Home at the Ranch-o for the Weekend-o

Here is the lovely Maman.

See Maman talk.
See Maman cook.

See Maman set the table. (And her delicate flower arrangement).
Few enterprises are more comforting to the heart then packing up your weekend bag on a rainy Friday afternoon (and your dirty laundry), tumbling all damp into your dry car, shoving your broken umbrella into the backseat, slipping a book-on-tape into the CD player and heading south towards home. A compact room that functions as bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom and mudroom and split between two girls gives you an immense soul-thirsting for lounging space.

I love sitting at the counter in my house when my mom is cooking. I can chat with her and laugh as timers go off and she tries to remember what it was timing. The house is close and jolly and warm -- sleepers and jammies on!

"Wherever I wander,
there is no place like home"

Erg-a-thon

CALLING All would-be Philanthropists!

I am asking for donations for the Washington College Crew Team's annual fall Erg-a-thon. I, your rowing representative, will be erging a 20 minute piece, which will equal a little less than 5,000 meters. You can either pledge by meter (1cent/meter would be a little less than $50) or make a flat donation. All proceeds go to our spring break training helping us to be in the NCAAs this year! You know that you want to be a part of this amazing season, even $5 or $10 will help.


THANKS!

I am all astonishment! (And delight and wonder!)

My darling friend, Sarah Danielle Harr, sent me a package of glorious proportions, creativity and humor this past Monday. Let's break this down. First, she sent me a package. This is a phenomenal event and a spectacular one. I received the e-mail notice from Central Services and was surprised -- I had already received the exciting package of medicine and forgotten face wash from my mom. I thought "Maybe it is the free box of crackers that Kashi was supposed to send me which I had ordered in a desperate attempt to feel wanted? Maybe it is a catalog too big to fit in my mail box that I secretly believe Central Service employees have been pilfering and perusing?" Imagine my surprise when instead of finding a box of industrial crackers or a catalog I was handed the hippest box in Central Service's history. In college, package receiving is a status symbol. Proud package receivers take the long way back to their dorms to maximize the number of unloved students seeing their 25 by 25 box. Monday was my day.

Inside there were approximately sixteen small gifts individually wrapped and each with a quote on it. My favorite gifts have to be the ponchos: code for the Gildard's poncho and Sarah's camara that were stolen from her when she visited me in Marseille. This is what is called black humor, folks. Second favorite gift is the cool Pirate card game. I am moderately well-known for owning an incredibly awesome Pirate board game; I am slightly more well-known for being really bad at this same incredibly awesome Pirate board game. We'll see how this one fares.



The Carnage


So, my advice to you is to get Sarah Harr as your friend. You may say, "Well, Sarah Harr IS my friend." Of course, Sarah and I have been friends for close to 17 years so be patient. The rate of return may be low but it is definitely worth the wait, especially if you are desperate for a package. If you befriend her now, well, 17 years from now...