Happy Chinese New Year!

It's good to be back -- even though I spilled a bowl of miso soup onto myself at dinner. This wasn't a graceful act, and my lap now smells like scallions and broth, but my dinner partner didn't seem to mind the few moments of chaos.

Proposed New Dog Breeds

The following came in a forwarded e-mail, so I cannot give proper credit to its original source. Enjoy!

*Collie + Lhasa Apso-Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport
*Spitz + Chow Chow-Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot
*Bloodhound + Borzoi-Bloody Bore, a dog that's not much fun
*Pointer + Setter-Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet
*Kerry Blue Terrier + Skye Terrier-Blue Skye, a dog for visionaries
*Great Pyrenees + Dachshund-Pyradachs, a puzzling breed
*Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso-Pekeasso, an abstract dog
*Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel-Irish Springer, a dog fresh
and clean as a whistle
*Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever -Lab Coat Retriever, the
choice of research scientists
*Newfoundland + Basset Hound-Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors
*Terrier + Bulldog-Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes
*Bloodhound + Labrador-Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly
*Malamute + Pointer-Moot Point, owned by....oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway
*Collie + Malamute-Commute, a dog that travels to work
*Deerhound + Terrier-Derriere, a dog that's true to the end
*Bull Terrier + Shih tzu-Bullshitz, a gregarious but unreliable breed

Home again

Maggie and I have safely arrived in Iowa, and the cooking aromas in the house are wonderful; black bean chili simmers on the stovetop. I'm so happy that I'm not the family cook. I'm so happy that the family cook is back from Navajoland. I'm not reporting on this blog how many books I brought home with me -- that way, I won't need to report on how many of them I actually opened.

Word of the Week

My vote for Word of the Week was going to be ovenable. I'd never seen this before preparing my delicious Amy's vegetable pie, and the word charmed me.

Since then, however, in yesterday's New Testament class we learned the word instantiation. This one wins. It didn't exactly charm me, but it's a great word, so it wins anyway.

Irascible

It's the word of the week, at least in Ethics class. Some students hadn't been familiar with its meaning (not good) but had the guts to admit it (good), so now have another fine word to use (also good) in just about any setting -- especially handy in a place where people run around overfunctioning.

I know that the previous sentence needs help, and I might care about it if I weren't coping with a relentless headache that now has gone on for days and days. Blah! I'm irascible!

Dog update: Steve has decided to keep Uri in the family, so John & I shall remain a single poodle family. Maggie and Daisy became friends, Mingus has a lot to say, Murray has barked courageously from the Dean's yard, Bea has not been in sight, and Roz remains Top Dog.

To the Dogs

When I was growing up, I misheard some commonly used phrases. "Dog-eat-dog world" was one; I heard "doggy-dog world." Later this afternoon, I'll bring Maggie back to Evanston with me, and we'll enter a very doggy-dog world. I don't recall the current Dog Count, but it must be in the high twenties by now.

I hope that Maggie and Uri will like each other enough for me to consider adopting Uri. I hope that Maggie will not growl at Roz again. I hope that Mingus and Maggie bond their poodle selves in an acceptable manner. I hope that Maggie's sheer height will not terrify poor Bea this time. I hope that Daisy can hold her own. I hope that Maggie will share me with others.

Here's hoping!

Early morning moon

I wish I were a "morning person." We arose at 4:30 a.m. and I drove John to the airport. He's now in the northwestern corner of New Mexico, spending the next week discoving what the Episcopal Church is like in Navajoland. He has arrived safely.

Driving back from the airport, I saw that the moon was huge and bright, wonderfully illuminating the interstate and surrounding trees. It also seemed to watch over my brief trip back home, as though sensing I really was not awake. If I could be in a different body, one that doesn't feel wretchedly ill before 6 a.m., I might do this more often.

Driving out of Chicago yesterday felt more challenging than usual. The snow was heavy enough that it covered all the road signs, so I made big turns and hoped that I was headed to Iowa. But with the wind and lake effect snow, I may as well have been driving to Cleveland!

New Blogger

Please join me in welcoming Al to Blogaria. Now he too can procrastinate beyond his wildest expectations.

Congratulations, Suzanne!

To our dear friend Suzanne from your seminary buddies: Blessings, joy, and hearty congratulations on this day on which you have been ordained to the transitional diaconate! Send pictures!

(And yes, I now have corrected vision. 'Twas blind but now I see.)

Be Thou my Vision

My new glasses were supposed to be ready today, but they're not. I really want to read the introductory material on Paul & his Letters, the Ethics assignments, and several chapters for my Healing class, but I get seasick after 5-10 minutes' reading with uncorrected vision.

I also miss driving, and getting myself places. I've been fortunate to have a couple of friends drive me this week, but it's getting old. I'd like to get groceries without disrupting someone else's schedule.

If I have squinted at you in the past week, please don't take it personally.

Blindly

Last night, I thought the menu at Koi looked blurry. Sure enough, somewhere between the seminary grounds and Davis Street, the left lens dropped out of my glasses. Suzanne and I attempted to retrace our steps, but I remain half-blind.

This will create a bit of challenge in this first week of classes, as reading text makes me feel seasick, and I probably can't drive well, either. What a funny start to Epiphany term!

Happy New Year from the Land of Corn

We spent our 23rd consecutive New Year's Eve with our good friends Tim, Ellen and Nick. At midnight, Nick and Noah blew their trombone and trumpet out the front door in yet another creative rendition of a well-known fanfare. Next year, they'll have to come to Evanston -- we won't be living here in our house.

In a few hours I'll head back to my cinderblock castle. The last thing I want to do is leave home today (well, no, the last thing I'd want to do would be to watch football) but at least there's a big treat in store when I get there: my dear friend Suzanne will be visiting for the next five days.

I wish to note that the SUN is shining this morning! It's only come out on two other days since I've been home these last three weeks. A good sign, I trust.