Just a few of the snazzy birthday cards that I received. Thank-you everyone!

The sisterhood -- Flossie can be a team player.

I can't wait to be through with this semester.

Happy Spring

A bit gustier than expected. Not watching the weather report adds for some excitement to the day.

Crazy that Easter is before my birthday this year. How bizarre! For me it feels like waking up upside down -- so this is how the other 3/4 lives.

Aren't these the cutest crocuses? They seem to be expressing spring -- "Let me out!"
(other plural forms of crocus -- croci or cuses. I chose the least confusing for all.)

Road Trip i.e. spring break

Destination: Charlottesville, VA
Route: North via brief stop in Chestertown to pick up British person
Return route: by way of Williamsburg, VA with detour to Wythe chocolate shop

Characters:
Confident driver

Trusty navigators

After missing their first exit due to a confused interpretation of the instructions read (read: 7B, heard: 70) and general chatty obliviousness, our three heroines quickly use available resources to get back on track. Calling the Goddess of Knowledge, Hayley's mother, our trusty driver smoothly navigates her way through D.C. instead of around it.

Heavy traffic dampens slightly our adventurers' spirits. But once again on the open road to Virginia, they imagine the crusty, brown hills they are passing in their glorious spring green and spirits are restored.

Imaginations are kept in check, however, by a lively game of Cow Pasture-Graveyard. A new game in Hayley's repertoire, it involves accumulating cow pastures and blighting everyone else's numbers by shouting, "Graveyard!" when such a one is in view. Don't snear at this seemingly trivial past time, competitive feelings can run high in this unpredictable game -- fun for the whole family except the driver who has to actually DRIVE while others rack up points!



Our weary travelers arrive at their destination unmarred from traffic or hurt feelings ("Graveyard!")The lovely Keyser family provide beds, food, encouraging conversation, and loveliness all around.

Our adventurers take Charlottesville by storm. Drooling over the gorgeous surroundings of UVa and its male population, Rowena, Hayley, and Sarah lament not going there.




Our well-rounded spring breakers take in some local history. TJ's hip house:




While Hayley is off in intense, real-world interviews her faithful team engage in equally serious endeavors.




Kitchy lunch venues abound in C-ville. While soaking up the VA sun, Rowena spots a fellow St. Andrew's student. A sudden surge of timidity, however, leaves any possible encounter to the imagination. The orange sweatpants-clad Britain walks off oblivious to his near run-in with our three buggy heroines.




Williamsburg: Not a British flag.

The End

WAC HAPS

This is Verena and she is one of my friends from Germany studying here at WAC. Last week was her birthday so we made her wear our Birthday Princess Crown. Sometimes I have the feeling that everything we (the American students) do is ridiculous to the exchange students.

It can be alternatively funny, strange, frustrating, or interesting to have your culture under a microscope. Sometimes it is embarrassing. Anyway, she wore the crown for about as long as it took to snap this photo : D

BUT when we went to the Mexican restaurant Mess and I did the whole sneak-off-to-the-bathroom routine to request the waiters sing to her. Ha! Doesn't she wish she wore the Birthday Princess Crown now?

I think it's amusing how Mexican food is such an anomaly outside of the States (and Mexico, I guess). When I was out of the country, I started craving this spicy cuisine, although according to Linnea authentic Mexican food isn't quite as exciting.

~ ~ ~ ~

Recently, Rowena and I had to take pictures of houses all over Chestertown. We are in a class called Historic Preservation -- it's amazing! Our professor is the District Commissioner for the Maryland Historic Trust. Finally, I am in a practical class about history. I now know all about Historic District Commissions (since I've pretended to be one) and architectural styles of America. Most houses are these funky hybrids, like this one. You have to look past the porch to see the original structure.

Look at that whopper of an addition! Houses tell great stories about their owners, the fashions of different eras, and the economic status of a town. For example, Chestertown has hardly any Greek Revival buildings because the town went through some economic hardships during that era. It was definitely booming in the Second Empire and Queen Anne period though!


Look at that blue sky! Spring is on its way! At 2 p.m. this afternoon I will officially be on spring break. Woot.

Birthday Ball

Welcome to the annual Washington College Birthday Ball held in honor of George Washington.
The snazzy theme this year was Putting on the Ritz. It was smashing -- and how! My friends and I got all swanky and we looked like some hot tomatoes.

Here are Ash and Bryan looking like the cat's meow (although Bryan's wearing a day suit, ahem).


The music got too jazzy? I'll level with you, I've no idea what these Smarties are doing but I love it. (Mess and Rowena)


Tonie's swell parents threw a happening cocktail party before the big show. Tonie's in blue.

Flappers -- those modern girls. (O.K. not everyone dressed the theme.)


One of the security guards asked me if I had stolen my feather from the decorations. I was rather indignant.




Well, Birthday Ball was the bee's knees this year -- a lot of jazz and a bit of jive, y--aa--hhh!