Uh-oh, Mom Falls off the Ladder

As long as I have known my mother, she has possessed a total love and hankering for Christmas decor. This year as she was taking down the outside Christmas lights, she fell off of the ladder, hit the cement (yes, the rock solid cement), and shattered her elbow. I received a panicked phone call from my father saying, "I am taking your mother to the emergency room." Oh my! Luckily, her elbow was the only broken limb, but her entire body was in pain. Good thing for pain meds!

On our last day in Colorado, Charlie and I took down my mother's decorations. Just for the record, my mother has a wicked amount of decorations...like 22 boxes/large bags of lights, stuffed Santas, lawn ornaments, wreaths, angels, etc. Note to self: never...!

All in all, she is recovering and still maintains a zest for her exorbitant Christmas decorations, although I doubt we will see her climbing a ladder to put up lights next year or at least we better not.

Another Wacky Weimer's Christmas in Colorado

This year the snow fell early in the Rocky Mountains making for a brilliant white Christmas. We had the good fortune of celebrating the annual Weimer Christmas celebration in the high-country of Silverthorne, Colorado (elevation: 8,751 feet). We rented a beautiful house on the Silverthorne golf course, which turns into a Nordic center during the winter. This year's festivities included: seven adults, one low-country boil, a night of disco fever (complete with a re-make of the "YMCA" song), an updated rendition of the 12 days of Christmas with whipped cream and snowshoes, wine-tasting, hot tubbin', epic early season skiing, sledding, and of course a mad night of the game, spoons. Check out the highlights in this video:

Another tradition that never seems to disappoint is the annual gift exchange. Here is a simple explanation of the annual GIFT Exchange, from the words of my little kid brother, "Each of you will get the name of one person in the Weimer Family Christmas circle. You will play make-believe Santa for that person, yay!! This means you have to get them a gift, determine where they're spending Christmas, visit them, eat the crappy cookies they put out for him, and discretely place the gift under their tree, woopee! Sounds easy I know, but there are stipulations: first, the gift must be an item or multiple items of clothing, comprising at least some portion--if not all--of an outfit. But not just any outfit, oh no: it must be a goofy, funny-looking outfit, oh my! Hee hee. They have to wear it the rest of the night, and the weirder it is, the more laughs it induces, the better (see photo to left for example of gift goodness)!! Hee hee, we little elves love to giggle! Another criteria: the gift must be from a second-hand store. Goodwill, ARC, Salvation Army, etc. It must cost no more than $10. Sound easy enough? Happy happy Weimer, happy happy Santa, happy happy Elf! (cuz now I can knock off early and go drink some yummy elf whiskey, sing carols with the other little elves, and dance around the mistletoe until I puke my li'l elf guts out! And you know how you humans always oddly see corn in your vomit? We always see Christmas cookies, weird! Hee hee.)"

A Near Miss of the Airplane...Oops!

Another epic travel tale!

Written: December 14, 11:08 p.m. (Eastern standard time)

About 3 hours ago: After a 2 hour drive to Atlanta from Athens, Charlie and I arrived in Atlanta for a relaxing and delicious sushi dinner before my flight to Denver. The sushi was tasty, the conversation was engaging, and apparently I was more relaxed that I realized. Around 8 p.m.ish we paid the bill and headed to the airport (about a 20 minute drive)...plenty of time to catch my 9:40 p.m. flight, I thought. We laughed and told stories in the car, life was good, in a few hours I would be *home*.

As we drove up to the airport "drop off" I suddenly looked at Charlie in PURE PANIC. FML...I forgot my purse at the sushi restaurant. "I have no ID!" (Uh-oh). At 8:43 p.m. Charlie put on his Mario Andretti persona as he drove like a bat out of hell. Back to the sushi restaurant. I cursed a little (insert many four letter words here) and then found some calm. Why waste energy on negative energy? Just accept that I am not going to catch my flight. In the meantime, my driver whipped in and out of Atlanta traffic as if he, too, was a crazy-ass Atlanta driver. As we sat at red lights, my mind ran right out of my mouth as I played out all of the different scenarios:
1.) I could pay an arm/leg to re-book my flight.
2.) If I run fast enough, maybe they will feel sorry for my panting ass and let me board the flight.
3.) Maybe, just maybe, by some strange cosmic energy force the flight will be delayed.

