Thaw before reheating.
{ Monthly Archives }
I went into our stash of Mardi Gras beads to find some strands to add to Christmas presents — and Will had a blast “helping” in this fun activity. I kept putting beads around his neck (he kept asking “more please”) and then dancing around with them, happy as can be! 
Just a few days into week 19 and the belly has expanded to impressive levels. Some additions:
– Pre-pregnancy blouses that button up the front are stretching, they won’t be possible much longer.
– My belly button, usually an “inn-ee,” is a stretched, open O. A unique thing that I noticed first pregnancy: a flap of skin fills my belly button when I arch my back — it only happens when pregnant and is happening again now. This may sound strange, but it is actually pretty cute.
– I have stretch marks!! Last pregnancy, I got a few on my legs and hips that faded after Will was born. With that pregnancy, I gained a ton of weight everywhere — I expanded like a balloon… fingers, feet, face, legs, everything! This time, the weight is pretty much just on my belly (so far) and the marks are coming my sides, along my waist. They are faint pink lines right now and are sort of pretty.
On the 22nd, we go in for our next prenatal visit and an ultrasound. We are hoping to find out the baby’s sex. As much of a “gender neutral” person I am, I can’t stand the thought of having a baby girl lay down on Will’s “planes, trains, and automobiles” sheet set. Will and the baby are going to share a room and we are excited about getting it all ready before the baby comes.
We decided to go downtown to buy pralines for Christmas presents, walk around (the city is so beautiful and unique!), and get chickory at Cafe du Monde. This is one of the bands we enjoyed as we walked through the French Market — they were playing “Hello Dolly!”
Dad tickles Will with the cord from the compressor. (Will was way interested after Paul let the air out — “big noise!” — and was all over it to check it out!)
Paul puts the finishing touches on the fence. It’s finally done! (And it is so above and beyond the horrible fence — already tipping over — that borders our other side. Yikes!) Notice the backdoor? They used interior doors as exterior doors. Hopefully by this time next year, the back of the house will be completely different!
Will, experimenting with the hairdryer.
Finally — we have figured out how to be warm.
We had the fans on low (going “backwards” of course) to help circulate the air. This morning, Paul used the ladder to bring down some winter clothes bins from our second closets (our ceilings are so high that we have a full second closet above the first) — and he said it was literally stifling hot after about 8-feet up. So, we put the fans on a higher setting (3 of 4) and while it did seem breezy at first (why we were using low in the first place) after about a minute — magic! A warm room. If you stand in the corners, you can literally feel the heat pouring down from the ceiling. Finally!
How wonderful! I can only imagine how wonderful it will be once we actually have insulation and no cracks in the floors! Hooray!
Scott Cowen, President of Tulane University, announced the renewal plan for Tulane. The basic jist is that the U lost a lot of money in the wake of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history and is scaling back on some stuff. They are cutting back athletic programs and dropping some graduate programs, focusing on those that “have demonstrated ability to be world-class and, in the sciences and engineering, have the proven ability to obtain competitively awarded grant funding”. The chart outlines the current degree programs.
First signs suggest minimal disruption for our Department (International Health and Development) and very little for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in general. (A plus for chosing a top program, I guess!) From a short message from Pierre Buekens (the Dean of the SPH&TM): “the Plan opens many new opportunities for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. No major change is planned for any of our Departments or our teaching programs.” So, no major surprises seem to be lurking on that horizon.
In fact, there are signs for opportunity. Some neat initiatives: all new and future students will be required to perform service learning in rebuilding efforts (this is in addition to the wonderful service learning that Tulane undergrads already participate in — something that has very much impressed me about the undergrad experience here); all first and second year students will live in residence halls to rebuild the community; and (the most interesting), “our professional schools will augment their current programs to increase interaction with undergraduate students.”
I am curious about how and if undergraduates will have “increased interaction” with our professional school. (FYI: “Professional School” means just graduate students. Every School I’ve attended post-bachelors has been a professional school.) Possibilities for teaching positions, etc? It will be interesting to see how it all falls out… especially since current faculty are already majorly strapped.
Need something unique for that special someone?
Consider supporting New Orleans! Some ideas:
The “Save Nola” organization has a little shop where you can purchase gear — 100% of proceeds go to rebuilding efforts.
Basin Street Records is a NOLA-based label representing 9 local musicians (all great: these include some of our favorites in the city). Office, staff, and homes were destroyed, so anything you buy from them helps. Also, the Putumayo “New Orleans” CD ($15 on the BSR website) is donating 100% of the revenue from this CD to New Orleans’ musicians causes such as the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. (And if you order 2 CDs from BSR, you get a free compilation CD and free shipping.)
Treats are a staple of New Orleans! Send your loved ones goodies from Cafe du Monde or fresh pralines from Aunt Sally’s! Keep our treasures open for sweet business!
And finally, you can reach out to your cuddly side and adopt an animal, visit the marketplace, or gift a membership to Audubon Institute (includes Zoo and Aquarium).
