Fall Update

Time flies...my last post was a summer done list; this week we had our first snow (about an inch!). Although it's only mid-November, it feels like January out there--burr! I thought I'd better get an update posted before the whole semester goes by.

Fall has been a bit of a whirlwind, with Mark teaching marching band again and working lots of evenings and weekends, and with me teaching an extra class (though I should say, I have fantastic students, and the two classes have definitely been highlights of my fall). It's been a demanding few weeks with my admin work, with more challenges ahead. We've got a new semester calendar that's a week shorter, so in our classes, we all are feeling an extra time crunch. We lost our fall break, so Veteran's Day is the first day off since Labor Day; here's hoping we all get the energy we need to finish out the semester.

Anyway, here is some news, more or less in chronological order:

promoting ESOL at the International Programs & Partnerships
Resource Fair during International Student Orientation

my former student and CCCC group leader joined me

Mark and I walked down to the Black Swamp Arts Festival, one of BG's biggest events. It was a very rainy weekend, but we planned ahead, so we only got a few sprinkles while we were out.

artist booths on Main Street

my giant plate of fried veggies

the main stage while we ate

I went with some friends to the annual International Festival at the mosque in Perrysburg, which I really enjoy. The food is so delicious, and I always learn something new on the tour. For several of the people I was with, it was their first time to the festival, so it was fun to see them experience everything.

cheese pie, Egyptian macaroni with beef,
fresh made bread with veggies

friends playing cricket

a mosaic of the mosque

tour guide explaining the Islamic school

tour guide in the prayer area

The General Studies Writing Program celebrated National Day on Writing with a table at the Student Union. I happened to stop by just before Frieda!

Frieda at the National Day on Writing

My friend Lucinda is back from her 2 years teaching in China, and when she had me over the other day, we tried this tea...which was in a brick form...which neither of us knew what to do with. It was really solidly packed! After googling it, we learned you're supposed to use a tool called a tea needle to chip/flake off layers horizontally. Lucinda managed with a paring knife, but it wasn't easy! Most effortful cup of tea I've ever had, also very strong. 

Chinese tea brick

October was a bit of a tough month; I had one nasty cold followed by another, so I was under the weather for just over three weeks. Meanwhile, we had a major car issue with the Rav4 (the engine!), and after much deliberation, we decided to replace it instead of repairing. It was very stressful, but in the end, we did find a lovely 2015 Honda Accord, and so far we love it. We definitely weren't ready to part with the Rav4, and I'm still a bit sad about that. But I'm so thankful we found something we were confident about, especially since we did all the research, test driving, paperwork, etc. in a week, (while driving a rental), and also during a really demanding time of year for both of us at work.

Our Honda Accord

A little bit of local news: there's a new tea house in town. I haven't tried it, but I did take a peek the other day during the Winter Farmer's Market. Looks cute, right? Perhaps next time someone visits, we can go!

One of the rooms at Tea Thyme

Finally, I always enjoy the fall colors around here, which came a bit late after a very warm September/early October. I'm glad I caught a few photos before the unseasonably cold weather moved in...many of the leaves have fallen already, and, as I mentioned, we've already had a little snow.

on the corner across from our apartment complex

the big tree outside my 3rd floor office window
(picture taken from outside on the sidewalk)

After finishing marching season with 1s at the state competition (that's the highest score), Mark's next adventure is heading to PASIC next week in Indianapolis. After that, we're looking forward to Thanksgiving with family in Michigan again. And after that, I've got just two more weeks of classes, plus finals.