Panic time

We've come to that time of the academic semester best known as PANIC time. It's the moment when you realize you've been on auto-cruise and if you're going to finish everything by the end of the semester, serious changes in lifestyle have to be made.  Like skipping meals and sleep and just sitting at the computer and typing.  The good news is that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, at some point in mid-December when all of a sudden you become human again.

Needless to say, despite knowing it's panic time, I am still planning on going to Dartmouth this weekend with Peter to watch a football game and then going down to DC next week for Thanksgiving.  What's that the say about denial not being just a river in Egypt?  One paper down, two to go.  I think Margaret, Annie and Sean are in the same boat, but I think everyone else remembers those days.  

On the good news front, John and Marilyn have returned from Florida for the season's holidays.  They were greeted back the day they arrived with our first snow of the year.  Good timing.  Mary and I had dinner with them ad heard about their enviable schedule and Johnny's surfing attempts.  Sounds like one of those things better off having started at age 6.

More good news - Annie secured an internship this summer at Bank of America.  She had gone down to Charlotte NC for an interview and then heard last Friday, just in time to really enjoy her weekend.  We also enjoyed her good news up here.

To a certain extent.  We conducted our fourth "cleanse diet" last week, and so there was a limit to partying.  We each lost weight again, and hopefully got back on track, adding another food item to our no-no list.  Let's see if we can keep that list intact through Thanksgiving.

We spoke with David who had gone to Albany; he has been doing some expert witness testimony for legal clients.  I wonder how I can be an expert witness, for raking leaves.  Sounds like a good gig.

We also got a photo from Margaret who had gone to the White House to go bowling.  Really, the White House.  She was unimpressed by the bowling alley, but it looked like they were having fun.  I think there's a story there, but hopefully not so big a one that lands her in jail for trespassing.

We have gone to see two very good movies we recommend highly: Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave.  Actually, I am not sure Mary recommends the latter as it was so disturbing.  But it really brings home the brutality of slavery that no book has ever quite captured so glaringly.

Mary got together with Boyle ladies the other night - Marilyn, Erin her niece, Pat (nephew Michael's wife) and Annie (brother Michael's wife).  We also got our car "detailed" by Robbie (Coleen's son) who managed to get the stains out of the carpets and the seats that the pros in Maryland couldn't do.  Thanks.

Other than that, it is swimming, hiking, teaching and studying, hiking, teaching, swimming, studying, and then start all over again.  We have had a bit of a weather reprieve, though.

Hope you all are well, and an early wish for a Happy Thanksgiving.  Love from up here.