We arrived at the sushi restaurant at 9 p.m. (the same time that my flight began boarding) and AHHHH, the waiter handed me the purse, in all of its glory. Back on the road again. Now, it was the calm before the storm. Literally. To make matters worse, this past weekend I had sprained my ankle (pretty badly) while hiking...so, running to the gates was giving me more anxiety than normal. Somewhere during the breathing and panic attacks, we manages to conjure up a plan of action...arrive at 9:20 p.m. (according the GPS), leave my 50 pound bag with Charlie (yes, and the left/lost baggage saga in my life continues...), and run as if the boogie man was chasing my ass. As we are making the plan of attack, Charlie continues to talk to red lights to coerce them to turn green, while I focus on my breath. At one point, during a FAST turn, the GPS goes flying across the car (weeeeee) and lands under Charlie's seat (uh-oh). At the next red light I take off my seat-belt and put my face between his legs to try to fish out the GPS. I am sure the people behind/on the side of us got a cheap thrill out of that. Now, Charlie is wearing a BIG smile and the GPS is telling us we will arrive at 9:19 p.m.

We arrive at the Delta "drop off" and I grab my stuff and RUN! I try to check-in at the computer kiosk and it says, "Sorry dumb ass, you cannot check in as you only have 18 minutes until your plane takes off." ARGH! So, I run to the counter where the lady very calmly asks, "Would you like to try to run to the gate?" YES, and I am off with my boarding pass in hand. Of course in the security queue I get behind a diva with big hair, hoop earrings, and stiletto heels who is taking her sweet time to strip down to her bare essentials. After a minute of her fussing with her belt I ask if she would mind if I cut in front of her. In a Southern accent, she says, "Sure, sister!" Then I run, run, run (yes, as if I was in a movie) to gate A15 and the Delta dude looks at me with a very serious look in his eye and asks, "Boarding Pass?" He checks his computer and says, "Go ahead!" Ahhhhh, I nearly hug and kiss him...9:35 p.m.! Damn, I am lucky...

If you see me wearing the same clothes for the next 10 days, you know why.

A Little Calm Before the Holiday Hustle & Bustle

Before heading out to Colorado for the annual Weimer Christmas extravaganza, Charlie and I had a quiet weekend escape in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. Actually, this was the long awaited celebration of Charlie's PhD graduation. We stayed at the Cabins at Seven Foxes, quaint little cabins tucked away in the forest. During the day we hiked to a waterfall in Gorges State Park where I sprained my ankle (the same ankle that I sprained numerous times during my high school tennis years...argh). (Let's hope the ankle heals quickly, as I have some skiing to do!) At night, we found ourselves sucked into the holiday spirit as we experienced a Scrooge-inspired movie marathon. First, A Christmas Carol (1951), then Scrooge (1970), and finally the Muppets Christmas Carol (1992). On Sunday, we woke up to the greatest gift...5 inches of snow. What a great way to get ready for Colorado. After playing in the snow, we headed back to Athens where Charlie got back to the 8-5 grind and I packed for a 2-week holiday in Colorado.

The Brazilians Come to Dinner

It is always a fun evening when the Brazilians come to dinner. This time around we had two additional Brazilians guests as Chico's parents were visiting. We had a lot to celebrate; just one week earlier Chico successfully passed his Master's concert (he plays the bad-ass bass). Mexican food Americano style (big fat burritos) were served up and a mad game of UNO ensued. I am always so grateful of my international friends because they remind me that this Southern bubble I live in is just a place, not a way of thinking, living or being.

Yoga Adventure Club

The plan: dive deeper into yoga. Thus, I signed up to participate in the Rubbersoul Yoga Adventure Club that meets every Saturday (10-7) and Tuesday nights from September to December. Yoga has been a foundation for my life ever since I first tried it back in 2000. While training for the Chicago marathon, and feeling a lot of tightness and cramping in my muscles, I went to my first yoga class with a friend. After totally "blissing out" in the last pose, Savasana (the resting pose), my relaxed heart and mind fell in love with yoga. Ever since then I have been hooked. In Boulder, CO I practiced with an incredibly creative and compassionate teacher for 6 years and then moved to Europe where I took yoga classes taught in foreign languages (Norwegian, Portuguese, and Finnish). It was these two years in Europe, where I could not understand the body alignment cues, that I realized I already knew them. This got me thinking...maybe I should teach yoga. Arriving back in the U.S. I signed up for a yoga certification where I lived in a Colorado mountain ashram, Shoshoni, for two straight summers. While at the ashram I discovered meditation, my own spirituality, and the bliss of sharing yoga with others.

Moving to Athens, Georgia and starting the PhD program was a huge life transition. Luckily, I found the Rubbersoul yoga studio early on and have been teaching there ever since 2008. When I speak of yoga...it is not only the physical practice, but the lifestyle, the breath, and the uncluttering of the mind. Yoga has helped me overcome life transitions. Yoga has brought stillness, calmness, and peace to an otherwise crazy life. Yoga has especially been a nice addition to an academic life where I exist in my head A LOT.

