Sunday, April 27, 2008

Weekend Update

This weekend was pretty awesome and pretty tough at the same time. Lemme elaborate.

1. Friday: Worked a ton, got a ton done. Started to get VERY nervous about my upcoming committee meeting. But still having a good lucky streak. A good friend passed his orals, so there was a bit of a celebration. And I hung out with some friends at the first bluegrass show on the lawn of the Carolina Inn.. which means summer. Cute Southern folks in summer dresses and
khaki shorts. Good times. I putzed around the yard for a while, made some piles of branches to get picked up and looked at our new possible fruit trees. Here is a pic of what may be a peach? Not sure. Blurry picture too, sorry.


Was supposed to go to a going away party, but back decided to seize up painfully (probably too soon to be doing lifting) and I just stressed out about my meeting and whimpered about my back while poor Trent tried to sleep. Finally realized some Advil would solve everything.

2. Saturday: Met up with a friend from lab and his wife and adorable 4 year old daughter for breakfast at Weaver Street (where else!). They just found out that they are expecting baby number two, and he is trying to get his paper published and defend so he can start a post-doc he already has lined up at Emory. Oh, and they are trying to sell their house. Fun to see them, also makes us feel like weinies for being stressed out about our situation.

Headed to Lowes (where else!?) to get lots of drywall and quickset and grout for the kitchen. Progress! Man, drywall is crazy heavy!! My back was not so great from yesterday, so I wasn't terribly helpful, but we managed to get it all in the truck. Crazy crowded, unhelpful staff, starting to hate Lowe's. Unloaded at home and I helped for a bit before going to lab for several hours. Awesome. Seriously, this meeting is killing me.



But Trent got tons done without me. Check out the before and after on the drywall situation in the kitchen! He totally finished the new laundry closet and the internal wall. The external walls still need to be have their new insulation inspected and then we can do those. Then tiling! How talented is this boy??





After our long day, we got all showered and cute and rode our bikes downtown to meet up with friends at our new favorite bar, Milltown. It was just what I needed. Some of my favorite people were there, everyone was SO nice about the marathon, and got some reassurance from senior grad students that this meeting will be a breeze. It was a lovely warm spring night and we sprinted on the bikes back home, to catch the taco truck down the road just before they closed up. Perfection!!

Sunday: Up early to beat the mean crowds at Lowe's for more sheetrock and sheetrock paste. Trent works all day, cutting and doing beautiful instillation of the sheetrock while I battle with my presentation. I am going over it with my boss tomorrow, which I am almost more nervous about than my real committee meeting. It is starting to look pretty sweet though.

Finally take a break to go.. BACK TO LOWES!! No really. We live there. I don't even recall what we needed. Sheetrock screws or something. We should have a key to the place. Stopped by Whole Foods for some yummy groceries and Trent dumps me... BACK AT LAB on the way home. Pouring rain, I am feeling pretty sorry for myself. But SO motivated to show my committee I know what the heck is going on and prove I am a good scientist. Got a few experiments done, was going to lock myself in the tiny dark microscope room, but realized I would probably just fall asleep.

Trent came and picked me up after a couple hours, and I zoned out watching old Star Trek for a little break. Back at the presentation now, and Trent is still working away in the kitchen (it is 10:25pm as I type). We are getting it done! And while the work is hard, it is for things we really want and will benefit from tremendously, so it kind of feels good to be working so hard. Not that I am not SO excited about getting this meeting/kitchen done. It will be fantastic!

Hope you all had a great weekend! Check out my pretty flowers Trent got me! In a plastic cup, yes. Because who knows where my vases are...

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