

It's spring break! We are in Lolo, Montana for the week. We drove over yesterday, and so today was our first full day. It's funny, but I got a bit bored in the afternoon and fidgety and couldn't quite figure out what to do for a bit. but we went for a walk, and then drove into town for a few groceries and other errands. It is jsut so nice to not have to think about any work.
Things are lurking in the background of my mind, but I refuse to let them come in - at least for a couple of days. It is nice to be back in Lolo. The weather is cold and unsettled - we saw a few snow flurries and some rain. But it's relatively warm - around 50 degrees during the day today.

It's time to blog again. I am not sure where a whole week went, but i was busy submitting two more grants. Enough already, no more this semester. From now on, I iwll just concentrate on my classes. About 6 or 7 more weeks to go. We put the clocks back this weekend but winter still has us in her grip. It has snowed off and on all day today, and I think I shoveled about four inches of the sidewalk and driveway.
This past weekend G'pa and I had two social events - that's not common for us. On friday night we went to a 50's and 60's dance at the UUCP church. they had a live band playing all the songs from my teenagehood! It was great fun!
then on Saturday evening we joined a couple of friends at a wine club lamb and wine pairings dinner. We had a great 5 course dinner and four different wines to try out with it. I was so full by the end of it!
that's aobut it for now.
I'll try to check back in before another week is past.

I just got back from Sleeping Lady resort in Western Washington near Leavenworth. It was a retreat for WAToToM - Washington Teachers of Teachers of Math. It was a great weekend - way too much food! And very good to boot! Good people, good interactions, good work done!

I heard tonight that my oldest grandson won lots of medals at a state meeting of UIL. He is a math whiz! A genius!
Here's the website for UIL - University Interscholastic League - http://www.uil.utexas.edu/
The results aren't posted yet but they should be soon.

I am also reading a new book - see my bookshelf- Speaking Truth to Power, by Anita Hill. It is a fascinating account of an important sexual harrassment case that I remember quite clearly. I am very interested to read her account of it all. She will be at WSU later this month to speak.

Here's something that looks like fun! a 60 mile bike ride around the Yakima valley wineries!



http://wineglasscellars.com/Local_Bike_Rides.htm



You can also do them by horseback, or in a horse-drawn cart! there's an article in the March issue of Sunset Magazine! I was going to include a link but it's not up at their website yet.

five minute university

This is funny! I tried to do what Mama V does and put the video here, but I can't figure out how, so I just included the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8x8eoU3L4

I had to post this poem - it made me think of Mamma V and Miss D and K-wiggles and M-moo making pasta!

Linguini
by Diane Lockward

It was always linguini between us.
Linguini with white sauce, or red sauce,
sauce with basil snatched from the garden, oregano rubbed between
our palms, a single bay leaf adrift amidst
plum tomatoes. Linguini with meatballs,
sausage, a side of brascioli. Like lovers
trying positions, we enjoyed it every way
we could-artichokes, mushrooms, littleneck clams, mussels, and calamari-linguini
twining and braiding us each to each.
Linguini knew of the kisses, the smooches, the molti baci.
It was never spaghetti
between us, not cappellini, nor farfalle, vermicelli, pappardelle, fettucini, perciatelli,
or even tagliarini. Linguini we stabbed, pitched, and twirled on forks, spun round and round
on silver spoons. Long, smooth, and always
al dente. In dark trattorias, we broke crusty panera,
toasted each other—La dolce vita!—and sipped
Amarone, wrapped ourselves in linguini, briskly boiled, lightly oiled, salted, and lavished
with sauce. Bellissimo, paradisio, belle gente!
Linguini witnessed our slurping, pulling, and sucking, our unraveling and raveling, chins
glistening, napkins tucked like bibs in collars, linguini stuck to lips, hips, and bellies, cheeks
flecked with formaggio—parmesan, romano,and shaved pecorino—strands of linguini flung
around our necks like two fine silk scarves.

"Linguini" by Diane Lockward, from What Feeds Us. © Wind Publications, 2006.