The Adventure Club is not just the physical practice of yoga, but it includes circus skills (yes, I am attempting to learn how to juggle), meditation, vegetarianism, nutrition, and activism. It is much different than my experience at the ashram...as it is a different type of spiritual awakening...one that makes you look at your everyday routine of eating and the impact that you have on the earth and people in your life. Every week we read a book (see photos of books below) and watched a documentary. My mind was spinning from all of the new information and the realization that the meat and dairy industry has a great deal of influence on the public information on nutrition (i.e. food pyramid, school lunches, etc.) I am still working on processing the information as I continue to cut out meat and dairy from my diet and move to a more plants-based diet.

BOOKS (that we read and that I would recommend):
Happy Yoga (all about happy yoga, highly recommended), The China Study (an academically sound study that found animal products correlated to cancer and other diseases), Healthy at 100 (looks at healthy lifestyles of international communities known for their longevity), and Eating Animals (all about the cultural narratives that we use to rationalize eating animals).

DOCUMENTARIES (that we watched and that I would recommend):
No-Impact Man (this was my favorite documentary that we watched...a couple in NY decides to live their life with no-impact...funny yet real).
Food, Inc. (all about the F'ed up U.S. food industry).
King Corn (two dudes decide to grow corn with the feds subsidy, they find that corn is more than we all bargain for).
Wall-E (Disney flick about earth if we do not take care of mama earth, bonus: great love story).
Tapped (Who owns our water? The big companies are bottling municipal water and turning a profit on it. WTF?)

High Tea

On our way back to Athens, we stopped in Historic Roswell, Georgia at the local tea-house for an afternoon of the British-style high tea. When living in Oxford "cream tea" (similar to high tea) became a favorite outing when family and friends would visit. So, when I saw the coupon on Groupon for high tea in Roswell, I jumped on it and bought two coupons for $20 bucks (saving $28...yes high tea is expensive, normally $24/per person). This was the first time Charlie had ever experienced high tea and I must say he was a good sport, despite the fact that he was the only male in the tea-house. The experience included an unlimited number of teas. I think we each had three different pots of tea including such flavors as the smoky lapsang (Charlie's favorite), anti-aging house blend (we are both approaching 40 years), creme au caramel rooibos, Moroccan mint green tea, house chai blend, and evening in Paris. The soups came out first, a beautiful and creamy carrot ginger soup and smooth tomato basil soup. Then, the culminating event...the three-tiered myriad of beautiful sandwiches, desserts, and scones. Of course we went home with a doggy bag and had to stop for a bathroom break as we floated away after drinking all of that delicious tea.

First tier: tea sandwiches, such as Cucumber, Organic Chicken Curry, Mushroom Spread and Smoked Salmon Sandwich.

Second tier: desserts, such as Homemade Apple Strudel, Creampuffs dipped in Belgian Chocolate, Homemade Seasonal Cake and Fruit.

Third tier: fresh made Scones with homemade Lemon Curd.

Thanksgiving, Atlanta Style, Sans Turkey!

Since Charlie traveled to both Colorado and Ohio in the last few weeks and I went to Colorado in October, we decided our time and money would be better spent enjoying a "stay-cation" in Atlanta. Instead of fighting with one of the busiest airport travel days, we packed up the car and drove 1.5 hours for a 3-day Thanksgiving extravaganza in the big city. Thanksgiving day was absolutely gorgeous, 72 degrees, with a cool breeze in the air and lots of sunshine. We packed a picnic and headed to Atlanta's big metropolitan park, Piedmont Park, with a Frisbee and our books in tow. No turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, or cranberries this year. Rather, we decided to make one of the biggest, most gluttonous, eating days in the USA something healthy. Cheeses, crackers, fruit, hummus, and veggies filled our belly.

The other exciting news is that I came away with a Thanksgiving war wound: a fat lip. Despite Charlie's intense craving for turkey and gravy, no he did not backhand me (okay, that was a bad joke!) The enlarged, bloody upper lip occurred during a mad game of Frisbee. As I attempted to catch the Frisbee my lip decided to get in the way of the spinning wheel...

To end the evening we ate tapas, drank wine, and gazed at the beautiful skyline at the Sun Dial Bar which sits (and revolves) on the 73rd floor of the Westin in downtown Atlanta.

I Love Athens in the Fall!

