Monday, October 20, 2008

Falling Leaves and Gingerbread for Breakfast



Even though I'm up to my ear lobes in homework this semester there are so many things to enjoy. These leaves are on my favorite tree that I walk under every day on my way to work school and this is the steamy gingerbread Sumanth made on Sunday.

I've also seen so many dear kids lately. I was studying at a cafe nearby last week when a father came in with his two little daughters, one probably three and a half years old and one two. He bought a pistachio gelato and a strawberry gelato and I think that the process of helping them both eat it was harder than he had imagined. While scooping up some pistachio for the younger daughter, the older daughter would be trying to wield the spoon like an ice pick, and then when he'd help her, the little one would put her fingers in it and cry because they were so cold. There was one magical moment, though, when both little mouths were full of sweet frozen creaminess. The father immediately asked, "C'est bon?" and they both shouted, "Oui! Papa! Oui!" And they were so excited and so happy that that one second seemed to last a long time.

And then I was on a train crowded with Red Sox fans last week when this little eleven year old chubster in full Red Sox garb who had talked the whole time about how this was his first game ever and how he just "couldn't believe how his sisters could ever like the yankees" asked if I wanted to take his seat. Right away his dad was like, "Ah, real nice son, wait until you're going to get off and then offer your seat," and the little boy's face just crumpled as he put his hands up in the air and said, "Well, it is only my second time on the train... I'll know what to do next time," and then offered up a tiny grin. I've never cared much about baseball, but that night I was sad when the Red Sox lost.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Three nice things about the cooler temperatures...

Smoothing the duvet out over the bed.

Reading in my robe.

Homemade almond lattes.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Fall has hit. Hard.


Not as hard as this picture may imply, though--this isn't our apartment--this is the dorm room that we stayed in at the conference in Canada last weekend where I got to present a little paper. We didn't arrive at this room until 6am Canada time the morning of my presentation and the plastic covers over the twin beds and pillows seemed a little harsh. Our lack of shower shoes aside, we really enjoyed the campus--the leaves were so brilliant and the hills were so rolling.

The conference went well, here is a picture of me during the break before it was my turn to go. I was nervous because the guy who was next to me, and who was the other person on the children's literature panel, was quite intimidating.

Hopefully, I will get back to blogging more now that I am starting to get used to how much homework I have. Sumanth has really kept us well-fed during this crazy time--last night when I came home he was stirring paella for tonight's dinner and whipping cream to put on top of pumpkin bread! Maybe fall is not hitting so hard after all.