Many of my blog followers are well aware that Athens, GA is a temporary place of residence for me. Sometimes I get swallowed by all of the reasons I really could never live here permanently (lack of nature, conservative vibe, no bike lanes, HOT summers and bugs...just to name a few). But, this blog post is all about the silver lining, so prepare yourself. The one thing I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE about Athens is the fall. In my opinion, this is the best season Athens has to offer. The temperature hovers in the 70s and the beautiful fall colors dance on the blue sky canvas. The botanical gardens are one of my favorite places to spend time during the fall, especially when the Japanese Maple don deep rich shades of red. As you walk through the gardens the sound of leaves crunching under your shoes, and the sound of birds singing make the perfect background noise to snap a few photos (displayed here).

From October to November...

As the leaves change colors and old man winter beckons...it is time for a blog update on life. Life has a way of turning on a dime...with lots of surprises and roller-coaster rides along the way. I am, of course, attempting to throw my arms up and enjoy the ride with grace. Here is the latest...

1.) One of my dear UGA professors battles cancer and he has asked me to take on a few administrative duties including managing and being a "presence" for a residential college on campus as well as coordinating a few study abroad programs. It is bittersweet, I suppose. Sweet because of the chance to continue something that my professor has put a lot of love into, not mention an opportunity to contribute to the undergraduate population at UGA. Bitter, because there is a lot of heartache for my professor and his family and it has brought up a lot of contemplation of death.

2.) Grant-a-liscious! I would like to conduct international research, thus I need to somehow find a way to fund my thirst for travel and international curiosity. Which means I get to enter the wonderful world of applying for grants. For the past two months I have been writing grants, personal statements, research proposals, and compiling transcripts, letters of recommendation, affiliation letters, and filling out applications. Woo! This was no small task. The deadlines: first week in November (ahhhhh, DONE!) Thanksgiving break never looked so good!

3.) Yoga Adventure Club! To deepen my personal yoga practice, I am participating in the Rubbersoul Adventure Club which meets every Saturday (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Tuesday nights. The Club is hosted by the local donations-based yoga studio where I teach yoga. While I was hoping to immerse myself in the more spiritual side of yoga, the club has surprisingly made me think deeply about living a more conscious existence. Not only do we practice yoga, but we also read books and watch documentaries on healthy eating, vegetarianism, factory farming, and living sustainably. My mind has been spinning from the information, but it has been a wonderful addition to the very academic life I lead in Athens.

4.) Statistics...suckistics! My LAST mandatory PhD class. Thank goodness I have an amazing tutor (Stats Guru, Charlie). I am averaging about 15 hours per graded assignment. It just takes a lot of time (and energy) to pay attention to all of the intricacies of quantitative manipulation. Pure joy in two weeks...no more PhD coursework!

Fall Break on Sapelo Island

31 undergraduate college students + 3 vans + 10 pounds of beef + 3 "adults" (Adam, Charlie & Leasa)+ 4 dozen ears of corn + 50 million mosquitoes + 2 golf carts + 2 ferry rides + 1 bonfire by the beach + 1 low-country boil=the annual Franklin Residential College (FRC) trip to Sapelo Island. (Yes, this is one of the duties of my role as Graduate Fellow to FRC...tough gig ;-))

I can now say that I have slept in four of the University of Georgia's campuses. UGA has a Marine Institute on this beautiful and serene island, reachable only by boat. If you have seen my photos of the Oxford and Costa Rica campuses you know that UGA does not skimp when funneling money to these campuses. Okay, the single-wide trailer that the "adults" stayed in was not the most luxurious, but the scenery was and the dorm where the students stayed, while simple in decor, was beautiful in design.

Our days were spent exploring the island via nature trails (ahhhh...it felt so good to be in nature), walks on the beach, and cute little red golf carts. Our evenings were spent cooking dinner with the students, one of which was a low-country boil (potatoes, shrimp, sausage, corn, garlic, onions, carrots, and HOT spices). Delicious and well done, Chef Charlie!

We asked the students to gather wood for a bonfire on the beach...and surprise, it was one of the biggest bonfires I have experienced. S'mores, gazing at the stars, and campfire songs occupied our time as the fire was eventually buried with sand.

A great trip...thanks, Adam & Charlie!

Watkinsville Fall Wine Fest

My favorite fall event: the annual fall wine fest at the quaint Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast. Imagine 50 local restaurants serving up samples of their food and local wineries and wine shops pouring healthy glasses of wine. Combine that with a beautiful fall day in Georgia (70 degrees and sunny) in the lush colorful gardens of the Ashford Manor and you have yourself a lovely afternoon. This was a great way to celebrate Charlie's race.